Glad you could come, Dad

I actually asked for a day off from my work in the House. Dad was coming for the weekend, and I wanted to go around with him on Friday to see some sights.

Not only did my boss give me the day, but she took some time herself to give us a tour of the Capitol building, something I knew she'd be able to do better than I could. It didn't matter that it was Dad's first time in the building and not mine; both of us kept getting excited around every corner. We were able to get onto the House floor, in addition to the more regular tour sites, like the rotunda, the old Supreme Court room, the crypt, and so on. It is a truly awesome building.

Here's a shot of Dad in the chairman's seat of a committee hearing room.

We also went to some museums, monuments, and so forth, and then to Mount Vernon the next day. We had great time, but unfortunately Debbie and I both got sore throats, so we ended up being more like lumps than hosts. Sorry dad.

 

I absolutely love Mount Vernon. Washington was already one of my favorite people ever, and seeing his estate was fascinating. Even if you took away the history, the property is gorgeous. And then there are all the historic buildings and artifacts, like one of Washington's carriages, above.

Election day is tomorrow. And Congress is back in session the week after. I have a feeling things are going to get very busy again, and I'm not at all dreading it. In fact, I can't wait. I think the next couple weeks are going to be a great shot in the arm for the country, the economy, my internship, and my career.

Potpourri

The result of a long time between posts:

Getting Ahead of Myself

Just because Congress isn't in session doesn't mean I'm not busy during the day. There are projects here and there, or briefings to attend, and I've been filling plenty of the time in the middle with unapologetic networking; i.e., chains of informational interviews at the end of which I ask if there's anyone else that person thinks I should speak with. That's not to say it's been shallow. I've met some very amusing and very helpful people, and I'm getting a much better view of what a career on the Hill looks like, and where I might jump into this picture.

And then I saw an email from BYU. Oh yeah, I'm still not done there. ...dangit.

For this internship to count for credit, I'm reading a few books, and I'll have to write a paper when it's all done. That's no big deal. But in two days I'm supposed to sign up for my final capstone course. Luckily I already have a capstone project/paper in mind, and am quite excited about accomplishing it, since it involves the student organization I created, Praemon.org. The trick is that only one capstone course is being offered Winter Semester that falls under the Foreign Relations emphasis, and while I like the professor teaching it, he's built his curriculum around topics that are incompatible with my project. (Not that I'd expect him to accommodate me as he plans; just pointing out the issue.)

Thankfully, after a great phone conversation with the head of the IR major, I should still be able to go ahead with my project, and use it as a substitute for the regular capstone course. I just have to work on finding a faculty member willing to be my capstone mentor.

It's so very easy to get lost in the romance of working here--yes, even just as an intern--that I have to remind myself there are more steps to this process. I don't think there's any reason I shouldn't be actively seeking employment here, as I could either start after a couple months back in Utah, or negotiate something with BYU to finish my degree remotely, but I have firmly entered the I-kind-of-just-want-to-be-done phase with my degree.

That's not entirely true. I'm very proud of Praemon, and am excited to accomplish my project, but I'm even more excited to pursue prospects here in D.C.

And I'm realizing why these two efforts have been more exciting than all the work and school I've been doing for the previous couple years: because I am affecting change. I very much value the education I've received at BYU, but Praemon is how I can make the entire experience more tangible and valuable for the students that come after me. Working for Congress would mean being a part of forming the policy that allows this Nation to run. Preparation is good. Action is great.

Before my brilliant father and impressive sister take offense, allow me to make a point. For some people, education itself is the goal. Teachers and intellectuals can affect great change in their sphere by imparting knowledge and wisdom to others, and therefore the pursuit of even greater amounts of knowledge is an inherent part of that goal.

But for me... There's a story that I'm not sure is popular outside of the LDS religion, but it goes something like this: A man is instructed to push on a boulder with all his might, day after day. Finally, after years of diligence, the exhausted man is frustrated that he has not moved the boulder even an inch. The Overseer then reveals to the man the nature of the man's "true" success. He may not have moved the boulder, but by this process of consistently striving, the man himself has become lean and strong. He has been transformed through his efforts.

