New Year's Resoluting

Despite myself, without intention, I find I have made some seriously life-changing New Year's resolutions. I'm not opposed to resolutions at the start of the new year; in fact, I think they're a fine idea. So here's what I'm doing to make my life a better one:

1. I am turning off my computer at 5pm. This doesn't sound big, but I cannot tell you how much this has already changed my life. My husband and I are the kind of people who keep our computers up all day, visiting them with great frequency to check our e-mail and facebook. Now, after 5pm, there is no reason for me to walk into the office. This means all that attention, once divided, is all Atticus's and Michael's and books that I am actually reading. (Hello, Cloud Atlas!)

2. No purchasing of clothes for the entire year. This is huge. I'm big on retail therapy and while I've always done it frugally, even that is too much at this current time in our lives. And more importantly, I don't need another damned article of clothing. I have purged my closet in a really satisfying way and I'm not looking back. There's a small caveat on this in that I obviously will have to purchase some clothes for the ever-growing Goose, but even that I'm going to try to limit. You should see his ridiculously full closet; it's embarrassing. I packed more for him over Christmas break than my mom ever owned for any of her children. Seriously. That's just gross.

The rest of my resolutions are either small (going to a class at the gym once a week) or private, but those two big ones up there are already making a huge difference in my life. I feel unencumbered in a way that I haven't thought possible for many years. Who know the abolition of computer and clothes should be so freeing? It's time I finally recognize those addictions for what they are. Now that I have, here's to a year better spent.

Things to do in DC

It is that time once again when the AWP (Associated Writers and Writing Programs) Conference is nearly upon us. This time, it will be in Washington, DC, a place I have never been but which I am looking forward to seeing largely because of Josh Lyman, Donna Moss, CJ Cregg, and Jed Bartlett. Here is a list of things I would like to do and see while in DC:

1. See the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial
2. Tour Mount Vernon
3. Do Georgetown
4. Visit John F. Kennedy's grave at Arlington National Cemetery
5. The Jefferson Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, and the Washington Monument
6. See the Supreme Court
7. Visit the White House
8. See Capitol Hill
9.
10.

I am intentionally leaving 9 and 10 blank. Any suggestions of must-do, must-see things?