goodbye, d.c.

So, it happened - I am home from DC! Well, I'm actually in Virginia at the airport waiting to catch my flight home. It's crazy. My roommates and I unanimously agreed that while some of the days felt long, the weeks couldn't have flown by any faster. Either way, it's hard to believe that my time in the District is over for now. Operative phrase being "for now" - I can see myself making a life here after graduation, and while I obviously won't commit to anything just yet, it's a nice thought to keep in mind.

One thing is for sure: I will miss the endless thrills that come with exploring a new city, let alone the capitol of the United States. Every weekend was a blank canvas, and I feel like I took advantage of that opportunity...

I saw really breathtaking and famous places (monuments, museums, etc.) that are so historically and presently relevant.

I tried to never turn down the chance to do something a bit different, like kayak on the Potomac or attend a Hungarian culture festival.

I worked almost 50 hours a week at an internship and learned a lot of lessons (mostly good ones) along the way.

Let's be honest: I ate a lot of food. I participated in a lot of brunches. It was delicious.

I met several intelligent, motivated and generally amazing people who were always up to accompany me on adventures, and who I know that I will see again.

I have never been so sleep deprived in my life. I have also never been more informed about current events in my life. After I get home, I would like to end the former habit and maintain the latter.

Even while being constantly surrounded by people and doing a whole lot of socializing in one of the most powerful cities in the world, there were times when I still felt sort of alone - but it was a good thing. I took a leap of faith and moved somewhere by myself. And to have the whole thing work out was so validating.

I totally stepped out of my comfort zone many times, and it was sort of fun and scary and thrilling all at once. 

Not to get cliche, but I have learned a lot about myself over these past few months. I really have. That's not to imply that there isn't a lot that I'm still figuring out....

And now to go back to the routine of school and a life that makes me comfortable. Now that I've had a taste of what my life could be like (might be like) after graduation, I don't know if I will view my lovely little college town differently. However, a lot of people have insistently stressed that I should enjoy my last year of school to the fullest, so I plan on doing just that.

...I also don't know if I will find a desire to blog as much anymore. Writing is without a question my favorite activity, but I've realized that I am always struggling to find a permanent niche in the blogging world. I blogged when I went to India and DC, but without those trips guiding my content...I am just more disposed to writing on my own terms without feeling like I need to post something on a website. 

Whoever you are, thanks for reading my rambling narrative. I have to say, it's been personally humbling, eye-opening and therapeutic to share my slice of life in this corner of the internet world. 

Until next time!

captured

Board outside of this art gallery where you put a pin on your hometown. Yes, I was proud to have broken the Midwestern ground and I made sure to let other people around me know that. I miss Minnesota.

Mesmerized by the pretty light fountain.

This was a perfect breakfast on a perfect Saturday at a perfect restaurant called Ted's Bulletin in Capitol Hill. Ted's Bulletin is known for their homemade poptarts...um, enough said.

flowers and thoughts

On the days when I can escape my office for a lunch break, I often like to sit underneath this one tree in the park.

It's gigantic (and probably very old and has seen a lot in its long tree life) and makes for a lot of nice shade on the hottest days. And I like to sit underneath it when I eat my lunch because it's so big that I can pretend that I haven't spent the majority of the last three months in a cubicle instead of in the water, on the grass, in the sunshine, and the like.

I've just recently noticed that this tree has flowers growing in it. A lot of white, tiny flowers growing up and down the branches, winding between the roots, blooming on top of one another. I only know this because a lot of these flowers have been falling off this tree lately and landing on my head. And on my body. I think that it has something to do with the combination of windy days and the fact that the flowers aren't much bigger than dimes. 

Anyway, they've been breaking off from the tree at a surprisingly rapid rate. The first time it happened, I reacted in the way that any normal person would ("What the hell just landed on my head?!") and then I got annoyed, because it kept happening over. and over. and over. It was one of those minor annoyances that can be enough to put you in a bad mood if you're already having a bad day.

