Special Counseling

This week marked the start of my summer internship at the Office of Special Counsel. There are many "special counsels" set up within the government, but this one is the most special. We investigate complaints about prohibited personnel practices within the executive branch of the government. 

That doesn't sound exciting. 

I'll try again. We investigate complaints from whistleblowers who reported fraud/abuse/illegality within their chain of command and were then punished or fired for that report. 

This is my desk. I have a desk and my own computer. And a badge. Very important to have a badge.

I enjoy the work so far. I'm working on real cases and I have a fun fellow intern and a very nice boss who has been giving me more responsibility and authority every day. After work I can take the bus halfway back home and work out at the gym (which I have not done all year but which I now am doing as part of a work-out-to-avoid-future-embarrassment routine).

In other news, Rupert and Harper have been having regular visits and aren't trying to kill each other anymore. They aren't quite friends yet, but they are certainly in a cold-war stage.