The love you gave me, nothing else can save me S.O.S...

So things have been crazy busy. Working 9-5 is a rude awakening...welcome to the rest of your life! We all work slave labor jobs all day and then at night try to find the energy to do things...some days more difficult than others. This weekend was fun. Friday we had class, which is sin and hell basically. The speakers are pretty good for the most part, but I just want to be out in the city in my free time. Friday afternoon we went down to Embassy Row and Dupont Circle. This was amazing! At Dupont Circle a few people stopped to get food, which happened to be across the street from a Scientologist Church that was offering free personality testing. Needless to say Ashley and I went to go check it out. We got a tour of the church and watched a few videos in the "Cleansing and Purification Room." While we got a tour of the other room, the other tourists there bailed. So we let loose on our questions. Basically the guy couldn't answer any of our questions. We'd ask about their views on a diety, or worship, or pre-earth life, or what they think happens after death. He would waiver in his answers, and frequently used the line, "I could tell you but it's really complicated and you wouldn't understand." I just wanted to say listen buddy, I could blow your mind with things I could tell you about my religion. Apparantly there are 8 dynamics or stages you have to go achieve, the last being "infinity" which is where you come to understand the creator. He hasn't reached that level yet so he really doesn't know anything about God, or so he said. Eventually we went to go walk past all the Embassy's of every country you can imagine. They are all beautiful European looking buildings. Our final destination was the Islamic Center. You get to go into a mosque but you have to take off your shoes and women have to wear head scarves. Obviously we had an encounter with a weirdy inside who kept harassing us wondering if we wanted a Muslim husband, because all he is looking for is red blood. He also told us we would be set for life and wouldn't have to deal with "hell fire and damnation" if we married a Muslim because we could ask him whatever questions we had and go to classes with all the other Muslim women. But the inside of the mosque was beautiful. They had the rugs covering the floor and people chilling all around the floor reading the Koran and stuff. They even let us stay for prayer, they pulled up chairs for us to watch. This was so cool to actually observe in person. We were the only women in the building. There were two rows of men lined straight, shoulder to shoulder across the entire building. There was a sort of arch, cutout in the wall that was decorated with colorful tiles that the man leading the prayer stood in. We got to watch for about 15 minutes while the one man recited the prayer and then the others followed. They would kneel then press their foreheads to the floor, then stand back up and do it over and over again. I don't know any of the symbolism behind any of the movements, but it was amazing to notice small things they all did that you don't notice on movies that show the Muslim prayers. It was also really cool to see men of all different races, ages, and class all coming at this time to participate in worship. I loved being exposed to something different than anything I had before. Tonight we went to Arlington National Cemetary. It is beautiful there! We saw the Kennedy's grave sights, which apparantly Dave Chappel was at fifteen minutes before us. We were also able to watch the changing of the guards at the Grave of the Unkown Soldier. It's unbelievable to see so many grave stones. To some extent its good to see because it helps you to understand the magnitude of the effects of past wars. However, there are so many that you become numb and can't seem to grasp that they were all individuals and had families and actual lives. It just made me extremely grateful for all the people who fought to defend our country and those that are continuing to do so today. I felt patriotic. So overall, I have seen so many amazing things this weekend. I feel like each day is a new little adventure. I LOVE IT!

Pictures...

Mom, the McCain one I took just for you...

Back in the Game...

So after the internet being down for approximately nine years, I am back in the game. People were going crazy with no internet for a week, we didn't know what to do with ourselves. We were forced to actually talk to others and play games and paint each others nails and stuff. Anyways, there is way to much to catch up on here...so a quick recap. Work: Crazy. Basically I get calls from anyone and everyone that wants to complain about the government, life, America, etc. And they think I can actually do stuff for them. Some of the best phone calls began, "Nazis, dogs..." "Could you please post directions for how Sarah Palin does her hair on Google" "We need to put Palin on a horse, preferably a white horse..." Today someone called me from Egypt and wanted me to call Secretary Rice to verify his identity. When I told him I couldn't do that he kept getting upset and telling me "I know you are all republicans, you can talk to anyone you want there, now I will call you tomorrow." Finally after talking to my supervisor, he finally believed us. I have autopenned about 1,000,000 signatures and am seriously contemplating autopenning myself to death. Its some machine from the 70's or 80's or something that is like unto a sewing machine. It has two metal rods that hold the pen like a hand and when you push the pedal on the ground it makes the machine start signing a certain signature. I hate it. Moving on to the next subject, Life in general: So good. This is probably the best thing I have ever done. This weekend we went to Valley Forge and Philadelphia. It was amazing to see everything, but in all honesty I think Philly is a little overrated. I'm sorry. I have tons and tons of pictures....I will post them next. Valley Forge was on Friday and was rainy and wet all day. We were basically never dry. We had some tour guide and were 'allowed' free time, then in the evening Alexander Hamilton came to visit. The place we stayed at was fairly disgusting. Every blanket was covered with hair and the beds were like plastic so if you breathed funny the mattress would make so much noise. As a result of the blankets, we piled on sweatshirts and Kristen and I slept with our towels wrapped around us instead. Resourceful I know. So now I'm back and getting back into work. I can't handle this whole 9-5 thing. I don't sleep. Tonight we went to this James Bond movie marathon that plays in the park. We went, it was beautiful weather. Cool, overcast, breezy. Amazing. But, it was die another day, and it sucked. Obviously I was asleep by the time the opening credits were through. For reals, I fell asleep like 3 seperate times in the 45 minutes we watched. Finally some of us decided to peace out becaues it was cold and we wanted to go to the gym.

