Andrew Pirring Interning @ Earth Aid

Final Blog

2009-08-08T08:10:00.000-07:00

August 7, 2009

Today I moved home, my internship ended yesterday at 2:00PM when I sent my work to Greg, and gave everyone in the office a hug.

Wednesday evening I spent the night up at College Park visiting my fraternity and hanging out with some of the brothers.

I have to say, that I really enjoyed living and being in Washington these past 10 weeks. I think everyone should do an internship down there, or at least live down here for a period of time. It really puts things into perspective, as far as how things work. Private industry and independent agencies work very hard, while the government departments are so slow, at times it seems as if they are moving backwards.

Again, when I attended the Democratic National Convention, I have to give my respect to the people that helped make my internship enjoyable and a learning experience. I would like to thank the internship center at Cal and Dr. Blumberg for helping me through the process and being my adviser for the second time. Cal U has provided me with many opportunities during my college career.

For everyone out there who read my blogs, please sign up for EarthAid as it is a great way to monitor your energy consumption and experience the new features that will be released shortly.

http://www.earthaid.net/

Bang!

I almost forgot to thank my Democratic consultant for her wisdom and advice, Miss Jessica C.

Coming to an end...

2009-08-04T16:55:00.000-07:00

August 4, 2009

This is my last week of my internship, and it has been a long and short internship. They days were long but it has been a quick nine weeks. Monday was commencement with The Washington Center, that’s right commencement but there wasn’t music and we didn’t have to march across a stage, thank goodness.

Today took a two-hour lunch break, and continued to work on Greg’s big project with weather and other stuff.

We all have to be moved out by Saturday, which means my two roommates and I have to clean. That’s not a problem for the one and I. However, the other one, who lives in the living room with his girlfriend, doesn’t clean and leaves his dirty plates across the apartment. Sweet!

Oh well, my last day is Thursday, and I am only working in the morning. I need to get back to the apartment and start going down the checkout list.

Zap!

2009-07-30T19:47:00.000-07:00

July 30, 2009

Wednesday was a fun day, our environmental engineer put me on a weeklong program and I was working on that. It was also our final day for our class through the Washington Center and our group/entire class did very well.

Afterwards, we invited Dr. Michael Simpson out to P F Changs, we were having a great time, and then the bill came. Dr. Simpson picked it up, and thanked us for being a great class. The bill had to have been close to 300.00.

Dr. Simpson's favorite saying while lecturing was, "Zap."

Thursday was another long day on the project, and it consumed my entire morning. Lindsey and David took all of the interns to lunch and it was really nice. In the afternoon, I have to admit, I hung out most of the time. There isn’t much left for me to do, so I worked a bit more on Greg’s project then I went home early.

My portfolio is finally finished and turned out to be over 60 pages. I submitted it online to Fedex Kinks and found a 15.00 off coupon! Sweet!! Other than that, I have one week left. Crazy huh?

Cupcake Coma

2009-07-28T12:11:00.000-07:00

July 26, 2009

Monday was back to work, and it was a short day as TWC had another PLS discussion. We had a high-ranking member from the Department of Homeland Security speak to us. He gave us his life story, and how he started out as a biology major.

After the discussion, my Wednesday night class and I went to Rock Bottom Restaurant and worked on our project due this week. Our presentation is about half an hour, and everyone was looking at us while we were practicing.

When I finally got home, I worked on my portfolio due next Monday.

It is a lengthy process, and I need to finish by Tuesday or Wednesday night, as it needs to be bound at Kinkos. TWC wants three copies…

Tuesday was fun, a few of the interns and I took a two and a half hour lunch brea

k. We went to Georgetown, the girls went shopping, I carried the bags and ate fabulous cupcakes. Joelle bought a dozen cupcakes for 31 bucks. ßNot a typo

I am currently writing this at work, because the internship is winding down and I realized that even after taking some time off last week, I have been working my summer away. I haven’t had much time to actually enjoy the city.

I anticipate taking a few more long lunch breaks in the next few days...

Back to reality

2009-07-25T10:25:00.001-07:00

July 25, 2009

My week long vacation is over. It was nice to get away from work and the busy life of Washington DC. I live around the area, so technically, it is always busy and people in my area can’t drive.

This Wednesday is the final day for my TWC class and we are giving our presentation on hybrid cars implemented in New York City. It has been an in depth project with all seven of the classmates doing their part.

