Saturday, May 21st I met up with my sister Kayla and Jinae to explore DC by foot. We met up at a metro stop and began the walking. We first walked to the National Mall and then to the Smithsonian Museum of American History. Of course our first stop was into the First Ladies exhibit. There were many pretty... and many ugly dresses. Next up was the Washington National Monument. From there we walked to the World War II Memorial. Kayla and I took a picture in front of Wisconsin! My favorite stop was the Lincoln Memorial. Following that, we walked to Georgetown to get food. Next we walked around and took pictures in front of the White House. For some reason I thought it would be bigger! At this point, my legs were KILLING! I road the metro back to Tenleytown to shower and change to meet up with Kayla and Jinae to go out.
Sunday, May 22nd
We woke and up and POWER walked to McDonalds because Jinae and I really really wanted McDonalds breakfast. In Wisconsin breakfast stops at 10:30 AM, here it's 11 AM! After that we all road the metro to the airport to rent a car. Finding the car rental place was in similar fashion to me finding my way around the NIH... we made many wrong turns, asked multiple people for directions... THEN found it. Kayla and Jinae were doing the Warrier Dash in Maryland so we had to drive there. Basically the Warrier Dash is a 5K obstacle race (including jumping over fire and climbing through mud). I took the pictures and did not run :). Afterwards we drove back to DC, returned the car, cleaned up, and went to dinner around 9:30 PM (WAYYYYYYYY later that my normal 4:30-5 PM dinners in WI and IA). After that I was soooo exhausted from walking sooooo much this weekend, I went home and went to bed.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Weekend!
On Friday morning I had my medical evaluation on the main campus. So I went to the main campus and there wasn't a shuttle there, so I started walking because I thought I knew where the clinical building was... NOPE. So, once again, I got lost on the main campus. Surprised? After getting directions from someone I made it there and had my medical evaluation. Then I needed to stop by building 31 to get my smartpass to work (for the metro). I got directions from the nurse. After walking out of the building... I got lost again. NIH 4, Caitlin 0.
I finally found building 31. My smartpass works. Then I walked back to the metro station and rode up to Rockville to work. Nothing too eventful. My coworkers are brilliant and when they talk about neuro stuff and behavior, I feel soooooo behind.
After work I met up with some of my housemates and some of their friends at Madhatter in Dupont Circle area for happy hour. It was reasonably priced. Sam Wilder, a girl who went to Northside and maybe middle school with me met up with us at Madhatters. After that we went to some pizza place (can't think of the name). Then we hit up Dirty Martini. It was a pretty classy place with really good martinis... until I saw my bill. $30 for 2 MARTINIS!?!??!?!? SERIOUSLY. So we left there and headed back to Madhatters to end the night.
I finally found building 31. My smartpass works. Then I walked back to the metro station and rode up to Rockville to work. Nothing too eventful. My coworkers are brilliant and when they talk about neuro stuff and behavior, I feel soooooo behind.
After work I met up with some of my housemates and some of their friends at Madhatter in Dupont Circle area for happy hour. It was reasonably priced. Sam Wilder, a girl who went to Northside and maybe middle school with me met up with us at Madhatters. After that we went to some pizza place (can't think of the name). Then we hit up Dirty Martini. It was a pretty classy place with really good martinis... until I saw my bill. $30 for 2 MARTINIS!?!??!?!? SERIOUSLY. So we left there and headed back to Madhatters to end the night.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Drunk mice and fighting cabbies
Last night I ended up getting a ride all around DC picking up things for my bedroom and bathroom. I hit up the target in Columbia heights... YOU HAVE TO PAY for parking!!!!! AT TARGET!?!? DC also has a new law that every plastic bag is 5 cents, so you bring your own bag. I'm actually a fan of this because it encourages people to bring their own bags, saves the environment, and saves Target money. After Target I was shown where the grocery store near my apartment. After being stocked up on food, toilet paper, kleenex, hair product, conditioner, I was STARVING. I ate at a place in Dupont Circle area called Bistro Bistro. YUM! They have fantastic dinner rolls that they bring around and there is a pesto and a tomato/cucumber/olive oil mix that was amazing. I ordered egg plant parmesan and it was SOOOOOO good. Afterwards, the serve brought out a desert for free. I highly recommend this place is anyone is in DC!
I went to bed with occasional sirens because I am a block away from the fire station. Living in the Drake neighborhood has made it weird NOT to hear a siren during any given night. So thanks Drake 'hood for preparing me for DC!
