Changing Directions: Informative and Informational Posts Upcoming

In an effort to provide this blog more direction, usefulness, and frequency, I am going to begin detailing what the entire TWC program entails, start to finish. My inspiration for doing so came Tuesday of this past week, when I became absolutely, 100%, would not change a thing satisfied with every aspect of my experience thus far. I hope my subsequent posts will be a helpful reference for future TWC interns, as each will detail what has worked for me. Bottom line, be proactive. But first, what have I been up to?

I finally started to work on my own professional development, outside of the TWC program. I feel like if someone sat me down on day one and said, “This is what you should be doing,” I would not have wasted the first month and a half being so timid. Anyway, last Friday I went in to an Oklahoma Congressional office and asked to speak with their Chief of Staff. I wanted to impress upon them how motivated I was to be part of a Congressional Campaign next year, but was told they were busy and I left with a business card. A few emails later landed me an informational interview on Monday of this week. We spoke about possible options and I left much better informed and optimistic about my possibilities

I also made some inroads with Headcount. They are an organization which conducts voter registration drives at concert events across the country. I volunteered to help and will be doing so in the near future.

I also will be a volunteer at the 30th annual Turkish-American Business Council event, being held at the Ritz-Carlton in DC. Why not, I thought, it sounded pretty interesting and I should be able to meet some very interesting people.

On Tuesday I was able to move from the finance department over to the political department in the NRCC. This is where I have supposed to of been all along, I can feel the intensity in the room and it’s very refreshing. Right now I am compiling information on all the Republican Candidates for House seats across the country. It is a really interesting project and I love going to work every day. This is the event that put my TWC experience into the “it doesn’t get any better than this” category.

I will provide details on how I think future TWC interns can achieve this as well in the coming days, beginning with TWC internship placement process.

PS: Did anyone else feel embarresed for Rick Perry in the last debate like I did? I don't really like or dislike the guy all that much, but I did find myself feeling sorry for him. I mean, what do you say to him when he comes off the stage after something like that if your a consultant? Maybe......"say the sentence in your head first, then, when you feel confident in the delivery, write it down and read the words." I don't know who's telling him to engage Romney like that but keep up the good prep work!

Oh one last thing, VOTE RON PAUL 2012!

Goodness Gracious!

I have had another amazing week. I was able to get out of the city for a while, receive some amazing training, and I met my personal hero who just happens to be our nation’s next President. Things are going great!

Last Saturday I had a case of the blues. My wife had gone home and I was content to just sit and sulk, but I remembered that I had secured a spot on the bus to Atlantic City for the day. TWC had put the trip together and around 40 or so interns were lucky enough to go. We left at 8:00 am and got home at around 11:00 pm. I had no idea it was a 4-hour drive, but it was a nice change of scenery. I do not enjoy gambling so much but I was able to get a haircut and eat some crab cakes, so I ended up having a good time.

Beginning last Monday, I and another intern from the NRCC started a week long Campaign Manager School that was conducted by The Leadership Institute in Arlington, Virginia. There were around 30 or so political activist from across the country in attendance, which made it a great networking opportunity.

I can definitely say that I was completely ignorant of what a well-run, legitimate political campaign looks like and needs to have to win. We had experts ranging from Congressional Chiefs of Staff, who had previously run high-dollar campaigns, to industry leaders dealing in everything from direct mail to the newest internet ads giving lectures.

We also had a 3-hour class which was titled: Advanced New Media Workshop. It mostly dealt with how to effectively manage a candidates Facebook and Twitter accounts. It is all a little overwhelming right now, but I have another Campaign Manager School in November that is being conducted by the Republican National Committee. It is supposed to be more hands on with many situational exercises. I’ll do my best to hone my skills then.

On Wednesday of last week, I met Congressman Ron Paul who is a candidate for President! He was in town for a lunch which was held at the National Press Club. My Professor Steve Scully knew the lady who was coordinating the event, and was able to get me and 3 other students in, to stand in the back during his speech and the question and answer segment which followed.



