New Year, New Approach

or so I resolve...

I read this quote this morning, and I hope I will refer to it often...

“Be always at War with your vices, at peace with your neighbors,
and let each New Year find you a better person.” ~ Benjamin Franklin

Sadly, prior to reading this, I sent off a not-too-peaceful email to my neighbors regarding all of the illegal fireworks they set off last night. May I request a do-over? Even though today was supposed to be the "do-over" of the year? We'll just shove that under the rug and move forward.

Resolutions...ahhh...I normally resolve to lose weight. Somehow after all of the goodies of the holiday season it sounds so simple. Who needs more sugar? I've already had such an overload that veggies just sound more appetizing. Of course, weight loss is more than that...probably about some sort of self discipline that I have always lacked. This year, however, I have a different goal with respect to food.

Eat locally. Eat organically. Eat responsibly.

I have been reading the best book on food culture that I've ever read: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. It has changed the way I understand food. It has made me want to garden. (That will be a super-huge challenge this year for a number a reasons...a post - or twelve - of its own.)

Here is the brief: I will be purchasing all of our meats from local farmers. All fruits and veggies will be local, co-opted, and/or grown at The Levy Casa. I will try to reserve grocery store visits for dairy and baking ingredients purchases. I would actually like to mill my own flour, but those mills are costly. Perhaps next year? Beans will also be purchased via mass-market, but I select organic and BPA-free varieties. Obviously baby foods will be of the same homemade standards. Did you notice that I never mentioned paper products or household cleaners? Well, I will be buying toilet paper as needed...hard to get around that one. Diapers are also on the list, and you know I buy the organic variety. Household cleaners, however, must be made. I do have a bit of a stockpile (imagine that,) so I will ease into that transition. Nevertheless, all other paper goods or grocery store extras will be made or forgone. It will be a challenge...especially since R is very dedicated to his paper towels...the disposable ones. No more, my dear, no more.

Our second family goal created by me and suffered by Ryan is to stay away from retail. No toys, no clothes, no NOTHING from retailers. Clothes will be made or thrifted. I do have three exceptions:

1. Shoes.
2. Underwear.
3. Gift card purchases. I have a number of these and will be using them as needed.

For me, a big draw is Etsy.com. I will NOT be making purchases that route either.

Gifts will be handmade. You may consider this a warning.

Date nights and vacations will be exceptions to rules. This is a lifestyle decision. These matter.

"How to spend money" is a big time-waster. I want to re-allocate our time to the things that really matter: more outdoor time, more craft time, more reading, more music, more dancing, more baking.

However, it is not a goal to save money. It is a goal to live more simply, more wholely. The irony is that we will embark on this journey in the same moment that R got his big promotion. We will make commitments that will, in effect, save us very much money at the very time we can afford so much more. Funny how life works...

Stay with me as I offer frequent and detailed updates of our journey! Happy 2012!