Sunday, June 16, 2024
By:
This week, Charlotte left me. The week was filled with bad movies, missing Charlotte, and Jaden breaking our truce. It was hard to go on, but I did it with a broken heart (aka Charlotte being gone for the weekend). Quoting the great Ms. Swift: “Cause I’m a real tough kid, I can handle it.”
The week started with working at the ACP building. I had a few meetings and completed some work, making it a productive day. That night, I met with one of my old professors, Dr. Brad Barlow, for dinner at Founding Farmers. It was so nice to catch up with him and tell him about the work that I have been doing. Afterward, some of the interns and I watched Shrek 2 (another movie Charlotte had seen). I finished the evening by winning two games of Bananagrams (out of many) with Jaden and Charlotte.
Tuesday was a slower day. I went to NIST in the morning and was more productive in my work than the day before. I had a meeting with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on Software Intellectual Property training. It was an interesting meeting, and I learned a lot that will help me later in my career (I want to be a patent attorney). The night ended with a few interns and me attending a free comedy show!
Wednesday was my first day missing Charlotte. She overslept and left me ALONE to travel to NIST. I spent the entire day thinking about how she should be right down the hall from me, but instead, she was forty minutes away . It was quiet in the office without Brad and Charlotte, making me realize I am the distraction. After a long day at work, I took the trip back home (shoutout to Susan for letting me skip a meeting). That evening, Charles, Jaden, Brynn, Reidyn, Charlotte, and I went to the Wharf for Rock the Dock! We played a few games of cornhole while listening to good music and watching the sunset. We learned that in another life, I want to be a figure skater, and Jaden wants to be a blacksmith.
Thursday morning, I watched someone get arrested at 7 A.M. right outside the metro. A good way to start the day. The day was filled with back-to-back meetings, consisting of meetings with the USPTO and two staff meetings. Some important work was being done by the Mather interns because I ranked every flavor of Starburst to end the workday (watermelon is the best, and lemon is the worst). Charlotte and I joined the rest of our NIST team for a retirement happy hour (thank you, Brad, for the beer). We chatted with fellow colleagues Said, Mike, and Brad about a congressional hearing that Charlotte and I are attending. We ended the night watching Charlotte’s new favorite movie, Spy Kids.
Friday morning, Charles almost set the ACP building on fire. Fear not, all was well. We spent most of the day playing with boom whackers to prepare for Astronomy on the mall next weekend. Charlotte departed us halfway through the day and began our weekend separation. I would be lying if I said Friday was a productive day because, at one point, I had to give Charles my phone so that I could lock into my work (that lasted an hour). I convinced Jaden and Sonja to leave early with me. We had twelve Jazz in the Garden tickets this week, so ten interns went! It was a relaxing night to end a busy week.
The weekend was also relaxing. I spent most of Saturday cleaning my room and putting away laundry. I received photos of bird statues from Jaden, Maia, and Charles. I thought Jaden and I had an agreement that he wouldn’t bully me about my bird fear, but I have, in fact, been betrayed. That evening, Amanda, Maia, and I met Brad for dinner at the University of Maryland because we were invited to go to the symphony with Jack! I had never been to a symphony before, and I can gladly say that I would love to go again. On Sunday morning, Sonja and I walked to Starbucks and chilled in the AC on a hot day. Charlotte finally made her return, and we took a walk to catch up over the weekend. Charlotte, Jaden, Charles, and I had dinner and played some intense rounds of Bananagrams. Kaden joined us to watch one of my favorites, Good Will Hunting and Wall·E. That evening, we learned that Charles and Charlotte are now enemies (go read the end of Charlotte’s blog). I think it was a good way to end the week.
Jenna Mastropolo