The day got progressively better which each passing hour though. At around 10:00 am we got an email from Steve indicating his friend was able to get us all tickets to the lunch. Then, almost 30 minutes after that great news, another email arrived. We were now being allowed to participate in the VIP reception being held prior to the lunch with Rep. Paul.

Throughout this time we all met the Congressman, took multiple pictures with him, spoke with him individually, and I was able to get my pocket Constitution signed. It goes without saying that I was on Cloud 9 for the rest of the day. I even made a side trip to the National Archives, on the way back to my campaign class, to see the original Constitution and Declaration of Independence. Just caught up in the moment I guess.

Next week it’s back to my internship at the NRCC. So far there isn’t anything that really stands out about the week. But if this last one is any guide, I know that could change on a whim!

An Amazing Third Week!

I have had an awesome time this past week. My days were full of experiences I once thought unimaginable just a short semester ago. My internship is going great, my class at TWC is such a unique and rewarding opportunity, and I have learned that being a political junkie is not so lonely after all!

On Monday, all Washington Center interns (around 320 students) were required to attend a discussion and question and answer segment moderated by Steve Scully with former Senators Lott and Dorgan on the issue of bipartisanship. The event was recorded for CSPAN and aired at 7:55 central time on CSPAN-1. This gave me the chance to make my national television debut, asking the second question during the Q&A segment about 22 minutes into the broadcast. Though I did not realize it, this would be only my first interaction of the day with former elected officials.

That evening during my class, which is also taped for television and airs on CSPAN-3 Fridays at around 4:30 central time, our guest was Gerald Rafshoon. He was the Media Strategist for the '76 Carter for President Campaign and a former White House Communications Director. A surprise came when around ten minutes into the class former President Jimmy Carter called in to discuss the campaign and take questions.

There are only 24 Washington Center students in this particular class and since our professor/ moderator of the program Steve Scully is still learning everyone’s name, he surprised me by saying, "President Carter I think some of our students have questions at this point. Trevor, I believe you have a question, go ahead." I thought of something relevant to campaigns and came out all right. Then again, when it came time for the Q&A segment with Mr. Rafshoon, and because at that point in time I believe he could only remember the name "Trevor", Steve said, "Go ahead Trevor." Though I was caught off guard twice that evening, it was a very enjoyable class and I am grateful for the opportunity.

The next day at work, the Republican National Committee organized a field trip for the interns in the building, around 20 in all. We walked to the Daily Caller, an online publication started by the man with the bowtie, Tucker Carlson. He has worked for CBS, ABC, CNN, and now is a consultant for Fox News. He came in and sat directly across the table from me for almost an hour, discussing his past, giving advice, and answering any questions we asked. He was very down to earth and extremely personable, making it another amazing day.

On Wednesday I was back to my duties with the NRCC. Mainly stuffing envelopes, calling potential NRCC donors, and doing some research on various people the NRCC is interested in. No matter how small the task, I am happy to be part of the team.

That evening they did let me help with a reception for Congressman Mike Scully of Pennsylvania. It was a small gathering and I was able to speak with a lot of interesting people who make their living on the hill. Then on Friday morning I volunteered to help with a breakfast for the Texas State Society held at the Capitol Hill Club, again affording me the opportunity to meet people who openly describe themselves as fellow “political junkies”.

Perhaps the most exciting day for me came late Thursday evening, when my beautiful wife Leslie flew in for her first visit since I left. We have been enjoying each other’s time together and I will hate seeing her leave early next Tuesday morning.

Besides my wife leaving, I look forward to my fourth week in DC. I love every second and know all too well that the time is flying by. I try not to think about that too much and make the most out of every experience. I’ll let you know how it goes.

My Second Week Working on the Hill

Well, I finished up my second week at the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC). It was pretty awesome at some points and pretty boring at others. I’ll focus on the awesome. I also would like to speak to my course and some of the upcoming events that I am looking forward to this week.

Beginning on Tuesday of last week all the interns at the Republican National Committee (RNC), of which I am included, had lunch in the Reagan Room of the RNC. The RNC Communications Director came in and we all got to question him for over an hour. It was very interesting as he is the man behind the scenes of every media appearance the RNC makes and the framing of the RNC’s message whenever they issue a statement to the media.

