The one where I blog for no reason

So here I sit, in my office, minding my own business. I have no idea why I felt compelled to blog, I just do.

First of all, I LOVED talking to you ladies on Sunday. I seriously think we need to make that a bi-weekly thing at the least. I know doing it more often would be hard with our schedules, but I feel like twice a month is about as little as I can see and talk to you guys without going insane. Plus, so much happens in a week that I know there will be things I forget to tell you if we don’t do it that often. And heaven knows we don’t want that to happen J

So I’m having my ovulation feelings for Guru. I’ve realized that’s what it is. Whenever I’m ovulating I develop these feelings that are very much like a crush. Yet there’s still the logical part of me that retains enough control to remind myself that I don’t want to date him. Eventually the hormones calm down and everything returns to normal. But this week is always a little weird. Plus we’re trying to figure out exactly what our relationship is out here, I think. There are certain days we’ll plan to meet up at the metro together, but it’s not an everyday thing. Likewise, I don’t know whether to plan to meet up and walk back to the metro/metro home together after work. We get off the same time and sometimes we do. Or like what we did yesterday where we did this test to see if he could leave from Union Station and I could leave from Federal Center SW and we tried to end up on the same train. We did. It was fun. However, it’s sporadic. I don’t do well with sporadic. I like my pattern and my routine. Oh well. It’s all going to change in a week when he only works every other day at the Senate.

Oh, and in case you’re wondering how the conversation went with he and I, it went well. Before I was able to launch in to my schpeel he interrupted me to apologize and kind of explain why he was acting the way he was as well. We ended up talking and we’re good now. Clearly. As you can see from the hormone problems.

But speaking of ovulation, it makes me love men. Like, really love men. I want to kiss and love them. Okay, maybe not them, but at least one. Possibly two. Or three. I’m not picky.

I’m driving to Pennsylvania this weekend! Me and my roommates (and I think some friends) are all loading in to our cars and going to watch the groundhog to see if he sees his shadow.  Afterwards we’re going to the Hershey factory.  I’m sure I will have lots of stories and pictures to share with you when I get back.

I’m going to peace out. It’s time for the end of the day run away. I’m contemplating rewarding myself with a cupcake from Baked and Wired. So good…

The one with the verbal bitch slap

Ladies... it's time to unite. We have a serious problem on our hands. We must find a way to make a difference concerning what I am about to share with you. It's our sacred calling as women, especially women with the gospel. It's time we start educating. 

Back story: Read this short post that my friend shared on facebook. Click here . 

My friend asked for thoughts and opinions. All the girls that posted said awesome things ... and then a guy chimed in and I had to set him straight. Here are the comments. 


THE BYUI STUDENT: A friend in college tried to make me feel like I was exposing myself for wearing my purse across my chest in college. I think men who say these things don't see how backward it is and we--men and women who DO see the harm--need to communicate it in the moment as kindly, clearly, and often as possible.


THE DUDE:  Newark New Jersey is the car theft capital of America.
The Honda Accord is the most stolen car in America.
If someone drives into downtown Newark in a Honda Accord, parks the car, leaves the key in the ignition, leaves the doors wide open, and turns on the flashers (no pun intended), and walks away, what are the chances of that car getting stolen?

I can imagine the police officer saying something as follows:
"What were you thinking?"
"Why were you there in the first place?"

To which the driver responds, "Whoah! Wait a minute! Are you blaming ME?? Shouldn't we be teaching people NOT to steal cars?? Just because I leave my keys in the car, doesn't mean I'm inviting someone to steal it!!!"

Should people steal cars? NO
Should we teach people not to steal cars? YES
Should the police man shame the driver? No, he probably should have said something like "Oh, I am really sorry your car was stolen, that is terrible! ... (but really what were you thinking)"

....

So in response to the article.

The next time you ladies are leaning back in a chair, and a guy walks out of the room and someone informs you that the man refuses to come back in until you sit upright, please respond: "I'm sitting in a chair, you tell that man that he can stay outside as long as he likes. ... Also tell him NOT to come in until he can look at people properly."

