Life as a Faux-Adult

This 9 to 5 business is seriously cramping my laziness.

This summer I'm an intern at an organization working for government transparency and openness. In August, I'll be kicking it on Capitol Hill in Rep.Chris Van Hollen's office.

I cannot wear spandex at either location. This is, of course, very upsetting to me. I haven't blogged at all because I spend all day staring at a computer crunching numbers or researching. The feeling I have at 5pm is not unlike having smacked my face against my desk repeatedly for 8 hours. Thus, a perfect excuse to avoid the computer entirely for my few free hours and not blog at all!

But you know what? The gig's also totally cool. My internship has already taken me to meetings and events across DC--from a meeting at the National Archives, to a cocktail hour in a shmancy tented garden. Because my parents strategically planned my birth and early entrance into the school system to make me miserable, I am still too young to take advantage of any of the free booze provided at these events.

It's also nice, I must admit, to know that the work you're doing actually means something. Being productive does not mean working towards a final letter grade on a transcript. I am ACTUALLY BEING PRODUCTIVE and contributing to society. I also get to try to blend in with the best of the up and coming, suit-and-tied grad school graduate crowds that dominate Dupont Circle during the lunch hour. This is mainly because over the years I have hoarded Starbucks gift cards, and now I am taking full advantage and completely over-caffeinating myself.

My sister is spending her summer working at a physical therapy/chiropractic/massage/awesomeness/wellness center, and despite her intensive preppy-kid training at RPI, she has assimilated to the hippy wellness culture extremely well. The Ithacan in me is thrilled.The blogger in me is extremely jealous, because she gets to interact with prime comedic candidates on a regular basis, like people who get regular afternoon massages and life coaches who see your plans for med school as a cover-up for your obvious spiritual uncertainty. She also does real things, like helping with PT, which I would avoid at all costs. You know, given my fear of anything related to bodily functions.

Unfortunately on this particular lunch break, the oppressive 100-degree heat is keeping me inside, praising the gods of modern technology for blessing us with air conditioning.


This thought often goes through my head during winter in Ithaca, but it definitely applies to summer in Washington, DC. "Why did the human race try to settle here?" And also, guys, WHY THE SWAMP? WHY?

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to Wikipedia that immediately so that I can gripe in a more informed manner.