Drawing to a close or a new start? We'll see...

On Monday the Washington Semester Folks from LU took us out to eat at Carmine's (a very nice Italian restaurant) for the end of the semester. In my spare time, I applied for the Lynchburg District Court Deputy Clerk position. Haven't heard anything back but who knows. I used Caitlyn's phone and scanned several business cards into it. I definitely want a smart phone now. haha

On Tuesday, I delivered all of Cato's papers by myself. It didn't take too long though. I did CT and we finished up the CJUS week. We talked about how to deal with police (after we had to deal with police the night before. Ultimate Frisbee on the capitol lawn.) We also went to the Freshman Hill Briefing.

On Wednesday, we went to the freshman hb.

On Thursday I wasn't feeling so well so after I did CT I went home and napped. For four and a half hours. And I took medicine. And orange juice. I think it worked. While sleeping I received an email from Bob Goodlatte's office about the resume I sent. I have an interview this week for a staff assistant position. Wish me luck!

On Friday my parents came up and we had lunch. We also went to the People's Church (new NCC) for a Good Friday service. We watched Robinhood and Gulliver's Travels as well.

Saturday I helped with the Eggstravaganza for Ebz. I had a blast! We all had dinner at Barracks Row at this Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican place. It was good.

Sunday we went to Ebz for the Easter service and then we went to Eastern Market. That night we went to Columbia Heights to see Jason play drums at the Gala NCC location.

Criminal Justice Week at Cato

Well last week was criminal justice week at Cato (and today because we didn't finish on Friday). We watched a video and had a discussion each day. I really enjoyed it.
Monday - I did Cato Today (MWF) and our topic for CJUS Week was legalization of drugs.
Tuesday - I worked on Caitlyn's RSS feed and the topic for CJUS was the 2nd amendment and safety
Wednesday - I did Cato Today and the topic was plea bargaining. That video made me very mad. People are tricked into taking pleas by the system. Horrible
Thursday - The topic was wrongful convictions. Also another video that made me mad. Basically people were arrested falsely, then they were forced to rat on someone (making it up) to enter into a plea bargain, and then that person was arrested. And the cycle repeated until there were 7 guys. Finally a random guy was caught and he said he did it by himself, but the other guys were still locked up. Stupid system.
Friday - I did Cato Today and we had a Hill Briefing on Transportation with Randal O'Toole. Pretty interesting. We also had the State of the Institute where Ed Crane and David Boaz spoke. Those guys are awesome! Ed is a funny guy!
Saturday - I helped fill the communion bags for NCC
Sunday - We went to Fort Stephens and got to see the cannons and the place where Lincoln came under fire

Two weeks... (again)

Monday - I did CT again. I also worked on Caitlyn's RSS feed and I worked the Green Energy seminar.
Tuesday - I did an email and a fax. EXCITING! Not really
Wednesday - Cato Today. MWF this week. I met the new lady in our department, Laura Renz. I did another fax and email at the spur of the moment for the freshman policy series. We had the op-ed seminar.
Thursday - I did a fax and email list for the freshman congressman. We had a seminar on the Constitution as well.
Friday - I did my professional interview with Caitlyn. Boy is she a talker. But it was great. I learned a lot. I did CT and a couple emails. I also worked on updating 4 databases for Laura. One day there and she's already bossing me around. Haha. She's actually really nice.
Saturday - We went to celebrate Kayon's birthday at the Cheesecake Factory in friendship heights.

Monday - I finally got the email sent out for the freshman policy series and I started dropping off some literature for the series as well on Capitol Hill. That evening, on the way to drop off some mail, I saw Al Frankin walking home.
Tuesday - I worked some more on Laura's databases. I did CT (TR) and I went to a hill briefing on Libya. We met with Nita Ghea about our op-eds and she said mine was a very interesting topic.
Wednesday - I spent almost four hours on capitol hill delivering the rest of the literature for the freshman policy series. In a period of one hour I saw Paul Ryan, John McCain, and Carl Cameron from Fox. Pretty awesome.
Thursday - CT
Friday - Went to Lynchburg
Saturday - Saw Phantom of the Opera (LU). Awesome!

