Halfway There!

I'm going to open this randomly saying how some old guy at the laundry mat said I "have a track star body." Lmao, uh probably cause I have to walk everywhere bro.

I guess while some interns are trying to make friends, friends, not connections and party I'm just trying to see what this nation has to offer me. I didn't realize how close I was to Pennsylvania Avenue and the midst of downtown until I just decided to grab my purse, phone and head out. Originally I was suppose to be looking for a nail salon but I got wrapped up in talking with my best friend that I unknowingly stumbled upon Lafayette Park. D.C. is one of those places where you can just grab a camera and go. Don't need to call/text anyone to come along, just go.

I was just walking along and saw a statue of a man on a horse and thought to myself, this looks pretty cool *picture*. There were a lot of people in what seems like an open road area taking pictures in front of a huge house (which had a gate in front of it). The people, the gate, nor the whiteness of the building registered in my head. I start to take pictures of my own and a couple asks me if I could take there photo.

Afterwards I ask them, "What is this?

"The White House"

I really tried to play it off like I wasn't that.....stupid. I think I said something along the lines like, "Oh."

After that I started taking more pictures of Lafayette Park and went even further down Pennsylvania Avenue. It's amazing how far you can go when you're just walking and observing your surroundings. I'm expecting to have a nice pair of legs when I return from D.C.

Back of White House

 

 

 Front of White House

 

I promise you, getting lost in D.C. is not hard and you see a lot when you do. There's much history in this city and you start to realize exactly why it is this nation's capital.
Sunday I went to The Smithsonian National Zoo. I figured that would be a perfect place to start my week with tons of pictures. The Zoo is free, so if you live or are visiting D.C. that's a great place to go. The only thing I was interested in really seeing are.........cheetahs and leopards. Those are my favorite animals and both equally beautiful. If I could own them as pets, I would be a proud cat lover. Cheetahs are slender and sexy, their tails are flatter towards the end, claws aren't fully retractable, and are the fastest animals on Earth. Leopards (my little beauty queens/kings)  are powerful and muscular, live a more solitary life, and are sneaky. One may find it weird my fascination with those animals but I find their characteristics charming and how similar their ways can be compared to a human. Challenge yourself, what type of animal are you?

Last week one of The Zoo's  rare red panda's escape, an animal that reminds you of a raccoon but with not black and white and can be found digging around in your trash.....or in the middle of the street late at night. Cuter basically. Walking around a zoo is tiresome and I spent over two hours there just snapping away pictures and marveling in the beauty of cats.

            Me holding a cheetah skull.

A main pro of posting once a week is that I get to make a compilation of my entire week into one big story. The main con: I have troubling remembering what I did earlier in the week. Even though I do take notes throughout the week, I find myself saying what day did I do this.

Tuesday was the last day of my ethics course. It was an interesting class. Ever since I started college if I leave a class remembering at least one thing, then it wasn't that much of a waste (because I'm paying for it). Do I want to take a Microeconomics course starting next week? Hell no. You can barely grasp economics in a full 15 week semester fall or spring. To do it in four? You tell me.

I went to Panera Bread on Monday for lunch, got a salad and sandwich; I was asked by the MANAGER that took my order what toppings did I want on my sandwich, no onions or tomatoes but mustard and mayo. Got my order and realized at work not only did I have tomatoes and onions but no mayo or mustard, it was even right on the receipt! Don't you hate that, when you order food and what you did not want is on there. It's like the restaurant said, "Yea we're just going to put it on there anyways." Of course my excuse every time that happens is, "They better be lucky I'm hungry."

The more I ride the Metro the more I think of this episode of  Rugrats called "Mr. Clean", where Chuckie gets paranoid by germs and becomes this germaphobe. I can only imagine how many times the seat I'm sitting in became someone's bed or is covered in bird flu. I have those cringe worthy moments every time someone sneezes behind me. It's not just the Metro, it's in general.

