Sunday, June 9, 2019
By:
Intern’s Log
Stardate 72903.3
I love public libraries. You get free wifi. You’re surrounded by the diverse People of Washington D.C, just living their lives. It’s one of the only places that I’ve been were a stranger has sat next to me and then fallen asleep. This, I think, is what life in D.C. is all about.
This week at Goddard found me deeply at the mercy of the schedules of others. The unfortunate thing about doing very specific work with high-tech machines is that if the machine stops working, there’s not too many people that can fix it—and chances are, those people are very very busy. So, as I was met with a slight dead end on one avenue of work, I picked up another and started on writing and optimizing a data analysis program in Python (the world’s greatest language, try to convince me otherwise). The most exciting thing about my work this week, I think, is that it will lead to progress next week!
I’d say that most of the hooplah in the last seven days happened outside the high fences of Goddard. I found a positive aspect to my hour-and-a-half long commutes into and out of work: I get to read a lot. I finished two books this week, and am already chomping at the bit to start a few more! On Saturday, I got to experience something unlike anything else: D.C’s Pride Parade. It was an amazing scene of colors and noise, with people cramming the streets and leaning from balconies. I attended the Pride parade with a long-time friend of mine who was in D.C. just for the parade. I loved it! It is one of the only times I’ve seen so many people come together to show that they are proud to be who they are, and that’s beautiful. Besides that, I also started something new: running! A few of the other interns and I took to the streets and went for a run—something that I’ve wanted to get into, but never had the motivation. I guess all I needed was to be surrounded by motivated people.
Speaking of the people: never have I felt such community and friendship grow within a group so quickly. We’ve known each other for barely two weeks, but I already know that they’ll be some of my closest friends throughout the summer. There are few things that I value more than meeting people working towards their dreams, and I am glad to say that I am living among 16 of such people.
By the way, attached is the image of the bunny suit I promised last week.
Nolan Roth