Growing up, and growing to love this city

While I don't plan anymore to be a professional journalist, I will always be a journalist at heart. The virtue of curiosity, the merit of questioning and reflection, and the power of the written word are all things to which I ascribe. Also, I love the news -  I am an active consumer of news, and especially so during the summer months. Slow time at the internship equals more time to find out what is going on in the world. Reading the New York Times online has become a part of my daily routine, and I find it is at its best on Sundays. Today I gleaned this nugget, a quote from a reverend who officiated one of the weddings featured in the style section (laugh if you want but I really do read EVERYTHING): "We are the sum total of everyone who has had a part in our life journey, all the people who have touched us along the way."

As this week marks my entrance into my third decade of life, this quote made me stop and think. I've been fortunate even just in the past year to have had a plethora of incredible experiences, starting with turning 20 last summer in Taiwan. The year brought me home to Louisiana, to school in California, to Scotland and beyond, and finally here, to Washington DC. What I find defines each experience for me is not so much the experience itself, but the people who I meet and grow to care about and learn from in each place.

These musings are all a lead-up to discussing what comprised my weekend. On Friday, another Parliament intern who is interning here for the summer and I welcomed two of our fellow interns to DC. It was really great to see them again, to reminisce about Scotland and to catch up on eachother's lives since. We had a wonderful weekend exploring the city and saw quite a bit in the last few days. On Saturday morning we made out way from Eastern Market to Union Station to the DC zoo (really cute pandas) and finally on a night walking tour around the monuments. Today we had brunch and then explored Georgetown, and the night ended with us playing gin rummy on our building's roof...it was an excellent weekend, and we have plans for more reunions in the works.

[caption id="attachment_466" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="From the seat of the Scottish government to the highest court in the land...Parliament interns reuniting."][/caption]

One exciting tidbit from last week: I SCORED A RUN!! In AEI softball, that is. I was on fire Tuesday night - or at least not as pathetic as I usually am. I said earlier my new goal in life was to make it to first base, and I accomplished that three times as well as getting two RBIs (I now know what that stands for) and the mentioned run. AEI beat CSIS 13-6.  Woohoo! If this (insert career goal here) thing doesn't work out, I may be coming after Jenny Finch.

Apart from sporadic rain that requires umbrella carrying, the lady luck of weather has been on my side this summer. I fully expected DC to be as swampish as Louisiana, but everyone keeps saying this summer thus far has been uncharacteristic. It usually doesn't get past 80 most days, and it's not humid much at all. Some days it's even chilly when I walk to work in the morning...and the evenings are gently warm and lovely ahhhh. Perfect for lots of strolling, as I am a fan.

One more thing I realized this week: DC is really growing on me. I think it took two different memorial tours (one earlier in the week by day with fellow AEI interns and the one I did at night with the Parliament interns) to make me realize how beautiful this city is. On Saturday night we sat on the steps of the Lincoln memorial and looked out over the reflecting pool to the illuminated Washington Monument and I felt as though I could sit there forever.  The journey from FDR to Jefferson along the basin is lovely as well, as are those two memorials. I think FDR is my favorite now...there is something about being able to reach out and touch a president, even if he is made of bronze. I gave him and Eleanor both big hugs.

I think I've started to blend in better as well, to feel like and appear to be a citizen even though I'm really just a 10-week tourist. Other tourists have started asking me for directions: A couple this week asked me how to get to the White House when we were probably about 50 feet away, and another couple (with distinct Southern accents...my kin!) asked me "where the mall at?" when we were across the street from the mall.  I laugh a bit inside but never at them - I know what it feels like to be in an unfamiliar city, and I am always happy to return the kindness that has been shown to me. My favorite tourist observation this week happened at the Jefferson Memorial, when a mother told her son not to jump down the stairs, because if he got injured they wouldn't be able to go to Dollywood. There is always something to spectate here, and oftentimes to chuckle about.

Two more days at 20, and then this week brings me finally to 21...and hopefully to more adventures and people to share them with.