The other day at work I had a conversation with a red light district-dancer loving-motorcycle collecter-48-years-old-mama boy that has been to 10 countries, 25 states, and over 100 cities. Uhm in the matter of maybe 30 minutes I learned he still lives with his mother, has never been married, no children of his, buys the dancers' kids he has dated toys because they don't have a daddy, was engaged to a Swedish woman but went to Brazil where his head did a 360 and dropped her like a Swedish meatball (lol), has his female dancer women leave out the back door or window when he shouldn't have brought them home to mama (where I suggested they have skills); he doesn't drink, smoke or gamble but loves Miami and had some FBI after him or something. I wonder how in the hell did I play interested in what he was saying for so long. Oh and he has a pilot license and is going to buy a four passenger plane soon. I cannot believe I recounted that much of our conversation. He even asked me if I thought he was trying to be young like "these rappers" by his lifestyle. Dude...I do not know you from a can of paint. I did say maybe you need to try and settle down..............and find a new roomie. Okay I didn't say the roomie part but when I asked was he his mother's caretaker he said they were like this *crosses his fingers* so, I got the impression she does not have any health conditions that would permit her 48 year old son to be sneaking strippers down the side of the house. I don't know what it is about older guys and me! I hope that is not a sign that I have to move my husband's Depends to the side to get to my tampons.


Here's my weekly advice: Whole Foods is a rip off. Do not ever buy plantains from there or you will be waiting on kingdom come just for those things to ripe.

Yesterday I went to my first runners marathon in Virginia. No I didn't run, the story I'm working on caused me to be there, but I wish I could have participated. I never wanted to run so bad in my life, especially when it's for a good cause. I don't know if marathons are a "black people thing" but I enjoyed seeing the ones who were out there running. Overall that marathon inspired me and I will be signing up for one next time there is one when I'm home.

Happy 237th birthday AMERICA!!!!!

I celebrated on the west lawn at U.S. Capitol at the annual 'A Capitol Fourth 2013 Concert' hosted by Tom Bergeron and performances by: Barry Manilo, Neil Diamond, Motown Broadway, Darren Criss, Candice Glover and that's just a few. Not only was it HOT AS HELL but I was walking for about a hour and half and then waited over a hour in line! I did all this by myself just so you know. I told you, I really don't need people with me to have a good time. Now I'm not stupid I won't go walking the streets at 2 a.m. alone but things like a 4th of July concert I do not mind going solo. The concert was followed by firework and it was just a beautiful scene. As I sat in the grass I closed my eyes and had I love my life moment. I am very thankful for what the Lord has brought me through and where He's leading me.

 Waited in that line for over a hour.

Horrible picture but the fire works were beautiful.

 



I am about fed up with my roommates. But I'm just saying four more weeks four more weeks. I share a room with one and she actually had the nerve to ask me, "Can you stop that noise" that my phone was making for text alerts. I had to stop myself from going to the 'Sounds' and playing it manually and adding a "please" after her request. This is why I can't do this double bed merde. Do I complain when her alarm goes off early as hell loud as hell. Today guess what time her alarm went off? 6 o'clock a.m. She left for work at 8:30 a.m rambling loud as hell getting ready. I have my alarm set very low so that I do not disturb her but that may change. Oh and another one of my roommates said she preferred I not use her pot. Like goodness gracious. I can be selfish with my things some(a lot) of times, but I understand that we're here for only two months and work most of the day so using my things isn't that much a big of a deal. If I wanted to, I could tell my dorm mates don't use anything I brought for the dorm only I can use it. Somebody is going to get it, I don't know who but somebody is going to go home with a sour black girl taste in their mouth.

Well I think that's all I got. Hope you enjoyed and may you enjoy your week.
Adore.

That's No Way to Sightsee!

Ladies and gents you're in for a treat, I have so many pictures to share with you from this week but as you know pictures come at the end!

My second week in D.C. has once again been filled with memories that I can hopefully remember for years to come, but then again what's this blog for right. My schedule is pretty much: I intern by day and take classes by night; except for Fridays, no work just class. This is my first time experiencing a real 9-5 and I can tell you: It's really what you make of it and based your profession. One would say sitting in front of a computer all day is no fun, even boring; but when that's a requirement and detrimental for research with your job, it's really not all that bad.

