True Story
Okay, this actually happened...a guy I work with wrote the story down for other people in the office to read. So I'll let him tell the story. I wish I could take credit for this writing...but I was at least a witness to it. Okay here goes, in the words of Adam. He refers to the Psychotic Judiciary Intern as "Crazy."
The Official Log of the Psychotic Judiciary InternWednesday- September 20th- Domenici front office Witnesses- Adam, Samantha, Jacob
Crazy- “ Um, hey, hi, hello, I am intern at um the Judiciary but for the Judiciary in the Russell building and the people over there sent me to bring something to SH-327 (Judiciary office across the hall from PVD empire) and uh, but then I got here and the sign outside says “Authorized personnel only”, so I was wondering if you guys know if this is ok, or if I can enter, since I do work for Judiciary but you know in the Russell building”?
Jacob- “Yeah, I think you’ll be fine.”
Friday- September 22nd- B level of Dirksen (near Post Office)
Witnesses- Tara, Adam, Autumn, Lauren
The Scene- a leisurely stroll from a lovely lunch in the Cafeteria back to the PVD Empire, with the usual friendly banter taking place
Crazy (from about 15 feet away) (in a tone reminiscent of a car-jacking)- “WHERE IS SD-B43???”
Tara (with arms slightly raised in the air, in a way saying “Am I being held up or not?”)- “Uh, just go that way (opposite direction of us) and make a left, and then it should be there.”
Tara (after Crazy has walked away)- “How about I have no freaking clue, I just wanted him to go away in fear of losing my life.”
Tuesday- September 26- Cafeteria, right by the Vending Machines Witnesses- Samantha, Autumn, Adam, Lauren, Mike and various other shocked and appalled parties trying to enjoy the one of a kind nourishment offered at the Dirksen Cafeteria.
The Scene- as we see Crazy we begin trading and sharing stories from the short past that we have known of this one of a kind creature. Then before we know it he is behind us and pacing, and eventually using the vending machine.
Now we had no way of being prepared for what was about to happen, as we all continually wonder why he is still there 10, 15 and eventually 20 minutes after making his purchase.
------here is the phone call we then heard him place not once, but twice, while more pacing occurred.
“Yes, Hello, I am at Vending Machine A364GTJ8 and this particular machine is located in the cafeteria in the Dirksen building. What happened is I put a dollar in the machine, in hopes of having a Dasani Water, I pushed the button once, no, no that was twice, because at first it did not seem to be responding so I actually hit the button again, but then you see the machine vended two waters; the one that I paid for, and the one that I did not, thus making this one free. Now, I am wondering what the best way is to pay back this amount of money, as I do not want you to lose the cost. I have waited it out, and the previous person I spoke to does not seem to know what action to take, and the service guy that I have spoken to also has no idea. So I am wondering if there is an address I could mail this to? Or someway that you guys could pick this up from my office, or basically just what to do?”
----As we all try to hold it together………………….unsuccessfully. And you guys scoffed at my wanting to go to the Cafeteria (Dinner Theatre) for Lunch!
Oh man! I wouldn't have believed it, had I not actually witnessed it. So funny!
New York, New York
Wow...where to begin. This weekend was amazing! Saturday was truly one of the best days of my life. I got on the bus on Friday afternoon and rode to NYC. We rolled in at about 10:30pm. The bus stop is right on Times Square, so I was in the center of everything. I walked outside and my jaw just dropped! It was like daylight out at 11pm. So many lights and advertisements...talk about a sensory overload. Adam and his two roommates came and picked me up. They were both really cool. It was so good to see someone from home. Adam and I have a very bizarre connection. We have known OF each other for years. I lived across the street from where he worked. But we didn't actually meet and start hanging out until about 6 months ago when we were properly introduced through a mutual friend. There was four of us who routinely hung out and we bonded quickly. The connections I feel with those three other people are like none I've ever experienced before. It was good to re-kindle the connection this weekend. Adam is a quirky kind of guy...we couldn't be more opposite in just about every aspect of our lives. It always makes for good conversations. I couldn't have imagined seeing the city with anyone else. It felt so good to just hang out with someone who knows me and gets me and is able to have an intelligent conversation about life and people and art. Oh Adam, I love you, you're the best!! It was great seeing Adam...but it really made me miss home.
