Never Blank Space: A Quick Stop For History

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

A Quick Stop For History

My Philly hotel was right by Valley Forge National Park and we had a short drive yesterday, so my presenter and I went to check it out:

Inside Washington Memorial Chapel.

Some replica huts like the ones the soldiers stayed in during their winter encampment. Our wonderful guide assured us, no one died by freezing in these--they are quite cozy.

Washington's headquarters. Looks posh, but the guide assured us, it was much colder (before central heating was installed in the 1930's) than the cabins. It's the actual building he rented during the winter encampment. The kitchens and stables attached to the house are still standing as well!

It's great when I get a chance to actually take advantage of being in places I'd never go otherwise. Once we arrived in Bethlehem, Kathleen and I had a great dinner at Bethlehem Brew Works (as per Kelly's suggestion via the BER food blog), another great place that I'd never have known about before. We're off tonight to drive up into the hills (don't call them mountains) of Pennsylvania.

Oh, and I got almost 8 hours of sleep last night... Go me!

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101 in 1001

101 goals to complete in 1001 days, starting 01-01-08
(completed goals in blue, in progress italicized)
Completed: 32/101

Health and Athletics
1. Run Beat the Bridge run (5 miles) in under 45".
2. Become capable enough at yoga to comfortably complete a level II class.
3. Snowboard 10x in one season. (10/10) [March 2008]
4. Go on a 30+ mile bike ride.
5. Drink 32oz of water every day for a month. (0/30)
6. Take a tap class.
7. Do a stretch routine 3x a week for a month. (0/4)
8. Do push-ups until I can do 10 full push-ups. (0/10)
9. Do an ab workout 3x a week for a month. (0/4)
10. Go on a canoeing picnic at the arborietum.
12. Brush teeth 2x a day for a month straight. (30/30) (1-30-08)
13. Floss 3x a week for 2 months straight. (0/8)
Beauty
14. Complete a tooth-whitening kit correctly, without skipping a day.
15. Donate to Locks-of-Love. [12-21-08]
16. Buy new tweezers and maintain eyebrows for two months. [5-15-08]
17. Take a spa day once every 3 months (Hot House, Massage, Facial, Manicure/Pedicure, or Bubble Bath work!) (5/11) [Mani/Pedi 4/11]
Travel and Adventure
18. Take a trans-Pacific flight.
19. Take a "personal weekend" to travel somewhere by myself. [3-9-08]
20. Go on a 5+ day backpacking trip. [8-24-08]
21. Sleep under the stars (without a tent).
22. Become conversational in French again (perhaps test by visiting France? Quebec?).
23. Develop a traveler's knowledge of Spanish, and test by visiting Mexico. [9-11-08]
Food
24. Fill food journal with recipes.
25. Shop at Farmer's Market (or CSA) for all produce for 3 consecutive months. (3/3) [9-30-08]
26. Try a CSA. (2-13-08)
27. Make a homemade pizza (including crust). [9-25-08]
28. Make homemade bread (with yeast, no beer bread!).
29. Grow a vegetable garden.
30. Grow a windowsill herb garden.
31. Eat no take-out or restaurant food for 2 weeks straight.
32. Give up soda completely for 2 months. [11-12-08]
Money, Money, Money
33. Pay off car early (in 18 months ideally-by May '09). [1-15-08]
34. Set up automatic payments for insurance and car payments. (3-25-08)
35. Funnel 5% into IRA.
36. Increase standing savings to $10,000. [3/13/09]
37. Cash in change jar only when completely full.
38. Sell snowboard on Craigslist. [12-31-08]
39. Do my taxes by Valentine's Day. (2-10-08)
40. Get car details completely fixed up (check engine light, timing belt, tabs). [6-25-08]
11. Document and categorize spending for a 12 month period. (0/12) [Added 12-31-07]
Career
41. Make decision about grad school. [1-1-09]
42. Investigate thoroughly two other potential career choices. (1/2) [event coordinator/business traveler]
43. Get a new job! [7-30-08]
44. Publish one piece of writing in a literary journal or magazine.
45. Subscribe to a literary journal.