There are also only eight days left of my internship, which again is overwhelming given the fact that I remember in May I was posting my first blog.

It has been a lot of fun; unfortunate it has to end at some point.

While on vacation...

2009-07-22T12:44:00.000-07:00

July 22, 2009

Hello everyone –

I thought I should blog midway through my vacation, and inform everyone about what I have been doing. I came up to Cal Sunday afternoon to help a close friend move into her house for the school year. She is majoring in Athletic Training and needs to be up early to attend a conference and ensure the health of our football team.

I also met with Dr. Whyte, one of the biology professors on campus to discuss graduate school, specifically Miami University of Ohio. He informed me of the schools prestigious history in their overall performance, and their masters program in environmental science.

I am also helping my friend Jon move out of his apartment. They are moving to Orlando Florida, as the job market is much better than in Southwestern Pennsylvania.

Other than that I have been reading two books for my internship. The first is Big Coal: The Dirty Secret Behind America’s Energy Future. It is a very good book; the author cites a few of the coalmines in this area too. And the second deals with renewable energy. I forget the title, cripes…

It is a vacation, but really isn’t. There have been a few ups and downs, but overall it is going well.

I also miss all of my teammates at Earth Aid.

I'm just an intern... Yes I'm only an intern

2009-07-16T17:39:00.000-07:00

July 16, 2009

Well, for the first time, I didn’t listen to my mother…

I spent all of Tuesday going to all of the congressmen/congresswomen on Capitol Hill giving them a flyer about Earth Aid’s briefing Friday morning:

Entrepreneurship & Sustainability: How Innovative Social Ventures Are Shifting the Paradigm Around Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency& What Members of Congress Can Do to Help Today, there is a lot of talk about the need for innovative solutions to the energy crisis, and a plethora of ideas are being discussed.

This Friday, come learn about two social ventures that are putting creative ideas into action — working with citizens to spur their production of renewable energy and to become more energy efficient, and rewarding them for doing so. Find out what Members of Congress can do to advance their work and the cause of sustainability at this critical time.

When: Friday, July 17, 9:30-10:30 AM (Breakfast will be served)

Where: 2456 Rayburn House Office Building

Who: Ben Bixby, CEO, Earth Aid Enterprises Rahul Prakash, COO, Virgance

RSVP:Sam Ricketts, Special Projects Coordinator, Sustainable Energy & Environment Coalition (202-225-6311, sam.ricketts@mail.house.gov)

I am getting up early, very early, 7:00AM Friday morning to make it to Capitol Hill on time. I know I will be early, but that’s not a problem.

Wednesday night was my TWC class and it went well as usual. We discussed educational technology and policy. Dr. Simpson brought an article to class and explained to us that some CEOs from India, will NOT hire American graduates because he refers to us as a “dime a dozen.”

I find it interesting that in a 2008 report, “85 percent of those age 25 or older reported they had completed at least high school and 28 percent had attained at least a bachelor’s degree — both record highs.”

But, we are a dime a dozen…

Anyway, Thursday was hectic, we were getting everything ready for Friday, I made various lists on different committees, and assisted David and Ben. We had so much going on to get things ready, I thought David’s head was going to explode. (but he’s okay)

I will be reporting on the meeting this weekend, and then I will be taking a few vacation days next week. Be rest assured, I will blog from vacation arena.

This guy...

2009-07-13T16:11:00.001-07:00

July 13, 2009

Yes it is Monday again. Lindsey has returned from her week- long vacation in California, “the state”. And, we were glad to see her back. I am working on another weather related project for Greg, which is tedious, but has a great purpose for our organization.

I went to TWC this morning to sign a few forms but my adviser was in a meeting. I stood outside in a wool suit for 20 minutes, sweating, and then finally gave up. They would not let me in the front door, as I am not an employee.

The Red Line on the Metro seems to be getting better. They are back to alternating between Shady Grove and Grosvenor-Strathmore. The commute is easier in the mornings; I can get a seat rather than being a midget and being smacked in the face by a woman’s purse. Yes, true story…

Lindsey also spoke to my really cool adviser from California University of PA, Dr. Melanie Blumberg. Lindsey came back from the conference room and said, “Andrew, that woman adores you!”