Okay, so back to NYC...this place was truly the most amazing place I've ever seen. It was everything I thought it would be, and more...so much more! It couldn't be more opposite of DC. DC is full of trees and very spread out. NYC has NO trees, except those in Central Park, and it's extremely condensed into a very small area. I loved the quaintness of the place. It was full of little boutiques and family owned shops. I loved every bit of the city.
We went to Times Square, Central Park, Fao Schwarz, a movie set on 5th Ave., The Plaza Hotel, St. Patrick's Cathedral, the top of the Empire State Building, a street fair, The Village, Chelsea, and rode the Staten Island Ferry past the Statue of Liberty. Whew! All of that in just one day! Talk about exhaustion. It was all worth it. Lisa and her husband are going to NYC in December and I'm going to hitch a ride with them. I've always wanted to see NYC and I've especially always wanted to see it at Christmas time. I can hardly wait until December!
My Place
Okay, a few things from my weekend. First, I'm an aunt again!!! How exciting! To be honest, I'm not really sure how to handle this news. Not that I'm not excited, it's just very strange to say it and understand it without actually having seen her. Her name is Raney Lee and she is a beautiful baby, to be sure.
In other news....I'm going to New York this weekend!! I'm sooo excited! I've never been to NYC and it has always been a place I've dreamed of going. I'm going to take the bus and meet my friend Adam, who just moved there about a month ago. I can't wait to see him and get the grand tour of the city. In order to prepare for all the things I will see, I bought a digital camera yesterday.
I know some of you have been requesting pictures of The Shoebox (what I like to call my apartment). So here are a few. The place isn't too clean, so don't look very close. But at least this gives you an idea of just how small it is. I didn't take any pictures of the
bathroom, it was too small for me to get any kind of picture.
In stranger news...I'm pretty sure a racoon or two live in my outside trashcan. If you can see in my pictures the window above my bed...well, my trashcans sit right outside that window. Well, last night I heard the commotion, which I hear a lot. I was in bed already and I looked up out the window and I saw the racoon! Cute little bandit face. I think he and Roxanne were having a stare off. It was a very bizarre scene to be certain. Anyways, I have vowed to never take the trash out at night.
Pay It Forward
This weekend was pretty uneventful...and that's fine with me! On Saturday I was chained to my apartment, yet again, waiting for the Dish Network guy. He finally showed up at 6pm...ugh. While he was trapsing in and out of my apartment, he brought another woman with him. He said, "She needs directions and I don't live here. Can you help her?" She told me where she wanted to go, and I was giving her directions when it occured to me, there was no car around. So I asked her if she walked here. She said yes. I knew where she was going and I knew it would take her a little while to walk there. I told her if she could wait until I was done with Ramon (Dish Network guy) I would drive her there. She thanked me over and over again. So for about 20 minutes I had Ramon, the dish network installation guy, En, lost Asian woman, and me all in my apartment. My first official house party...or something like that. Anyways, I take En where she needed to go and before she gets out she says, "I make jewlery and sell it, but I want to give you one for taking me." She pulled out a bag of cute dangly earings she had made and tells me to pick one out. She helped me pick out a cute turquoise pair and went on her way. I couldn't help but be touched by this. I felt like a million bucks! I have to admit, it's been a while since I've truly done something for someone else...it feels really nice. I think I'll do it again soon. Thanks En for being so generous and for opening my eyes to what it feels like to pay it forward.
This Is A No Parking Zone
Well, the worst has officially happened. I finally got my coveted parking pass yesterday...disaster I say, disaster! I went to the parking pass office and the girl said, you will be parking here, and she pointed to a street on the map. I'm sorry, did you say street parking? So I'll be parking on the street? Not in a lot...parallel parking? Well, I don't know if you know this or not but, I have never parallel parked in my life. It absolutely terrifies me! Last night I didn't sleep well just thinking about it. When I got to work this morning, I found a spot I didn't have to back into and I snatched it up! I had to walk about five blocks, but I didn't care. I later recruited some of my friends in the office to come down and give me an impromptu parking lesson. They were great, and I actually did it!! It only took about three tries. HA! I'm hoping this gets easier with practice and without help...I won't have them in the car with me every morning.