Another Week in DC

Monday - I the second half of the medicaid event. I just sold books but I enjoyed it. I also stuffed letters for Caitlyn's "Gokhale" distribution list.

Tuesday - I did more letters. Oh joy. I also sold books at another event. I did Cato Today too. I'm getting pretty quick at it now. Definitely not the four hours like the first time.

Wednesday - I worked on Caitlyn's RSS feed again. Give it a week and it really piles up. I had to go through close to 300 articles. I did CT again and we had another interesting GA meeting.

Thursday - I delivered more handbooks after we did a hill briefing. Then I went on a dome tour with several of the LU kids. One of the most epic things of the semester so far.

Friday - I put together an email for Brandon and I worked on something else. Can't think of it right now though...

A sweet reminder of home...

Well this past week was good week. On Saturday we went to the Eastern Market. Epic. I got an awesome shirt. I'm going back next weekend fo sho. The last couple (3) Sundays I've been volunteering at Ebenezer's (8:20 in the AM!) and its been pretty awesome.

On Monday, I did Cato Today once again and I did Caitlyn's RSS feeds. (I need to do that this week...).

Tuesday, Catinca, April, and I reorganized the book room. As in alphabetized several hundred books. They moved the book room from the basement to the second floor so everything was crazy. Took several hours but it looks quite lovely. (insert faux British accent). I also put together two packages for Caitlyn filled with Bad Medicine (one of our publications).

Wednesday I did Cato Today and we had another incredibly topically random GA meeting. We started googling congresswomen that we thought were good looking. Very interesting choices mentioned. I also delivered some more handbooks to the hill.

Thursday, I worked on a large mailing which used the contact info for the Gokhale distribution (over 300 contacts).

Friday we had another informal libertarian lunch group on the hill and as soon as I got back to Cato, I left for the Planet Wisdom Conference in Woodbridge, VA. It was so awesome to get to hang out with my church. I missed that! Great friends and great times. Thanks guys!

Two weeks...

So I've been incredibly lazy and I haven't posted in forever (2 weeks).

Last week...

Monday - I worked on the list of new freshmen and on Tuesday I finished it. Not exciting.

Wednesday - I did an email and fax and I did Cato Today which got out by 11:30.

Thursday - I delivered some handbooks to the hill.

Friday - I did Cato Today and I went to the hill with more handbooks. I went to the capital hill club after work and got free food.

Weekend - worked on my Govt 302 paper and went to the National Cathedral.

This week...

Monday - I went with Brandon to the RSC. Always cool. Saw Ben

Tuesday - I started a project for Caitlyn where I went through her RSS feed and summarized all the stuff happening (state agencies). I also took testimony to Dirksen and we had an event where I found my backup job...

Wednesday - I did CT, worked on Caitlyn's RSS feed thing, and Nita Ghea spoke to us. We had a GA meeting where we talked about dogs, gay congressmen, hot congressmen (?), and retro music and tv.

Thursday - ?

Friday - Handbooks on the hill

Parental Units

As the previous post said, I was off on Monday. Awesome. Tuesday I worked on the Report for Government Affairs and on Wednesday, I finished it. Also I did Cato Today in 2 hours! The quickest I've done it. I started at 8:30 so I had to wait 30 minutes (until 11) to send it out. I went to the the informal lunch group and I met a mult-millionaire. Pretty epic. I also did an email for Brandon. On Thursday, I didn't do that much. We had a lecture with Tom Palmer (my favorite) and I did a mailing for Caitlyn. On Friday, I did CT in 2 hours again! On a roll baby! I also started putting together a list of freshman congressman and their offices so we can deliver handbooks to them. My parents came up on Friday so I hung out with them all weekend. It was awesome to see them again. We had dinner with all my DC friends on Saturday and Kayon started talking "real suthern" like my parents. pretty funny!

Ain't Presidents Grand?

As you can see from the title, I was off work today. Much needed day off, let me tell you. It was a great week though. A lot of epicness. I've been using that "word" too much... Anyways, here's the stitch:

On Monday, I helped one of my fellow interns make phone calls to see what Representatives were coming to our New Member Breakfast on Tuesday. No one I talked to was coming. Drat.