What can I say? I am a popular guy…

My mother is also getting bored of reading my blogs, and suggests I do more site seeing and report on that. I may take her advice and do that tomorrow.

Going to Sunday School

2009-07-09T17:29:00.000-07:00

July 9, 2009

Wednesday, I attended a meeting bright and early, but it was only a block away from the office so it wasn’t too bad. It lasted over two hours and I took five pages of notes and looked handsome in my Sunday school khaki suit with a Joe Biden tie.

Afterwards, David and I reviewed the notes from the meeting and discussed some further outreach programs for the organization, both short term and long term. I was the only intern working today, and when David departed for a business trip, I went home too.

Today, there were only three interns in, while Lindsey is on vacation, and Ben and David are still on a trip. I worked on a few things for Michigan, and spent sometime on the website.

David called at 2:45, and told the three of us to go home.

Solid.

I'm on a boat and...

2009-07-06T18:07:00.000-07:00

July 6, 2009

I have been behind on my blogging, and I figured I should write a longer one and get my followers up to speed.

Last week, I finished up research for Greg, our environmental engineer. I read some journals pertaining to various types of fuel, and different ways people can power their homes.

For the Presidential Lecture Series (PLS) through TWC, we were supposed to have a congressmen come and speak to us about the current state of the economy. Unfortunately, he was not able to attend the lecture.

For the remainder of the week I worked on some more research for Ben, and continued the on-going development of our website. I focused on the states of Colorado and Illinois.

On Thursday, Greg called me for some weather related research. I was to find the average

monthly temperature for each month from 1971-2000 for each state…. Phew…

With some help from my friend, Jon Jennings, I was able to get it done. It only took 4 hours of inputting data.

Friday, while everyone was sleeping in, I volunteered to attend a meeting downtown with Ben. It was long, but it was very informative…

One of my fraternity brothers came down for the weekend and it was nice to go to Adams Morgan with him and his girlfriend to have a few refreshments. I didn’t stay and watch the fireworks. I didn’t feel like putting up with the push and shove of tourists, the Metro and drunk people. I traveled home and watched the fireworks from my couch (in air conditioning) and caught up on some much needed rest.

Today, I was on a boat traveling the Anacostia River. It was fun and we learned about watersheds. I was not the king of the world though…

I would like to mention that Jessica C., a friend whom I met when I was at the Democratic National Convention, read all of my blogs today. Whatever she does for a living, I want that job. While in Denver, Jessica invited me to various after event parties. Not only is she nice, she is very attractive for a Democrat.

Fin

Environmental Tips and Fun Facts

2009-07-01T09:36:00.000-07:00

July 1, 2009

Cripes, have you ever wondered why it gets so hot here in DC during the summer? There are many factors which can contribute to the long, hot and humid days here in Washington DC. The city only spans a total area of about 70 miles, but during a typical weekday, the total population can reach over 2.5 million. This includes standard residents in the District, commuters and those tourists. This equates to a lot of cars, buses, trucks as well as your standard industries emitting pollution into the lower parts of the troposphere. Large buildings also contribute to the urban heat island effect, as they trap some of the pollutants. Larger buildings also absorb the radiation emitted by the sun and heat the external facades. Our black roads also absorb large amounts of the sun’s radiation.

If you have ever walked on a street in your bare feet during a hot summers day, you may recall that if you jumped from white line to white line, it is much cooler. This is because the white paint reflects more, and absorbs less of the sun’s heat. The term “urban heat island” is derived from a combination of these variables. Most cities have an increased core temperature than the surrounding areas because of the locked in temperature. This is where the island term comes from; it is a localized specific area.

Did you know that Bermuda has an effect on our summers? Yes, call me crazy but it is true! Bermuda is very far away but it has an indirect effect on our weather! A large high-pressure system, with a clock-wise rotation sits off the coast of the eastern half of the United States during the summer. During most parts of the summer months, the area from Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina Virginia, Washington DC and most of Maryland is under this large system. The downward splattering force of this system is what makes most of our days during the summer nice, hot and sunny. It is like paradise on your own back yard… kinda…

From this we can conclude that there are both man-made and natural reasons why Washington DC gets so hot during the summer.