46. Read three science magazines to understand what science writing is all about, especially medical science.
47. Read a news magazine or online newspaper for one month to be more informed. [1-1-09]
48. Read non-fiction or travel writing in a magazine I could submit to and write an article in the same style.
Reading
49. Make a list of 100 classics that I need to read. [9-24-08]
50. Read at least 10 books from the list. (3/10) [The Grapes of Wrath, In Cold Blood, Adventures of Huck Finn,]
51. Read at least 10 non-fiction, non-self-help books. (6/10) [Dreams From my Father]
52. Read 50 books total. (27/50) [Latest: Dreams From My Father]
Writing
53. Write 10 poems. (0/10)
54. Write 1 short story I feel proud of.
55. Attempt NaNoWriMo. [11-30-08]
56. Write a journal entry everyday for at least 3 months straight (Embodiment). (0/92)
57. Write a blog post a week for 3 months straight. (0/12)
Visual Arts
58. Paint a picture and hang it on my wall.
59. Complete a visual journal.
60. Complete a Project 365.
Crafts and Projects
61. Knit a pair of socks. (2-26-08)
62. Learn to knit cables. (1-1-08)
63. Knit a cabled scarf.
64. Create a scrapbook/photo album of my trip to Paris and Italy.
65. Create a Lulu.com book of my LJ entries.
66. Sew an outfit/dress and wear it out.
Organization
67. Back-up hard drive 1x a month for a year straight. (0/12)
68. Get desk fully organized and keep it neat for 3 months.
69. Develop a filing system.
70. Make bed every day for a week. (0/7)
71. Clean room and Vacuum 1x a week for 2 months straight. (0/8)
72. Go through my clothes each fall and spring, and donate unnecessary items. (Sp08, F08, Sp09, F09, Sp10, F10)
Personal Growth
73. Meditate 1x a week for 3 months. (0/12)
74. Meditate 1x a day for a month. (0/30)
75. Decide not to care about anyone's opinion for one week.
76. Take steps to choose my past. [7-12-08]
77. Do past-life regression or other form of therapy.
78. Accept personal responsibility for everything in my life for one week. [7-19-08]
79. Turn that responsibility into personal power to change what I don't like. [7-30-08]
Family, Friends, and Community
80. Send a "Just because..." note 1x a month for 6 months. (0/6)
81. Write a non-gift thank you letter to someone who inspires me.
82. Send thank-you notes for all gifts from Christmas and birthdays. (C07, B08, C08, B09, C09, B10)
83. Make time for a Sister-Bonding event and stop acting like a know-it-all.
84. Develop at least one new long-term friendship.
85. Contact 3 people I have lost touch with and attempt to keep some kind of communication open. (2/3)
86. Find an opportunity to volunteer in my community and do it. [7-31-08]
87. Vote in the 2008 election. [10-18-08]
Seattle Exploration and Culture
88. Go to 5 new restaurants in Seattle. (5/5) [1-2-09]
89. Attend 5 plays before I turn 25 (and have to pay more). (4/5) [The Imaginary Invalid, 3-16-08] [A Marvelous Party, 7-11-08] [Betrayal, 3/21/09] [Wishful Drinking, 4/25/08]
90. Go to the Pioneer Square first Thursday art walk.
91. Go to the Opera.
92. Go to the Ballet.
Entertainment
93. Join Netflicks and develop a 20-movie list. Watch them. (0/20)
94. Buy 10 CD's rather than downloading. (4/10) [Barcelona, Helio Sequence, Death Cab for Cutie, The Weepies]
95. Increase my list to having seen 50 of the AFI top 100 films. (28/100) [One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Casablanca]
Ongoing Education
96. Increase states visited to 40 of the 50 states. (40/40) [5-3-09]
97. Get motivated for year two by taking yourself on a coffee and journaling date while checking off another completed goal. [1-2-08]
98. Go through goals, re-evaluate, and add #98 by June '09.
99. Go through goals, re-evaluate, and add #99 by December '09.
100. Go through goals, re-evaluate, and add #100 by June '10.
101. Donate $2 for every goal left unfinished or never started by Sept. 28, 2010.

Never Blank Space

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

A Quick Stop For History

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