But this afternoon, I was eating lunch under that ancient tree yet again. And those small flowers did their little falling dance and landed in a pile on my lap. And maybe it was because I was reading a particularly inspiring book, or that I've just actively tried to be more optimistic lately - but my mindset towards these flowers suddenly shifted. They are such small things - barely fragrant, so paper thin and so white that they're nearly translucent...they're hardly even real.

So I took one of the delicate petals in my hand and rubbed it between my fingers. And I just thought...how can I be so annoyed with this unassuming little flower bud? Why waste energy on something that's so ultimately harmless and inconsequential? And then that got me thinking...maybe I shouldn't get annoyed (or impatient or frustrated or sad) about other things that I make out to be big problems, but are actually very minor issues.

And I realized that in order to preserve your sanity and your mind and your heart, you have to be able to distinguish real problems from imagined ones. I recognize that sometimes it is worth it to invest your time and emotions into something that's important and that you believe will have a serious effect on your life in the long haul. But more often than not (at least for me), many of my supposed issues actually have thin white petals that let the sunlight pass through, if I just take a second glance at what's in my lap.

I can learn to live with these little white flowers. I can even appreciate them for their simplicity and insignificance - how important they are for being so unimportant. and that can be enough for me. really, it just has to be enough.

scribbles

Like so many things in life, I think that a great day is like a necklace strung together by little moments (made of pearls, or wooden balls, or Mardi Gras-esque beads, whatever helps you to visualize it). This past weekend was undoubtedly one of the most eventful weekends I've had all summer - perhaps even all year. Last night, I hastily scribbled down everything that I could remember about the past few days so I wouldn't forget anything.

And wouldn't you know, when I pulled out the note today, it was pretty much a list of little moments that made me smile. I could recount everything that happened, but I'd rather let you fill in the blanks as you wish.

if D.C. was a person, I would be engaged to them by now.

life lists part one

five confessions:
1. I think I accidentally ate red meat last weekend (after swearing off it in May - maybe I'll do a more comprehensive post on this later). To be fair, they told me it was a turkey sandwich. Therefore, I should be pardoned.

2. Apparently the DC Metro is "permitting" passengers to drink water on the trains this week because of our hot hot hot heat wave, but...I mean...I've been chugging water down there this whole summer...I don't tolerate temperatures above 80 very well.
3. I couldn't remember what day it was when I was showering this morning, and I seriously had to think about it for a while.
4. I also forgot the password to this blog for a good 24 hours.
5. I'm writing more again. Not just for these blog posts, but in general. It's such good therapy.

five favorite feelings as of late:
1. When the subway pulls into the station and the whole platform gets really windy for a few seconds.
2. When you're about to do something productive like clean your kitchen or wash your sheets, but then spontaneous plans come up and you decide that maybe you can procrastinate your chores for one more day.
3. When you FaceTime with your parents and they put your cat on video (that happened):

4. When you realize that letting go of something that's bothering you isn't simply an act of conceding or accepting that it doesn't matter, but rather an act of acknowledging that you won't let it control your life (thanks to this article from my favorite website, Thought Catalog)
5. Getting free things in the mail. Like a ton of coupons for Slurpees from 7-Eleven. Amazing what you can get when you complain on Twitter (that's meee!)

snippets

Taken minutes before kayaking on the Potomac River. I didn't realize that maneuvering a kayak is a legitimate workout (at least for me. thank you, non-existent upper body strength), but I still had a great time on the water. 

This is from the history of handwriting exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery (which I HIGHLY recommend going to if you're ever in DC - the captions and stories behind the portraits are as interesting as the pictures themselves). I've developed a new interest in font design, so this exhibit was particularly cool for me. People's handwriting styles are like snowflakes - no two are exactly the same. They provide an unexpectedly intimate glance into a life...

you say it's your birthday...

Oh, boy. I've done that thing that people do when they get busy living and accidentally (to be honest, also kind of deliberately) forget to blog about it. I don't want to become that person - the one who is so excited to FINALLY start a blog - and updates it like every other day. Then, every other day soon becomes once a week, once a week becomes once a month, and then you're really just kidding yourself after that.