What YOU can do…

You don’t have to subject yourself to these harsh conditions during the summer. If you have an air conditioner, have it on during the time you are home, when you are at work, raise the temperature to save energy and lower it once someone is in the house. This will cut back on energy, save you money and lessen the likelihood of a power shortage at the power grid. Fans also help; they reticulate the air and can lessen the temperature in a room by at most, 10 degrees. Having fans on a moderate setting with an air conditioner can lower the temperature in your home faster, thus saving you money as the high powered air conditioner doesn’t have to work as long.

Or, if you are feeling extremely proactive, consider the age of your air conditioner. How old is it? If it is over 10 years old, purchasing a new one might not be a bad idea. There have been many modifications in the development of new air conditioners, which make them more energy efficient, and results in you saving money! Before purchasing a new air conditioner, check out our website and find your local energy carrier, and see if they offer rebates. Some rebates are in the 200 – 400 dollar range!

www.earthaid.net

Going green saves you green$

Installing window blinds and shades limit the amount of sun coming into your home and can keep your rooms cooler. And, on days where it might be cooler outside, open a window and turn off the air conditioning. We don’t get many of those days down here, but if it is a cool morning, do yourself and the environment around you a favor.

Busy Thursday!

2009-06-28T13:12:00.000-07:00

June 25, 2009

Thursday morning was busy. I went to a meeting on Capital Hill where I was able to meet some CEOs of various that are converting old decrepit mobile homes into Energy Star homes. They shared their stories of going to people’s mobile homes and rating them in various categories. If the home met various benchmarks, this indicated the amount of aid and reconditioning they received.

I went to work around 1:00 after I went to lunch in Dupont Circle.

I left again at 4:00 to attend the opening of the new Sweden Embassy. It was awesome, and is built with a golf putting green in the conference room and waterfalls around the building. You can also have a breakfast in the embassy for 75.00 a person, and the conference room can be used for two hours after breakfast is enjoyed.

Bang, good day

Monday Metro

2009-06-25T16:30:00.000-07:00

June 22, 2009

It seemed like a regular Monday. I was only at work for three hours, and I again registered more energy companies with our sites, indicating whether or not they have online billing.

I attended two workshops today, and listened to a speaker discuss the best way to get hired. She stated statistics, which indicated that 20% of all 2009 college graduates had a job upon graduation. Were those 20% hired in their field? I wish I could have asked her, but she literally tore up her notes and threw them around the stage.

The first workshop dealt with jobs in the science and policy fields. She works for a large company located in Washington and was very helpful with her suggestions. Finally, the second session discussed how to negotiate one’s first salary.

So, on the way home, I was on the metro for over an hour and 40 minutes. We were told that there were some trains with mechanical problems. After I exited the train I had seven missed calls and 14 text messages from people wondering if I was okay. I was informed in a voice mail that a train had derailed on my train line (the red line) two stops in the other direction.

It was a sad and humbling moment when I found out that there was a terrible accident and that 9 people died and others taken to the hospital. The crash is still under investigation.

Hold on, Let me connect you...

2009-06-19T09:06:00.000-07:00

June 18, 2009

I worked on more research for our meeting tomorrow and became bored and tired around 3:00. I almost fell asleep at one point…

I have been working on utilities for the past three weeks and every energy company’s website looks the same after a while, and it gets very mind numbing. But, it will do some good for a citizen in El Paso or in the city of Tucker.

I have come to a realization regarding government agencies. No one really knows what is going on. I think I was connected to ten people, and one person twice. I guess they are really hush hush now a days, or……..?

One the way to the metro I saw, what I believe was the president’s motorcade, which was cool, yay sweet Obama… I wonder if he has a photographer following him taking more pictures… (kidding) . During this “siting” three African American women were in front of me and jumping up and down in excitement yelling

“Oh my God it’s him, our man!”

Didn’t John McCain produce a campaign commercial comparing Obama to Paris Hilton and Brittany Spears and the whole attention Hollywood star mentality?

Coincidence… Hum…

Tomorrow is Friday!

Cookie Cookie Cookie!

2009-06-18T16:31:00.001-07:00

June 16, 2009

Today, I was in various meetings and prepping for other events scheduled for later this week. I was obtaining information regarding various companies and learning how to tweet on twitter. I am not a big twitter fan to be honest. I believe facebook is enough to help people develop ADHD problems.

Now you can post your sporadic thoughts, which have actually got people into trouble. Phil Jackson, coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, was fined by the NBA recently for criticizing the referees through twitter!