I aslo drove to work for the first time this morning...talk about traffic! It's enough to make a person go crazy! I'm really hoping today was an exception and not the norm.
On Monday, I got to hang out with the Senator for about a half an hour...just me and another girl I work with. It was so great! I'll take any face time I can get with the Senator. He was cracking us up! What a character.
On another completely unrelated note...Roxanne finally slept on her pillow and with me more last night. Whew...I thought she'd never get used to the new place.
Weekend Update with Tina Fey
Well, I'm not exactly Tina Fey...but sometimes I like to think I am...I mean, we both have glasses and dark hair, and we both are extremely funny...we're practically twins!
Friday night I went out with a few girls from the office we went to eat at this pizza place called Matchbox...great atmosphere, decent pizza, but the smell of that place permeated everything on me...even my purse!! I couldn't get the smell out of my nose to save my life! So gross. Then we went to see Little Miss Sunshine. Really funny movie! I laughed so hard! NOTE: I do not recommend this movie for my parents...it has an "R" rating and all the things that go along with that apply here. But it was really funny.
Saturday...I spent the entire day chained to my apartment...a prisoner in my own home waiting for the Directv installation guy. He was supposed to be there between 8am and noon...he finally showed up at 3pm. He looked around for a little bit and finally said, "I can't install it, you have no signal here." I'm sorry, come again? Surely I didn't hear you right...surely I haven't been waiting all day for you to come by just so you could tell me it can't be done. This man almost got slapped. So I called Dish Network...they are coming on Saturday. Looks like it will be another long week without any TV.
Saturday night I went out with Katie...how do I know Katie, you ask? It's a very long story! Katie works with Lisa R....that's the short version. I rode with Katie and we were going to a place in Adam's Morgan neither of us had been before. She got directions from a friend of hers...these directions weren't even close to being right...and we wound up walking about 3 miles before we finally found the place. Soooo many blisters! We were hobbling by the time we got there...I'm just glad I decided to wear those flip flops instead of my cute black heels. I can't even imagine. But Katie is tons of fun...I plan on hanging out with her again soon!
Sunday I was really lazy...mostly to spare my feet. Lots of sleeping, but no football...thanks for nothing Directv! However, I did learn something yesterday...I can't run my microwave and my toaster oven at the same time...blew a breaker twice.
Well, today is September 11...big sigh. Things are different in the city today. I can just feel it. I have to admit, I was pretty nervous about coming to work today. The security everywhere has been heightened. So far everything is okay...but it is definitely a different city today.
The Wheels on the Bus...
Okay, I HATE the bus! I mean loathe it! I called to get a cab and it was going to cost me $22 to get home from my metro stop...OUCH!! So I opted to just take the bus. I had to wait 30 minutes for the bus and I didn't get home last night until 9:30! I miss the days of driving 5 minutes to get to work. Don't worry...I applied for my parking pass yesterday, and I can't wait to use it! I drove this morning to a different metro stop and parked in the parking garage of a mall, just so I didn't have to ride the bus. I'm just hoping the parking garage is still open when I go back tonight. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.
So, on Wednesday I got to hang out with Kelly Clarkson...you read that right! It was so cool...we were standing right in front of her. One of my friends got her to sign her CD booklets. Kelly was really nice. Randy Jackson was also there...he's really short, btw. The Recording Academy or something like that, was doing a demonstration in one of the caucus rooms on the House side, of what goes on in producing a record. And they recorded a song that's gonna be on Kelly's new album. I love working on The Hill!!
Last night I was having a kind of blue evening. Lots of reasons, I guess. But when I got home I had a package from my Mommy at my door. I knew it was coming and I could hardly wait for its arrival. I quickly opened it...it was full of silly things, so very characteristic of my Mom. After opening the box, I immediately burst into tears. (come to think of it, if someone was just reading my blog, it would seem I cry a whole lot. I really don't, I'm basically a very happy person...no really, I am!) I just missed my Mom and Dad and all my family. It was nice to get a little piece of them in the mail, no matter how silly. I loved every little piece...a coloring book, some crayons, a book full of girly romance stories, a word find book, some gummy bears, and my favorite part of the package...a bag of candy. But the best part of the bag of candy was the note she attached to it. It said, "Put these in a dish on your desk and everyone will come to your cubby." I was talking to my mom a few weeks ago about work, and not really fitting in and being back in a corner...such a place that no one ever goes to unless they are coming to see me. Which means, no thru traffic by-passing my desk. She said, in perfect mother fashion, "Well, Autumn, you're just going to have to get out there. You can't stay behind your desk all day in your que-by and never talk to people." Of course she's right...but her solution to the problem was perfectly spot on...a dish of coveted candy. I plan on putting the candy out and weighing the response I get.