This upcoming Tuesday, all RNC interns and there are only around 15 of us, get to take a tour of the Daily Caller and then chat with its founder, Tucker Carlson. I realize few if any know who these people are that I have and will be referring to, besides the other political junkies out there, so I’ll try and get a picture to spur your memory, think bowtie.

Mainly this past week I have been stuffing envelopes and making a lot of phone calls back to Oklahoma, the NRCC has an event in Tulsa on the 29th of this month. If anyone wants to attend please let me know, it would really make me look good if I could sell a few tickets. I actually did get one person to RSVP with me over the phone. She paid $1,000 for a general reception ticket to the event. When I told my superiors and gave them her credit card info, they acted like I had done something amazing. I felt like this is what the goal of all these calls had been all along and wondered what the big deal was. If I was in charge I would have been disappointed in my interns only getting one RSVP out of 8 pages of phone calls.

On Thursday of this past week the Director of the Finance Department, who is also from Oklahoma, took me to the Oklahoma State Society Congressional Reception that was held in the Capitol building. All of Oklahoma’s Congressmen, along with Governor Mary Fallin where present at the event and I got to meet them all. I also ran into the President of the Bank of Stillwater who was my father's best man in his wedding and graduated from OSU with him, talk about a small world.

Friday I was able to attend a NRCC PAC meeting where the Director of the Political Department gave an overview of all the seats they were targeting in the up-coming 2012 Congressional election. There were around 20 people there and I assume they were big money donors because he kept talking about them being excited to write checks to the NRCC. The meeting began with a speech from Rob Barker, who recently won the special election in New York 9 and Ahmeday, who won the special election in Nevada. The NRCC feels pretty confident in adding seats to the current Republican Majority in the House in 2012.

Well RSU, I’m getting ready for the Dallas game and have to start on my Political Leadership homework which is due tomorrow. Oh, my wife is visiting this week, so if anyone has any ideas of something romantic I can do for her while she is here please let me know. I have no clue when it comes to things like that. Tomorrow we go to a panel discussion featuring former Senator Trent Lott, and then our guest at the CSPAN class is going to be Jimmy Carters campaign manager. A little birdie told me after last week’s class to have a question ready for President Carter himself, so we’ll see.

My First Week

The US Capitol on a Sunny Saturday Afternoon

Well students of Rogers State, I would like to begin this blog with a piece of humble advice. Do not fly in to Dulles International Airport when flying into Washington D.C. I arrived on the 31st of August and because of a cheap ticket from Southwest, I ended up spending $80 dollars on a taxi and one hour in traffic. It wasn’t worth it! Now to my actual post…….

Wow! So far my entire experience at The Washington Center (TWC) has been absolutely amazing! I know I have only been here just short of a week and a half now, but wow! I am interning at the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), I have my own apartment just eight blocks from Capitol Hill, I have been an arm’s length away from Speaker of the John Boehner, and I have taken a cruise on the Potomac River. Please allow me start at the beginning.

On the 1st of September we had an orientation where many different speakers came to address us. One was the President of the Washington Center program, the very top of the totem pole here so to speak. There were 320 students from around the world all seated in the auditorium and he began to pick individuals out, asking them where they were from, what they were majoring in, how they heard of the program, etc. The last student he picked out was yours truly.

I began by telling him I hailed from the thriving metropolis of Nowata, Oklahoma. I then said that I had heard of TWC program after asking one of my professors, Dr. Carolyn Taylor, how to become more active in politics or where to even begin. Upon hearing the name he immediately knew exactly where I went to school. He informed the entire student body that Stratton Taylor, Dr. Taylor’s husband, was an alumnus of TWC and then gave us all a brief history of Stratton’s accomplishments. He then went on to say how Stratton Taylor truly encompassed the three pillars of TWC; civic engagement, leadership, and giving back to the community. It made me very proud to be a student at Rogers State University.