However if you walk into downtown Newark in a mini-skirt... I'll let you explain that one to the police yourself.


THE CONFUSED GIRL: Since I've never lived in a oppressive male dominated society, I just don't get it. I live in an oppressive female society where males are superfluous and expected to be eunuchs and women are supposed to look like centerfolds and be treated like brain surgeons.

GNC's Response to the Dude: I have to say with all due respect to Marshall that I completely disagree. Your comment is a contraction and reveals a point that when discussing such topics people often miss. There is no difference between the girl sitting in the chair and the girl walking in Newark (or anywhere for that matter) in a mini-skirt. Just as the young lady was blamed for "seducing" the middle aged man, your comparison blames the girl in the mini-skirt for what she "has to explain to the police." And frankly, your comment about "letting you explain that one to the police yourself" is extremely offensive. Essentially the comparison made blames the girl in the mini-skirt. Here is the thing about rape (or any type of sexual assault), often times it is not about the sex. It's about power; it's about domination; it's a result of thousands of years of hierarchical gender roles that place men above women instead of next to them as equal partners. And when I say equal I do not mean the same. Men and women are different. They have different roles, strengths, weaknesses, and talents. It is only when men and women respect each other and work next to each other instead of one gender dominating the other that this world moves forward in a positive direction. A women should be able to walk around in whatever she wants to wear and be safe, regardless of location. It wasn't the mini-skirt, the location, or the girl that caused her to have to "explain that one to the police herself." Some women don't find mini-skirts to be immodest frankly. It is so ironic that that women are blamed for the actions of selfish, self-serving, base, and immoral men because of the way that they dress when it is men who dictate to those women what is desirable to begin with. Additionally, there are places in this world where a woman can be following the highest code of "modesty" and she will still suffer sexual assault. And she will be blamed. It isn't about the clothes, it isn't about the location. It is about how we view each other. Men that assault women no matter the location or the clothing involved do not see another human being. They see something to have power over, something to relieve themselves in. It has nothing to do with mini-skirts. It has everything do do with seeing women as human beings. I have had many experiences where I have been completely modest, we're talking Strength of Youth pamphlet, Molly Mormon modest and had men blatantly undress me with their eyes. I'm very athletically built. I'm not particularly curvy in any way. It's not about the way women are dressing and to boil such an important issue down to mini-skirts is to simply give in to the culture that this blog posts suggest that we fight together. A culture where there is no responsibility on the part of men in regards to their own morality if a mini-skirt is present.

Smashed it. 

Morning thoughts

I hate eye shadow lately. Whether or not this stems from my severe case of PMS or the fact that life has just been rough lately I don't know. But I just want to wear mascara and not deal with all these colors and the shading and bla bla bla.

I have a thoughtful boss who called me to tell me that the roads were beyond iced over and that I should just work from home this morning and come in after it had warmed up a bit. This was appreciated as I was going to be late this morning anyways.

I wonder if I will get to see the String Bean today. Haven't seen much of him this week. Not loving the whole living 20 minutes apart and him taking 14 credits thing. But whatevs. I get to watch more TV.

I struggled to get dressed this morning and still am not loving the outfit... I don't want to get out of this warm bed, put on heels and go to the office.

I took ZZZquil last night. Half a dose, and I still have a hangover.

SLEEEEEEEEEEEEEP. LET ME SLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP.


GNC

The one where I spill it all. Well, most.

I will have you know I am officially writing this on my phone as I commute home. Not going to lie, it's a bit of a killer. The commute there isn't as bad - I walk about a mile downhill, metro for 15 minutes, walk another 10 and I'm there. It's really only 10 minutes longer than my commute when I lived at the Barlow. However, remember that hill? Yeah, that hill REALLY sucks to walk back up after working for 10 hours in heels, ESPECIALLY when that work includes guiding interns on 2 hour-long tours of the Capitol and running errands. I'm seriously considering either moving or driving to work if I fin a permanent position on or around the hill, particularly if I join the House gym like I plan, because then I'll be there even longer as well as be more tired and sore on the way home.

