Hello from DC!

OK - this is a bit late (only a week late but late none the less) but be happy you're getting it ;-) I arrived in DC last Sunday for my summer internship at the Smithsonian Institute Archives. I am lucky enough to be staying with family in the beautiful Capitol Hill neighborhood.

First off, I am loving this city. Minus the extreme heat that makes me feel like I am hitting a wall when I step outside the door, it is an absolutely beautiful place to live. One of my new loves is the Metro system. Seriously, why doesn't every city have one of these?? It is so easy and fast to get anywhere. It works great for me, car-less as ever, especially. Plus, I am in a city with a million museums - what is a girl like me not to love?

I've visited two of the Smithsonian Museums so far and I need to go back to both to finish them. I ran out of time at the Museum of Natural History (NMNH) as I went after work one night and couldn't get everything done before it closed. My main highlight there was the Gemstones and Minerals. I think I looked at rocks for a good hour and half. I didn't even drool at the Hope Diamond that long either. I did sigh longingly over some of the emeralds and sapphires though. Sadly, my gem of choice isn't even a gem according to the Smithsonian. I was quite put out to find my amethyst classified as quartz and stuck in with all the minerals. I guess I have cheap tastes then!

The other museum I've been to is the National Gallery of Art (NGA) which I was very excited to see. My only other foray at the Mall was in 8th grade, before I developed my love of art museums. This museum was fabulous and I'm looking forward to going back. I went with my fellow interns and we skipped a wing in favor of modern art. However, I dreamed my way through another collection of the Impressionists. I do so adore them. If only I could see the world like that. NGA's Van Gogh collection was slim but they had some fabulous Renoirs and Monets so I forgive them for now. It is a massive museum though - we spent all day there and skipped a wing so I definitely will take another morning or afternoon to finish my visit there. (FYI - I did buy two books at this museum but let's face it - the only other place I might by a book at is the National Archives so I feel entirely justified in my purchases). After we did the museum, we walked for a bit in the fabulous 100 degree heat. We found the Navy Memorial that way and made our way along East and Pennsylvania for a bit. However, I was seriously gross when I got back to the house. I am not accustomed to heat - I am from CNY people!

So, I suppose I should discuss my job a little? I have to keep a blog and write reports for my class on my internship so I'll probably post those on this blog as well for my family to read (it will be riveting, have no fear!). The Smithsonian Institute Archives (SIA) is in Capital Gallery, a block south from the National Air and Space Museum (NASM). The facility is superb and the staff so nice and friendly. My supervisor, Tammy, has been great. I have spent the majority of my time so far on my major summer project, digitizing photos from the Science Service morgue files. The files have been interesting to go through. The Science Services was like AP for scientists and the files I'm working with are from the 1920s to the late 1960s. Some of the cool things I've found deal with atomic energy and weaponry research so far as well as the occasional woman scientist who existed in the early years of the files. I have been surprised how long it takes me to entirely process a folder to be honest but I think I have found the best system for me so I just keep plugging away at them.

Last week, on Friday, they did let me out of my windowless scanning room. I worked on accessioning and arranging the papers of Donald Lopaz, the former deputy director of NASM. He seemed like a very cool guy - he was a fighter pilot with the Flying Tigers in China during WWII and worked with NASA on the Saturn rocket design. His papers weren't bad to go through at all which is always a good thing. Organization was not his strong point however - I pulled a stack of papers from a box inside another box...ugh. I don't know when I'll get a chance to finish his papers. I had a bunch of electronic records to get through yet. However, I have scanning tomorrow, I'm out at the Fullerton warehouse on Wednesday, more scanning on Thursday (I'm assuming, we have a calendar but it changes frequently so one never knows...) and then Friday I'm at the NMNH with Tammy to look through four filing cabinets in Paleobiology. Fun times ahead for me :-)

I am enjoying it though, a lot. I was wary of coming to be honest. I'm not much of a city person but I have found if I can find my cute little neighborhood, residential pocket in a city, I seem to do just fine. Good thing to know for down the road.