Tuesday, March 31, 2009

15 Days & Counting!

So as my time here in DC starts to get a little more awesome, it is only 15 days until I return home to wonderful CLU and prepare for another adventure called Semester at Sea. This past weekend my dad was here again and we did a lot. The weather has been wonderful in DC, the cherry blossoms are blooming and the sun is shining, the paddle boats are out on the Potomac in the Tidal Basin, and the grass is green on the National Mall, finally the weather I've been waiting for! While my dad was here I checked off quite a few things from my list. The best part was staying at the Ritz Carlton and hanging out with the Detroit Pistons haha. We finished the two Smithsonians I hadn't been too and that my dad was interested in, then we had dinner at Tombs in Georgetown that Candice told me about Wednesday night. We also went to this homemade ice cream shop in Georgetown that Candice referred to me it was amazing! We went through GWs campus and got me a shirt and his shot glass, then we also treked through Georgetown's campus looking for their bookstore, which was impossible to find. I didn't want anything by the time we got it because it was so hot from walking everywhere. The Capitals Hockey game was amazing!! Go CAPS they are going to rock the play-offs! Jefferson Memorial and Cherry Blossom Festival were awesome! That's basically what we did in a nutshell! Now n exactly five short hours I will be waking up to prepare on the best adventure to date: a Supreme Court Oral Argument. YAY! A group of us are getting up early to make breakfast for ourselves and the boys (Kevin Bumb, Eric, and Tyler) and the girls (Me, Amanda, Heather). Pancakes are my deal, Eggs are Amanda's and the boys better bring the syrup! lol. Actually we all need to wake up first! Haha. Anyway, then after that, I have a field trip for Violence and Values at the Arlington Detention Center, they told the girls to wear conservative clothing and nothing that sticks to you, uhh jeans stick to you!!! This should be interesting haha. Then our field trip with LCWS is to see Chicago at the theater! It's going to be a long and exciting day! I'm most excited for the Supreme Court hearing of course, it starts at 10am but since so many people try to go we have to get in line by 6:30am-7am. I bought my plane ticket home! I will be flying into LAX on April 16th, at 11:06pm WOOOO! This weekend I am doing all my community service hours working at the Cherry Blossom Parade and then an easter egg hunt thing here at the apartments.

Semester at Sea changed the itinerary on us again, we are no longer going to Croatia, Egypt, and Turkey due to piracy issues that they are unsure will be resolved by the time we go. So now my itinerary looks a little something like this along with my cheaper tuition because I got moved to an Economy cabin! WOO!
Fall 2009 Voyage Ports:
- Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
- Cadiz, Spain
- Casablanca, Morocco
- Accra, Ghana
- Cape Town, South Africa
- Port Louis, Mauritius
- Chennai, India
- Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam
- Hong Kong
- Shanghai, China
- Kobe / Yokohama, Japan
- Honolulu / Hilo, Hawaii
- San Diego, CA

Yay! Although I had stuff planned, it's time to restart my planning now that my itinerary got changed. Emily I can't wait to talk to you about South Africa and Mauritius! Our Ghana stop is the first one EVER on Semester at Sea so that's really exciting! I'm a little nervous about the new African countries, but I think I will be okay, I just want to make sure I don't get sick or anything like that, I am really paranoid about that kind of stuff, I also have to get lots of shots before I go.

Anyway, DC is finishing out nicely, just one ten-page paper in my way, the debate and final test for Controversy should be a breeze, I hope I got an A on my presentation with my group last week because then I just need to Ace this paper and hopefuly get an A- but I'll more than likely get a B+ cuz he is not the greatest of professors.

Well I need to go to bed, long Wednesday ahead of me!

