Resolutions 2007 

2007-01-02

1. Leave a smaller footprint on the planet.

This one is actually difficult. I have to drive to work. I don't have enough land to grow much of my own food. But I will try to be a more conscientious consumer. Buy food with less packaging. Do I really need to drink Diet Coke? Wouldn't I be better off if I just drank water. Buy a cup to keep at work. One for water/soda, whatever, one for coffee or tea. Stop throwing away a cup every time I want some coffee. OK, maybe this isn't so difficult as I thought. Baby steps, just take baby steps.

This was partly brought on by watching "An Inconvenient Truth." Something I hadn't done 'til now. No one has to convince me of the importance of this issue. But it's startling and heartbreaking to see and understand more of the details. All I can do is take a deep breath and try to think more about what I do.

2. Work out more.

Already started this one. I'm walking or doing weights 4 or 5 times a week. Changing the time to after work has helped. Nothing is going to make me get up any earlier. Also going for ‘walk for 30 minutes’ instead of ‘walk 3 miles’ has helped. Take smaller bites; they’re much easier to chew.

3. Do more around the house.

I hate housework. Repetitive and unrewarding. That said, there are a bunch of little things that niggle at the edges of my perception. Take 5 minutes and do them. Then they’ll stop bothering me. For a while.

Tonight’s task – clean out the spice shelf

4. Garden more. And less

I’ve let the yard get away from me. I’ve got a thousand little pots all over the place. Find a spot for them or get rid of them. Too much clutter. If something isn’t doing well, throw it out or cut it down.

I cut down one of my miniature bananas. A. It wasn’t so miniature; topping 8 feet. B. It was leaning alarmingly to one side. A good breeze would topple the whole thing. Besides, it had a sprout along one side. I cut down the leaning tower and incidentally learned that banana plants are mostly water. My gloves were sopping before I was done.

5. Eat better.

This is something else I’ve been doing for a while. And it incidentally fits nicely with #1. I can buy things at the whole food mart and take it home in a bag, instead of a bag inside of a box inside of more plastic wrap. Fewer processed foods. Less meat and more veg.

Wasn’t able to practice that this week. The Wonderful Spouse was home all week and planned all of meals around the meat of the day. I don’t think we’ve had that much meat in years. All were delicious, but I’m not used to that kind of stuff anymore.

I’ve incidentally had trouble finding vegetarian recipes. There are lots of them out there, but they’re all about ‘making sausage pizza with tofu sausage.’ If I want a hamburger, I’ll eat one. I find food to be disappointing when it’s supposed to taste like something, but it doesn’t.

I make resolutions every year and keep very few of them. But I make them and I think I’ll keep making them. I figure you have to be aiming at something to hit it.