From the Sunday New York Times Travel Section, a somewhat related article on applying forr/renewing passports. The time to do it is now...
http://www.nytimes.com/2000/12/31/travel/31PRAC.html

December 31, 2000
PRACTICAL TRAVELER
How to Avoid Passport Woes
By BETSY WADE

HERE'S a New Year's resolution for you: Avoid last-minute travel hassles by getting out your passport. If it expires anytime in 2001, renew now, while the process is quick and involves no surcharge.

If your passport is nearing the end of 10 years, you may be surprised by recent changes in the renewal system. First, unless you have a ticket for overseas travel within 14 days, or require visas for a trip leaving not much later, you cannot renew in person, but only by mail. Everywhere but Hawaii and New Orleans, those who qualify for in-person renewals must get an appointment. Second, you no longer need to go to a post office for a form; you can find one on the State Department's Web site, www.travel.state.gov and probably print it out at home. Third, on Feb. 1, 1998, the age limit on a youth passport changed again, and young people may use a renewal form rather than a new-passport form if they got their previous passports when they were at least 16 — not 18...