I've really gotten into a rhythm here with my internship and other plans interspersed in what remains of my free time. I suppose the most noteworthy thing that has happened recently was my birthday! It was last Wednesday. I'll be honest - I've never been a big birthday person. And I worked until 6, so my birthday didn't really feel like a special day carved out for my benefit.

However, I rue the day that I ever turn down a cupcake. This one is brought to you by my sweet co-workers via Crumbs.

Yum.

After work, I went out for happy hour and sushi with some old and new friends. And later, went to a bar in Dupont Circle. Overall, it was a pretty good birthday for being in a new city and not knowing many people. I had no expectations for the day's events, which is probably another reason that it went well. (Isn't that always how it goes? The nights for which you meticulously dictate every detail end up being just okay or even a real disappointment, but the plans that spring up out of nowhere are usually the ones you remember months and years later.)

(Birthday package from the family)

(I bought myself a new little dress because Nordstrom Rack)

(this photograph is fairly self-explanatory. Braving the masses on National Mall to see the fireworks display was so worth it for the views we got.)

not overwhelmed, not underwhelmed...just whelmed.

This week was little less busy in terms of not-work things, but VERY busy with work things. It was nice to do a lot of substantial projects and feel like I was contributing to the bigger picture of the company. As an intern, there are days when I am so bored that I begin to sort pens and clean in between all of the computer keys (that happened...), and there are some days when staying until midnight wouldn't be enough time to finish everything. It feels like there's no perfect medium. Oh well.

Serious picture: One of my favorite monuments to date - the Martin Luther King, Jr. memorial. Quite possibly the best memorial to visit at night, as well. Quotes lined the walls. My favorite quote (not pictured here) was "Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."

Also, there was a little fox running along the wall and everyone freaked out and took pictures, seeming to forget that they were at a historic monument. Hah.

Went to the Congressional Women's Softball Game to support breast cancer research. I didn't even know that such an event existed. And these women were good. It was several big-shot journalists from the press corps (think Politico, CNN, Huffington Post, etc.) versus congresswomen. Very enjoyable evening made complete with free popsicles. The press corps won the game kind of easily...but our representatives put up a good fight. 

Note: post title is a reference to 10 Things I Hate About You. For some reason, I watched like four movies this week when I usually never watch movies at all.

it's always the little moments...

Isn't it? Like this one, for example:

Walking along a waterfront at sunset - so cliche, but for a reason. I never want to leave this city ever. Seriously. They're going to have to drag me away in August.

one line a day

To sum up my kind of crazy-busy week in an efficient (read: lazy) manner...

Monday | Went to work and then went to a P90X-esque workout class at a Nike store where I half assed pretty much all of the moves.

Tuesday | Went to work and then went to happy hour at a place that begs for happy hours to take place there: Nooshi, a Asian fusion restaurant downtown.

Wednesday | Went to work and then continued my personal quest of trying every cupcake place in DC with a trip to Baked & Wired, which was MUCH tastier and more satisfying than Georgetown Cupcakes.

Thursday | Went to work and the event that I blogged about in my previous post, which turned out to be a good time!

Friday | More work (notice a pattern here?), then went to a party on a university campus which somehow ended with a very late night trip to the Lincoln Memorial and some deep conversation.

Saturday | Had a lovely brunch at Founding Farmers and then straggled through all of three exhibits at the American History Museum with friends before caving in and lying on National Mall for hours.

Sunday | Went to Buffalo Exchange (secondhand clothing store) intending to buy some work blouses, and left with leather-clad items and some jewelry - fail...

famous.

Hey guys.

Hey guys!

Guess what?

Someone from a DC news station affiliate snapped a photo of me and my friends last night for their website that covers events around the District.

Image copyright of The Scene Bisnow and WTOP DC

We felt like a pretty big deal. You can find the link to the article here. Abbey, Alex and I were at a pop-up boutique show where all of the proceeds went to an organization called Safe Shores. More info in the article. It was really cool, and the whole event was just rife with bloggers. Made me realize how amateur I am :)

And after we left, our cab driver gave us the ride for FREE. Very unexpected and an awesome end to a Thursday.

we are the evidence.

