summer reading list

compiled from kramerbook's visits, talks while walking through Georgetown and along the tidal basin, and recommendations from some DC heavy hitters. plus my own thoughts.

1776, David McCullough
The Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell
Everything is Illuminated, Jonathan Safran Foer
Audacity of Hope, Barack Obama
No Apology, Mitt Romney
Going Rogue, Sarah Palin
This I Believe, NPR
Enders Game, Orson Scott Card
Don't Take the Last Donut, Judith Bowman
How to Win Friends and Influence People, Dale Carnegie
Arrow of God, Chinua Achebe
Three Musketeers, Alexandre Dumas
Sherlock Holmes, Arthur Conan Doyle
The Bourne Identity, Robert Ludlum
Persuasion, Jane Austen
I Am Legend, Richard Matheson
Stones into Schools, Greg Mortenson
Angels and Demons, Dan Brown

suggestions? critiques? let's hear it. this is the summer of books.

provo (does not equal) dc

disclaimer: this is a total downer. i just need to get it out of my system and then i'll be fine. i'm glad i'm here. really. i just have a lot of feelings.

not once have I heard a motorcade, or even sirens.
the cars here don't stop when you walk out into the road
everywhere seems so empty. where are the people, people?
the boys seem so young in their plaid shorts and polos. maybe they should wear fancy suits all the time.
I feel old. quite old. But up until 2 weeks ago, I felt quite young.
there are mountains and parking lots, instead of monuments and history
Coming up on the columns of the Maeser Building is not as cool as coming up on the columns of the Lincoln Memorial.
You can't just open the door of your apartment and yell out into oblivion and have someone answer you, like in the Barlow. (trust me, I tried. total failure)
Where are the minorities?

but there are some familiar things, like Barlow friends, hard beds, and garbage trucks outside my window at 7:15 am. and seeing old friends sure does feel good.

adjusting. takes time.
tomorrow will be better.

(packing...my favorite hobby)

DC to Denver
(layover)
Denver to Seattle
Seattle to Spokane
Spokane to Seattle
Seattle to Salt Lake

5 planes, 9 days. oh boy.

Tomorrow marks my return after a four-month hiatus from Provo. I'm not sure how I feel about it.
I am however, getting really good at telling how heavy a suitcase is just by lifting it, and airport security pretty much knows me by name.

Also I changed my blog header today, because "destination:dc" doesn't really apply anymore. welcome to my post-washington life.

let's go to Canada, let's leave today

My mom and I took Five Iron Frenzy's advice and took a trip to Canada yesterday.
Our goal: the Vancouver LDS temple open house.

It was windy and wet, but the temple is incredibly beautiful, and there is such a special spirit that comes from it. The members were all so excited to finally be getting a temple in British Columbia.
Yay for Canada, even though I didn't get a stamp in my passport and it took over an hour to cross the border. I'm not a terrorist.

DC recap...

From the Capitol

to the White House,

New York

to Valley Forgeto Gettysburg,Snow-mageddon

to wonderful springtime,I mingled with some big-whigs,but really just loved living with some of the best people ever.
love DC
love the Barlow

It was in DC that I learned how to think, how to question and how to know what I believe.
It was in DC that I learned about politics, culture and people.
I grew and learned so much about myself.
I thrived on city life.
I figured out with certainty what I want to do with my life.
I learned how to be productive, but still enjoy life. Diligent, but adventurous.
I strengthened my relationship with my Savior.
I learned to be professional.
I lived with 40 stranger who quickly became some of my favorite people in the world.
I laughed, danced and sang my way through city streets and the Metro.
I loved my life.

What a blessing it was to spend the best semester ever in Washington, DC. I got a little teary-eyed as I flew out yesterday and reminisced because I couldn't have asked for a better experience.

Love live BC/DC Winter 2010!

the end of an era

Today was the last day of my internship. It still hasn't hit me, but as I walked home from Dupont today for the last time, I thought about everything I experienced and learned from my internship.

I know what I want to do with my life, and have a pretty good idea how to get there. I found a love for political communications and a quest for accuracy and truth.

so, goodbye desk

goodbye office entrance.goodbye narcissistic mirrored ceiling elevator.

goodbye running to catch the metro
goodbye lunchtime walks around the streets of van ness.
goodbye aim.

I have a new found love:

roller derby.

A group of us braved SE DC on Saturday for the DC Roller Girls league championship bout.