This older woman who works at the station and probably goes through each and every "insert bleep here" word in a day is that personality added to your workspace that makes you say, "I love working here". Does her use of profanity make me cringe? Not at all, especially when you use it yourself. She's a pro at using at least one in every sentence. Not only does she give me compliments and good mornings, but I got a "What's that broad's name? Tayla?" I would be lying if I said I even got slightly offended, if anything I responded with, " It's Kayla." Then I got the run-down that where's she's from "broad" in her book isn't bad, she uses it for everything. To each it's own. Some people may not understand why it didn't bother me but I just didn't care to get my panties in a bunch. She's a cute older woman who has much higher ranking in office than I and I would not work in an environment where I felt condescended nor disrespected.

I had my first Man On the Street assignment Tuesday and man was it nerve wrecking. First time using the portable recording equipment for interviews and first time actually having to tell someone "it'll only take a minute of your time." Thank God I've never been rude when I was on the receiving end, cause now I'm in their shoes. My assignment was to ask people to describe D.C.'s heat that day in one word. I actually got a ratchet and trifling (which didn't make it one air), muggy, delectable, and lovely are just a few. But if you had to ask me--it felt like home. I mean I can compare a hot D.C. day to a Savannah day and wish I could just jump in a pool until I look like a California raisin. Some people were very receptive, some weren't but it didn't matter--I was a Woman On the Street. I decided to try my first food truck once me and the other intern was finished. The choice: a taco truck. I saw shrimp tacos and thought hmmm, I like shrimp tacos, but I was clouded by the idea they'll be similar to Fuzzy's Taco Shop in Athens (Oh how I love those tacos). After waiting for ten minutes (in the heat) this lady comes back and makes a fairly friendly complaint on how naked the tacos were and how the shrimps are in comparison to fruit loops in size. I'm thinking she's probably overreacting with the frosted cereal comment but she was not. I mean these were the flimsiest little shrimps I EVER seen, not even worthy enough to be called shrimps--shrimp are my favorite food. The shrimps could sit on a dime, no lie. Paid for it so I ate it, lesson learned.

Had my first low of my time here in DC--my midterm in my Ethics course. I didn't even get to finish. A midterm and the next week a final examination. I just think it's dumb to have a month of school with only three full weeks and have a midterm and final. By time you take the midterm the final is right around the corner. Yea it sucked to know you didn't do well on something automatically but that sucky feeling is so bad you never want to feel it again. I could have let that affected my week, but what would get done? Time won't go back. However, I do have a professor that is flexible and is one of those professors that actually cares and sees the potential in students. So cross your fingers for me. But there's redemption in the final.

I randomly had a I want a Jeepers Creepers 3 moment this week. I love those movies and how all the black people survived in Jeepers Creepers 2, only horror film I can think of where all the black people survived.

Thursday I was assigned to Mayor Vince Gray of the District of Columbia press release for his next steps on education reform in the district. I went with an experienced reporter and was her personal assistant/photographer for the day. First time ever seeing cheerleader protestors, I honestly thought they were apart of the mayor's speech. "Shame on Mayor Grace, don't take publics schools away!", chanted the young protestors. See Mayor Grace is planning to combine the District of Columbia Public School System with it's charters school. The restraint it takes for politicians, presidents, or anyone to give a speech whether for three minutes or 25 and speak through hecklers, boos, disrespect, lobbyists is quite amazing. I don't think I could do it. As the protestors shouted Grace raised his voice but to what extent could I still focus on concentrating. It was definitely an eye-opener in the world of journalism. Not only did I clap for the protesting cheerleading (big no-no, reporters/journalists are objective) but I lost track in where the mayor was in his speech. I did takes tons of pic (God I need a camera, an iPhone can only do so much). I lucked up with that assignment, I got to meet the Chancellor of the D.C. Public Schools, Kaya Henderson, President of Washington Teachers Union, Nathan Saunders (Savannah State University alumnus), and D.C. councilmember, David Catania. All three of prominence in the D.C. region and I got to shake their hand. Councilmember Catania complimented my blazer three times! A blazer I got for a buck at Plato's Closet back home (get compliments on that blazer every time I wear it actually), even the reporter I was with couldn't believe how many powerful D.C. people I got to met.

