The bliss of a comfortable heel I felt yesterday was short-lived. By 4:30, the spell wore off and the balls of my feet ached (as per usual). It seems my feet echo the sentiments of the day on the whole.
So much for the women's movement...
The early parts of the day were wonderful, as well. I didn't have to be at the Capital until 11 a.m., meetings filled in the interim, and the Senate's schedule didn't even come close to the length of the House's. But, shortly after two, before the gavel fell, my carefree Monday fell apart. I don't know why I got so angry--this kind of thing has never incited such intensity before; all I know is that another intern needs to be taught that the genders are equal in the workplace (well, in all places, but it's going to be baby steps with this one). We were playfully arguing about which bills were going to be hot topics on the floor (and, ultimately, which ones would keep us in the building the longest) when he said "SB 191 got deferred until tomorrow, sweetheart." I was so mad, I told him to never say that to me again and went to the second floor, where I did ten minutes worth of laps to cool down.
He apologized when I got back to the Senate Chamber, but he didn't know what he was apologizing for. He just said he was sorry that something he said offended me. I tried to explain that the word "sweetheart" to a female coworker shows incredible ignorance, and even if meant innocently (as he tried to claim), comes off as condescending.
I still don't think he understands why I was upset, but I don't think he'll ever say something so stupid to me again. I guess I should have said something to him during the first week when he called me sweetheart, but I really thought that might have been a horrible attempt at flirting. Now I know to pipe up sooner.
Today
My feet hurt again today, but there wasn't any hope of comfortable heals this morning. I know when I slipped on those red leather, peep-toed pumps from Target (gotta love $6 clearance) that I would be changing into my ballet flats in the afternoon. As of 3:00 p.m., the shoes had won.
Session will go long--it's crossover day--but still, we will fare much better than the House. We will be out in time to go to basketball practice, so long as none of these bills comes to blows. Highly unlikely--this is the "higher body", but considering we've been working on the first bill for nearly an hour and a half and there's not vote in sight, I may be wrong. Starting tomorrow, House bills are all we'll hear over here, and life will be better.
Baked Good Blessings
As silly as it seems, this afternoon a fortune cookie eased many of my fears about the future.
"You will be promoted soon. Be flexible! Opportunities for success are all around you."
I realize that I drew this cookie at random during a free Hy-Chi lunch in the President's Lobby, but I think God knew I needed this one. True or not, I feel better (at least for the time being). Speaking of opportunities, I have my first real reporter job interview next Friday up north. I'm still kind of numb about the whole thing as we just scheduled it this evening, so I'll fill you in about the freak out when it finally happens. I am reminded that I need to get new front tires on the Tortoise, so I at least have a reason to finally get that one done. Expect a long, boring story about a long, boring drive next weekend.
Hustle or Go?
Tonight is once again basketball night. And once again, I'm struggling with the internal debate as to whether or not I should go to practice, or go to the Y. I think I have enough energy to put up with a couple hours of sprinting up and down a court, but I felt so good after running 3.25 miles last night that part of me wants to go do that again. I better go to basketball this week--next Tuesday (I think) is the big House vs. Senate grudge match. I can always run tomorrow.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Monday, February 23, 2009
Have I witnessed a miracle?
Okay, so maybe it's not a full-fledged miracle, but I think my favorite pair of brown, pointy-toed pumps have stretched. Or maybe my foot got smaller--either way, I'm impressed (and in a lot less pain).
The Backstretch
Today is the 27th Legislative Day, and we're definitely seeing the light at the end of the tunnel (although maybe we should turn that off to save money and energy...). In three weeks, the lawmakers will have to approve a budget, and it'll have to be balanced, no matter how many "baby seals" have to be killed.
Days are filled with caucuses, committees, leadership meetings, etc. just to come up with some sort of budget fix. The federal stimulus package has been a subject of debate because even if there's enough stringless money to balance the state's deficit, we will still be facing a structural deficit. At some point, projects are going to have to be reduced or discontinued to fix our little spending problem. At the beginning of this crazy little adventure, the Republican party promised to use the budget shortfall as an opportunity to regain control of spending and now they have to follow through, no matter how much the cuts sting.
Impending Reality
During the past few days, I have finally taken notice of my impending unemployed future. In a matter of months, I'll be a college graduate in need of a job. I've been looking for openings and making a list of places to send tapes to when I get back to Brookings. I've also been formulating alternative plans, just in case.
