Dream Of Better Days

I'm so excited for next summer!

When I graduated, I had no real intention of ever going to grad school. After undergrad, I was pretty done with school, and ready to enter the real world. Unfortunately, the real world took no interest in me.

I studied political science and Russian language for my bachelor's degree. My emphasis has been on international relations (American politics just make me mad). So for the most part, the jobs I would get would be in Washington. The other Washington. Unfortunately, living on the west coast makes it harder to find those jobs.

I applied to the Bush School at Texas A&M and also here at Virginia Tech, both for their masters programs in public and international affairs. TAMU was my first choice, by a long shot--their program is geared more towards producing professionals who will pursue careers in public service, with much of their faculty coming from the military and public sector; professionals, not academics. Unfortunately, I got waitlisted there, but I did get into Tech. Either way, I stood to gain two important things: a recognizable name on my next piece of paper (no one's ever heard of WWU), and access to Washington for internship opportunities.

I got my internship.

Next summer, I will be interning in the Office of the Director of Foreign Policy Advisors (POLAD) in the Bureau of Political Military Affairs in the State Department. In short, I'll be interning in the office that serves as a sort of bridge between the Departments of State and Defense. Since my interests lie in national security, international affairs, and the military (I'm sure you're all familiar with my long struggle to become a Navy pilot), this is exactly the kind of internship I need. The deputy director, who has been my point of contact since being offered the position, also hinted that it will be a great opportunity to learn more about the Foreign Service Officer (FSO) Test that gets you in for a career in the State Department, since I'll be working with FSOs during my ten weeks in Washington.

Very exciting. Of course, it also means that just a few months after the boyfriend gets home I'll be leaving for a little while, but at least we won't be far. I'm more worried about the heat!

I Need That Song

Christmas this year didn't really feel like Christmas. So after Advent, and a month of all sorts of anticipation, it's left me feeling unfulfilled.

A number of things were different this year. It's the first time in around fifteen years I haven't been in Boise during the holiday season. Even though growing up we'd spent every other Christmas with our dad, we still had time during break with our mom in Boise. Once I went to college, I still made a trip home for a few days at some point during break. This year, Christmas with my mom was in Louisiana. It was great to see her, but it wasn't the same. At this point, with the boyfriend and I moving to Virginia this spring, I don't know when, or even if, I'll see Boise again...or any of my friends there.

Mass was incredibly disappointing on Christmas. It's been a few years since I made it to the Christmas vigil--I didn't go last year, and the year before I was traveling on Christmas eve. I was really excited to go. The church I usually go to in Palm Springs doesn't have a website so I didn't know what time they had vigil Mass at, so my stepmom and I went to a different church for theirs. It was the most bizarre Mass ever. First, when we walked in, in the back pew was a clown. A Santa clown. Bright green wig, terrifying clown makeup, and giant red suit. Yeah. Then the choir would instruct the congregation on the next song--we're singing this song, these verses, whatever--and then sometimes do something different anyways. On top of all that, the priest was a complete flake. He stuttered his way through the whole thing, forgot a few parts of Mass, and forgot lines that probably half the congregation could have recited for him. Of course, since it's Christmas, most of the people there are confused and lost anyways--either C&E Catholics who aren't as used to Mass anymore, or friends and family who've been dragged along or are just curious about the service. Other things, like people sitting down too soon before Communion, a whole family (who took a whole row) at the back just decided they didn't want to wait and walked up in front of everyone else, and then more confusion as to the order of things...really, the whole thing was a disaster. Then at the end the priest thanked everyone who had helped with preparations for the Mass and everything, and people applauded. I think I've only heard clapping in Mass once before...and it was weird then too. I was glad to get out of there.

There was one point during Mass that made me laugh. After collections, when everything was being carried up to the altar, a little girl, maybe three years old, went running (and since she was three, "running" is used very loosely here) down the center aisle, clutching a bill in her hand, up above her head. She was determined to get her money up there. It was pretty cute :)

On top of all that, having no gifts to open on Christmas, and weather warm enough to sunbathe, just kind of made it seem like Christmas never really came at all.

The worst part of Christmas of course is this deployment. It's now been two Christmases in a row that the boyfriend and I have been apart (last year was my fault...I was in Boise). Of course we don't know yet where we'll be for the holidays next year, but we're both looking forward to it at least being our first Christmas together.