K but for the best part of my life....GIRLS LISTEN UP....tonight I got an interesting call from a little friend of mine from spring semester. Let me give the family a little back story. Weird kid in my poli sci class, he would randomly stalk behind me after class and start talking. We sat on opposite sides of the room, but one day during the last week of class he was sitting in my spot when I walked in. I proceeded to pretend I was studying to avoid talking to him and luckily class started right away. All of the sudden he passes me a note going off about life and love and luck and whatever else he found interesting. He asked me my last name and added me on facebook right there in the middle of class. This continues for a while, and includes intricate folding of the notes each time, eventually he asked for my number. I told him I was unfortunately already dating someone. Skip ahead a few months, or back a few weeks, whichever way you are looking at it. First day here, I meet this girl named Ashley, she looked familiar and happened to be in that same class. I asked her if she remembered this dashing fellow, and go figure, she did! He usually sat by her. She gave me a run down of their first conversation. In the middle of a lecture, which is in a very small, conspicuous classroom keep in mind, he turns around and says, "Hi" she politely responds, "Hi", he says, "What's your name?" She tells him. He turns around, types on his computer quickly, then says, "Ok, I just added you on facebook." WHAT THE CRAP!? This kid is socially colorblind. Maybe even just blind. He was so weird. Anyways, the other night he was online, and Ashley and I were like haha, lets talk to him on facebook. So we message him on my account and inform him we both met and started talking about that class, and naturally he came up. He proceeded to ask if I was still dating that kid. Ashley told him, yeah but things look like they might end soon. The phrase "supa fly" was frequently used in our part of the conversation. So obviously this was a huge joke to us. After finding out I might be breaking up with my "boyfriend" he said, "you are speaking my language..." NO!!! no no no no no. Anways, we were in my room again tonight and he happend to be on, so we said hey, he said hey...then I got weirded out by the whole situation so I just signed off. About a half hour later, my phone is ringing with an area code I don't know. I figured it might be someone in the Barlow so I just answered. But no, it was this freak kid!!! He asked me if I wanted to go to get ice cream with him and his roommate on a double date...Luckily I didn't have to lie to him, although we all know I have no problem with that...I tried to break it gently by saying, "I'm living in D.C." I made no effort at all to make this not awkward because I was in such shock that he actually was calling me. He continued to ask me about my internship...meanwhile I was running to Ashley's room and pounding on the door, which he could hear through the phone. He kept talking about who knows what while I am trying to mouth to Ashley who it is. Eventually I stop laughing long enough to tell her, she collapses, which makes me start actually laughing and he can hear me at this point. So I try to tell him something about sorry, I just tripped on a door and my friend saw me. I'm not really sure. Then he tried telling me I had given him my number before but he accidently deleted it, so he looked my up on the student directory....more commonly referred to as "stalkernet". STALKER! AND, for the record, I never EVER gave him my number. ANNNNND last he knew, I was still dating someone. AHHH! Finally I hung up and died. He has nerve, and no social awareness. Anyways, just thought you all needed to know this little event. I think I can win for attracting the most socially inept males on the planet. Thank you.

Peace out Hanna...