I began my internship the following Tuesday in the financial department of the NRCC. This is basically the fund raising arm of the NRCC. I really lucked out here because the Director of this department is actually from Norman. He was excited that another “Okie” was working in his area and I am excited to be working for him. Something everyone keeps saying again and again is how important networking is and I see this as an important contact to have.

The most exciting thing I was included in this past week was a welcome back reception for Republican members of Congress at The Capitol Hill Club. I was only giving out name tags to lobbyists but the room was so small that I was literally, at different points in the evening, standing right next to Speaker Boehner, Rep. Darrell Issa, Rep. John Sullivan, Rep. Frank Lucas, and many others, I do not believe the smile ever left my face that night.

We also have to take a course in addition to our internship and I believe I lucked out here as well. I enrolled in a course that is being done with C-SPAN. It was open to twenty-five students and will be broadcast on C-SPAN 3 every Friday evening. Every week we will have different guests and we will be able to ask them whatever questions we may have related to Presidential politics. Just tonight I was able to get in a couple of questions with Jonathan Martin from Politico.

The most exciting aspect however is that our Professor for the three hour class, held every Monday, is none other than Steve Scully! If anyone, besides myself, ever watches C-Span one or two on the weekends then you should know who he is. He hosts different programs and has interviewed nearly every political figure you could imagine. He is also a really great teacher and super easy to talk to. Its the picture at the top.

Everything is like a dream come true so far. The way everything is shaping up I hope to be able share still more awesome experiences that Rogers State has made possible for me in the days and weeks to come, so be sure to check out this blog at least once a week to hear all about them.

Shutdown Showdown

I believe it was Socrates who said it is good to live in interesting times. Although Wikipedia says it's a Chinese curse, I can't that seriously because I've seen them run some misinformation on Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones for three years, notably that his oil and natural gas lease business was based in Oklahoma instead of Arkansas.

Regardless of who said it, this past week was a very interesting time in our nation's capital, and if you get to be a Washington Center intern, then certainly you may experience such interesting times.

I intern for Voice of America, which is an arm of the federal government. It's not like the Social Security Administration or some of the other bureaucratic agencies in Washington, but it still would have had some employees furloughed because of the government shutdown. In my case, I didn't know what was going to happen because I was an intern. Although I wasn't being paid, my transit subsidies could be considered payment and for that reason, I might have been furloughed. I didn't want to be; I wanted to keep coming to work. I love working on VOA 60 every day and get disappointed on days that I don't. So, if the government shut down, I was going to keep going to work until the security guards drove me away.

Of course, even if that would have happened, I still would have been figuring a way to better my career. I would have devoted more time to finding material for my radio show and building my portfolio. I wasn't going to sit around and wait to die of Dutch Elm Disease if the government shut down.

Some of the other interns at federal agencies were looking forward to it. You know, they could take their time off and go sight-see or whatever they do. I wouldn't know; I actually wouldn't know. I'm so engrossed in my work here in Washington, D.C. and also with graduating that I am numb to a great many things. I'm so focused on getting out of college that I can't feel anything right now.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying the city isn't an exciting place to see. It is, but I saw it before when I was 12, 13 years old. So, I'm not missing out on anything, and what I did miss out on when I was 12 and 13 can be supplemented in a relatively short amount of time when I break on through to the other side of this capstone project.

Did I tell you about that? Yeah, I did from last week. Well, the good news is this week I was able to round up my final panelist. He's not from a think tank, but he is a well-read professor at George Washington University and I think he matches the credibility of the conservative panelist I chose. So, everything is fine on that front. My capstone project will be completed when conduct the panel discussion at Voice of America's radio studios this Thursday the 14th. I can't wait; I'm very excited.

It almost didn't happen because of the government shutdown. If the government would have shut down, I'm not sure what would have happened to my studio time because I'm not sure if I could have gotten into the building. But that wasn't stopping me from carrying out my capstone project; I called around town to see if there were any free radio studios I could use for thirty minutes. I wasn't going to let my capstone project get swept up the political machinery.

But let's do a recap of last week. On Monday, we had programming and Dr. Lawrence Korb, a former administrator in the Reagan administration, spoke to us on foreign policy, notably Libya. I liked the guy's approach. He stood out in front of the podium and engaged us like a Pentecostal preacher. I mean, look at these photos I took. Parts of them are blurry because the guy wouldn't stay still.