Boring As Heaven

Wow, so it's been a while since I posted. After finals, I've just been so mentally exhausted...it's still hard for me to focus enough to read even fun books, or write something like this, after all of the reading and writing from the semester (and especially the last few weeks).

So far semester break's been pretty relaxing. I was a bit worried about my flight out of Roanoke when at 0545 that morning I was walking to campus to catch the bus...through two inches of snow, with plenty more coming down. My flight did end up being delayed, and I missed my connection, but made it to Louisiana anyways. Had a great weekend with my mom, and spent two days in New Orleans.

New Orleans isn't my kind of town. I can see the appeal for some people...but cheap and trashy just isn't my thing. The architecture and the whole feel of the French Quarter was really cool, and it was fun to wander around town during the day. Saturday night on Bourbon Street though was too much for me.

When I got back to Seattle finally I made a trip over to my apartment to grab a few things for California. I about died when I walked in. The kitchen counter is completely buried...my roommate is apparently stocking up for the apocalypse. Luckily, the lights in the entryway and kitchen were out, so I couldn't fully appreciate the disaster that once was my kitchen. When I go back I've got to start packing up what I've got left in the kitchen...I should be able to free up cabinet space for my roommate so that the counters are at least usable. On the 30th me and some of my girls are having a dinner/movie night, so I'll actually need the kitchen.

Palm Springs has been nice. All but one day so far I've gotten in several hours in the sun (though I don't look any tanner for it...SPF 15 is too much for me...). It's not super warm, mostly in the mid-60s to low 70s during the day, but after below-freezing temperatures for over a month prior, it doesn't even matter. It's been nice to actually thaw out. Especially with the storm that hit the east coast over the weekend!

My Christmas gift from my stepmom and my dad consisted of shopping for grown up clothes, with my internship coming up. Which I still haven't written about...I'll have to get to that later. It's with the State Department, so I definitely needed to upgrade my wardrobe. In all, I ended up with two super cute dresses, one black, the other blue and black, two skirt-suits (which are now about my favorite thing ever...especially since I hate wearing pants), four tops, and a pair of black slacks to replace the ones I have now that are starting to look worn and are now too big. Of course, I also got a new pair of heels to go with it all--cute, black, and pointy. I really do love pointy-toed shoes. I'll have to practice wearing them though; it's been a long time since I wore heels and my ankles disapprove.

My sister was more or less dying from some illness by the time I got to Seattle, so I kept my fingers crossed I wouldn't get it. Finally hit me the morning after Christmas. At least I'm generally healthier than her so it hasn't taken me completely out of commission, but I've been pretty congested and feeling a bit gross for a couple days now. My biggest concern is my flight home...tomorrow. Congestion + flying? Not fun. It will probably slow me down on New Year's Eve too, which is too bad.

I'm thinking this is long enough, so I'll write later about my internship...and about how weird my holidays have actually been.

Not Even Ten Degrees

You know how when you're around something a lot, or thinking about it a lot, things will start to sneak into your dreams? When I was working in orientations (sooo much new-hire paperwork...) I had dreams about files. Thousands and thousands of files. They weren't bad dreams. There were just...files.

Last night, I had my first grad-school dream. As an undergrad, we joke about those dreams where you show up to class and realize there's a test you forgot about, or you slept through your final, or whatever. Since I don't really have finals, or tests, that's not a concern anymore, so it doesn't work its way into my subconscious.

Something else does.

Last night, I dreamed that I finally got published. Three different papers, actually. One of them was based on my work with the Department of State (which I haven't done yet). Another was about brewing hard cider. I know, right? I don't remember the third. It was a pretty awesome dream...I remember being super excited about it.

I guess I should put this into the overall context of "How Horrible My Night Was".

Right now, it's about 7F. With windchill, around -13F. And it's a hell of a wind. I had trouble sleeping because it's been so loud, and the side of the building creaks in the wind. It's a brick building, mind you. Pretty awesome. On top of that, EVERYTHING in my apartment is drafty. The windows and sliding door are pretty new, but still the blinds have been dancing since I made it home last night. By the way, that kind of wind, with this cold? I no joke thought my face was just going to peel off. I'm lucky I took the bus...it wasn't until after I got home that I saw the windchill advisory--frostbite to exposed skin within minutes. And greater risk of hypothermia. Which I'm pretty susceptible to.