On the way there actually the reporter shared some knowledge with me that I honestly didn't think off: She said upfront that broadcast journalism is hard and a lot of interns don't make it. Its relentless and I told her I believe the journalism students, in my generation, we're blinded by dream jobs we read about, see on TV and here on the radio. It's only honestly how I got sucked in. She revealed to me how she started off in television and much of the interns she started out with dropped out because they want a social life. That honestly scared me. To hear that the platform I hopefully want to work on one day can chew me up and spit me out alive. Yes times have changed since she was an undergraduate but not by much. You're not going to be shipped off to some big city where you'll have a daytime or evening show and become a household name for news overnight. Small cities are where you need to start and how interning back home where you'll familiar with the city and people are so much more convenient is what she revealed. In television you'll work crazy hours, practically everyday and being tossed in a big unfamiliar city and trying to work and maintain a personal life, you can't do both. But home you'll have support (friends/family), you'll already have connections and won't be tossed in the middle of nowhere. Overall her message was balanced. Now I don't have to start in Savannah but I do have to realize I probably won't start in New York or California either, but I'll get there. What I want to say as well is: If you haven't tried the opportunities and doorways in your hometown, how can you assume you'll be better or know what to do somewhere else?

D.C. is full of life even though I saw only one gas station today, bad weaves are leading to good, and after I ride the metro I no longer smell my perfume. But still I love this place. There is always something to do here: museums, restaurants, parks, tours, events, just so much to do in Obama's hood. Recently I went to Jazz in the Garden (National Gallery) and I never wanted a pitcher of sangria so bad in my life: 1) I was hot. 2) I'm 21. 3) Everyone else had one, wanted one too. Every place you can think of to put a blanket or chair was occupied with garden-goers. It was like a class reunion, but in the thousands and no yearbooks. PERFECT place for coworkers to let loose after the end of a work week, friends to discuss their week, a couple to enjoy each other's company or a family outing. I wasn't paying attention to the jazz much, don't get me wrong love me some jazz but I'm a people watcher so I was watching people. A beautiful moment: this man proposing to his girlfriend in front of the crowd, I can only assume the unison of "aaaawww" came from the women attendees (me included, so cute).

First pitch ever got approved by my supervisor this week, pretty exciting. I'm not going to reveal it because I rather just make it a surprise so once it's published on air, I will link it ASAP. Got an interview for 1/2 the portion of the Door to Door segment I will be producing on the show, so I'm happy to get started with that next week. I can only assume after this week, the days will go by even faster and it'll be mid July before I know it.

I got to visit the Thomas Jefferson Library of Congress today where me and Taryn, me and her love touring the city, got reader cards. I will be back to use it in the genealogy room, maybe I can trace my roots.

Ah before I forget I had a soft shell crab sandwich for the first time today at the restaurant in Eastern Market. The bread was delicious, the coleslaw ( one of many foods on my What I Don't Eat list), tomatoes (I despise tomatoes), and deep fried crab (deep + fried just sound so artery clogging) ended up with a 9 out 10 (thank the coleslaw and tomatoes for that). See that sandwich made someone as picky as me a believer. Each and every layer of that sandwich was fresh. The sweet hint of the coleslaw balanced out the ocean of the crab. I'm telling you even if you have foods you won't eat, put that aside and dine in fine cuisine! Oh and the sweet tea..........YEEESSSS to a place up north that 1) sells sweet tea & 2) had tea that was sweet. Thank you!

Took me a hour and a half to write my week! Please enjoy the photos!

 The food trunk I where I got those JUMBO shrimp tacos.

I got to go to a lecture where Kentucky Senator Rand Paul spoke.

Some chicken place around the corner from my job with good fried plantains.

Mayor Grace (center) speaking with attendees at his press release.

 Nathan Saunders

Councilmember David Catania

The BLAZER!!



 A sculpture at The National Gallery of Art, Jazz in the Garden.

That's just a view from across the fountain, doesn't do it justice.

National Press Building where TFAS held Journalism Awards ceremony.

On way to Eastern Flea Market.

 Bakery in Eastern Market

 Eastern Market

 African street drummers.

 Soft shell crab sandwich. YUM

After!



 Flea Market where I brought some cute $5 shades.

 First gas station seen since I've been in D.C.

Me in front of the Capitol building. Beautiful.

 $5 shades.

 Liddle ole me in front of the Supreme Court Justice (which was under renovation, that's a backdrop).

 Side show of the Library of Congress.

 Library of Congress front shot.

 Gorgeous mosaic ceilings.