Work

So I have been up on the hill now for 2 days. It has been really cool. All the winter interns are leaving this week, and the summer interns don't arrive for another week and a half, so I am sort of learning it all.

Yesterday I spent all day studying to be able to give tours of the capitol. There is a test that each staffer has to take to be authorized in giving tours. The information is 94 pages long. It is boring. No one passes the test on the first try. In addition to studying, I also go on tours to try and learn the route. I have now been on a few tours. The capitol is really nice, and really cool.

I haven't been assigned to any L.A. yet, but for the next while I will be doing press stuff because the press secretary just lost his deputy to the White House, and his intern leaves Friday. I am not excited. I dealt with the press secretary when I worked for the Council because he was a reporter for one of the papers and I did not like him then, and I still don't. I guess first impressions really are lasting. I also am not to keen on the press side. My supervisor knows this and she told me when the other interns arrive things will probably change. Don't get me wrong, I am happy to work as the press intern, and do what is needed. I know the office is short staffed with only 1 intern, I just hope in changes.

Today was spent working on mail, studying for the test, learning how to do newspaper clippings, and going on tours. a small group of us went into the capitol this morning to do a tour. It was 1 staffer and 2 interns, and I thought it was a bit strange. The capitol was really empty. Hardly anyone was in there, except for a bunch of Senators rushing to the House side. It was really cool. I was 2 feet away from Senator Leahy (D-VT) for about 2 seconds. When we got the the rotunda the Capitol Police stopped us and told us no tours were allowed because of the "event" but they wouldn't tell us what the event was, so we went back to work. It turns out the "event" was a joint session where the Prime Minister of Ireland (I think) was addressing congress. That also explains why security was so tight. I also met the Senator this morning. He is actually a nice guy, and is about an inch shorter then me. I don't think I will see much of him as his office is on the other side of the office from where my very small desk is.

So that is about for work. I can't wait to really get started on issues. I am hoping to be assigned to education or health policy but we will wait and see.

Today Kerri had a job interview. She left on the bus at 7:40 and because of rush hour she didn't arrive at the interview until 9. That is 30 minutes after the interview was supposed to start. The whole interview process took 3 hours, and the sad part is that after learning more about the organization, even if she got offered the job, it isn't something we are to thrilled about. After the interview she came and met me at Union Station for lunch, and then spent the afternoon studying for her actuary exam.

Tonight Kerri and I walked to the Watergate Complex. I has a nice view of the Washington Monument.

Keep checking back for more of our adventures.