Of course, I was sitting next to the same crazino who told me to put my camera away, even though I cleared it with one of the supervisors of the event. Remember that one? Remember the photographic fief from the last discussion panel three weeks ago? Oh, he looked over at my camera phone like your best friend's crazy cocker spaniel when a 1991 Chevy Caprice would drive down the street. He was ready to strike; I can guarantee it. That's why I made sure to snap a few quick pictures and put my camera away.

And, like always, they opened up the microphone to ask questions and some people gave lectures instead. TWC really ought to invest in a vaudeville hook. I don't want to knock on the foreign students because it really takes a lot of moxie to ask a question in front of 100 students in a language not your own. So, I accept their rambling. I don't like it when homegrown students get up there and do the ol' two-for-one. Oh, and another one they did was right when we thought the last of the students had asked a question, another one would jump up to get in line. This happened about three times. Finally, the administrators cut 'em off and we could leave.

What does that make me? A mean guy for telling you about that? No, I think it's what you'll feel too whenever you become a student at The Washington Center. There will be days when you're interesting in the programming and the lectures, but you really don't have the patience for the questions because A) they're the final event before you can leave, B) you're hungry enough to eat a boot, and C) you're tired enough to beat the band.

Anyway, whatever.

So this week was all about the cherry blossoms. Actually, the past two weeks were. This weekend, I had a chance to go out and see some of them across town:

I also got to see people enjoying the temperate weather out on the National Mall. There was some kickball tournament going on.

I don't know about you, but just witnessing scenes like this makes me feel more patriotic and proud of my country than any piece of legislation Congress passes or executive order the President signs. There's just something reassuring and timeless about scenes like that. The day you don't see scenes like that on the National Mall is the day you know America's in trouble.

Good gravy -- I don't mean to sound like a prophet of doom! I don't know. Maybe it's the work; it's getting to me. I'm just so focused on graduating and getting out of school that I've become numb to certain things and I'm starting to revert back to my sarcastic self. But I don't know if it's even my sarcastic self that's seeping through. It's more like a chilled logical persona that has no time for games and frivolity. I just want to bust through this week like a brick wall and come out the other side ready to bust a move. I'm so ready to get this capstone project over with.

Before I forget, I want to warn you about the vast size of the National Mall. It's something that gets lost when you're down there in the National Mall or looking at a map planning your Saturday afternoon with the blue fanny pack and the white sneakers and the Polaroid camera from 1993. You think it's all so close together, but you really don't know until you've walked a good hour and a half to get to these sites. So, let this picture instructional for you:

Look to the houses on the right, just above them. That's the Capitol. Now, look over to your left before you get to the air traffic control tower. That's the Washington Monument. DO YOU SEE HOW FAR IT IS BETWEEN THE TWO SITES? That's an incredible distance, and you really do put a burden on yourself and that chick in the floor above you that you try to impress every day by timing your "coincidental" meetings in the elevator when you two get off work. So, don't be afraid to take a cab or the Metro. You know, there won't be a Needles there to call you a chicken.

All right, before we get out of here, let's close up shop with another one of my dad's famous sayings:

"like a fat girl at a fricassee"

Definition: a natural pairing

Usage: I'm always working on VOA 60 like a fat girl at a fricassee."

By Inferno's Light

I know; I know. It has been two weeks since my last blog post. And I know what you're thinking. You're thinking I'm not that committed to this thing anymore or that I'm running out of ideas or that I'm not fascinated by my blogging opportunity anymore.

Well, you could take it that way, but you would be totally wrong. I have been so immersed in my duties here in Washington DC that I don't do anything when I get home but sleep. I don't feel like talking to anyone or doing anything. And it's exacerbated on the weekends. I don't feel like doing anything but lying around and catching up on some sleep. My bosses at Voice of America can tell that it's Friday because I come into work beaten and fatigued. It's true. By Friday afternoon, I'm ready to take a big nap.

