2010, a personal review

It’s New Year’s Eve, so put on something sparkly, and let’s take a look back at 2010. My landmarks of the year: Ben and I became engaged, my 4th anniversary of designing children’s books, 2nd anniversary of living in NYC, moved into my 3rd apartment after college, and 3 years of eating vegan (excepting those maybe 10 times I had to try someone’s cookie/cupcake/sweet bread/Kit Kat.)

Ben proposed on my birthday weekend. He, a few friends, and I took the A train out to the Far Rockaways in Queens. We chilled out on the beach. I opened gifts. Ben and I wandered off on our own, and he told me there was another gift for me. He pulled out Neal Stephenson’s The Diamond Age: Or, a Young Lady’s Illustrated Primer, and I immediately recognized this as one of Ben’s favorite authors. From the title I knew it was just the book for me. Thanking him, I flipped it open. Cutaway in the pages was a diamond ring. Ben bent down onto a knee, told me he loves me, wants to spend the rest of his life with me, and asked me to marry him. Surprised and teary-eyed, I said yes! Ben has since landed a job and moved to NYC, and I need to give a special shout out to his vegan cooking skills. His jambalaya, chickpea curry, black bean patties and spanakopita are exceptional!

Work projects have been exciting. Revamping jackets for picture books, rereleasing books as board books, designing YA novel interiors, and assisting where I can to help get these stories out in other formats: ebooks, international printings, and preview videos. I’m learning a lot from our Design Department and Art Director. My coworkers are talented, fun, and interesting. Brown bag lunches with our publishers, other publishers, authors, and publicists are all interesting, and those events are a special perk to being in NYC.

Moving to a new apartment means adjusting my shopping routines, and it’s working out well. To report in on reducing my carbon footprint: I grocery shop before work so I can pick up organic romaine for my daily lunch salad, (they sell out by the time I’m off work,) and I also pick up organic celery, apples, avocados, quinoa, canned tomatoes, and peanut butter. Ben and I don’t buy exclusively organic, but we’re working it in. Still running errands by foot or public transportation, excepting a trip every 2 or 3 weeks by car to Target now that the cold, 2 mile walk with groceries is TOO MUCH. Our light bulbs are all CFLs. We store food in reusable containers, and use reusable napkins. Still use some paper towels and sandwich bags now and again, though. Trying to cut down on that, and our Seattle friends Allie and Nick are helping. They gave us nylon pockets with velcro to replace the sandwich baggies. Place your votes here. What should be my next step to reduce my carbon footprint?

My favorite event of 2010: The repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell

I’m headed out now to pick up groceries for Kym’s New Year’s Eve dinner party, but I’ll post again in the next few days with resolutions for 2011. Happy New Year!

Anniversary poem for Ben

This is a poem I wrote for Ben on the occasion of our 2nd anniversary.

December 2010

Gently
Snowflakes dancing out the window
We kiss our morning goodbyes
Softly
Down Van Voorst Street to the dry cleaners
My day off is spent
Floating
Through memories we shared
All along the east coast and at home
Quietly
The snowy sky is low and light
It hugs me in white
Winter
together is lovely

Behave ethically: live sustainably

Recently read The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan, in which he explores the American food industry, organic food industry, sustainable farming, and foraging. My friends Brian and Christina encouraged me to next watch the documentary film Food, Inc. about reconsidering America’s food industry and food purchases. Watched it, and then watched the documentary No Impact Man about a New York City family’s year-long go at a no-impact lifestyle.

Looking to lessen my carbon footprint, and my first step will be to eat organic. Scouting out my organic options, and will report back later.

Several of my friends make significant sustainable choices, and I’m going to give them a shout-out here:

Leslie and Dave: veggie garden in the front yard, to-code chicken coup and chicken run in the back yard, no cars, bikes only, and they head up a local bike co-op and sewing co-op.

Allison and Nick: eat mostly local, fresh foods, walk/bike to work, walk or use public transportation for most shopping

Lots of my friends and family recycle and compost their refuse: Leslie and Dave, dad, Susan and Ernie, Chucky, and perhaps you? Let me know and I’ll add you to this list.

What changes have you made to your lifestyle to lessen your carbon footprint? I live in NYC and commute and shop by public transportation/walking, don’t eat meat or animal products, prepare by and large all of my meals and store them in reusable containers, and look to conserve electricity and gas.

Explore: a vegan diet!

One of my latest experiments is eating vegan—for two years and counting.

Discovered veganism at age 16 from my classmate Helena while studying art at Governor’s School West. As a pet owner and lover, I’d considered vegetarianism. Became more interested in nutrition and curious about whether that lifestyle could work for me. Limited my meat consumption in college, and began eating vegan at the start of 2008. This works for me ethically, and I think it’s working well nutritionally.

Ethical reasons for eating vegan: I’ve kept pets, loved animals, and do not want to cause them pain. Read descriptions of the treatment of animals for slaughter in the commercial meat industry, and decided I cannot trust the industry to treat animal commodities in an acceptable manner.

Nutritional reasons for eating vegan: I eat a lot of fruits, veggies, grains, legumes, nuts, and dark chocolate, and that’s a diet low in saturated fats and high in vitamins and minerals. The most common question I receive is “Do you get enough protein and calcium?” From what I’ve read, I get enough of both. I’m lactose intolerant, and removing dairy from my diet relieved previously frequent stomach aches.

My favorite dishes: lentils and quinoa, kale, peanut butter sandwiches, red beans and rice, cheese-free spanakopita, hoppin john, ratatouille, steel-cut oatmeal, veggie jambalaya, chick pea curry, zucchini garlic ginger soup, sweet potatoes, spaghetti squash with a tomato-based sauce, white bean spread, butternut squash soup.

The difficulty in vegan eating is eating with others, and therefore I often bring food or dishes with me. I try to not cause offense when declining non-vegan dishes. I’m grateful that several of my loved ones have asked me about vegan eating and prepared vegan dishes. My boyfriend has introduced me to several delicious, new vegan dishes.

The only vitamin supplements I take are a multi-vitamin now and again and a B-12. I should have my blood checked for vitamin and mineral levels, but I’ve felt fine so far.

My favorite vegan recipe sites include: Fatfree Vegan Kitchen, VeganYumYum, The Post Punk Kitchen, and VegCooking.

Have you tried any new experiments lately?

Five personal commandments

Came across the article “New Year’s Resolutions From ‘The Happiness Project’ Author Gretchen Rubin” and subsequently visited a related site The Happiness Project Toolbox. Both inspired me to start this blog and commit to some resolutions aloud. I’d also like to connect more with others, so let me just say Hello, dear Reader. Let’s get to know one another. I’ll start, shall I?

Five personal commandments that guide my behavior:

1. Be respectful, compassionate and kind.
   Give others the benefit of a doubt. Actively imagine another’s point of view. Help others when they need it.
2. Behave ethically and take responsibility.
   Consider possible consequences of my behavior. Follow the rules (or work to change them.) Own up when I do something wrong.
3. Explore!
   There’s so much to see and do. Experiment and see what happens.
4. Nurture hopefulness.
   Imagine what interesting mysteries are yet to be discovered. Tell others about unexpected and pleasant things that happen to you.
   
5. Offer and share.
   Sharing creates a significant connection between people. Offer what you think might interest others: articles, food, books, ideas, instruction, etc.

What guides your behavior? What are your highest values?

Three resolutions for 2010

I resolve:

1. to be in the present and kind
2. to get more sleep, do some cardio three times a week, and strength train three times a week
3. to follow through with my studies of graphic design and book publishing

What are your New Year’s resolutions?