...Plan B
Plan B is to apply for a city clerk internship in the state's largest city. If I get the position, I would have three more paid months to keep looking for a reporting job. I could also move to the city with Caiti, as we are planning on right now. I just worry about not finding anything in Sioux Falls come August and being forced to violate my lease or take a crappy job to keep our apartment.
...Plan C
Plan C is to apply for a media position (or really, any paid position) with one of the gubernatorial candidates' campaigns. If I don't suck at that, I could secure myself something most likely in Sioux Falls until June 2010, when the primaries narrow the field considerably. That one scares me because I've never worked a campaign, and if I'm on the losing side, I will have to find something new in a hurry. I also worry about being able to jump right back into news, especially if I stay in South Dakota. There's no doubt my objectivity will be called into question after working in party politics.
...Plan D
Plan D is to take the LSAT (which I will likely do regardless which plan I choose) and apply for law school. I would still be forced to find some sort of job until I started working towards my juris doctorate, but I would ultimately be improving my employability and job prospects. I do worry about paying off my student loans during law school, though.
Life in Limbo
As you can see, none of these plans is perfect. My dad keeps telling me to relax, "someone, somewhere will hire you...", but I really won't feel better until some positive news is sent my way. Perhaps I scare too easily, but it's just so much better to get a surprise than to be disappointed.
Keep on Running
I realized the other night that the race I've been training for (the Brookings 5K) is the night before my sister's high school graduation. I think at this point I'll still run it and then drive home for the celebration, but I feel bad missing Caiti's marathon the next day. I think she'll survive--she's made it through every other race without me--but I do wish I could be more supportive.
The skirt I'm wearing today is tighter in the hips than usual, which makes me wonder if my ass has gotten bigger during training. I keep telling myself that it's probably muscle that makes my clothes tighter through the legs, but seeing the number on the scale climb is very disheartening. There's just no way I can actually be getting fatter from exercise, right?
The Backstretch
Today is the 27th Legislative Day, and we're definitely seeing the light at the end of the tunnel (although maybe we should turn that off to save money and energy...). In three weeks, the lawmakers will have to approve a budget, and it'll have to be balanced, no matter how many "baby seals" have to be killed.
Days are filled with caucuses, committees, leadership meetings, etc. just to come up with some sort of budget fix. The federal stimulus package has been a subject of debate because even if there's enough stringless money to balance the state's deficit, we will still be facing a structural deficit. At some point, projects are going to have to be reduced or discontinued to fix our little spending problem. At the beginning of this crazy little adventure, the Republican party promised to use the budget shortfall as an opportunity to regain control of spending and now they have to follow through, no matter how much the cuts sting.
Impending Reality
During the past few days, I have finally taken notice of my impending unemployed future. In a matter of months, I'll be a college graduate in need of a job. I've been looking for openings and making a list of places to send tapes to when I get back to Brookings. I've also been formulating alternative plans, just in case.
...Plan B
Plan B is to apply for a city clerk internship in the state's largest city. If I get the position, I would have three more paid months to keep looking for a reporting job. I could also move to the city with Caiti, as we are planning on right now. I just worry about not finding anything in Sioux Falls come August and being forced to violate my lease or take a crappy job to keep our apartment.
...Plan C
Plan C is to apply for a media position (or really, any paid position) with one of the gubernatorial candidates' campaigns. If I don't suck at that, I could secure myself something most likely in Sioux Falls until June 2010, when the primaries narrow the field considerably. That one scares me because I've never worked a campaign, and if I'm on the losing side, I will have to find something new in a hurry. I also worry about being able to jump right back into news, especially if I stay in South Dakota. There's no doubt my objectivity will be called into question after working in party politics.
...Plan D
Plan D is to take the LSAT (which I will likely do regardless which plan I choose) and apply for law school. I would still be forced to find some sort of job until I started working towards my juris doctorate, but I would ultimately be improving my employability and job prospects. I do worry about paying off my student loans during law school, though.
Life in Limbo
As you can see, none of these plans is perfect. My dad keeps telling me to relax, "someone, somewhere will hire you...", but I really won't feel better until some positive news is sent my way. Perhaps I scare too easily, but it's just so much better to get a surprise than to be disappointed.
Keep on Running
I realized the other night that the race I've been training for (the Brookings 5K) is the night before my sister's high school graduation. I think at this point I'll still run it and then drive home for the celebration, but I feel bad missing Caiti's marathon the next day. I think she'll survive--she's made it through every other race without me--but I do wish I could be more supportive.
