Okay, I realize we’re a week into the year, but for this first Monday morning of the new year, I’ve been thinking about 2013 and how I hope it’s different/better/the same as 2012.
Things I did in 2012 that I would like to do less of in 2013:
- worry (a lot)
- get upset over things I have zero control over
Things I bought in 2012 that I want to learn to make from scratch:
- enchilada sauce
- mac & cheese
- beef stock
- chili powder
- alfredo sauce
- Veselka’s Christmas borscht
- kimchi
Things I did in 2012 that I would like to do again in 2013:
- grow food
- tell people how to start a community garden
- read 100 books
- bring low-cost produce to my neighborhood
- hold some tiny chickens
Things that piled up in 2012 which need to be weeded out in 2013:
- all of our clothes
- blogs I read
- our bookshelves
- the spice rack
- the bin of cooking gadgets
Things I want to (and really should) do in 2013 which are overdue (and how long it’s been):
- visit my mom (15 months)
- go to Mitsuwa Marketplace (2-ish years)
- get an eye exam (6+ years)
- go on a vacation that does not involve visiting family, no offense to my mom (12+ years)
- take a yoga class (14+ years)
Things I ate in 2012 that I’d eat every goddamned day in 2013 if I could:
- Kyochon fried chicken
- Dill Triscuits
- Müller yogurts
- brisket on rye from David’s Brisket House
Things I purchased in 2012 that have already made 2013 so much better:
- Amazon Prime
- Roku HD
- Orange-Clove candles from Mrs. Meyer’s
- Tetley’s British Blend tea
Things I hardly did at all in 2012 which I should try to do more of in 2013:
- sew (more than just fixing things)
- go to Coney Island
- take photos
- write

I haven’t been on a vacation that wasn’t visiting relatives in about as long too. It is Kris and my desperate dream that I feel like will never happen.
I always feel I need to add a caveat to that vacation thing. I love my extended family, it’s a delight to spend time with them… I would just also REALLY like to go somewhere else, too. The last non-family vacation I had was my honeymoon! I suspect Facebook makes us all feel as though everyone is constantly going on vacation, too.
Tetleys is only middling (in my opinion, although I am happy they brought back the Tetley tea men to advertise themselves). Yorkshire Tea is pretty good, plus they have a hard water version for the detail focussed enthusiast. Twinings everyday is my current favourite but it’s the most expensive as well. I guess this level of tea fixation is why English people take tea bags on holiday with them.
Much like blokes, you really need to sample a full tea selection before you make a commitment. I can help with this. Tea, not blokes that is.
I’m admittedly pretty slutty when it comes to my choices in caffeine but even I can tell most American tea is crappy. Beyond the basics like Tetley and Lipton, there’s a whole slew of overpriced imports and fussy, not-especially-good teas. I think Yorkshire is actually available at my local supermarket and will pick it up soon.