Planning

Last Monday, I started actually looking at houses to buy. I went and saw 5 houses spread out all over Northern Virginia, a couple of them are very real possibilities. I'm already moving forward to the next step of locking down my financing and getting pre-approved for my mortgage.

As I go through the process, I am becoming more and more grateful for the summer I spent as an intern at a mortgage company. Even though I was developing a disaster recovery procedures database for them, I still managed to pick up a lot of information that I didn't realize I had learned until I started to need it. It's funny how you never know what you really know until you have to use the knowledge that you have.

I have also started looking at plans for this year. Last summer, I was asked to play "big brother" to Kandice, one of my younger sister's friends who was here for an internship. We got some groups together and did a variety of trips up and down the East Coast, to places such as Williamsburg, Philadelphia, or Monticello. While Kandice has gone back home, and a few other people from those groups have moved away, I think that I want to start assembling groups for similar trips this year.

For example, according to this list, there were 123 civil war battles fought in Virginia, not counting another 2 in Pennsylvania, 7 in Maryland, and 15 in West Virginia. Most, if not all, of those battlefields should be within range of a weekend day trip.

I am somewhat ashamed to admit this, but I have never been to New York City. I've passed through the city twice: once on train, and once driving, but I have never actually visited the city. I think that this year I'd like to get some people together and change that. (I have, however, seen the Statue of Liberty from a distance, courtesy of a business trip to New Jersey. Someday I want to see it closer up.)

When I was in elementary school, I was required to read the book Misty of Chincoteague. I'd love to be able to visit Chincoteague Island or its neighbor Assateague Island where the book was set. If I can work it out, I'd love to be there for Pony Penning Day, although with my plan to buy a house in June that may not be an option this year.

I'd love to visit the Naval Academy in Annapolis. My father was in the Navy for over 18 years (although he didn't attend the Academy), and I would love to go visit all of the history there.

This may sound funny, but I'd love to visit the top of the Washington Monument on a clear day. I've lived near DC for the past 23 years, and I have never gone to the top. I've visited all of the other memorials and monuments, but that one has always seemed like too much of a hassle because of the lines.

Similarly, I've travelled to Atlantic City for work dozens of times in the past three years, but I've never actually gone down to Atlantic City itself. I've always stayed close to the airport, where my work was. One of my trips this year, I want to go down and walk on the Boardwalk.

Most of all, I want to find more people to go and do these things with. (If anyone knows anyone who would be interested, let me know.) I don't even have to get to everything on the list this year. I'm already committing to staying in the area for another 5 years or so. I just want to get in the habit of doing trips like this, before I miss out on so many opportunities.

So, if any of you think you might be in the area and interested in some sort of outing or trip like this, please let me know.