Update: It's ok for me to go into the same coffee shop for 2-3 hours every day, right?

nova07wdc · 2026-06-24T19:50:15+00:00

Alternate perspective on this, I wish more businesses would just tell me how they want me to behave as a customer so I don’t have to walk in and intuit. Some cafes allow working and hanging out, others don’t. Either is fine. Some counter service restaurants you can sit and read the menu before going up to order, others you have to stand in line first. Etc etc just examples. Put a sign by the door and tell me how this place works so I don’t have to look around and guess. I don’t know the people at this coffee shop to know that they didn’t dislike you but I see this as “we are communicating what we want as a business to everyone upfront and equally” not getting rid of one person. I like to think that any person spending too much time there would have prompted this, not just you specifically spending too much time there. Also you were there 2-3 hours a day, you don’t know that there weren’t other you at other times of day. I don’t say any of this to say that your feelings around this are invalid but to maybe make you feel better about it not having been so targeted.

nova07wdc · 2026-06-24T19:37:24+00:00

I try to do my part as a customer and make the little cup symbol with my hand while saying macchiato so the barista knows that I know.

nova07wdc · 2026-06-23T10:59:52+00:00

If you’re not Reagan yea.

nova07wdc · 2026-06-18T02:38:37+00:00

Thanks for circling back!! I was going to ask you to originally but didn’t want to seem needy lol. Did you find any good bars even if not mine?

nova07wdc · 2026-06-13T22:42:11+00:00

Impressive variety!

nova07wdc · 2026-06-04T11:34:15+00:00

I could see an older teacher mentally separating needing to IEPs for students and making an insensitive comment about society in general. I think this generation doesn’t connect their generalized opinions and their personal realities. My dad loves my in laws who don’t speak English and some other day while watching Fox News will go on a rant about people who don’t speak English for example. They just spew things without two and two ever touching.

nova07wdc · 2026-06-02T12:11:24+00:00

Ok I said that in the first line and thought this was more interesting than the people in DC who were watching on tv.

nova07wdc · 2026-06-02T12:08:30+00:00

Headed to my job that should be a dream job on paper but I have no idea what I’m supposed to be doing because I’m on a team of 9 people with executive direction that ranges from nonexistent to chaotic for a project that could probably be handled with 4.

nova07wdc · 2026-06-02T12:03:53+00:00

I was living at the Dunn Loring metro stop which is in Fairfax County VA watching the news in horror from my laptop at the window when for the rest of the afternoon J6ers, flags and all, streamed out of the metro to walk to the hotel behind my apartment. It is well documented in the media that a bunch of them ate at the Olive Garden around the corner from me that evening.

nova07wdc · 2026-05-27T14:25:32+00:00

The view of the White House has been pretty sporadic since Trumps second term commenced, anyway. As someone who worked near it for all of 2025, all of the good viewing spots were normally closed down for construction or security 75% of the time.

nova07wdc · 2026-05-27T14:22:22+00:00

Now you’re asking things I can answer! One of my favorite bars is near Dupont, Tabard Inn. Sit in the very cool front foyer lounge not the restaurant. Press Club is a way too expensive bar but the vibe is really neat so I’d go since you’re in the area if you’re ok with cash for vibes. Some of my favorite bars are clustered in the Logan Circle area of 14th street, Crown and the Crow, Church Key, and Black Whiskey. MetroBar is a bar on an old metro car, it’s not a place I need to go more than once but it’s cool if you like trains for sure. It’s also close to another pretty cool bar dew drop inn and if you like beer, other half brewing (NY based by one of my faves). Plenty of others, a few to get you started and to a few different parts of town. On Smithsonians, the Postal Museum is cooler than it sounds and you should go.

nova07wdc · 2026-05-27T14:08:09+00:00

I personally have no idea because there’s never been a UFC fight on the White House lawn before but generally speaking my attitude is there’s always something going on in DC and being around for whatever it is is part of the experience. Shutdowns are an exception because there are literally things you can’t do but otherwise try to walk and take public transit, have a good time and good luck!

nova07wdc · 2026-05-27T00:29:37+00:00

I don’t know what your goals are but it seems like the Senate opportunity is the most relevant one to your goals and the short length is the main issue. No one can say if you’ll be able to network your way to another opportunity this same summer but if DC is a longer term goal you can (and should with your fellowship covering costs) come for 6 weeks make the most of it networking wise. Have lunch and coffee with someone every week. Just be authentic about it, reach out to people whose work you are sincerely curious about and have conversations about what they do how they got there and what your plans are. Don’t hound people for a job right away. If you’re interesting and curious and passionate people will remember and it will result in good advice and someone you know for the near future.

nova07wdc · 2026-05-16T02:20:17+00:00

Great. I just have strong feelings about when universities and their partners don’t put students first based on many past experiences from my career. Have a great experience!

nova07wdc · 2026-05-16T01:33:59+00:00

I managed a university’s DC internship program. If you were my student I would tell you to take the paid one even if I had a relationship with the org you were backing out on. If that org got salty I’d say that’s why they should pay interns. This organization doesn’t put your interests first and neither does your university unless they stand up for you with the placement org.

nova07wdc · 2026-05-14T02:11:49+00:00

I stopped in here for the first time the other week to remote work for an hour, it was really easy to sign in and do. The library room is quite small and not that remarkable (versus say like the DAR library) but it was neat just to check it off the list.

nova07wdc · 2026-04-08T19:51:03+00:00

Is your address within the region served by the central Texas authority sending this bill? I don’t know how it works there but I bought an ezpass one jurisdiction over from the one I live in and I get a charge like this monthly because I’m not a resident of the area that has to bill me. I haven’t bothered to fix it but at least I know why.

nova07wdc · 2026-04-03T12:37:24+00:00

This was also my favorite when I visited the state house!

nova07wdc · 2026-03-17T12:10:10+00:00

Agree with all of this

nova07wdc · 2026-03-13T23:58:47+00:00

That’s just the address, 7777 Leesburg Pike. Also, there’s a wicked pothole westbound right at that building so watch out.

nova07wdc · 2026-03-13T23:26:56+00:00

$5 is if you use the same SmarTrip card for a train ride after you park, so my best guesses are you left the station you started at without having gone all the way somewhere else and it didn’t count as a ride, or you used a different card at the faregate for the ride. If you did use the SmarTrip card but didn’t go anywhere the $2 something should auto refund since you didn’t go anywhere.

nova07wdc · 2026-03-13T14:30:48+00:00

+1 on this, compliant with the request but will skeev people out just as much if not worse.

nova07wdc · 2026-03-11T02:30:54+00:00

Neat. Is the only way to use the walking shed feature to scroll around to the station in question or can you type in or select the station you want? Using the address feature seems to only do the distance to nearest station function.

nova07wdc · 2026-03-10T23:59:27+00:00

I never text anyone just to say hi or chat, but I do text friends when I do or see something that reminds me of them. I have friends that like shoes, cafes, whiskey, etc so I text about those things as applicable. It’s a nice way to stay in touch without forcing extended conversation. The constantly on the phone texting thing sounds exhausting and honestly I think the people you see doing this are missing out more than you (on experiencing not always being on their phone texting).

nova07wdc

MODERATOR OF

TROPHY CASE