A-Ram

P.S - List continued after finishing some of it:
- Bureau of Engraving
- Mt. Vernon
- Resevoir
- Kennedy Center
- Eastern Market
- Army/Navy/Air Force Memorial

Monday, March 23, 2009

25 Days Left!

Only 3.5 weeks left! I really miss California, and I really can't wait to get back home, but I am definitely not ready to leave DC, it's just a wonderful city and beautiful to wake up to every morning and see the Washington Monument, having lunch in front of the White House, sitting on the steps of the Supreme Court, sitting on the steps at the top of the Lincoln Memorial at night peering over the national mall. I've gotten a few things off my list from two posts ago, but developed a few more things to add to that list haha. So here is the new list of things I need to do and I am going to do soon:

- Capitals Hockey Game (3/27)
- Tombs Restaurant (3/25)
- Thomas Sweets (3/25)
- State Department (3/25)
- Bureau of Engraving
- Finish American History and Air & Space
- Kennedy Center
- Eastern Market
- Jefferson Memorial
- Army/Navy Memorial
- Mama Ayesha's
- Caribou Coffee (3/27)
- Dupont Circle
- Adams Morgan (3/28)

Along with all my school work: 1 paper due (3/25), 1 presentation (3/26), 3 case briefs (3/30), 1 debate to prepare for (4/13), one 10 page paper (4/16) ...oh and my 12 hours of community service to finish.

Community Service Line Up: (9 More Hours to Complete)
- Cherry Blossom Festival Parade: 4.5 Hours (4/1)
- Easter Day Celebration @ Riverplace: 2.5 Hours (4/1)
- Serving Dinner at N Street Village: 2 hours (soon)

Oh man, I feel overwhelmed now, anyway, that's what my last few days in the District will consist of...oh I almost forgot.

Dad visits 3/25-3/30
Travis Becker visits 3/28-4/1
Natasha visits 4/9-12

I go home 4/17 and hello Coachella Fest!

Much Love,
A-Ram

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

One Month Left! :)

And I am home!! Yay! I can't wait, it's becoming overwhelming being here to be quite honest, I can't focus on preparing things for Semester at Sea, Emily I understand why you were stressing so much! We just got e-mails today about the payment deadlines and what not. So I guess this blog will be starting to shift in that direction soon, but before that can happen I have to finish this semester, and do all these applications for scholarships, grants, jobs, and what not for Semester at Sea and working this summer. So this weekend was really low key, just did a little bit of shopping and went to the American Art and National Portrait Galleries. So, check off that list! Tomorrow I am going on a tour of the Supreme Court, and then I also get finish the American History Museum! Check and Check! I ate some Afghan food today during lunch at the Koch Foundation which was really good, I can't wait till next Tuesday! haha! Maybe I will go there just for funzies by myself again soon! Hehe. It's only one stop down! Anyway, I guess I am making the best of things while I am finishing up here. My dad flies in on Monday which is great! And he will be here for a couple of days, so I can see him and it will make it go by fast. Then on Friday Travis Becker will be coming into town for the weekend so we will be havin some fun! Oh and we have our meeting with our advisors back home on the Friday Travis gets in. Natasha gets here the 9th-12th of April and I am good to go with 4 days left and going home! YAY! Anyway! I need to go get my favorite ice cream I discovered, which they don't have in California, Andes Mint Ice Cream Sandwich! :)

Friday, March 13, 2009

Busy..or not.

Well it's been silent lately.
Well, my birthday in New York City was amazing! Wicked was amazing! I can't wait to go back for another Broadway play/musical! I'm hoping to make it back to NYC to see In the Heights on Broadway before I leave. I really enjoyed seeing my mom and my sister, but once they left, I realized how badly I am ready to go home, I miss my nieces, they are growing up so fast and I don't even see it. Jessica and Victoria came to visit, Jessica is still here right now, she leaves on Monday. It was really good to see them, and sadly it was also bad timing, as I realized how much I don't enjoy being here. I am trying to stay on the upside and think the best of the rest of these five weeks that are ahead of me. I can't believe it's only five more weeks! Haha, crazy! Anyway, DC has been good to me, and I am sure it will continue to be good to me as I continue to finish out this semester. I have a list of things I still need to do, and I plan to get them alllll done! So here it goes.

- Smithsonians: American History (finish), Air and Space (finish), Portrait Gallery (done 3/15), American Art (done 3/15).
- Mint factory (see the money that isn't worth anything be made!)
- Crystal City
- Mama Ayesha's ...just for you Lizzy
- Jefferson Memorial
- Kennedy Center
- Navy/Army Memorial
- Night tour of National Mall (done 3/21)
- Mr. Smith's
- Georgetown Cupcakes
- Eastern Market
- Caribou Coffee

Hmm, I am sure the list will get bigger! lol. Which isn't good since I have so little time, but I plan to get through most of it this weekend! hehe.
Ok goodnight!