So the more this semester continues, the more tired I'm going to feel on weekends. See how that works out? That's why I haven't been blogging, not that I haven't had anything to blog about.

Take this for instance that happened on Tuesday, March 22nd. In my "Press, Power, and Politics" class taught by Professor Marjorie Kline, we got to go on a field trip to "The Kalb Report" yet again. This time, Diane Sawyer was there on his show at the National Press Club.

Of course, the auditorium was full by the time we got there with all of the lummoxes and the seat-grabbers-from-behind and the old fogies. Somehow, I got separated from the group, so I went and sat elsewhere. The first place I sat was perpendicular with the stage. As soon as I did that, some woman with her hair in a bun to rival the leaning tower of Pisa sits right in front of me eclipsing my view. Then, some geeky guy crowds next to me on my right. I almost have a breakdown with that and the typical cacophony that fills an auditorium before a presentation that I left the seat and went elsewhere.

I went way in the back; I didn't care. I was already separated from the group and any seat I chose was going to be crap anyway. So, I decided to go sit way in the back where no one would touch me. Well, as soon as I did that, and enjoyed myself for 9 minutes, some guy comes and sits next to me again.

It's the same thing on the Metro. I don't get this. Why do I get guys that sit next to me? For once, I'd like a female about my age to crowd next to me on a Metro or in an auditorium instead of another guy with spiked hair and a trick jacket he lays across the three seats to his right to save a seat for his friends. You ever notice that? You ever notice how men wear their trench coats and women their minks when they go to big events like that? They do it because they can take it off and save a seat and then you look like a schmuck after you barrel over seven people across the row to get there and find that out.

When the guy set down his jacket, I took of my suit coat and put it over my chair. I left the room to take a few deep breaths. Everything was a disaster to this point. I was cut off from the group, so I couldn't make smart aleck remarks. I couldn't see, not only Diane Sawyer, but not even a monitor because it was blocked off by the Marge Simpson brigades in front of me with their cartoonish tall hair. Then, I was going to have to be pestered the whole time with some lame-brain texting the sequel to "War and Peace" on her Blackberry.

Oh, I didn't tell you about that? Yeah, after I came back from catching my breath, I was instead sitting next to some petite brunette with glasses texting the whole time during the hour-long "Kalb Report." And she wasn't some nineteen year-old dingbat with a PR Facebook account that she never updates. No, this was a woman of about thirty years texting furiously on her phone. It sounded like a baseball team with cleats walking down the tunnel to get onto the field. "Click clack. Click clack. Click clack." I couldn't believe how ostentatious she was with her texting.

Now, I tried not to let it bother me because I figured, "Hey, with all of this bad stuff happening, something's got to give. Maybe I'll get my picture taken with Diane Sawyer."

Let's speed up the tape in this VCR of a blog and see what happened:

Nothing. You can't even tell that's her. It looks like the Old Man in the Mountain from Franconia, New Hampshire. But that's what I was dealing with. She was mobbed by the crowd as though she was the Messiah and she could heal the sick, and so you had to be on your game when you wanted to get your picture with her. Just my luck, I had a stranger take my picture. I had some middle-aged woman who probably knew more about souvlaki than photography snapping my picture. After she took this god awful picture, she hands the camera back to me and says it was great. Yeah, sure.

Now, I know I'm being exceptionally cranky about this whole ordeal, but it did turn out great in some regard. The girl featured in this picture is -- well, I don't know if I can reveal her name. We'll call her "Yankee Girl" because she comes from Michigan and sounds like it too. She's in my class, in my program, 20 years old, and claims Diane Sawyer was the reason she got into journalism. So, before the event, I told Yankee Girl that I would take the picture.

And it was no ordinary feat, we both had to swim through the crowd at different points and converge on Diane Sawyer. But it turned out okay:

And what's my reward for it? To still live out the role of Chief O'Brien's duplicate in the Deep Space Nine episode "Whispers."

You want me to talk about that? No, I don't think I will. I forgot I wasn't in a cafe', so maybe I'll save that for my most devoted fans.