The skirt I'm wearing today is tighter in the hips than usual, which makes me wonder if my ass has gotten bigger during training. I keep telling myself that it's probably muscle that makes my clothes tighter through the legs, but seeing the number on the scale climb is very disheartening. There's just no way I can actually be getting fatter from exercise, right?
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
25 Things I've Learned Since Moving to Pierre...
A few random discoveries I've made over the course of the past month...
1) I really, really, really hate it when people don't wipe down an exercise machine when they're finished using it. And I also hate it when they don't change the weights after using the Nautilus machines at the Y--not everyone can curl 250 pounds, so please don't rub it in.
2) The governor tucks his T-shirt in at when he's at the gym. And he wears tube socks.
3) High heels hurt (not actually new) and they never seem to get broken in (that is new).
4) Some girls just don't understand that white, see-through dresses aren't work appropriate. Neither are very short skirts.
5) Gateway made a really crappy laptop two years ago. Either that or the legislator who had mine before me was really rough on it. Regardless, it should be able to hold a charge for more than 45 minutes.
6) People get more worked up about proposed Second Amendment restrictions than they do about restrictions placed on religion, speech, and assembly.
7) I would have a difficult time being a fiscally conservative legislator because I believe almost every program I've heard testimony on is worthy of full funding.
8) Pierre has a severe deer problem. Two days ago, I was late for work because a doe was in the middle of the street in my extremely residential neighborhood. Tonight I almost hit one in the same area.
9) I know when it comes time to run the 5K, I'll be ready, and I know for sure that I'm establishing some pretty sound habits that will keep me healthy for a long time.
10) Paying for a lunch is rare at the capitol as many interest groups will provide one or all of a day's three square meals at no cost to us. However, in this recession, we're buying our own food more often than usual.
11) Winner Day at the Capitol had by far the best doughnuts I've tried yet.
12) I miss reporting more than I thought I would, which is a relief; I won't waste any time wondering which world I am supposed to be in.
13) I try to avoid spending time in my car now; I've spent too much time going to and from Brookings and Winner.
14) The Pierre Mall has better shopping than I remember; where else would I find Kelly green pumps for $2?
15) However, the options for tanning in this town suck. I'm spending $25 per month for unlimited tanning at a nail salon in the mall ... and I've only gone 4 times this month.
16) Time truly does fly when you enjoy your job--I was stopped dead in my tracks this morning at the realization that today was the 24th legislative day.
17) I finally understand the difficulty legislators have in voting; how do you separate your own wishes from those of your constituents?
18) I'm terrible at ironing clothes; I've basically quit trying and the scar on my arm from June reminds why.
19) Dark chocolate peanut butter is a God send. Try it with an apple.
20) I am terrified by what comes after this.
21) The Internet is a beautiful thing--I can watch both Grey's Anatomy and ER at my leisure.
22) I continue to find happiness in being one of the boys. I'm the only girl intern for the Senate Republicans, and it hasn't bothered me one bit.
23) There are basically two social activities one can partake in in Pierre: drinking at one of the fine local establishments or bowling alley or playing some sort of organized sport through the YMCA.
24) Taxation is one of those concepts I may never fully comprehend.
25) Math majors are completely incapable of chewing in a civilized manner.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
The Halfway Mark
If the legislative session was a Super Mario Bros. game, we wouldn't get sent back to the beginning unless we ran out of lives.
How much money is 21 days worth?
Today was the 21st legislative day (out of a whopping 40), and it was productive. 7:45 a.m. committee followed by constituent letter signing, email forwarding, copy making, and meeting scheduling.
The majority leader hosted a Republican leadership meeting over the noon hour, and while I was welcome to attend, I opted to run to the DQ and grab a salad. I've started noticing that if I don't eat something by a certain time, I get dizzy and nauseous, so I figured food was the smarter choice in the short term. The afternoon went long--session didn't end until 5:15. All in all, a pretty normal day.
Out of the blue...
Normal, except I don't usually get phone calls from my broadcasting advisor telling me I needed to apply for a reporting position in Grand Forks, ND. And then lecturing me on how I need to be open minded about North Dakota because I might not get a job anywhere else. That was probably the worst part--he knows I have my heart set on going back to KDLT for a year, and while I realize that might not happen, North Dakota is the last place on earth I want to work in. Seriously. I'm sick of being cold and in the middle of nowhere.