I do have a confession. I am addicted to the mini-monster cookies sold at Corner Bakery, across the street from where I work. They are the most amazing cookies I have ever consumed. I like to put them behind my computer for 15-20 minutes so the heat softens them up, then I indulge.

Meteorology At Work... Literally

2009-06-09T17:38:00.000-07:00

June 9, 2009

Today was a very busy day. I got into work early, after working last night until almost midnight. I was given a detailed assignment with a short window of completion and it needed to get done…

Our bosses took us out to lunch, which was real cool. We went to a Thai restaurant, and I ordered an entree with chicken. It was indicated to be spicy, and I like to turn up the heat at times so, why not? When I was served my food, it was tangy with a brown sugar coating on the chicken. The broccoli was pretty good (don’t tell my mom) I have to admit.

The weather this afternoon was the topic of discussion. One of the employees told me that The Weather Channel has our area receiving rain around 7:00 this evening. Well, I looked at some models and a few radars, and noticed that the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) issued a severe storm warning for our area. I said it would start to rain/storm (and possibly hail) between 5:00 – 5:30. It started at 5:17 as I was leaving the office.

While conjuring up a forecast, I was also working on another outreach program for local businesses.

A Case of the...

2009-06-09T17:37:00.000-07:00

June 8, 2009

Wow, the weekend went by quickly…

Monday wasn’t too bad; I worked on some more outreach for the State of Confusion (Maryland). I was instructed to find various newspapers and blogs across the state that Earth Aid (EA) could contact. I worked on this until 1:30, then went to the Koshland Museum and attended the infectious disease workshop.

I have to admit, I learned a lot more about HIV/AIDS and the positive progress doctors have been making during the past decade. I remember writing a report in 10^th grade for my biology class about HIV/AIDS, and since then, research has found that some people are carrying the virus, but it isn’t having an effect on their body. However, there are some instances where the virus is acting faster and making it near impossible to treat.

There was also a section in the museum for global warming, which I thought was weird but considering that migration, and the possible complete worlds end due to global warming, it could happen…

After I got home from the museum I went to the gym, made dinner and did work until 11:30.

Next week we have the opportunity to attend an Embassy. I would like to visit North Korea’s, if they have one here. Difficult situation there….

Kung Pao Protesters

2009-06-06T17:12:00.000-07:00

June 5, 2009

Friday! Woo!

I finished up my Texas outreach information in the morning and finished up on some more incentives before lunch. At 1:00, Jon and I walked about 13 blocks (in one direction) in the rain for Chinese food. Oh yes, what I will do for good Chinese food…

It was pretty good, except for the Chinese lady tourist next to me in line hip checking me in line. I was getting ready to bust a move. Then I satisfied my craving and I was at peace…

In the afternoon I worked on more of local outreach in the Washington DC area. There are many corporations that advertise as “green” organizations. Below are a few of them:

Flow Yoga Center

Ideal Design

Java Green

Tranquil Space Yoga

Zip Car

You’d be surprised… You can make anything “green” these days…

On Monday, Ben (the founder) and I are going to do some meteorology stuff, and David (the attorney) for the organization and I are going to set up a few meetings so we can make a sales pitch late next week. It will be a full week …..

I believe this is an intricate time for the organization; we have a lot on our plate as far as expanding, and winning the $30,000 for the iPhone application earlier this week. Things are happening quickly, and it is going to be very exciting.

It also needs to stop raining…

Have a great weekend

…Oh, forgot. On the way to the metro this evening, I saw a woman standing in the street a block from the white house, attired in a woman’s business suit, screaming how she hates our current President. DC is interesting… entertaining….amusing…

Workin' Man

2009-06-02T16:09:00.000-07:00

June 2, 2009

Today was, I guess, my first official day of work. Monday was more of an orientation; get to know everyone and not acting too awkward. Today I worked on incentives for each energy company. There are thousands of energy companies across the United States, many of which offer rebates or incentives for purchasing energy star or energy efficient home products. Some offers range from 50 to 400 dollars depending on the purchase. Many people are unaware of these opportunities.

I did this pretty much all day, and sat in the park for lunch and enjoyed the relaxation. We got out of work early today which was nice.

I drank about 80-oz. of water today, I feel like a camel - mainly because there are seven people in a tiny office and it gets warm. I am also writing a weekly scientific report for our website (www.earthaid.net). This week is a prelude into the hot summers here in DC. I will be discussing smog and the urban heat island effect. I will make sure to post it on here for my active readers to enjoy.