On Tuesday, I did Cato Today again. I was not planning on this and I got started about an hour later than usual (9:30). I was doing the newspaper delivery and when I got done the other guys asked me to take if for the day. Kind of rough. I tried the pizza place near work with Saagar. Pretty good stuff.

Wednesday, I worked through the Gokhale distribution list till I was down to the last two emails. When I got home, I called numbers for both and I was able to get an email for one.

Thursday, I finished the Gokhale list. Thank the Lord! I now hate excel. Completely. I was able to start a new project too. I began to put together my department's (Government Affairs) quantitative report for 2010. I have to list all the events and put descriptions with the events. That evening in the apartment, I had a huge foreign policy "discussion" with Josh, Jason, Taylor, and Nick. I was ganged up on, but at least I know I'm right. Our military is there to provide for the common defense, not world domination and messing in already hostile situations does nothing to make them better (the Middle East).

Friday, I worked more on the project and then I went to the International Students for Liberty Conference. It was awesome. I attended the whole weekend. I saw John Stossel, David Boaz, Gary Johnson (2012), and several other awesome speakers. If you ever get the chance to go to one of these, don't think, do it. (Employee of the Month reference.)

Today (Monday), we went to the national zoo. Saw red pandas (my favorites), giant pandas, shrews, leopards, and a bunch of monkeys. Check out my pics on Facebook if you want to see them. Awesome stuff.

Thanks and peace.

Bourbon Babies! "Somebody hit her with the ugly stick"

A wee bit behind but at least I'm posting...

On Monday I went with my supervisor, Brandon Arnold, to the Republican Study Committee. That's always an interesting meeting. Its a bunch of Republican staffers that discuss whats coming up for the house. Pretty legit. On the way back to Cato in the taxi, Brandon explained the process of making laws and procedures. Pretty awesome, and intricate, stuff.

Tuesday I started making phone calls for my distribution list. Calling offices all over the country. I hate phones... but it was still fun. You can definitely tell when you're talking to people from the south. I left about an hour early so I could drop of some testimonies for Mark Calabria for the next day.

Wednesday: More phone calls. OH JOY. Another discussion with Kuznicki. I still haven't decided if I like him. He's good, but odd. I also put together a list of freshmen congressmen that declined their provided health care. For lunch I went to Micky D's and I saw Dan Griswold. I also bought lunch for two homeless guys.

Thursday: I did CT again but I was overconfident. So it took a while. And then I went with Caitlyn Korb and Roger Pilon to a Hill briefing about restoring Constitutional liberty. Pilon and Rep. Scott Garrett spoke. Pretty awesome.

Friday: LYNCHBURG!!! But first work. It wasn't bad. Then four hours on the train.

Went to Jordan Connell's concert. EPIC. and then I went to b-dubs with everyone: JB, Cribby, Stephan, Sara Beth, Ryan, AJ, Zack, Corey, Zach, Lexie, Chris, Allison, Nick, and a random Asian girl I don't know.

Saturday: We went to the mall and got Chinese like old times (Stephan, Sara Beth, and Grant) and went to Walmart and Target. Then I went to the ball game and then played the futuristic risk and it was epic. Watched Wall Street with JB and Zack. Not sure about that.

Sunday: Left on the train at 10. Back in DC...

Thai, mushrooms, and emails...

So here's the weekly update:

On Monday, I took the lead on Cato Today. Um... can you say intense? It's Cato's daily publication that is sent out by email. I got there about 8:20 and didn't get it out until 1:00. Over four and half hours. But it made it out!

On Tuesday, Jason Kuznicki spoke to us about logic. Very interesting despite the fact one of his examples of bad logic was a faulty argument that creationists (which I am) sometimes use. He definitely had some valuable insight. At Cato we're allowed to take the books they publish home. Because of this, I've started a list of books I really want and one has been at the top: The Libertarian Reader. I found it Tuesday. I was excited! haha

On Wednesday, I put together a fax for Kuznicki's Marriage Against the State. It's a good article but not really something LU would like. Oh well. I also worked on the Gokhale distribution (like I have the last 3 weeks). For lunch I had Thai food for the very first time. Saagar talked me into (one of the other interns).

On Thursday, Kuznicki talked again, but this time about natural rights. A good lecture with a lot of good discussion. I really like the article from Ayn Rand. Good stuff.

