Today, I am an Intern
Finally, after much negotiation, I started today as an intern with the in-house counsel at a biotechnology firm north of Boston. Despite all the jokes that have been made (ok, many of them made by me) involving my title, berets, blue dresses and the President of the United States, I was very excited to be back in the legal world, getting going. And indeed, my faith has been rewarded with some good projects, nice people, and a working environment that provides 12 different types of coffee, bagels, and all the Diet Coke I can drink.

But first, of course, I had to get there. Not having a car, this required a little planning. But the planning had been made. Bus to Harvard Square. Train to Alewife. Bus out to the industrial park where the company is. Maybe a little complicated, but no more so than necessary, still feasible, and over all a good plan. Except, of course, that today being the holiday of Martin Luther King day, I checked the bus schedule last night to discover that while I could get all the way to Alewife, the bus did not run on MLK day to get out to the industrial park. This fact was discovered at the not so convenient time of 9 last night. Phone calls were made. Indeed, *many* phone calls were made. One friend I called to ask for suggestions volunteered that he could pick me up as he had to be in the area at that time anyway. That took half the pressure off, but I still had to find a way to get there. Luckily for me, my friend Lola works nearby, but Lola was not going to be having a good day today, and I was very very very very loathe to ask her. Running out of other options, I sadly had to cave and ask her, and she was kind enough to oblige. So I was to meet her at her place at 7:30 this morning (she wanted to have enough time to drop me and still get to work early). Confirming this, I got off the phone with her. Then I checked the bus schedule to her house, which runs on the holiday schedule, but not often. So I discovered that to get to Lola's at 7:30, I would have to take the bus from my house at 6:20. Oh aye. But never mind. An intern's got to do what an intern's got to do, and Lola was already going out of her way to help me.

It went without a hitch. Got up, got showered, dried the hair extra dry, then hit the 18F streets with a vengence and a whole lot of layers of clothing, hats and gloves. Bus. Lola's. And the time was........6:47. No lights on. Not a peep. Not a sound. I know she sleeps til the last minute (who wouldn't on a Monday, and an icky Monday at that?), so I busied myself with brushing the snow off her car. This did not take as long as I thought, and I wound up settling myself on the stoop to read my book. I really didn't think I was cold until I got in the car and started to thaw. Yikes! The toes! The toes! But I suppose I really didn't need them anyway. Did Scott of the Antarctic stop for a little cold? I don't think he did. So I wasn't going to quit either.

Lola was right on time, and we did head off. A traditional breakfast of McDonald's was had by both, and then...... then...... then..... well, really it has to be said that I completly blew it. "is this the exit?" asked Lola at the right exit. "No" said I. "It is the next exit." Lola checked again, then took the next exit. Which of course wasn't the correct one. Neither, for that matter was the one after that. Way to go, Anne. Go, Anne, go. Bother Lora on a bad day, then don't even get the directions right. Eep. Luckily, Lola figured it out, and got me to the right place, and did it nicely too it has to be said. She deserves a big bunch of flowers. Unfortunately, I can't afford them!

The cold continues. And now the wind has kicked in. The heat is working in my apartment, and the radiators are all but glowing, but with the howling wind outside dropping the ever lower temperature to less than zero Fahrenheit, it is extra blanket and hot water bottle time!
To bed, to sleep in til seven tomorrow!
Love,
Anne