Trials and tribulations of the brothers called Brooks (and a capitol fourth!)

Happy 4th of July, two days late, from the place where it all goes down. A Capitol Fourth is definitely an experience that makes one truly appreciate the good ol' USA as well as develop a further aversion to massive crowds. But first:

Tuesday night was my second performance - aka failure - on the AEI softball team. But I'm a firm believer in perseverance, so try to make it to first base I continue. Still no luck in reaching my personal goal at Tuesday's game against the Drug Enforcement Agency, and alas the night wasn't so lucky either. It started with extreme trouble in finding a field, as much of the grass space on the mall was commandeered in preparation for the fireworks display. Eventually, we found a tiny space to play on, and the game commenced until massive rains necessitated its demise...or so we thought. We were ahead, and the DEA didn't want to lose (there's a joke in there somewhere, i'm sure), so we played on in the downpour. It was kinda fun...until a girl on our team was smacked in the arm by a DEA batter, requiring an ambulance takeaway. By this point, the DEA finally relented and AEI came away with its second victory that I can claim stake in. Yeaaa Brooks Brothers (AEI's president's name is Arthur Brooks...clever, huh?)

As my other entries and the softball game description may suggest, it rains ALOT here. I never leave my dorm without an umbrella, and on two different occasions in the past two weeks my clothes have been completely soaked through. Luckily I am usually in the mood to find it exhilirating. And there's nothing better than being woken up by a thunder and lightning storm.

On Wednesday night I saw Up again with some intern friends. Not having to chaperone 60+ children this time afforded me a better viewing experience, and the movie was wonderful. I cried a bit the first time, and way more the second time now that the story made sense from beginning to end. It always surprises me (and sometimes makes me feel pathetic) how easily I am moved, but this time the tears were well deserved. See it.

On Thursday I worked the mics for an AEI event on presidential succession and CSPAN2 was there! Look for me if you're ever up in the wee hours of the morning flipping through the channels.  The topic was very interesting and I liked that both sides of the debate were presented on the panel...it made for feisty discussion (or as feisty as it can get for CSPAN2).

The 4th of July here is, as expected, a pretty darn big deal. Tourists started flocking into the city at the end of last week; there were noticeably more fanny pack wearers and map carriers on the metro. I didn't realize the scope of it all until Saturday - some friends and I made it down to the Mall to picnic on the grounds, which were covered with tents housing exhibitions and food and stages. We found a nice place in the shade and made our way through a whole bag of laffy taffy (minus the banana ones, of course, which I had eaten the night before).  That night we waded through throngs of people who had taken temporary residence on every green space in the city and went to the rooftop of my building to enjoy the fireworks.  I've seen a good number of fireworks displays in my 20 (almost 21!) years, but this was pretty spectacular...especially with the Washington Monument in the background.

[caption id="attachment_449" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="Le Monument, surrounded by revelers"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_450" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="Picnicing on the Mall"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_451" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="View from the top of my building...now that's a view"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_452" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="My attempt to capture the fireworks...I bow down to those who can take good fireworks pictures"][/caption]

A good Independence Day it was, indeed. Nothing else much exciting last week except my first motorcade sighting...I grinned widely, hoping a certain someone was in one of the black cars. And now another week of work, starting with attending a conference on some poll tomorrow morning...I am knee deep in polls.

I have decided that my favorite place in DC is the Lincoln Memorial...kinda cliche, I know, but there's nothing more peaceful than sitting on the cool marble steps and musing while looking over the reflecting pool to the monument and the Capitol. It's a great place to people watch too: I made it there tonight and was amused to hear two kids asking the couple they were with (who are getting married in DC, I assume)  if their honeymoon would take place at the memorial.

This weekend I welcome my first visitors to DC: Two friends from Scotland are coming to see another Parliament intern and me. That's to be followed by a good friend from USC, my sister, another good friend from USC, and finally a friend from Baton Rouge. The Helen Moser hotel is open for business...and I am mighty excited for my guests!