It is nice bringing my Mac to work with me; I do work while listening to music with my headphones on. The other interns sit and work in the quiet. I kind of feel sorry for them…

I am a SAL of the American Legion. When I got off work, I walked to the American Legion which is located a block from my office and enjoyed the senior company. I was informed upon entering that specific building that it is only offices, and not a bar/restaurant , but I did get the address to the closest one near my apartment complex!

Being thrifty is in style!

Dr. Pirring, I think we got one.

2009-06-02T14:42:00.000-07:00

June 1, 2009

Today was the first day at work and I didn’t start until 10:00AM. Totally awesome!

Last evening I went downtown on the Metro around 8:30 to see where the employer’s building was located so that I wouldn’t look too dumb walking around when I got off the metro in the morning. My organization shares a suite in another organization’s office. The other company is a gay and lesbian journalism corporation.

There are a total of five interns, two from TWC, one from Georgetown and two from American University. The two individuals from American are part time. The office is small, there were six of us in one room with two desks and a folding table which served as a desk.

I had a few tasks today, it was my first day so it wasn’t too strenuous. It was fun to get to know everyone. I had to recruit people on Facebook, yea I said it, Facebook. There was a competition, which ended today to get an iPhone application made for your representing green organization. I invited people to a group and asked them to vote for us, and when I left work early this afternoon we were in first place, so I hope we won!

I left the office early today as I was instructed to listen to a group of doctors speak about personalized medicine, which was difficult to follow because I tried relating biomarkers to dopplar radars… and it didn’t work out too well…

All the doctors agreed that personalized medicine is needed. I gave this some consideration….and thought, well don’t we have varying medications for different illnesses? I wasn’t too sure what was going on, all I know is people can now call me Dr. Andrew Pirring.

Going for an adventure

2009-05-31T12:11:00.000-07:00

May 29, 2009

Friday was the final day for orientation. All of TWC students had to report to The Department of Interior by 9:00AM to hear various speeches and lectures. Kind of what we had to do while I was at the DNC, but the commute wasn’t 40 minutes. It turned into an hour commute as our metro train had to go in for service while it was full. We got to the next stop, everyone unloaded, one man threw his coffee at the train, and we waited for the next one. Mind you, there were already many people already trying to get on at this station. SQUEEEEEZE….

The train arrived; half full already and everyone press(ed) on. One of my roommates, who is from Puerto Rico was the last one on, and the door closed on his suit jacket. Nice…

We were 10 minutes late, but they weren’t too mad when they saw 50 students show up at one time. I am sure they figured something had happened.

The speeches were long, we had a lady speak to us about being financially responsible. One of my student colleagues asked the few of us sitting in the row,

“How are we supposed to be financially responsible when almost all of our internships are unpaid, and we need to figure out how to eat and commute for 10 weeks.”

Blog for your university?

Afterwards, my roommates and I were planning to go have lunch at a deli a few blocks away. We invited a real cute girl from Alabama (of course she could come) and then a guy from Lock Haven invited himself…

While eating, the lingerer bashed the republican party, the city of Philadelphia, and praised Obama like he is the second coming of Christ…

After we ate, one of my roommates and I went for a walk back to the metro. After one or two wrong turns we ended up in front of this big white house…

Some exciting news, I was placed and accepted the internship with Earth Aid. I am very excited to start work on Monday.

If you can, take a moment to check out their website and sign up for their program!

www.earthaid.net

Gyros and the Metro

2009-05-31T12:04:00.000-07:00

May 28, 2009

Today was our first official day in Washington DC. I rode the metro with no problem. I actually had to tell my roommates to get moving while coming down the escalator when the train is ready & waiting. As I eloquently put it, “GET YOUR KNEES UP!”

We met on the National Mall where we took

a tour of a few of the museums, specifically the Museum of Natural Science. We then walked to the Washington Monument, and then to one of the new Smithsonian’s, which had artifacts from Persia and China. They displayed some really cool swords and other nifty weapons.