Mr. Smith's: Affordable and dreamy bar/restaurant in the heart of Georgetown (I've been going there a lot, haven't I?). We sat on the patio and talked to our waiter about Nepal. There was also a "Wine Burger" on the menu that was $999. We asked him if it was a joke. He said no. We asked if anyone had ever ordered it. He said no.

 Favorite picture from the Natural History Museum. We downloaded this app called "Meanderthal" that blends your face with a face of the earlier human species. I will spare you the results- let's just say that I'm grateful for evolution.

 Went out for a wonderful Saturday brunch at this place called Lavagna with Alex and a few others. I got pancakes with honey Nutella butter and mascarpone. Oh, and also a bottomless mimosa. Dangerous but so satisfying. We (okay, maybe just I) decided that we're going to call ourselves the Bitches Who Brunch from now on. I'm probably a little too excited about this name. There are original Bitches Who Brunch (they gave Lavagna an A+)...so maybe we can be the pseudo-BWB? Discuss.

Powerful image at the Museum of the American Indian today. I was talking to my friend about how  museums have such a solemn and sad quality. They are filled with objects that define a group of people - objects that used to mean a lot to someone and maybe still have a lot of meaning for people today - yet they're displayed behind glass walls and mounted on frames as if they're in a graveyard. It's like looking at a ship inside a bottle.

rainbows, georgetown and badgers - oh my...

I know it's Tuesday so it's kind of late to be doing a "weekend re-cap" post, but I'm sure that you weren't sitting on the edge of your chair freaking out over my absence. I don't even know who reads this blog anyway (hi...mom? friends? maybe?)...

But moving on - weekend #2 in DC was as great as #1. Highlights included the gay pride festivities (those are some pretty little banners up above), multiple trips to Georgetown, a monument or two, and so. much. walking. This can't be said enough: ALWAYS WEAR GOOD SHOES. ALWAYS. My poor feet. I'll never learn.

 

I'll be living here in 5 years, thank you. 

 One of the many freebies that we got at DC pride.

 View of the Pride Festival from the observation deck of the Newseum (news + museum, obviously). The Newseum was incredible, worth the admission price, and definitely contending for my favorite tourist stop so far. Also, please note the Canadian Embassy hanging out over there on the left side.

My roommate Debbie and I are from the same school (but we are random roommates - fun, right?) so we went to this bar that specifically caters to alumni from our college. It was, in a word, amazing. It will definitely not be the last time I go there this summer.

on a rainy day

On a rainy day in DC, these are some things that happen:

(1) People sell umbrellas on the street.
(2) People also give out boxes of cupcakes for Betty Crocker promos. Well, maybe that just happened today. I definitely waited in line for those boxes and definitely was almost late to work. Priorities.
(3) It's pretty. And still warm, but not in a I-live-in-a-sauna kind of way.
(4) Your feet will get wet no matter what.
(5) Everything seems a little more relaxed in a city that is so alive all the time.
(6) Sometimes you get cupcakes in Georgetown at... you guessed it...

Georgetown Cupcakes. Mmm. Lived up to all the hype, in my opinion.

Bye!

self-importance.

 

---

So there was one major observation that I made during the first few days of my work commute. Maybe it had to do with the fact that 99% of all the people that I see downtown from Monday to Friday are dressed in business professional clothes heading to work, or maybe it was a vibe that I felt myself giving off as well. 

Everyone in DC walks with a very "self-important" gait; they cruise down the sidewalks (multiple smart phones and coffees in hand) acting as if they own the city. It doesn't matter if you're a lowly intern like me or the president of a venture capital firm, something about this place makes you feel like you're...well, the shit. 

I talked to some of my new friends about it and they agreed. I don't have anything to conclude from this observation; I just thought it was interesting. I guess if there's any place for conceited people to congregate, DC would be it. I mean, for all the gossip and nastiness and political scandals that happen here, some great things do come out of the District. Some of the most talented people in the world live here and create serious change (ahem, you're welcome. just kidding :)

Oh, and that photo at the top - part of my daily internship duties requires that I scan the entire New York Times cover-to-cover to monitor any updates for the firm's clients. All I'm thinking is, hello, I get to read the whole New York Times every day for free! So I think I like it here.

photographic evidence of a good d.c. weekend.

