I thought it would be fun to show you how life is here in DC on Tuesdays! I chose Tuesday because it is the day that most things happen for me. I do have fun random things throughout the week, but Tuesday is always jam packed for me. I also wanted to get away from the, “Kate’s depressed and misses North Carolina so much she looses her breath at random moments,” for a bit and switch gears to the, “Kate lives in Washington DC, and you should be jealous.”
I start off my mornings (now) at 7:45 (used to be 6:45 thanks to my commute) and wake up next to this beast.
I don’t know why she couldn’t put up her usual morning self for the camera. In the morning she is straight cray cray hyper. All she wants to do is lick your face or your hands and make sure you are up to play with her. Most of the time I pet her head and get her to lay back down, but once she is ready to be up for good she will stand up on the bed and body slam me. We then go on a little walk in the mornings or across the street to the park to play fetch. Those are the mornings that I would rather just die than walk her around. Thank you Chuck-It; saving Golden Retriever owners everywhere from morning runs.
I meander into work anywhere between 9-9:30am. I have started pulling “working lunches” so I “take my break” by coming in a little later sometimes. {{Yes mom, it is totally okay.}} I have a system … as all freakish list people do. Make coffee (one Sweet N Low and 3/4 half and half individual creamer), makes oats, write date in list notebook, open computer, check email, sign into gmail, and begin.
I did cheat yesterday… I went and got a skinny caramel iced latte from Starbucks. I needed it. I wouldn’t have survived without it. I did have my normal coffee as well… It’s Tuesday.
I would love to show you what a typical Tuesday list looks like, just so you can get a picture of the total “Scramble Mode,” I am in all day, but alas, there are compliance issues so you don’t get a sneak peek. Just take my word for the insanity that ensues on Tuesday. I am the only intern in the office, so not only do I have to do my communication slave child duties, but I also have to do everything for everybody else. Yesterday, I was loaned out to the finance department. Trust me, the way I am with numbers, I was the last person they wanted. {{Cute clip from Nicole!}}
My background is a print done by the fabulously talented Katie Daisy. You should definitely check out her Esty shop, I want everything. I would order 95% of her prints if I had the money. I can’t even order one, but there will come a time when I am not eating oats and popcorn everyday and my house will be full of her work. I would also show you what my desk top typically looks like, but again, you can’t see my secret missions.
Every once in a while I get a surprise! Both just happened to be on Tuesdays! The first surprise was my new computer (shown above). Previously I was using a total dinosaur. We have over 200+ computers here, and I was using #25. Puhlease. It is amazing, except it’s not a MAC, but you gotta take them where you can get them. Then yesterday, I had been begging for a wireless mouse since my first week here. The mouse I was using had to wrap around the computer, and the cord was so long that I had to pull a Papa, coil it up, take two paper clips apart and wrap the paper clips around the coil, just so it would work functionally. Then, I got this beauty. In red.
It just so happens to make my life.
I also spend a lot of time answering phones from confused people wondering who we are and what we do. And spend time with good ole’ Ronny.
Between writing a billion press releases, or editing and setting up state and national emails, getting guests from downstairs (secure floor) and being loaned out to other departments, I have a pretty busy Tuesday. But once the clock strikes 5 I out of here! I have a softball game to play!
On my super long commute home… 10 minute walk. boom.
I typically take the metro to the Mall, because I just am not up for driving downtown, but yesterday I decided that it would be so much fun to drive there. The Washington Monument is only three miles away from my new house, Tom Tom says that it should only take 7 minutes, but nobody knows how confusing it is to be a new driver in this crazy death trap of a roadway. One hundred yards is not that long, and 99% of DC exit ramps are within 50 feet of each other so you never know which one you should take… I ended up taking the wrong one. Want to know something else I didn’t know!? DC shuts down opposite lanes of traffic during rush hour, so you end up having 4 lanes instead of just two. Yes, that means you drive in the oncoming traffic lanes. I was so confused. Also, Google Maps on the iphone is the worst GPS system known to man. It told me to turn right onto 18th street… too bad 18th street was a one way street… going the opposite way. Luckily for me, there was a loading dock that I turned immediately into and turned around. You don’t learn to drive until you risk your life at least 30 times in 20 minutes driving in DC. Me and the metro are going to be best friends next Tuesday.
I play with the NCSU Alumni team on the National Mall. We play right in between the Washington Monument and the WWII Memorial. This is one of those times where I think I don’t think I could ever leave this place, because Tuesday evenings feel like magic. I live here. It is like the monuments and federal buildings aren’t even real sometimes. I used to come and vacation here with my family and now I just walk past them on my way to play a friendly game of rec softball.
(If you are wanting to know exact location it would be like looking over the right shoulder of the Washington Monument.)
After we lose our softball game, which we inevitably always do… we either go to the Exchange or I pack up and head out to play soccer.
Yesterday was a soccer game. Yes, I do go play 2 hours of softball (it really isn’t that strenuous) and then head to another side of town to play 60 minutes of soccer. Unfortunately, I didn’t get any pictures of soccer because I was too busy dying. We only had three girls yesterday, and two girls must be playing at all times. One girl doesn’t really like to play, and I’m also the only person on the entire team that can shoot with her left foot. Alas, that puts me at left midfield for 60 minutes. Kill my out of shape lungs. There was a point in time yesterday were I was literally sucking in all of the air that I could. And the male subs are on the side lines like “Kate you okay!?” NO YOU DUMMY I just got body slammed by a guy 4 times my size, AFTER I had passed ball, after making a 80 yard sprint up the side line to cross the ball to people who are incapable of making runs! Now, grow a girl part so I can get a drink of blasted water. We ended up winning our game, so the potential death of me was totally worth it.
After the game, Liverfail FC (that is our team name) headed out to DC Reynolds for a little rest and relaxation celebrating with a few pints.
I got home at 12:30 (that’s past midnight) and crashed into bed like Andre the Giant being stricken with narcolepsy. It was totally worth it though. I joined these teams to start making friends and getting myself out there, and after a few weeks of playing I am starting to develop relationships with these people, I know almost everybody’s name, and they like me, because I am a girl that can actually play sports.
I just hope the magic can start seeping into the other days of the week!