Oh well. Those are thoughts for another time :)

I feel the need to share a rather disturbing/wonderful fact: today is Thursday. The last time I showered was Monday. In all fairness, you couldn't tell if you looked at or smelled me. See, the weather here has been incredibly rainy and humid, so I haven't been able to straighten or curl my hair. I've just left it natural, with a little bit of mouse and gel in it to stop it from staging a coupe and forcefully taking over the space usually occupied by my head. And when I do my hair like that it almost never looks greasy. Ever. So I've just been doing it a series of ways. Day 1 it was down; day 2 it was half-up. Day 3 loosely French-braided with curls framing my face. Day 4 (today) pulled back with a series of bobby-pins and corn-rowed. And actually, the greasier it gets, the less frizzy it is. It's a win-win!

Also: The Guru survived 3 days in a car with me while I was sleep-deprived, stressed, AND PRE-MENSTRUAL. I think we both deserve awards; he for not making me kill him, and me for controlling myself and not actually killing him. I'm actually rather excited for when he moves out here. I can foresee us having some fun times.

Now for the interns. (I saved this for last as I knew this was re only reason you read this entry.) we'll call the first one FOH, short for Full of Himself. I mean, I get it kid, you've already graduated from college and been accepted to some very prestigious law schools. However, you're still an unpaid intern. It's not your place to constantly correct your fellow intern while he's giving a tour, nor do you have to explain every piece of your logic to explain to us why you're not wrong when we give you constructive criticism. WE DON'T CARE. Nor do we care how well you handled this constituent phone call. We're not here ro be your personal validator. So please do not interupt us from the work we're doing so you can te us a story and have us pat you on the head. You're still wrong, we're still right. I don't care if you think you're smarter or more qualified than we are. The fact is, we're still your supervisors, so suck it up and at least pretend to be teachable. If this is how you are as an intern, I'd hate to see how you would be as a staffer when you actually have a little bit of authority.

The other one we'll refer to as Churchmouse. He is referred to this way because of how incredibly timid he is as well as the fact I get the impression he's a little poor. I say this because I think I've only seen him wear that one shirt (more on that later). He too is a college graduate, except unlike FOH he is super passive and almost never volunteers any information about himself, his life, etc. I think he's living in a hostel somewhere in Virginia or the NW because I think I saw him riding the Blue line home. ...though in all fairness it was before L'Enfant, so really he could be living anywhere... That is all mostly irrelevant, of course. My biggest complaint about Churchmouse is that his timidity can be a huge hindrance in the learning process, especially as he has a tendency to take certain tasks too seriously and get overwhelmed easily. And I feel very empathetic as I had a tendency to be that way for the first month or so of my internship. Clearly I'm fine now, heck, I ran my own damn campaign office and did ALL the phone answering there! I just wish I could tell him how to skip that horrible part where you feel like you're failing and jump to the successful part.

My other frustration with Churchmouse is one I've shared with The Rack already and deals with that one shirt. And possibly the fact that he lives in a hostel.

He smells. Pretty horribly. That's not to say he's always smelled. In fact, I didn't notice it until the very end of Tuesday. By the end of Wednesday it was bad enough to exacerbate the menstrual natural migraine I had coming on. Today it was a pretty constant BO presence with accentuated whiffs whenever he moved. It's incredibly frustrating, because I can only imagine how it's going to be tomorrow.

Needless to say, I do not have my own desk, but am squished in the hallway with the interns. Not that anyone really gets any space, but still.

I am, however, working with education policy, which makes me incredibly happy. I love doing this kind of research into what would be best for my district as well as the country as a whole. Plus it's exposing me to previous legislation, possible solutions, and pros and cons of those solutions. It's fascinating and incredibly intimidating. And infinitely more interesting than sorting news articles.

There is obviously more about my life here that I want to share with you ladies. Also, you should probably call me at your girls night tomorrow.

But I'll leave you with this tidbit. Guru was in my dream last night. And there was some lip-loving.

Toodles!

-Paul Mitchell