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Birthday Weeeeeeeek!

Well, first of all sorry that I haven't written in a while, I've been busy being a grown up..dumb. Haha. Anyway, today we went to the Holocaust Memorial Museum, it was pretty cool, too much reading on things I mostly already knew, but some of it made me feel sick inside because of how horrible everything was, I mean some of the footage they have is just horrible. After the Holocaust memorial, I met with my mom and sister when they got in from Dulles airport, and we went to eat at Cafe Asia since they didn't eat all day and neither did I. Then they left for the hotel afterwards and tomorrow I have to work but this is the agenda for my birthday!

Tomorrow: Work, Conservative Political Action Conference, Washington Monument w/mom and sister, dinner, class, sleeping at the hotel with them to leave for NYC the next day.

Friday-Sunday - NYC!! my sister has everything planned from restaurants, to tours, to seeing WICKED on BROADWAY in some bitchin' seats! I am sooo excited! It's my birthday present from her :). We're going to the statue of liberty and times square and just everrrywhere! I am so excited! ahhh!!

They leave Monday morning and then Friday morning the 6th, Jessica and Victoria fly in!! :) :) yay!!! That's another whole experience haha!

Well that's all for now!

Ashley

Sunday, February 8, 2009

The Beginning of a Great Week

So, the weather forecast for this week is all in the mid-50s, and 60s, how wonderful, except I am going to Boston on Thursday...so I won't be enjoying the nice weather for long. Anyway, this weekend was filled with amazingness!

On Friday after work, I stayed in and got some rest to prepared for the eventful weekend ahead of me. I read some twilight and talked to some friends...and oooo I made tacos for dinner they were simply amazing.

Saturday started out awesome! I woke up and made some pancakes and then got ready to go out to the Smithsonian's. It was a day to be filled with much laughter and many adventures. Reshai and I left at about 1:45 and when we were on the metro, we started playing with my phone and we were stopped on the metro and when people were starting to get on the train I looked up and read "Smithsonian" and I yelled "WE NEED TO GET OFF HERE!" very loudly and it was so fast and so loud that we just started laughing the minute we finally got off on time. So we sounded like the ultimate tourists. We walked around mindlessly till we found some smithsonian type buildings haha. We walked into some Asian art places and kinda just looked passed them quickyl because it wasnt really our thing. Then we went to the Castle to get some information and we left to the Air and Space Museum which we only got through 1/6th of because it was sooo huge! I felt like a little kid, I have some awesome pictures...especially of some badass missiles...like really...those things will eff you up good. Don't mess with the US. They had a sweet display of the Space Race between Russia and the US...and well lets just say that their space suits sucked compared to ours too! haha. Well anyway we got some lunch and then realized we only had like an hour and a half left so we decided to got hte American History Museum, and it took us a while to get there but we stopped through the sculpture park and took some pictures and then we saw 1/3 of the American History Museum which had some pretty cool stuff. I particularly liked them First Ladies section with the dresses and portraits and stuff...Hilary Clinton and Michelle Obama had horrible pictures...they weren't hte most flattering. After that we went through the star spangled banner exhibit which was beautiful and the original flag was gorgeously displayed. We left and headed back to the apartment for a bit before heading to Pentagon City so I could get another charger for my laptop and Reshai could get his Blackberry Storm, also visit Marshall's and a do a little shopping, our favorite around here. The night ended with some rushing to Safeway because we got back to Rosslyn at 9:45 and had to get to safeway before it closed so we could get some alcohol. By the way they don't sell hard alcohol in grocery stores here...also you can't get it on Sundays lol and the closest liquor store is across the bridge in Georgetown, super annoying. Anyway, we finally got back I made an amazing frito pie and then headed to Reshai's room with him and Sam, Mitch and Megan for some power hour fun.

