I'm about to start my second week in D.C. It's been fun so far, but I feel like I haven't had much time to enjoy summer before working. Last week was my first week of the internship and I really enjoy it. I get to do research on drug policy in Colorado and talk about Latin America. As interesting as it is, it's almost like being in school again. I really just want to be lazy. Plus since I'm not here for long and because D.C. is such a great city, I feel like it's hard to have down time. Regardless, it's been great.
On Friday I went out with Molly and her roommates, Hannah and Hanna. We went to the Mad Hatter, which I've been to before with KJ. It was fine, but kind of grimy. Not really my scene. We left relatively early and went back to their apartment where I spent the night. On the metro on the way back I started talking to some random guys about hip hop. When I asked them who the grandfathers of hip hop were, one said Kanye and one said Nas...wut...
Anyways, there was construction really early in the morning, so I ended up skating home and going back to sleep for a while. Then I met up with all those ladies at Eastern Market. It was really nice to be back, but I only bought produce (some of the tastiest cantaloupe I've ever eaten). We came back to the condo and made really nasty cookies and brownies and watched Annie Hall. We all totally passed out during it. We ate so unhealthily and vegged out so hard, so after the movie at around 10 we went to the mall and walked from the capitol to the Lincoln monument. It was a great walk at night, but by the end I was exhausted and so glad to get into bed.
On Sunday all of Molly's roommates threw a BBQ for Memorial Day. Kris and Bob (who are working for my mom) came, which was weird but awesome. There were also a bunch of other interns who live in the same building. Overall the interns are super conservative which is not what I was expecting. It is super interesting though. A lot of them are pro-life and one doesn't believe in global climate change. Molly has been pretty annoying about the whole getting along with others thing, and because we're really good friends I think a lot of the people we meet are under the impression that I"m the same way. To be honest, though, I think it's really interesting to hear the other side. Especially because at CC I rarely do. After the BBQ we all went to the memorial day concert outside the capitol. Before the concert started Willa, Gabi and I had a quick conference call before Willa left for Italy. It was so nice to hear their voices. It made me kindof homesick, but I know that we all have lots of adventures in store.
I was really dismayed about the whole concert. It was so rehearsed and fake. Hannada brought up the point that it was total propaganda, and she was spot on. I think it's sad that we as a nation were glorifying those who have died. Yes, I think we should celebrate the lives of those who have fought for us, but I don't think we should be fighting in the first place. Kris sent me a text like ten minutes in saying that he was leaving because he couldn't handle the bullshit. Most of the others agreed, and we all dipped pretty quickly.
We met back up with Kris at the apartment and went to some sports bar to get a really late dinner. I spent the night at their house again. As we were falling asleep a bunch of the conservative interns were still talking outside. I was so appalled by what I was hearing. Basically they were making really inappropriate rape jokes and being generally super masochistic. I was literally about to get out of bed and punch one of the guys, Zach, in the face. Fuck him.
Anyways, in the morning I left pretty early again and went for a really lame run. I don't know any routes here so that makes it hard. Anyways, I felt kind of sick after so I slept a little longer. Thank god for 3 day weekends. Then I met back up with Hannada, Hannah, Kate, and Molly. We went to the Arlington Cemetery for Memorial Day.
It was really intense seeing the cemetery. There are gravestones for as far you can see every way. It was super hot but we wandered around for a really long time. I was glad to go, but it was also really frustrating to see all that had died in war. I also had a really interesting conversation with Hannada about how pointless most of the wars have been, except WW2. Even that war was generally kind of pointless because there were also stupid conflicts than the Hitler thing (which I, of course, believe we did the right thing to tackle). Our first stop in the cemetery was the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers. We showed up at the perfect time to watch some ceremony where they put a new wreath on the tomb. Then we went the super long way to find Hannah's great uncle's grave. When we (finally) got there we were all so tired, and realized that we were on the direct other side of the Unknown Soldiers! At least we got in some exercise.
It was really amazing to see her great-uncle's grave. He had fought in Vietnam and got a purple heart for getting shot in the stomach in his first of 4 visits. I can't believe he went three more times to war after being shot. He also had a silver star. When we all entered we were given a rose, and I put mine on the tombstone of a man who had died at 19 in the Korean War. He had been a POW. It may sound silly, but it seemed like the loneliest place I've ever been.
After Arlington we went to the Pentagon City mall. As everyone in the world knows I hate shopping, especially after such a long day at the cemetery, but I really need clothes. Of course I didn't get anything, though. Then I went home and the others went to Walmart or some bullshit. I was so exhausted and so excited to go to bed.
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