From there we regrouped and went to lunch. Half of the group went to Baskin Robins to taste the 31 flavors, while a few of us roamed the streets. I came upon a Greek restaurant, which prepared fresh home-made style Greek food and had their pita bread baked every morning. Fantastic! The restaurant is called Pasha Bistro. I ordered Gyro platter with a Mediterranean salad. I even took the menu so I could remember where it was and what I ordered. If you ever find yourself on 17^th St NW, I would recommend it.

After lunch we reconvened to go over the syllabus and what is expected from us throughout the semester. We have to make our own portfolio, which included a detailed journal of activities.

This evening I received an e-mail from a representative from earthaid.net, and after speaking to her; she offered me a position in this small organization. It seems very interesting and intriguing. I am spending the night mulling over my two options and will probably make my decision later tonight. According to her description of the internship:

“Earth Aid Enterprises is a green start up dedicated to helping Americans become more energy efficient in their homes. From helping individuals participate in the quickly growing carbon market to selling energy efficiency products, Earth Aid is working to dramatically reduce America's greenhouse gas emissions.

Interns at Earth Aid will be involved in all aspects of the organizations work and will contribute by doing research, tracking policy, helping the media team, and working on outreach projects. This is an excellent opportunity to gain experience working in the quickly growing green energy field for an organization that is on the cutting edge of the quickly growing voluntary carbon market.

Applicants should have a demonstrated interest in environmental issues as well as excellent writing, research, and communication skills. Applicants should also have a good attitude and sense of humor.”

Movin' on up!

2009-05-31T12:00:00.000-07:00

May 27, 2009

Today is my first day in the apartment. I arrived in Bethesda this morning a little after 11:00AM. One of my roommates had already moved in by the time I arrived, and is from Columbus Ohio.

The apartment is nice, he and I both chose the better of the two rooms, with more storage for clothes including a full walk-in closet and private bathroom. The other room looks like a bomb went off. Even so, I mentioned to my roommate that if the other two guys don’t show up in a few days I would take it so we could both have our own bedrooms and bathrooms.

I have my first day of orientation tomorrow staring at 9:00AM until about 4:00PM. The newest adviser for my program (she is the third in five months) will be meeting us on the National Mall where we will hang out and get to know one another during the morning hours.

I finally received a position today, it is through an architecture foundation that has made significant strides towards creating buildings that are more environmentally friendly. Maybe for ten weeks I can be Art Vandelay the famous architect…..

The President of the organization has asked to have an interview with me Monday morning at 9:00AM.

I currently am unaware of when or where my class is taking place. But I am excited to be down here, and look forward to the next ten weeks.

Before I get to work

2009-05-31T11:58:00.000-07:00

Today is the day before I head to Bethesda Maryland. I will be moving into my apartment tomorrow morning after I finish running some errands here in Frederick. County. I am very excited about this opportunity, as I am fully aware there are many students that wish they had these chances to enhance their college experience.

I have previously blogged -- last August at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) when I blogged for Cal, and I am glad I have yet another chance to share my experiences with all of you. I hope that each of you will find my blogs entertaining and hopefully insightful. To some people back at school I am known only as “Blogger”, or “That guy who was on the Cal website forever.”

I was accepted into the Science and Policy Program at The Washington Center (TWC) and while completing my internship, I will be taking a course titled “Science, Society and Policy”. I hope to learn more about the specific policy making procedures, whether that includes supporting various politicians or interest groups.

A little about myself…

I am a senior at Cal studying operational meteorology and political science. I have aspirations to become an environmental lawyer. Many people question why I am doing two majors that are very obtuse but I believe both of them will give me a solid base if/when I get accepted into law school. My short list of potential schools include: University of Pittsburgh, Vermont School of Law, University of Maryland and Georgetown University.

I reside in Frederick County Maryland, and graduated from Walkersville High School in 2006.

I am a brother in the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. While I was in Denver last summer, the international headquarters was gracious enough to have a link to my blogs on the www.phigam.org website for a month. Thanks to all active and graduate brothers that took the time to read my blogs and posts. I believe there were over 700 hits from the international site alone.

I am very grateful to have a great supporting cast around me at the University and at home. Without the help and guidance of the internship center, Dr. Melanie Blumberg, Dr. Chad Kauffman, Joy Helsel and The Dr. Swarn Gill I would have never been able to experience these opportunities.

I hope you enjoy my blogs, I will post a weekly video blog as well to sum up the week, and I also do not need the Teleprompter Of The United States (TOTUS) when I deliver my briefing.