I don't know if Facebook videos have the capability of being embedded here, but here's video evidence of The Washington Center students totally owning the Q&A process:

We'll see if that gets embedded or if you can even watch it after you click the link. But it's just more indisputable evidence of how awesome you have to be to make the cut here at The Washington Center.

I did get to have my picture taken with someone of significance at "The Kalb Report," ol' Frank Sesno of CNN, Associated Press, and PBS fame. I wanted my picture taken with him because he hosted a show entitled "The Future of News" that we aired on RSU Public Television, the place where I got my first job in the media as a master control operator.

Good gravy! Look at my tie. I look like a snickerer that belongs on "Red Eye" with my tie all crooked like that.

The next Tuesday, things were better as far as getting pictures with celebrities was concerned.

Let me talk about that for a moment. I only do that for this blog. I do it to show how far you can go with your internship here at The Washington Center. You think I care if I get my picture taken with some of these people? Not really. In fact, I don't like to be part of the crazy mob that surrounds them, only a few cloaks from a Draco moment in Ancient Greece. I mean, let's think about this: how does my life change if I get my picture taken with a celebrity?

A) Do my sick relatives regain their health lost by disease? No.

B) Does the sum of my personal fortune rise as a result? No.

C) Do they ask me if I want to join them in a Hummer limousine ride that night? No.

D) Do I become a celebrity because of this picture? No.

So, I mean, what's the motivation to fight through a crowd for a photo op? I don't know; it's just my stoic way of looking at these things.

But I got to meet Kevin Eubanks, the former band leader on "The Tonight Show." He was doing a show with Larry London on Voice of America's "Border Crossings."

Being a Dallas Cowboys fan, I tried to talk to him about the Philadelphia Eagles since he's a big fan. You would see him on "The Tonight Show" with the guitar laughing at Jay Leno and wearing an Eagles hat or something. Anyway, he didn't even know the Eagles were trying to trade Kevin Kolb. So there you go.

That afternoon, after work, it was a nice day out on the National Mall. I walked around clearing my thoughts so I could prepare my mind for my radio show that evening:

Since it was so nice and I wasn't so tired, I walked to the Supreme Court:

Yeah, with nice weather like this, I'm sure you'll get more pictures of Washington DC from me.

It's difficult to comprehend that I only have one month left. I'm so pulled in sundry directions by my capstone project -- oh, did I tell you about that, Mr. Overachiever? Did I tell you what my capstone project is? Instead of mailing it in and doing a video or something, since I'm in Washington DC and I want to get into radio, I decide to do a radio pilot on health care reform.

I have done everything I can and appealed to as many think tanks in this town to make this possible. Now that I have one panelist from the think tanks, it's really going to be easy to get the other panelist for my show because now I can tell them who they will be debating.

So, I mean, that's ADDED STRESS on top of all of the other Washington Center and Voice of America assignments and projects that are all converging about the same time that I present my capstone. Of course, I'll do well. I'll do such a great job that it will be the academic equivalent of this:

Let's just hope when I remember to pay my jewelry and rent bills.

If I would have had it to all over again, I would have carefully planned my semesters and never taken less than 15 hours. I think I would have still had to do my capstone and my internship in my final semester here, but at least I wouldn't be hampered with history and public administration along with it. The way it all shakes out, I'm actually taking 18 hours this semester, AND I'M NOT EVEN ON CAMPUS AT MY HOME UNIVERSITY!

But the thing with me is if you never tell me how hard it's supposed to be, I won't get discouraged. And that's how I've treated it. I just want to get through this. After it's over, then I'll go look at the statistics to see how hard this really was. But I'm telling YOU right now that the best thing you could do is take care of all of your obligations so you can really enjoy this experience and not feel so rushed as I do.

Would I trade this for something else, say, a 12-hour semester of tranquility back at Rogers State University? Not hardly. This is where I have to be. This is where I belong. This is what I have to do to advance my career. "I'll take dat."

Let's conclude things with one of my dad's famous sayings and get out of here:

"more ________ than Carter has pills"

Definition: to have an unparalleled quantity

Usage: If I Dez Bryant doesn't pay off his bills, he'll have more lawsuits than Carter has pills.