Dear Friends and Family,

Well hello again. Apologies for not writing sooner... I think the last time I corresponded with most of you was before graduation, and I think I've written you about three different E-letters in succession since then, but never sent them.... *L* there's a girl with initiative! Ha! ...the reason being I wanted to update www.michellesjourneys.com concurrently, but I don't have the means to do that of late, so I've attached pictures instead(one is of me and two housemates and John Ashcroft who goes to our church in Union Station, and one is of the 4th of July fireworks). I'll email you when I do get the website updated.

Life in DC... I can't say it's all been peachy. I've had to work through a lot of insecurities- on the job, in the home... the transition required more energy and thought than I suspected, and my excitement for my new situation flattened after a week's time of stresses ran me over. Let me remind you that I graduated from UC Santa Cruz on June 11th and started work in DC on June 13th. Had I given myself more time to transition (i.e., soak up the feel and discover the character of DC/get established/consider how to approach my internship at NASA/contemplate graduation) I believe I would have relieved myself of stresses that I still grapple with today.

So now that you've heard the whine, let's go for the cheese! I bet most of you would like to know what NASA Headquarters is like. It is not like any other NASA center you've been to (if indeed you have been to one- i.e. Ames, Kennedy, Johnson) where NASA conducts research and gives tours of facilities. Headquarters is located about two blocks away from

'The Mall'- the big stretch of land between the US Capitol and the Washington Monument. It is one big office building with just 3 flags and a signpost to mark its existence. I work under the Science Missions Directorate (NASA has 4 mission directorates- Science, Space Opeartions, Aeronautics Research, and Space Exploration) under a woman named Sharron Sample who has worked at Headquarters starting a week after man first stepped on the moon (July 22, 1969). She oversees about 10 contractors in the technical support group for NASA and has about the best verbal skills I've seen for a management-type job. My project involves working with a few of her contractors to prepare for the promotion of the 50 years of scientific accomplishment at NASA (NASA will be 50 years old in 2008). Up until a couple of weeks ago, though I had small assignments to work on, I felt a tad directionless and purposeless as we were waiting for a historian contractor to join and basically head our team. Now, Julijana, our historian- who has finished something like two masters and two PhD's in things like European History- tells me what to research and I get to spend my days at the Library of Congress and the Smithsonian National Air and Space Muesum Archives just reading and recording applicable info about NASA's history... and what a story it is! Of course, to understand NASA and its accomplishments, you must study the organization's roots. Just how did flight come about? When did people start to conceive that we could actually send instruments into space? What sorts of movements pushed us (Americans) to pursue airflight and rocket technology and finally space technology? How did we feel when the Soviets made it to space before us and what sort of legislative moves were made afterward to get an organization that now people say with a twinkle in their eye- "NASA"!! (I told you there would be cheese!) And my, how the military has played a part in this story! But we won't go into that... All in all, I just really love helping to unravel the story and hear about tactics involved in communicating it with the public.

Though the typical work schedule was relieving at first- I don't have homework or tests to worry about anymore- I find that I now have difficulty in not having the freedom to be sporadic- getting to take breaks here and there to take a walk and get a coffee or have chats with friends throughout the day. My days are very compartmentalized (work, two hours at night for chat, and bed) and I don't think that fits my personality. *L* You know me! I'd like to be up flitting about 90% and sitting 10%

Anyway, it's been a blessing to live in a comfortable house of 5 Christian women all about my age and holding summer internships/jobs intermittently with school (3 go/went to Georgetown). The rest of them (meaning besides me) are very politically inclined and as I've been surrounded in equations the past four years, not politics, I'm learning a lot from them. I've become good friends with two of my housemates in particular, and one of these, Jessica from Iowa, and I take the weekends to go exploring DC. Our most fantastic surprise was the National Gallery of Art, which has a ridiculously well designed inside including courtyards, waterfalls behind glass, and some spacious square rooms to accent certain modern art pieces. Particularly delightful in surprise were the works of Da Vinci, Van Gogh, and Monet. Jessica has been a great friend, and it will be hard to see her go back home this Tuesday- she really pushes me to think about issues I've never thought about- she interned for Conservative Women for America this summer- and when we run into funny situations inside the house or out on the street, I like having someone who shares a same soundness in mind to bounce off of; an answer to prayers for those of you who've been praying.

Besides these, I would like to share that
1) riding the metro train is fun and efficient though it takes me an hour to get to/from work everyday
2) I joined the YMCA and have one of the best instructors I've ever had- we do TONZ of spins and dance moves!
3) outside the office, the general attitude of service people seems to be really foul... people warned me of it, and it can be hard to take.
4) It's refreshing and delightful to be in such a powerhouse with so many resources at hand. There really is only one DC in the world.
5) I'm reading the latest Harry Potter (yay!) and my boss inadvertently told me the ending on Friday- a blow that I didn't give a hint of. *L*
6) and lastly! I've met with my boss, David DeVorkin, for my fall internship at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum a couple of times already this summer and the last meeting threw me in such a loop that my head is sill spinning. See, he did what few people do or could do for me- he sought me out on my career path. He asked distinct questions on my personal reasonings for wanting to be an informal space/astronomy educator. Because he's in expert in the field, he knows all the ropes. He took two hours of his time to pry my brain and give me food for thought. I reckon I was quite inarticulate because I was trying to dig up parts of me that are still being substantiated. Still he seemed to see right through what I was trying to say and spur me on. In spite of my lack of eloquence, he subsequently introduced me to several people working at the NASM that are right in the field of my aspirations. I can imagine that these are some of top people in the field in the world, and I'm so honored...

What a year this is turning out to be. I appreciate you all so much, and miss you.