It's been one week since my arrival and I'm getting a little more accustomed to my stomping grounds of the District. Life still pretty much feels like a dream, but reality is beginning to seep through the cracks in minor ways. At work on Monday, I felt like I had one of those days where I just didn't do anything right. But when you have days like those (and they happen more than once), you have to just snap out of it, accept that you're not perfect and vow to do better tomorrow. So that's what I tried to do - and it worked! I had a much better day today. I'll end this post on a positive note with a quick re-cap of the awesome weekend I had.

Last weekend was filled with trips to places like the Library of Congress (self-proclaimed government/history geek right here, guys)....

Farmer's markets...

An amazing bookstore filled with floor-to-ceiling used books and a charming shop owner...

A beautiful botanic garden...

A memorial that makes you understand why everyone says it's best to visit D.C. memorials after dark...

 Cool museums...

And (of course) some necessary gelato.

My pedometer app said I walked 18 miles over the weekend, so YEAH. That's how much fun I had exploring the city. I can't wait to see more.

happy friday!

So I made it through the first workweek. This is all I have to show for today:

 

A picture of two birds that were VERY close to me during lunch.

I really need to get better at taking pictures this summer. I'm not one of those people that brings their camera everywhere they go. I guess having a camera phone helps, but I'm never ready when a Kodak moment happens.
It's also hard to capture the sights of this beautiful and strange new place when I'm in an office all day. My weekdays are like this: Wake up, ride an elevator, walk to work, ride an elevator, work, ride an elevator, walk home, ride an elevator, sleep. Just up and down elevators all day basically. Don't get me wrong, I love my new internship, but it's hard to explore when you're ready for bed at 8. However, my roommates and I have big plans for this weekend...stay tuned!

mandatory cat photo

I already miss my little cat, Molly. She's getting older and my family and I love her so much. She kind of runs the show at home. I only see her when I'm on school breaks.

Anyway, just thought she deserved a mention on here.

Today I had my first D.C. food truck experience. My roommate and I got some curry and naan and ate it outside. We just people-watched and talked for a while. And I feel like I'm going to love the D.C. food scene! (allow me to join the 33434534 other people who Instragam every meal they eat...sorry :)

plastic bags are the new enemy

The funny thing is that while I say that I live in the midwest, this blog will really live out its infancy on the east coast - specifically, Washington, D.C.! I have an internship out here for the summer. Yay!

Until recently, I had settled with my plan of living in my college town and working over the summer. ...until I got an offer out here and my plans changed literally overnight. In a scarily fast amount of time, I found a place to live in D.C., bought my plane tickets, subletted my apartment at school and bought new work clothes. My efficiency with getting all my stuff together pretty much reaffirmed how much I wanted to live in D.C. this summer.

I just moved in yesterday so I'm still getting myself situated.

 

In my humble opinion, D.C. is like New York City but cleaner. In my area, there is seriously no trash littering the streets, and there are SO MANY FLOWERS AND TREES. I am quite happily surprised.

Some of these photos were taken as I decided to walk two miles to a more affordable grocery store. Let me preface this by saying that I get annoyingly overconfident when I'm in a new city. I'm all like "Pssh, I have the Google Maps app and good shoes, I'll be fine." I ended up buying way more groceries than I intended and walked out with no less than SEVEN huge plastic bags. It was as much of a disaster as you can imagine. I eventually dejectedly sat down on a bench with my broken bags. A man with a baby gave me some paper bags out of pity. Then I hailed a cab. I learned my lesson there.

Regardless of that snafu, I already love this place. First day of internship = success. And D.C. is so beautiful.

greetings!

I'm just getting situated with this blog of mine. I've been wanting to start a blog for a long time and I'm excited that I finally did it. Whoever you are, thanks for stopping by my little corner of the internet. I promise hope that it will get more exciting. Let's see where this adventure goes...