Secrets and Surprises!

Nick came to visit me this weekend. The best thing about it was that it was a HUGE surprise. Nick and my whole family had me convinced that my brother Danny was coming to visit. So, at the airport, I was looking for Danny, and there was Nick instead. I cried (a lot), and it was one of two surprises that Nick's been able to keep from me--the other being the ring, of course! Anyway, here are some highlights from the weekend:

Nick's tour of Georgetown--he asked me not to visit campus until he could show me around.

Dahlgren Chapel





Healy Hall (front & back)





The steps from the movie The Exorcist, which I have yet to see.



Also, I didn't take my camera with us, but we did go to the Georgetown-Cincy game on Saturday (Win for the Hoyas, 76-57). Everyone's pretty excited about GT basketball right now, after last week's win over then-#1 Duke. Though I am a huge Duke/Coach K fan, I must say that I am happy the Hoyas are doing so well--I even cheered for them against Duke, much to the disappointment of my sister Mary Ann. Speaking of Mary Ann, this one's for you, from Nick:

The great cost of telling the story.

Earlier today, a roadside explosive seriously wounded ABC cameraman Doug Vogt and co-anchor Bob Woodruff in Iraq. Hopefully the day will come soon that will allow people to travel, work, and just exist without threats of violence.

A note... My time at ABC's Washington Bureau is made possible by the David Kaplan Memorial Fellowship. Vogt "...was sitting next to ABC News producer David Kaplan when the producer was shot and killed in Bosnia." No doubt this experience is causing those close to Mr. Kaplan to relive painful memories.

Please keep everyone invovled in your thoughts and prayers.

catching up

I'm on week 3 in DC. This has been such a great time. From working at ABC to attending seminars through MU's Washington Program, this experience has been so eye-opening and everyday, I have new opportunities to learn. I met with Sam Donaldson again today. He is really intense, in a good way. He's a walking encyclopedia of all things Washington--I really like spending time with him. He always quizzes me, on everything from the Supreme Court to journalism ethics to presidents. He really challenges me to think quickly so I can respond to his rapid-fire questions.

...

I didn't have to work last Monday, Martin Luther King, Jr. day. I decided to walk around the National Mall and the Tidal Basin and visit the presidential monuments/memorials. And yes, I took my camera, because even though I get to see these things often, these posts would be boring without pictures : ). Any requests for future posts?

Some notes: I took a few pictures of the MLK area at the Lincoln Memorial, but you could't really see it. Also, the gov't is restoring Lincoln right now, so the statue is surrounded by scaffolding. Not very exciting.

black hoods and attorney generals

One more thing today...
This story was on CNN:

http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/01/24/nsa.strategy/index.html
I was with one of the producers from ABC that covered the story. It was interesting to see the protest, and to listen to Gonzales's speech. The panel of law professors after the speech was great--they broke down the issue and presented such differing views on the legality of Bush's wiretapping program. I'm a total nerd--I think constitutional law is soooo cool.

The other perk of this, of course, is that the speech was at Georgetown University Law Center, so I got to check out one of the buildings Nick will be spending A LOT of time in next year!

ABC in DC

This has been a whirlwind week so far. I moved to Washington, D.C. on Sunday, and started my fellowship at ABC News Monday morning. Everyone I've met has been great--all very willing to help me learn how the network operates. Some highlights: I met with Sam Donaldson, Elizabeth Vargas did her portion of the live webcast from the room I was working in on Monday, I watched Jake Tapper's World News Tonight piece come together on Tuesday (I did a quick interview for the story, but it didn't make it into the final piece), and today, I went to the White House. In the morning, ABC's White House producer (who said he wanted a pseudonym in my blog... he was joking, then I told him I'm actually starting to write one) gave me the tour of the press area (looks pretty much as I pictured it, but smaller). I also met ABC Radio's Ann Compton, ABC's Jessica Yellin, and NBC's Kelly O'Donnell. I watched President Bush land on the South Lawn in Marine One. The walk out to the lawn allowed me to see the Oval Office, too. Just a little detail--along the sidewalk, I noticed a dog's water dish, no doubt for Miss Beazley and Barney. Oh, and ask me about the coffeemaker in the breakroom. It's a good story.