WOW only 2 weeks left?!

I can't believe we only have 2 short weeks left (with Thanksgiving break in there). We are going to do our final project, and we're starting it tomorrow. We are filming a morning briefing at a local news station, and interviewing the News Director.

I'm continuing to work hard at my internship. Turns out my mentor was switched to the morning show, and so I went along with her. Everyone thinks I'm crazy. But I really don't mind getting up extra early (6am) and going to work. That way I'm done earlier, I get everything done and I don't waste my time sleeping in. 

It's going to be so hard to leave, even though I miss all of my friends from home and my parents, I love this city. I love everything about it. I love that everyone is dressed in uniform, very professional like they have somewhere important to go (even though most of them don't). I love that the day after the election I was on the metro and the announcer said "You are on the Yes We Can Train to Shady Grove" and everyone smiled. I love that any given day you can walk around and run into something really cool.

I've accidentally run into:

1. The Ford Theater

2. A giant post election party in front of the White House.

3. The Vietnam Memorial

4. Where the g20 were meeting

5. The Lincoln Memorial

6. A protest in front of the capital against proposition 8.

I love that I can see the Washington Monument everywhere I go. I love that there are 8 million different kind of police (so I'm always safe) I love that it's no secret that everyone is a political junkie here. It's awesome. 

I'm not sure what awaits me at home, but I am going back a changed girl. Now instead of not knowing what I want to do when I grow up. I know of at least 20 jobs I want to do when I grow up. :)

DC vs. KC

By Rachel

DC vs. KC

Being here for the last few months has been absolutely amazing but the home sickness has started to seep in. It has made me think of whether or not I could ever live this far away from my family for longer than a couple of months. It has also got me thinking about just how much I love both cities, which I will now opine.

DC > KC
1. The people here are so eclectic. Everyday I get mingled in with people who speak, dress, eat, and live differently than I do and it's overwhelming in such a great way. It makes me really believe that childhood motto of everyone is special.
2. This city raises my confidence. I get approached so often by men who just want to tell me I'm pretty. The past few years have been tough for me and no matter how narcissistic I sound, I was in need of that kind of attention.
3. It's inspiring here. It's been so long since I felt a patriotic bone inside me that I thought I was a self-loathing American. But living in this city has gotten rid of that attitude and has encouraged me to be proud of where I live again. For the first time in 8 years, I stood for the national anthem at the hockey game.
4. Art is everywhere. I'm not sure if Washingtonians appreciate it, but everywhere I go, I see art. From the advertisements in the subway, to the posters sold on the street, to every single statue here, the art exists and I appreciate it.
5. No one is caged by cars. It is so easy to walk from one end of the city to the other that I can't believe so many people even have cars here. That's so not possible in KC.

KC > DC
1. The food is better. Even though we have tons of chain restaurants, everything is home grown and organic. It's cheaper and no one really worries about carbs or fat, they worry about taste. Maybe I don't have a well developed palate, but I know what I like and I like KC food.
2. It's quiet. This place is so loud that it reaches a point of uncomfortableness. If my iPod, at it's loudest, can't be heard over a bus, something is wrong. And I miss sleeping without hearing the campus fire station updating me every five minutes.
3. Everyone is so pretentious in DC. Everything is about labels and images and bank accounts that I feel people choose their friends over these things. No one cares about that back home, and if they do, they get theirs kicked. Maybe DC needs a good kicking.
4. The festivals. DC doesn't have actual festivals. They say they do, but they don't. Kansas City has a festival every week practically. The Irish Fest, the Renaissance Festival, the Spirit Festival, the Psychic Festival, the Barbecue Festival...they're so great!
5. KC is the best of both worlds. We have the city aspect with the skyscrapers, the taxi cabs, and the upscale swanky places. But take a ten minute car ride and you're going to be in a rural area with cows and country barn restaurants. It's a great blend.

DC is great. But KC will always be my home.

Elect-rifying!

At the pinnacle of trying times, the mass rose from their apathetic cynicism and stood up for change.

Introducing, President-elect Barack Obama.

But I sense this man will likely be erected as a political colossus or will fall by the very hands of foundation that supported his and many others' dream.

Yes, he did... inspire, unite, and overcome. But will he change US for the better?

The manifestation of a dream deferred, Barack Obama has exploded onto the world stage.

It is his time to act.

Now, to my tangent. Life at Slate V is wonderful, with more responsibilities, more fun, and more mistakes.

What do you call an intern without mistakes?

Unemployed.

Yeah, hiccups occur daily for me, but I battle adversity with confidence and a smile.

And for that reason, I'm recapping the world in a way I never thought possible, while putting finishing touches on unforseen projects.

Just today, I accompanied my boss and his right-hand editor on a shoot. There, I met another member of the Slate team.

They say familiarity is the key to unlocking employment opportunities. Well, I'm getting familiar, with people, places and things.

Who knows what will come out of this. All I can do is enjoy this time.

Welcome to my world-- the O-zone. It feels so good, you can breathe it in.

Ah...

Election Night

Oh my! Election Night was AWESOME here!

I spent the first part of the night working at POTUS (xm radio.) I was in charge of coloring in the map, and at one point I went into the bathroom and I had blue and red marker all over my face... how embarrassing! But I watched the AP reports and colored in the states when AP 'called' the state, because other channels were calling different states at different times. We were going by what AP said. They called the election around 11pm eastern time. I stayed for Obama's victory speech and then one of the other interns drove me home.

We drove by the White House were there were crowds and crowds of people cheering and singing and dancing and screaming it was AWESOME! I got home and I made my roommate walk with me to the White House. It was so amazing. There were thousands of people dancing in the middle of the street. Cars were stopped and people were hanging out the windows with their music turned up. There were these three guys playing  trumpets and a trombone and people were singing along. It may have been one of, if not THE best experience I've had here. 

I know that this may be cheesy. But I am so proud to be America. To be here. To be involved with this election and to have voted. It was a historical event, in a historical place and there's no where better to have been than Washington DC.