Once more into the breach...

I've had a small case writers block the past few weeks, perhaps brought on by the hectic season. This has manifested itself in several ways but most tellingly in how hard it has been to get this post into written form. I've at least four draft posts started on various subjects ranging from my frustration with the current state of affairs to some old favourite recipes I rediscovered over the Holiday baking season. I've sat down several times the last few days with the single intent to get out of my jumbled brain all the thoughts bouncing around and bashing into each other only to find myself surfing Amazon for a way to spend the Christmas gift certificates I received or aimlessly following links and pushing the "next blog" button in Blogger. I have had nothing earth shattering or deep to say like several of my fellow denizens of blogworld Andrea, and Mike over at Musings musings. They are much more profound than I and often say what I would have. Nor have I had any huge accomplishments like Todd of at 1000 Movies completing a massive undertaking and already planning for the next. As my grandmother's once told me, "say nothing when you have nothing to say".

I've also been thinking a lot the past few days about the new year and reading quite a few posts from various blogs about how everyone abhors resolutions and goals that are sure to be broken or only partially achieved. Most often when I've read these posts they contain a large "but" and disclaimer right before the poster launches into their new year resolutions. I do, however, like what Lauren at Ardent Eden and Siel over at green LA girl have done. Instead of making self-centric declarations they have focused on how, through their own small actions, they will make the world they live in a better place.

So, to steal a page out of Lauren and Siel's books, here is what I am going to strive to do in the next 364 days to make this big blue ball in the ether a better place to live, play and work.

A. Recycle more of our household waste. MBH and I already recycle quite a lot, but I KNOW we can do more (the cardboard that is part of all our packaging food and otherwise for starters). I've had delivered by the city of Cambridge public works department two more big blue recycling bins. My goal is to fill all three our bins every week.

B. Get back to gardening beyond my window boxes. I spent yesterday happily browsing seed suppliers online and I'm anxiously awaiting a few seed catalogs to spend the next month of the New England winter making a list of what I can grow in a container or tub on our porch. I've also vowed to only use organic and/or heirloom seeds for our garden. I've grown heirloom tomatoes before and I'm looking forward to trying other varieties of heirloom vegetables. These vegetables will form the main part of our meals over the summer and fall.

C. Along the same lines, I'm going to increase the amount of organic and locally produced foodstuffs in our weekly meals. We already use quite a few but again, I know we can do better. I'm also going to go back to baking our breads vs buying them. I admit that the last six months my new job has contributed to me not having the time to bake but I need to get back to kneading dough. If not only for stress relief but also because my homebaked bread is better for MBH and I than even the organic bread we buy at Whole Foods or Trader Joes.

D. Get involved with my local community in a more direct fashion. Lately there have been a few things decided by the city of Cambridge and few small interest groups that have frankly ticked me off and I've been griping about them to anyone who will listen. If I want to gripe then I need to do something that may result in a solution. In two weeks, I will attend my first ever Cambridge city council meeting to speak during the public comment session (rant on this is one the drafts I've mentioned earlier).

These are but a few things I would like to try and do. Even if I only do part of them, I know I will leave my small corner of the world a better place in 2007 than I found it in 2006.

Happy New Year one and all dear friends. May you each find a way to give back to those around you in your own small way.