Sunday was filled with a day in georgetown which is sooo cute, by the way in case you don't know, because I didn't georgetown is really a town it's not just the name of the school. It's very ritzy and very cute. It was a beautiful 68 degrees today so I wore my new dress from H&M and leggings for when it got a litttle breezy and my slouch boots, perfect weather for that outfit. We spent a few hours there shopping and then had a late lunch/early dinner at Pizzeria Uno and walked back over the bridge back to Rosslyn. I spent the rest of the night watching the grammy's and being on facbeook it was wonderful. Now I am off to bed so I can wake up for work

I can't wait to leave for Boston and see Megan and Jessica!! Then my mom and my sister will be here a week and a half later for my birthday!! And off to New York! yay! I love it!!

I also just realize I have 9 weeks left...how insane is that!??! I need to get a move on all the things I need to do haha! I have so much to see still!!

Until next time!
Ashley

Friday, February 6, 2009

Oh Groundhog, you little f***er.

Thank you for seeing your shadow and continuing winter for another six weeks, please realize that I only want you to extend winter when I live in California, thank you...until next year.

And on that note, the weather has been ridiculous to say the least, I don't particularly care for this pattern of every two days it changes from 30s to 40s to 50s to 60 to 40 to 30s to 20s....WTF IS THAT?!? It's stupid, that's what.

Anyway the internship is going great, Tuesdays as I have said before I go to the Koch Foundation and this past Tuesday we all went out to a bar afterwards for appetizers and drinks (non-alcoholic of course due to the legalities behind it even if you are 21). It was really nice to go out with the other interns from Koch because they are just great people to be around and talk to all the time. Overall I am finding I enjoy them more than the people in my program, because I don't really hang out with the people in my program much besides my roommates and Reshai and occassionally watch LOST with a girl down the hall. Don't get me wrong I hang out with them but I just don't want to drink and I don't have access to them as easily like on a CLU Campus. It is very much an adult life where we just work and get tired and go to bed, but needless to say I am excited to start exploring by myself and connecting with a few interns that live in the area a little closer to hang out with on the weekends.

This weekend I am planning on doing the whole Smithsonian's thing. Starting tomorrow with Reshai and my roommate Aulden. I also need to open a bank account here as well. that was just me making my list ofthings to do real quick haha. I am really excited though because I leave on Thursday for Boston and I get to see Megan and Jessica and others from CLU and be in boston for four days!!! :) YAYAYAYAY!! I LOOOVE BOSTON. The flight was pretty cheap too so that was nice. My birthday is in 22 days :) My sister and mom will be here in 19 days and we are going to go to New York.

I'm okay with the fact that I am not as social here as I thought I would be...I am realizing that I am here for a professional experience and learning the world of politics and all that DC has to offer. I'm realizing what a great city it is with many possibilities and it really is about who you know. I'm glad that I have the opportunity to network and understand that its true, you really gotta know the right people and thats all I hear around here. I am finding that I may want to go to Law School out here and if I start working my ass off my chances of getting into GWU are very good, possibly with a slight scholarship, it would be just perfect to be out here for Law School.

I love getting packages from people at school or from friends at home, I think it's awesome. I always wished I was an out of state student so I could get packages like all my friends at CLU. Now that I do it just makes me sooo happy. I have gotten packages from Jessica Kolstad, Megan, and Jessica DeSalva. I got cookies and other random stuff and then socks that were my christmas present a little late but still awesome and then the ultimate...NEW MOON, the second book in the Twilight Series for those of you that don't know. I am staring at it right now trying to not grab it and run away to my room to read, because I will definitely not talk for a while until I am done.

I have found a new love for reading an educating myself on topics thanks to the Koch Foundation. I have like 15 books and two of them are a collaboration of readings they bounded together for us. It's just amazing. I recently just read The Law by Bastiat, basically just this crazy libertarian who thinks the Law is corrupt and what not and how we abuse it and talked about natural rights, which I have come to love and talk about a lot. There is this one annoying law student that is an intern and asks dumb questions that just piss people off because we don't know if he is actually curious or just trying to start a debate...and I hate that.

Well I am sorry that this is longer than usual and I hope you enjoy my ramblings...if you would like to send me a birthday package ;) hahaha... my address is at the bottom of the page I think?? If not text me haha :) Anyway, I will be sending postcards soon!!

Love,
Ashley

P.S - Kimmy and Emily I am pretty sure you are the only people who read this but whatever! Haha!