Anyways, back to the draftiness. You know those howling, disembodied screams we associate with ghosts? That's what my sliding door sounds like when it's windy. So, scary ghost noises, with the blinds wildly flying around, alone in my apartment, late at night, mentally and physically exhausted...it would be an incredible understatement to say I was absolutely terrified.

I'm pretty sure my electric bill is going to be higher than my share of the rent this month. I don't even keep the heat very high. Usually it's around 60F when I'm gone or at night, and 65F when I'm home and doing things. The heater has been on almost constantly since I got home around 2300 last night. Sometimes it'll turn off, for a minute or two, then right back at it. I'm pretty sure the spare bedroom is about 35F right now. My bedroom's always far colder than the living area too. Not. Fun. And this isn't the first time it's been too cold for the heater to keep up this month. More heating bill fun.

As if the cold and the wind and the stress and exhaustion from finals weren't enough...at 0600 a car horn began malfunctioning. In the middle of my awesome publications dream. It took me a minute or so to figure out what the fuck was going on, because that kind of thing is incredibly disorienting. At first--no joke--I thought it was a tsunami siren. Then I remembered I'm nowhere near the water...so my mind raced through another few possibilities. Alarm clock? No... Fire alarm? No... Effing car horn! I went outside ready to beat the shit out of someone. Once outside, I remembered how cold it was, which did a pretty good job of further enraging me. Once I figured out which car it was, and that it was not, in fact, the most inconsiderate person in the world, I at least got less mad, grabbed a jacket, and decided to do something about this disaster. One of the other neighbors came out (only one...why the hell would so many people not come investigate the car horn that's been going on for 15 minutes!?) and we started knocking on doors, hoping we'd find whoever's car it was. It was a girl downstairs...poor thing was mortified. I was just happy for the noise to stop.

Of course, adrenaline and sub-zero temperatures made sure I wouldn't be able to get back to sleep. So today I'll be running on all of three hours of sleep, trying to type up the last few pages of my theory paper, the last essay of my governance final, and actually study a little Russian before my exam tomorrow afternoon. At some point I still have to pack and get my apartment ready to be empty for a month...

Almost there. Just have to keep telling myself. I'm almost there.

Stay Here All Night

For the record. I'm not dead.

Yet.

Finals are doing their best to change that. Thirty hours on campus in the last four days. And counting.

All the writing I have to do by...Wednesday (holy shit) makes trying to write a blog seem extremely unappealing. I'll be back when it's over.

Before We Get Lost

Last night, a new friend introduced me to the community dinners put together by a sustainable food group here on campus.

What they do is collect unused food from restaurants and stores throughout the community, and assemble a free meal for students and the community (I almost said townies. I forgot...Blacksburg "doesn't have townies". Hah!). My friend had helped them cook a few of their meals previously.

Last night, they had ham, sweet potatoes, steamed broccoli, peas, macaroni and cheese, some sort of sauerkraut-esque dish (that was quite tasty), super spicy chili, soup, bread, ice cream and muffins. Quite a selection! It was delicious. I guess they'd had some trouble with advertising, because last night it was mostly the club members and their friends (reminded me of being in Bellingham). I guess usually they get more locals who come by for a free, hot meal.

I was impressed that the group was taking the initiative to do this in a state like Virginia. And that local businesses were so willing to participate as well. It was a delicious (and again, free!) meal, and a good way to meet a few more people. And all that food that would have gone to waste, instead went to fill the hungry bellies of 30-40 college students. A few had brought guitars too and played during the course of the evening, which was fun.

It's something I'd probably be interested in getting more involved in...next semester. I think they do this on the first Sunday of each month. I'll have to get in touch with the club itself.

Also, it is ungodly cold here. Only a couple more weeks until Palm Springs!!!

Once The Sun Is Gone

SNOOOWWWW!!!!!

And it's sticking!

Also...Saturday's a football day! BOISE! STATE!

Which brings me to really the only reason I'm posting today...Day 30. Finally done with the Thirty Day Challenge! Only took...thirty four days to complete? So, a photo of me, taken...now.

Bt-dub, less than seven minutes into the first quarter, and we're up 15-0. That's Bronco football. 

Drowning Myself

Day 30.

...

Umm...yeah. I'll get there. Eventually. For now, I'm on a whole new level of swamped. I couldn't even call it swamped anymore. I don't want to think about what to call it, because that would require thinking about how much work I have to do in the next two weeks. Seriously, fml.

Also, if you didn't see it on Facebook, I got the BEST INTERNSHIP EVAR. More details later. Maybe.