This story always bothered me. I get the point it's trying to make, but ultimately I feel the parable is incomplete. We are not meant to be strong--or educated, or talented, or prepared--simply for strength's sake. Those traits exist to be used, and used for good. The story deserves an epilogue in which the man returns to the rock, armed with will now, in addition to his strength, and actually moves the rock.

Timing

I happen to be interning in D.C. at an interesting time. It's fall, which means fewer interns overall, so work is divided between fewer people. At the same time, though, Congress has gone into recess for the majority of the time I'm here, mostly so a bunch of them can go try to get re-elected. Understandable, but it does make our work a little less exciting. When Congress is in session, the Hill just has more of a buzz, a faster pace, more urgency, more cameras, and seemingly less time. The work that goes on when the Members are gone is still very important, to be sure, but it's a different environment.

Luckily for us interns, there are still a number of lectures, receptions, and luncheons for us to fill our stomachs at. Actually, since I don't drink alcohol, the refreshments are usually less exciting, but the topics are fascinating. I've listened to panels discuss what U.S. foreign policy should be towards Egypt, what the state of the undersea technology market is, how blinded veterans are receiving treatment and rehabilitation, how Kenyan troops are fighting Al-Shabaab in Somalia, and how "green" technology is related to rare earth metals and might actually be a national security threat... and those were just during lunch time.

Being in recess has one special advantage: normally very busy people are slightly less busy. People that may end up offering other people jobs. A good number of interns are obviously looking to work their way into a job here on the Hill, and you can only go so far emailing resumes in response to job postings, so a good way to meet important people is to ask for an "informational interview." It's a job interview without the job. Luckily, with schedules a little more freed up, I've been able to meet a couple people and ask them about how they got where they are, what it's like to work in their office, and so on.

While everyone knows these interviews are in hopes of a job, what I've really been struck with is how much the staffers are really on your side. They speak openly, and have usually been in your position before. They're helpful and give you opportunities to follow up and keep the connection open. They'll also point you to other offices or people that they think you should get to know.

I had another experience that shed light on the kind of people I'm working with/for. Sorry if I'm a bit vague, but I think it's only appropriate. As I left the office the other day, I heard quick footsteps behind me. A staffer that works in the building tracked me down and stopped me in the stairwell. They said, "I just wanted to apologize. I lied to you earlier. I told you the conversation I had with X was about the election, but that's not true. It was a personal conversation, and I didn't want to betray confidence, so I lied to you about what we were talking about. But that wasn't right. I don't believe in lying, and I want you to know I'm sorry for that."

Wow. In the first place, I can totally understand a white lie about the content of a conversation, if the purpose is to protect the other conversant, so even if I had found out, I probably wouldn't have thought it was a big deal. I'm just an intern. What right do I have to know what a couple of professional staffers are talking about in a closed room? But more importantly, for a staffer to track someone down to clear that up--a lowly intern at that--was an impressing display of integrity.

This is not what most people think of when they think about Capitol Hill. This is not the character generally portrayed to the public. If you think government and political offices are full of ambitious, power-grabbing, self-serving people, think again. Oh, I'm not saying that doesn't exist, but on the whole, I believe government is made up of good, honest people trying to do what they think is right, and I'm glad for this staffer proving me right.

It was a good reminder (especially in an election year) just how good we have it, with our government here in America. People complain A LOT about dirty campaign ads, debate lies, finger pointing, misrepresentation, and nasty politics. But remember your high school history classes? It was a long time in human history before regime changes in a major political power occurred without bloodshed. Venezuela's ongoing elections don't have nice, orderly, moderated, televised debates. They have people shot at polling stations and tanks on the streets. Here in the States, we vote, and then wear a sticker on our lapel the rest of the day. Not long ago, Iraqis voted, and then tried to hide their ink-stained finger the rest of the day, for fear militias would take note and visit them the next day. Our presidential candidates find the most tactful way they can to call out each other's lies. Assad's political opponents are being targeted with mortars and fighter jets.

It's great to be in D.C. and work with such good people.

