Week 8

I am having a hard time remembering what the heck I did this week. Time went by super quickly, and, if for no other reason, I'm glad I'm writing this blog so that I can preserve some of the details of my life before they slip through the cracks in my brain. To future Washington Center interns, I highly recommend keeping a record of all the exciting affairs in which you will surely take part. For posterity's sake.

I started off my week by speaking with the legislative advisor to whom I report. My purpose for the meeting was to attempt to persuade him to think of me when substantive projects come up. It didn't take much persuading, and he was happy to hook me up with some interesting things going on in my office, almost immediately. The ancient adage, "An internship is what you make of it," is, I hate to admit, true. That saying should not only suggest that hard work is necessary, but should also convey the importance of making your internship into what you want. Although it made me a little uncomfortable to sit down with my supervisor and tell him that I wanted some more stimulating projects, that discomfort was well worth it. I feel like I can communicate more openly with my supervisor now, which is a big plus, and I am also learning more by getting the opportunity to help out on wider variety of tasks. So, the moral to the story is: Tell your boss what's up (in a respectful, appreciative, duteous, obeisant, deferential, nonrude manner, of course)!!!

So yaaaa... This week at work went well. We also got a new (non-TWC) intern this week, and that's fun to have another person my age. Plus the new guy is assigned to work the front desk, which means that I don't have to show up early to open the office. Booya. Since he covers the front, now the three TWC interns in my office (including myself) get to sit together in the back office, which is nice. It feels more team-ish and it's fun to talk throughout the day. These details may seem insignificant, but let me just tell you, they have made my work week much more enjoyable!!

I am beginning to feel as if the semester is running away from me. Working full-time, it is easy for me to forget that I also have a class and TWC assignments to stay on top of. I need to get shaking on a big research paper and boy it sure seems hard to get started. But that is one of the things I like about this semester, there is such a mix of things going on and it keeps me on my toes. There isn't enough time for anything to become banal and routine. Super!

Here I am with one of my best friends, Mr. Billy Blake de Oskaloosa, Iowa. He came to visit me because he thinks I'm cool. I know I'm slacking in the picture category again this week, and I feel terribly guilty. Please don't be mad at me.