I told him I would send the news director a tape--apparently she asked him about me specifically--and that I'd keep an open mind, but after I hung up, I started freaking out. Quietly for most of the afternoon--no need to rub it in to the boys that I might have another job lead (they didn't take the news of my being approached about an internship in Sioux Falls well). But after work, I lost it.
And then it hit me...
We were supposed to go to a military ball tonight--sounds like enough fun for a Thursday night. I didn't have a ticket in my hand yet, and that made me nervous, too. Apparently one of the boys convinced his representative to give me his extra ticket, but when we got there, the man was nowhere to be found. He was probably somewhere, but I was in no mood to search him out from the throngs of people in full formal wear (another reason I ditched out; I was still in business casual). I gave up at that point, stole Jordan's car, and drove to a liquor/grocery store.
At the store, I found my favorite red wine (Prairie Berry's Calamity Jane) that I've been searching for for weeks, so I bought two bottles (to be consumed over the course of the entire weekend, not just tonight) and a bar of super dark chocolate, went home to shower, and then watched a two hour Grey's Anatomy while trying to calm down. Eventually I felt well enough to hit intern bowling night; I just needed something comforting and consistent.
It's actually going to happen...
I think what scares me the most is the fact that in the next coming weeks, I will actually have to decide where I will spend the next one to two years (depending on the contract), and there's a very real possibility that I might not be in Sioux Falls. I never thought I'd be so set on staying in South Dakota, but I'm just not ready to leave. I have a lot of family obligations over the next year--Tessa turns 4, Julie and Mike get married, Barbara starts college, Julie graduates from college--as well as friends' weddings that I really need to be in the vicinity for. I know I have to leave the state at some point, I just really, really, really don't want to leave it for North Dakota. As I once wrote in an editorial, if you're going to make a big change, go bigger, not equal.
A nice distraction...
Working out is starting to pay off. I'm not sure if I actually see any physical improvement (especially in the upper arms), but I can run and bike longer and lift more weights in more reps. And I'm making it a habit. I've been going at least three times a week since I moved to Pierre (with the exception of the week I got sick) and think I'll be able to stick with my plan when my horse rides on to the next town. I'm still not sure about running that 5K, but I sort of already told Krystle I'd run the Brookings 5K with her if I was still in town, so I guess I kind of have to. That means in the coming weeks I have to move off of the elliptical machine and onto solid ground. My knees are going to hate me, but Krystle will be happy, so I guess it's worth it. And then I can actually say I'm a real runner.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Session Goal List
Here's the list of goals for this internship I gave to the Asst. Maj. Leader way back in January.
1) Figure out what my role in the political universe is.
-I've been working as a reporter for various news outlets for three years and have learned very well what the role of the media is in politics and government. As a political science major, I've also studied what the role of a lawmaker and elected official is in the same world, but up until now, I never had any first-hand experience with the latter's role (with the exception of my two weeks as a page). As much as I've enjoyed reporting, I don't want to waste any time wondering if I would've liked this world better. I hope that by the end of these two months I have a better idea of where I belong
2) Develop a better understanding of a legislator's thought process
-During my last few months at KDLT, I was fortunate enough to have an assignment editor who gave me political stories because she knows I want to be a political reporter. I interviewed political players at all levels of government and have spent many hours wondering why they don't tell the whole story or why they want certain details released at different times or why they really don't want to talk to me at all. I'm hoping this experience will help me develop a sort of empathy for the people I will interview in the future, so that I can better understand the factors that influence their decision in what to say.
3) Develop a network
-There's an old saying that says it's not what you know that makes you successful, but who you know. Every single day, this building is filled with some of the most successful, well connected, intelligent people in South Dakota. While I'm here, I'd like to meet (and make a favorable impression on) as many as I can and understand their role in this process.
4) Develop institutional knowledge
-In the world of political reporting, youth is considered a disadvantage because the older you are, the more institutional knowledge you've developed. You know why a bill passed or didn't pass when it first came up 20 years ago; you know why the voters will never send a certain person to Washington D.C.; you know the deeper story as to why neither party wants to raid the trust funds to balance the budget. I realize I can't (and don't really want to) make myself age any faster than time will allow, but I can get more involved in the process and history of South Dakota politics.
5) Transition from college to career
-I get very attached to any place I live for an extended period of time. My heart broke when I left my family and a few very close friends in Winner almost four years ago, and I know when I finally leave Brookings I'll go through that whole experience again. Spending most of my last semester here has allowed me some transitional time from sitting through five classes throughout the week to working an actual job 40+ hours a week. I miss my friends, but the long weekends give me a lot more time to visit them than almost any other job would allow. By working here, I'm able to soften the blow of separation, and I think that will be a very valuable part of my adjustment to a new career in May.