Down On the Corner, Out in the Streets

Here are a few things Debbie and I have been able to see and do, just on our afternoon/evening walks:

1) Shopping.

...this seems to be the D.C. version of ksl.com

2) Meeting with friends for lunch

...but they always just eat and run.

3) Finding a good place for drinks

...obviously, Michael's not as picky.

4) Taking in the fresh air.

...at varying elevations.

 5) Dropping in on the neighbors.

...but they couldn't see us. Apparently they were busy.

6) Catching a performance.

Normalization

I've had a couple weeks to get used to the flow of things since I started with the Congressional Internship. I'm able to do most of the work for SOSi in the evening, then double check in the morning if there's any major news that needs to be added. Then I send it off, shower and shave, and I've got plenty of time to walk over to the House side and get to work.

It's still a humbling thrill every morning to think that this is my walk to work:

A Congressional internship is pretty exciting. Oh, sure, a lot of time is spent on the typical office stuff you'd think of, like answering phones, running papers back and forth, and so on. But it makes a difference when the phone calls we get are likely to be from foreign embassies. Also, a lot of our time is devoted to research projects and hearings, which makes me appreciate interning for a Committee rather than a personal office.

Since Congress came back in session last week, we also had hearings for the Committee. That meant preparing the room with water bottles and notepads, and for me, learning how to run the timer. Depending on the situation, Members or panelists may have different allotments of time they're allowed to spend on questions or responses, so one of us has to be sitting to the side, starting, stopping, or resetting the timer. By itself, menial. The context, however, made it fascinating... and just a little bit nerve racking.

We interns also got some time to meet and chat with the Chairman, which was fun.

We were invited the other evening to a reception at the Lithuanian embassy. Debbie has gotten to know a few of the other mothers in the ward, one of whom was willing to watch Michael for us, so we went on a date very different than any other we'd been on before! All of the embassy staff was very kind, and the food was great. By chance, we found a seat next to some of the Lithuanian staff, and chatted the evening away about their country, their food, and their experience in the States. It was fascinating. By the way, if you ever get a chance to try traditional Lithuanian wedding cake, it's pretty dang good!

It really is an incredible experience that I'm so glad Debbie and I have taken. Set aside the school credit I get for this, or the possibility of starting a career on the Hill, and it's still amazing to be here, and be part of all this. It's anything but normal.

Paperwork

Creating the news summary for SOSi took a little less time today, and I'm hoping it will continue to shorten, considering I'll have to be at the office for my Congressional internship by 9:00 every morning, starting Tuesday. I think it will work out ok, if I get a start on it the night before. I'm incredibly excited about starting with Congress!

Today I got back around to the DMV, and yes, this time it was stereotypically long, but I guess we've all come to expect that, so it's only as bad as we're anticipating, right?

I was quite ready to go somewhere fun after that, though, so we did. Our first stop was going to be the National Gallery of Art, but we got there just a little after 5:00, which was too late. I looked on my phone, and found out the National Archives were open until 7:00, though, and I never got a chance to see that building my first time visiting D.C., so off we went.

The rotunda in the center of the building houses the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. Around each one are a number of related documents that led up to, or were written in response to each of those three. Wow. Talk about lasting words. Say what you want--accurate as some of it may be--about any foibles, shortcomings, or ulterior motives that the founding fathers had. What passion! What forethought! What inspiration! Perfection? No, but to turn a piece of parchment into an artifact that would later be protected and enshrined with such care, by simply applying some careful scratches of a quill dipped in ink... Well, clearly that's not all it took; the minds, the persuasion, the experience, tenacity, and bloodshed behind it. The conviction that the best in God fearing men could produce something grander than the world had seen before. That's what makes these documents speak.

Sorry, no pictures. Photography is not allowed at all in that building.

Now, to another matter. I've given it a lot of thought, and I believe I can say that tonight I ate the best steak I've ever eaten in my life. Just around the corner from us, in that row of foreign restaurants, is the Bistro Cacao, a French place. Buffalo tenderloin with melted Roquefort cheese over the top, asparagus, and potatoes gratin. I ate ever so slowly, and tried not to sink deeper in my chair with each bite. Incredible. Photography was allowed here.