Today, Friday, I went to Capital Hill to deliver books and then we (me and Saagar again) had lunch in the Longworth cafeteria with one of his roommates who works on the hill. His roommate is allergic to mushrooms so what did he do? He had one. We had to take him to the first aid room.

We're watching the Island right now. Epic movie. We're always watching movies... haha. Tomorrow we're heading to Georgetown to get cupcakes. Yep. Cupcakes. They're so legit they're on the food network.

2nd Blog from DC

So this week was pretty epic. I am still loving the city. I've been able to see and do so much! Last Saturday we went to the Air and Space Museum. Pretty awesome stuff! On Wednesday, I sat in on a House Judiciary Subcommittee meeting. One of our scholars at Cato, Dan Griswold, testified about immigration. It was pretty exciting. It snowed so much that day! They let us leave at 3. On Thursday, we went in 2 hours late. I'm really glad we actually made it because the founder of Cato, Ed Crane, spoke to us. I also put together 2 faxes and emails about new material we had. On Friday, we had a debate and a bunch of students came from organizations all over the city. I ran around with a microphone for questions and answers. It was really epic. The discussion was about welfare and poverty.

Yesterday we went up to the Washington Monument. Boy was that awesome! The view was amazing! Today I went to Ebenezer's (NCC) again for church. They gave all the new people food after the service. For dinner I had Armond's pizza (AMAZING) and we're watching Chaos Theory now. (ALSO AMAZING). Peace.

Moving and a Little Bit of Consistency

So I recently moved to Washington, D.C. Not permanently of course (I'm a country boy), but for an internship. I'm working at the Cato Institute (flipping awesome) and I'm wrapping up my final semester at LU through their online program. In order to keep up with my oh so exciting life now (it really is!) I'm going to try and blog on a weekly basis. I'm keeping notes each day about what I do and on the weekend I'll blog about it.

I just finished my second week but it seems like I've been here for months! In a good way though. I was scared to death to start at Cato but I absolutely love it! The atmosphere is not Liberty Way per se, but its definitely an atmosphere of liberty. I work with the Government Affairs department and their goal is to get Cato's libertarian information out to Congress and other leaders. So in other words... I've been compiling databases with contact info. No that glamorous I know, but incredibly important. Jagadeesh Gokhale, a Cato Scholar, wrote a study on the costs of medicaid on the states in regards to Obamacare. We are trying to get this out to all the states and this is where I come in: get all the emails, addresses, phone numbers, etc. for a bunch of people. Tedious, but important.

We've been to the hill (Capitol Hill for all you people back home. haha) a couple times for events and I've been to a lot of cool places. I've delivered Cato books to several house and senate offices. I haven't seen anyone, but eventually I will! On Wednesday, we took a taxi to capitol hill for an event. First time in a D.C. taxi. Ok. When we got back to the office we found everyone outside because there was an gas leak in the building and they sent us home at 3. Heck yeah.

The next day I delivered a couple packages for Jason Kuznicki to the American Enterprise Institute, the Brookings Institute, and Americans for Tax Reform. They're all kind of close to Dupont Circle, one of the famous D.C. landmarks. On my way I passed the embassies of Australia, Trinidad and Tobago, and Peru. And for the finale of the day, I was stuck in the elevator between the 1st and 2nd floors at Cato. I was there for about 30 minutes but I had coffee so I was fine.

Today, we went to the hill again for an informal pizza lunch/discussion with staffers. It was pretty cool. Afterwards we delivered more books around the hill. Today was my first happy hour at work. It was a Chinese New Year theme with a bunch of Chinese food and sake. I didn't have any because I don't like alcohol and because of my commitments to LU. It was hilarious. They had a huge dragon that people walked around in and they had pictures of Chinese and Korean leaders everywhere. I had a good time socializing and discussing.

Last weekend we toured a bunch of museums (we being a bunch of the LU students in the Washington Semester.) We've got a great group of people and we're all hanging out and getting along. We've been to the National Community Church the last two sundays at Ebenezer's Coffee Shop. It's epic. We're watching Clue right now. Also epic.

This was a lot but its my first post. Hopefully this will be once a week so I'll tone it down a bit. Thanks guys.

Oh, the grocery stores here are outrageous!