1) Figure out what my role in the political universe is.
-I've been working as a reporter for various news outlets for three years and have learned very well what the role of the media is in politics and government. As a political science major, I've also studied what the role of a lawmaker and elected official is in the same world, but up until now, I never had any first-hand experience with the latter's role (with the exception of my two weeks as a page). As much as I've enjoyed reporting, I don't want to waste any time wondering if I would've liked this world better. I hope that by the end of these two months I have a better idea of where I belong
2) Develop a better understanding of a legislator's thought process
-During my last few months at KDLT, I was fortunate enough to have an assignment editor who gave me political stories because she knows I want to be a political reporter. I interviewed political players at all levels of government and have spent many hours wondering why they don't tell the whole story or why they want certain details released at different times or why they really don't want to talk to me at all. I'm hoping this experience will help me develop a sort of empathy for the people I will interview in the future, so that I can better understand the factors that influence their decision in what to say.
3) Develop a network
-There's an old saying that says it's not what you know that makes you successful, but who you know. Every single day, this building is filled with some of the most successful, well connected, intelligent people in South Dakota. While I'm here, I'd like to meet (and make a favorable impression on) as many as I can and understand their role in this process.
4) Develop institutional knowledge
-In the world of political reporting, youth is considered a disadvantage because the older you are, the more institutional knowledge you've developed. You know why a bill passed or didn't pass when it first came up 20 years ago; you know why the voters will never send a certain person to Washington D.C.; you know the deeper story as to why neither party wants to raid the trust funds to balance the budget. I realize I can't (and don't really want to) make myself age any faster than time will allow, but I can get more involved in the process and history of South Dakota politics.
5) Transition from college to career
-I get very attached to any place I live for an extended period of time. My heart broke when I left my family and a few very close friends in Winner almost four years ago, and I know when I finally leave Brookings I'll go through that whole experience again. Spending most of my last semester here has allowed me some transitional time from sitting through five classes throughout the week to working an actual job 40+ hours a week. I miss my friends, but the long weekends give me a lot more time to visit them than almost any other job would allow. By working here, I'm able to soften the blow of separation, and I think that will be a very valuable part of my adjustment to a new career in May.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Adjustment 80% Complete
Today is the 17th legislative day (out of 40). We're so close to halfway that it almost scares me. I've thoroughly enjoyed my time here so far, but it's just gone by so fast. I realize it's cliche to whine about how time flies, but I'm going to--just for this paragraph. I am really starting to like my life here and the work that I do and the people I work with. In just a few weeks, I have to leave them, just like I'll have to leave my Brookings life for good a month after that.
Hitting the wall...
Working out has not been going well as of late. Saturday morning I woke up and spent the weekend suffering from what I believe was food poisoning. Needless to say, I didn't go for a run Saturday. Sadly, I had friends in town on Monday and didn't hit the gym, and the exhaustion from being sick caught up with me on Tuesday and I had to skip basketball. I will go today, I swear it, I do--I can't say how much I'll actually do, but I will do something.
Celebrations...
This week is full of celebrating, much to my exhaustion. Jake's birthday is today, and mine is tomorrow, so most of the interns went to dinner before bowling last night. Tonight, it sounds like it's just Jake and I going to dinner and out for drinks. This is the second of four nights I'll be out with friends for the grand occasion of turning 22. It seems a little silly, but I do want to see all of my friends, so I'll find a way, at my own risk. Let's just hope I survive to see Sunday!
Hitting the wall...
Working out has not been going well as of late. Saturday morning I woke up and spent the weekend suffering from what I believe was food poisoning. Needless to say, I didn't go for a run Saturday. Sadly, I had friends in town on Monday and didn't hit the gym, and the exhaustion from being sick caught up with me on Tuesday and I had to skip basketball. I will go today, I swear it, I do--I can't say how much I'll actually do, but I will do something.
Celebrations...
This week is full of celebrating, much to my exhaustion. Jake's birthday is today, and mine is tomorrow, so most of the interns went to dinner before bowling last night. Tonight, it sounds like it's just Jake and I going to dinner and out for drinks. This is the second of four nights I'll be out with friends for the grand occasion of turning 22. It seems a little silly, but I do want to see all of my friends, so I'll find a way, at my own risk. Let's just hope I survive to see Sunday!
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