This week we got to know Tropical Storm Hanna, which I must admit was kinda sweet. Yesterday we got up early to go to the East Bay Market, which is like a flea market/farmers market that is supposed to be really good. Anyways, it was pouring rain. I learned really quickly that I need to invest in a hefty umbrella. My cheap one from H&M is just not going to cut it. It has a mind of its own and the very slightest gust of wind will flip it in side out, or direct it into my neighbors head. We were soaked by the time we finished the 3-4 block trek to the Foggy Bottom Station. Underground was so humid, basically the air was pure water. I couldn't even feel any air moving when I tried to fan myself with a pamphlet. By the time we got off the metro, it was raining even harder. Basically we needed a boat to travel through the streets. I almost drowned several times, my jeans were soaking wet and down to my knees, and my head was pretty much the only part of me dry. None of the good little booths with jewelry and such items were open because of the rain. But inside they had some of the ones that run every day of the week. It was an experience. I am however planning on going back when we are not experiencing a hurricane. Later that day we decided to venture into Georgetown to do a little shopping. Smart. We realized that it was a great idea the second we stepped back outside. Huge gusts of wind attacked us just as we turned the corner from where we live and might I say I am looking mighty fine in this picture...We were all soaking wet from the two seconds we were outside..Paige, Haley, MeThat night we attempted to find a red box. We walked to the designated location and proceeded to walk around the block about 4 times looking for the stupid machine, but we couldn't find it anywhere. Eventually we flagged down a security guard who told us the machine was inside the World Bank, not on the outside, and was for government officials only. What the crap. So basically George has his own Redbox. We figured out we were across the street from the White House, so we decided to pay it a little visit. When we were there this woman asked me to take a picture, so as I backed up to get the whole house in the background she started freaking out like, "Don't go too far." Maybe she just wanted it closer of her and her husband, but I took it as don't go too far with our camera...as if I was going to steal it. Please. Who/what does she think I am. I was in sweats so maybe she thought I was some creeper homeless girl...with a Marc Jacobs purse? Once again, please. I have also attached pictures of us decorating Bekah's door for her birthday and presenting her with gifts...she was my first friend here! Happy Birthday Bekah!
Bekah, Kristen, Me, Andrea, Meghan, Ashley

Exhausted...

So today was the busiest day so far...everyone else started working today except for me, my roommate,Kristen, and another girl on our floor. So I figured it was a good day to pack in as many activities as possible. I slept until about 11, then I surfed the internet for a while, did some laundry, Kristen and I rearranged our room so we have more space now, and went to pick up our gym passes at George Washington University. Afterwards, me and another girl went to the gym to pump some iron. Tonight, we were invited to a baseball game by some of the U of U interns, apparently a lot of them get tickets through their jobs and they had a few extra. It was for the "Nats" which also stands for The Nationals...if you haven't heard of them yet, shame on you. Obviously I was familiar with many of the teammates and their playing history. It was a big fiasco deciding whether or not to go...but finally we decided, just do it. So we did. Several things I'd like to mention about this adventure. We were told never to get off the metro at the Navy Yard stop, which is where the baseball game was. It was safe because of the crowd for the game, but I could see it being the are where are the brothels or something are located if were not for the game. Word on the street is their trying to build it up to be a nicer area, improve its reputation. There's a lot of construction going on down there so maybe sometime soon it will feel safer and more reputable. Also, we were on the baseball screen approximately three times. The first time it cut across our group dancing to some song. Second, it was these two guys in our group freaking out. My friend Ashley and I were watching with a rude/dumb founded expression and were caught on the side of the screen, or so they say. Third, I thought the camera man was getting ready to film, so I was jokingly dancing...then when I suddenly and unexpectantly caught a glimpse myself on the huge screen, I realized I looked more like I was seizing. As a result, I collapsed over onto my knees so he would stop filming me. The last part of the game probably left me stunned if anything. At some game, I don't remember if its the Diamondback games or basketball games they have the ketchup and mustard race....well tonight they had President mascots with massive heads race. It had a video of them racing off the subway and down the block, then they entered the stadium....Good ol' Able, Teddy R, George Washington another beginning president, possibly Thomas Jefferson. Also, as I was just writing this, the fire alarm went off. At first we were just like what the crap, then when we went out in the hall there was smoke. Most everyone was asleep for their second days of work tomorrow, we started going downstairs to find the boys airing out their floor. Aparently the boys burnt something they were cooking. Boys are stupid.
Infront of the stadium...Ashley, Me, Alycia, Brooke, Kristen...
In the stadium....
the freakshow costumes....also girls, please notice the geiko lizard leading them all. Liz and Memz, obv when I saw this I thought of that weird song on the Geiko commercials that you guys love and bond over and listen to....

Pictures...

Here are some of the picture I promised you all....I stole them from people off facebook so hopefully they turn out all right on here. Nothing too exciting went down today, plus I'm too tired to write what did. So hopefully some of these pictures make up for it. Also, I've come to the realization that my head is huge. Actually I've always known this so I guess it was more of a re-realization...regardless, please ignore my huge head and obnoxiously huge and ugly sunglasses. I'm waiting for the right ones to call to me before I purchase a new pair.