I couldn't sleep last night...just thinking about a lot of stuff right now, so this morning came way too early for me. I decided to get one of those Pumpkin Spice Lattes Lisa has been raving about...and they definitely lived up to the hype! What a great treat this morning.
Why yes, I am sporting a side ponytail today! I love the 80s!!
Having Your Own Space...Priceless
Such a busy weekend! I have so much to write about so forgive me if this post seems a bit hodge-podge. Friday night, I went over to Yvonne's for Tots and Tonic. The tonics were only for the adults of course, but the kids had plenty of stuff to eat and drink. Yvonne is not known for putting together a party unless everything is perfect. She had shrimp coctail, chips and salsa, wine, cheese and even a cake! It was great fun. I hate that I'm going to be moving so far away from Yvonne and Lisa. But I'm sure I'll make the trek to hang out!
On Saturday, Roxanne and I packed our bags again and moved on down to the Commonwealth of Virginia. I had moved half of my junk into our new extremely efficient efficiency apartment, and the place was filled to the brim...I just sat down and cried! I called my mom, of course, and cried to her about making the wrong decision, blah blah blah. She made me feel so much better (that's what mom's are for, right?) and I finished moving in my stuff. I had carried all the stuff myself but I still had two big things I couldn't carry myself so I asked Lester if he would help me with them. After he finished loading the heavy stuff in my car, I told him thanks and he said, "No problem. That will be a hug, a kiss and a date." That statement was the last straw for me!! I couldn't stand being around him for another minute! Lisa came later with her friend Carol, and she helped me carry the big stuff I couldn't fit in my car. They were a big help! Thanks guys!! After I got everything put up, I felt pretty good about the place. It's very cozy, don't get me wrong, but not nearly as bad as I thought it was going to be. And just getting away from Lester was worth any price!
Sunday I was pretty lazy. I took a drive around the area to see what I could find. I found tons of great stuff. On Sunday night Sam called me. She was having a craving for sushi and she knew I'd never had it before. I agreed to try it and met her at a sushi bar downtown. I did want to try it...and I did try it....but...I hated it!! Absolutely hated it! I don't really like fish as it is and this was no exception. My gag reflex was seriously working overtime and it was all I could do to just keep it down. Yucky!! However, I was glad I tried it...at least now I can have an educated opinion about it.
On Monday, we all went to a baseball game. I love going to baseball games, as I have mentioned before. Sam and her friend Diane went to Washington University in St. Louis and the Nationals were playing the Cardinals. The Nationals won 4-1...it was a PERFECT day for baseball...not too hot, not too cold. But the bigger story is we got tickets for $3!! That's cheaper than buying a cup of coffee! I'd pay that everyday to go to a baseball game!
I don't have a parking pass yet and I decided I would try out the public transportation from my house to work for a week before I decide to drive to work. Yesterday it was pouring rain when I started to work. I have to walk about 4 blocks to my bus stop, get on the bus, get on the yellow line, change lines to the red line, get off at Union Station and finally walk another 4 blocks to the office building. The rain made yesterdays commute miserable. Riding the bus home wasn't too bad. I was just reading my book, not really paying too much attention. Then I look up and I was the only white person on the bus! I was never scared or afraid, I was just all of a sudden very aware of what I had on my person. I was listening to my ipod, I had a big bag, and my diamond earrings...I was a little nervous about walking the 4 blocks home in the dark. But luckily no one else got off at my stop so it was no big deal. I decided I should probably carry some pepper spray with me from now...one can never be too safe. I don't mind taking the public transportation, but I hate how late I got home last night...8:45pm and I did not even do much after work! I think driving is going to win out.