I was excited, but found roller derby isn't quite what I imagined. Yes, some of the girls are quite large. Their outfits are weird. They have crazy names (Condeleeza Slice? Lois Slain?) They push each other. But I didn't realize how much strategy is in the game. After the exhibition game was the championship: Scare Force One (motto: why we gotta be so awesome alla time?) vs DC DemonCats. By the end, we had the strategy down and were getting so into the game. and sitting in the "suicide seats" on the edge of the track and having some players slide into us was quite exciting too.Salt Lake has a roller derby league. You better believe we'll be going to check it out.

just some notes...

To the man in the red Volvo,
You probably didn't think anyone could hear you blasting "Hey Soul Sister" as you drove through you quiet Van Ness neighborhood, but I could. From over a block away. But I loved it, so thanks.

Dear Nuclear Safety Summit,
Thank you for causing so many motorcades. I saw 3 on my walk to Dupont this morning, 2 this evening, and heard a bunch more. I would probably hate you if I drove, but you're just making this metro-rider's last DC week very exciting. And I've never seen so many police in one city.

Dear time,
I would really appreciate it if you just stopped moving for a while. I would be happy to stay here forever, or at least for long than just 5 days.

Hey Robert Downey Jr,
I never thought you were attractive. Then I watched Sherlock Holmes. What happened to you?

Dear Sammamish,
I'm excited to spend a few months with you this summer. We'll have a grand time

Journal,
We seriously need to catch up. But for now, this blog might have to suffice. Sorry.

Dear Georgetown waterfront,
I don't think there's much better than an early morning run along your shores as the crew team rows past, hobos wake from their benches and "Here comes the sun" plays through the headphones.

Potbellys,
I love you so much, I'm considering starting a franchise so I can have a "skinny wreck on wheat bread with everything but hot peppers" whenever I want. I'll miss you, but we'll always have lunch breaks on the UDC benches.

Packing,
I barely started, and I'm already so over you. Somethings gotta give.

To the Reflecting Pool grass,
Remember when you were covered in snow? Well, I'm glad I can see you now, and I'm so glad we had those few hours of picnicking and cloud watching yesterday. It was lovely.

Barlow Prom 2010

theme: O Canada
dress code: super fly
location: Barlow, obvs. In the same room we have class, institute, and important meetings. But we transformed it from the Great Room to the Great Disco Hall.

We had:

A prom queen--Jen the Canadian, who never had a prom. hence the themeawkward stair pictureschaparones...our professor and his wife stopped by his office and we surprised to find how we spend our Friday nights at the BC/DCslow dances to the classic prom songsand an all-around rockin time!

I think its pretty safe to say this is the first time the Barlow Center has hosted a prom, but it was definitely the best party this place has ever seen.

10 days.
10 days, people.
That's all the time I have left in this wonderful city.
I went on a walk today behind my office building and had the most wonderful time looking at the houses. I found a forest park trail to run on, and it hit me. I've done all the touristy things, but now I just want to live here. There are so many things left to see and do, things that aren't in tourist books, things I want to experience.

I think I'll spend as much time as I can in the next 10 days drinking in the culture, the experiences and the joys of city life.

(picture=some of my favorite houses on Capitol Hill. I miss you already, lovely row houses)

Happy spring weekend!
first, Easter eve aka best Priesthood season girls night ever. Fireworks over the cherry blossoms and the tidal basin. Fabulous.
(Jen took these pictures. She's ridiculously talented)

I enjoyed the best Easter morning walk to read my scriptures under a willow tree on the banks of the Potomac. It was perfect, until I sat on an ant hill and had to move to the next tree over.

We cooked between and after Conference sessions to create the best Easter dinner the Barlow has ever seen. We even found silver platters and candleabras to use. The food and company were quite wonderful.
Happy Easter!

Also, please observe the final standings in the Barlow Center bracket challenge. That's right, winner winner. My bracket was based on uniforms. luckily Duke has really good uniforms.

Mt. Vernon

No class Friday meant a trip to Mt. Vernon, George Washington's estate. Yes, it's touristy, but it was the perfect spring day and so worth the crowds. But the place is big enough it didn't even feel crowded. Thanks George for a great house. I came away with a greater appreciation for my state's namesake.
We waited forever to go inside the mansion (no cameras allowed). The front is behind us, so just imagine. Inside were the rooms GW was when he found out he was going to be prez and where he died. so cool.Mansion from the back, which has the most beautiful view overlooking the Potomac.George and Martha's tombs. tons of security here, but awesome.

you know what I love?

perfect weather spring days

sitting under trees on the Mall and people watching
long walks
meeting up with friends after work
cherry blossoms