This morning I woke up bright and early to get ready for work. This time I actually had soap and shampoo, which was fantastic. I'm not sure if I mentioned this before, but my bathroom has astro turf/golfing green as the floor. It is heinously ugly. I placed a pretty white bathmat down to help cover some of it. But, it seems that spiders enjoy the ugly green because I have killed two in the bathroom so far (hazard of living in a basement I guess). After being ready, I began the few block journey to the metro. I witnessed my first cab vs cab fight. I don't know what happened, but one cabbie got out of his car and ran up to the cab in front of him and began to cuss him out. It was INTENSE and involved many expletives. Then I continued my way to the metro.
Getting to work was a piece of cake. From the time I leave my house to the time I walk into the lab in Rockville, it takes me about 45 minutes (which in DC is not bad). At work I am still trying to get all my training done so I can actually do stuff. I am almost prepared to work with the mice, but I have to have one more orientation on Monday to do that. So, I basically followed one of my coworkers around learning how to run the alcohol vapor chambers. In layman's terms, I learned how to get mice drunk so we can replicate an alcoholic (binge and withdrawal). It involved many steps and she had it all memorized, but I will definitely follow the protocol by reading it every time... step by step.
So now I am back at the house. I met another roommate. I'm pretty sure he at first thought I was someone breaking into the house. Apparently he has not realized I have lived in the same house as him for the past 48 hours. Which I'm going to take as a compliment that I am quiet! Not sure if I'm doing anything eventful the rest of the day... if so, I'll post about it tomorrow!
I went to bed with occasional sirens because I am a block away from the fire station. Living in the Drake neighborhood has made it weird NOT to hear a siren during any given night. So thanks Drake 'hood for preparing me for DC!
This morning I woke up bright and early to get ready for work. This time I actually had soap and shampoo, which was fantastic. I'm not sure if I mentioned this before, but my bathroom has astro turf/golfing green as the floor. It is heinously ugly. I placed a pretty white bathmat down to help cover some of it. But, it seems that spiders enjoy the ugly green because I have killed two in the bathroom so far (hazard of living in a basement I guess). After being ready, I began the few block journey to the metro. I witnessed my first cab vs cab fight. I don't know what happened, but one cabbie got out of his car and ran up to the cab in front of him and began to cuss him out. It was INTENSE and involved many expletives. Then I continued my way to the metro.
Getting to work was a piece of cake. From the time I leave my house to the time I walk into the lab in Rockville, it takes me about 45 minutes (which in DC is not bad). At work I am still trying to get all my training done so I can actually do stuff. I am almost prepared to work with the mice, but I have to have one more orientation on Monday to do that. So, I basically followed one of my coworkers around learning how to run the alcohol vapor chambers. In layman's terms, I learned how to get mice drunk so we can replicate an alcoholic (binge and withdrawal). It involved many steps and she had it all memorized, but I will definitely follow the protocol by reading it every time... step by step.
So now I am back at the house. I met another roommate. I'm pretty sure he at first thought I was someone breaking into the house. Apparently he has not realized I have lived in the same house as him for the past 48 hours. Which I'm going to take as a compliment that I am quiet! Not sure if I'm doing anything eventful the rest of the day... if so, I'll post about it tomorrow!
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
1st day of "work"
Woke up this morning and realized I didn't have a bath mat, shampoo, body wash, hair product. The worst aspect of this was the lack of hair product. Crazy curly hair + DC humidity = AFRO. I have never used so much hairspray in my life trying to make it look half way decent (I use mousse to make it look all pretty normally). So I "showered" (the best I could do without shampoo OR soap) and realized I didn't have food at the house either. I decided it was more important to get to Rockville on time than attempt to buy food in Tenleytown, so I headed to the metro wearing nice black pants, a dress shirt and kitten heels (which are itty bitty high heels for those unaware to women's footwear).
I make it to Rockville pretty uneventfully. I get to the building and am directed downstairs to meet up with the person showing me around. This is when the excessive walking began. I was taken to the building next door for some paperwork. She then informs me that I need to go to the Main Campus which is in Bethesda. So I walk back next door because some other people were going to the main campus. We then walk the 2 blocks to the metro. Once at the NIH they just walk in because they have badges. I, on the other hand, go through airport-like security. The only I didn't have to do was take off my shoes. Once through there, I begin walking. I think I need to go to building 2... FAIL. Nope. So then I try walking around to find building 31 thinking that is where I need to go... FAIL. NOPE. Then I find out I REALLY need to go to building 10. I take a bus (YUP, the NIH is so big, they have buses to take you places) to building 10. I get my name badge FINALLY. Which back to the beginning I mentioned that I was lacking hair product... this resulted in a frizzy looking photo.
After getting my badge, I needed to get my SmartCard for the metro. Which I then realize is in building 31, the one I had JUST been in. So I hop BACK on a bus and go to building 31. I realized the people I asked for directions to building 10 from, where the people giving me my SmartCard. After getting my metro card, I am distressed. Honestly, I walked so far in those darn kitten heels. I thought they would be comfortable. NOPE.
