Tomorrow we leave for Washington, DC. Yay!  It’s about a four-hour drive from home so we’re timing ourselves to avoid rush hour here and elsewhere.  (Like that’s really possible along I-95.  :wink:)

Since last week, I’ve been watching DC’s 10-day weather forecast.  It’s changed some since I first looked.  Hotter, more rain than originally called for.  Bring your umbrella!   Tuesday should be warm and pleasant – 87°F and mostly sunny.  Tuesday is the all-day Kiss of Death Tour.  We’ll tour the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Postal Inspectors.  Kiss of Death also is sponsoring special tours to the FBI and CIA on other days.  The timing didn’t work for us but I hope to hear from others who attend.

LOTS to see in Washington. Our most recent trip was a long weekend in 2007, just after Cherry Blossom time.  Along with a sensational day trip to Mount Vernon, we visited the National Gallery of Art, some of the Smithsonian, and toured all the monuments including the World War II Memorial.  That memorial has special meaning since both our fathers served in that war.  This picture shows only one half.  It sits in a huge circle, with columns for each state.  Like the other Washington, DC memorials, it inspires an awed and reverent silence.

The National Zoo sits just across the street from the Marriott-Wardman conference hotel.  I expect a fair number of conference attendees will wander over there.  I plan to.  Other places on our list to visit this year are the National Cathedral and the National Museum of American History.  And I’d love to visit Mr. Lincoln again.  Of all places in Washington, the Lincoln Memorial is my favorite.

Not that I’ll have much time, but that’s why we’re driving down early.  As always, the RWA National Conference is packed with events!

Reminder to self, CHECK LIST:  clothing – business-casual for conference; capris and cotton tops for touring; dressy for RITA & GH awards; comfortable shoes; peds/socks; meds; umbrella; hat/s; sunglasses; jewelry; toiletries; laptop; camera; business cards; AGM Proxy; and print-off workshop hand-outs.  For smaller items, I keep telling myself, there’s a CVS near the conference hotel.

Finally, for all of you coming to Washington, you must visit author Jamie Michele’s website (click).  On her links page, she’s given possibly the most complete and detailed directions I’ve ever seen – airports to hotels and using the Washington DC metro-rail.  Take a look.   Thank you, Jamie!

See (many of you) soon!  ∞