At this point I call the lab in Rockville and ask if I can go home to do the required online training at home instead of at the lab. So I have finally gotten back to Tenleytown. A little sweaty and with many blisters from my NIH Main Campus adventure.
I NEED A NAP.
I make it to Rockville pretty uneventfully. I get to the building and am directed downstairs to meet up with the person showing me around. This is when the excessive walking began. I was taken to the building next door for some paperwork. She then informs me that I need to go to the Main Campus which is in Bethesda. So I walk back next door because some other people were going to the main campus. We then walk the 2 blocks to the metro. Once at the NIH they just walk in because they have badges. I, on the other hand, go through airport-like security. The only I didn't have to do was take off my shoes. Once through there, I begin walking. I think I need to go to building 2... FAIL. Nope. So then I try walking around to find building 31 thinking that is where I need to go... FAIL. NOPE. Then I find out I REALLY need to go to building 10. I take a bus (YUP, the NIH is so big, they have buses to take you places) to building 10. I get my name badge FINALLY. Which back to the beginning I mentioned that I was lacking hair product... this resulted in a frizzy looking photo.
After getting my badge, I needed to get my SmartCard for the metro. Which I then realize is in building 31, the one I had JUST been in. So I hop BACK on a bus and go to building 31. I realized the people I asked for directions to building 10 from, where the people giving me my SmartCard. After getting my metro card, I am distressed. Honestly, I walked so far in those darn kitten heels. I thought they would be comfortable. NOPE.
At this point I call the lab in Rockville and ask if I can go home to do the required online training at home instead of at the lab. So I have finally gotten back to Tenleytown. A little sweaty and with many blisters from my NIH Main Campus adventure.
I NEED A NAP.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
FINALLY IN DC
OK. I made it. My flight was delayed in the air for an extra hour so it took 3 hrs instead of 2. I was a HOT MESS once at the airport. Lugging two suitcases, a tote bag, and a bagpack in DC humidity made me sweat my ass off. Alla, my fabulous new roommate met me at the airport to help me get all my stuff to Tenleytown.
So I am currently sitting in my closet sized bedroom. Funny how $650 a month gets you SO little in DC, but I would have a BALLER apartment in Des Moines for this much. But, I have my own bedroom, my own bathroom, washer and dryer on site, multiple fridges, and a full sized bed. So I will stop complaining now!
I have to unpack all my stuff, locate a iron, and figure out how to make my twin sized sheets fit onto the full sized bed (oops!). I start my job TOMORROWWWWWW!!!
So I am currently sitting in my closet sized bedroom. Funny how $650 a month gets you SO little in DC, but I would have a BALLER apartment in Des Moines for this much. But, I have my own bedroom, my own bathroom, washer and dryer on site, multiple fridges, and a full sized bed. So I will stop complaining now!
I have to unpack all my stuff, locate a iron, and figure out how to make my twin sized sheets fit onto the full sized bed (oops!). I start my job TOMORROWWWWWW!!!
AHHHHHHHHH
TODAY is THE day. I went out last night in Whitewater with some friends as a Going Away/Alexa's Bday/Kelsey's Bday/Matt was home/Derrick was home party. Pretty sure I went to bed at 3 AM, but I woke up at 6:30 AM this morning to drive home. I literally woke up with my heart pounding (which I am going to assume is because I'm so excited!!!!).
I have rearranged my carry-ons and added more to my suitcases about 800 times. I have had to weigh the them after every item I put in since they are both at 48 lbs and 46 lbs... so hopefully the airport's scale is about the same as mine! The orange bag has only shoes in it.... oops!
My flight is at 2:30 PM from Milwaukee straight to DC.... EEEEEEK.
I have rearranged my carry-ons and added more to my suitcases about 800 times. I have had to weigh the them after every item I put in since they are both at 48 lbs and 46 lbs... so hopefully the airport's scale is about the same as mine! The orange bag has only shoes in it.... oops!
Monday, May 16, 2011
Packing.
I LEAVE TOMORROW!!!!! I am PUMPED. I woke up at 6:30 am this morning because I couldn't sleep any longer. Plus I need to finish unpacking my car from moving back from Iowa. Packing my car sucked. Unpacking my car sucks.. but packing for DC is HORRIBLE! I packed, then unpacked... removed items.. repacked. Now I think I'm changing from a small suitcase to a big one and just checking 2 suitcases. I have big feet... Therefore, my shoes take up a lot of space! Walking around an airport and metro station will be interesting with two HUGE suitcases.....
:) I'M SO EXCITED!!!!!!!
:) I'M SO EXCITED!!!!!!!
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