Auld Lang Seign?

Do I even have that right?

2008 has been an interesting year for me, folks. It's been so busy the past few months I've been forced to put my bloggage on hold- not a good scenario if you ask me, but I'm working on changing my modus operandi for 2009.

Quite the year if you ask me and in my personal reflection I've decided to look back, not so much in the direction of all the bad things (shit-storm there certainly was), but more on my self discovery in favor of the planet. Here's a list of my top ten (in no particular order) things that I've done over the past year to better myself and/or the Earth.

1) Read ... in new ways.
All hail the local library. I still buy books for friends as gifts, but in my own right I've been frequenting the Concord Library pretty regularly. That's one less copy that has to be printed. A majority (I lied- all of these) texts were based on environmental stewardship. My best reads?? Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver ... The Great Warming (I forget the author right now) ... The Power to Change the World (a book about nuclear power and how we can use it responsibly) ... there are more, but these are the breed at the top of my thoughts.

2) THE GREEN LIVING GUIDE!
Published with the help of the Concord Monitor, Danielle Kronk (the brains behind the operation) along with me and several other writers, have established the second (and most permanent) edition of the Monitor insert, geared at tangible ways for people to live greener. Hooray!

3) I quit the gym.
I've always had a distaste for gyms ... the stink ... the rude people ... but mostly the energy waste. Besides the fact that I just couldn't afford it anymore, I'm sticking to outdoor activities from now on. Nordic skiing, here I come ... once the snow returns!

4) I greened Christmas more than previously ...
I reused all my gift wrap, recycled what I couldn't use, and stayed close to home. It was awesome.

5) I turned 25.
The day AFTER Christmas. This isn't green at all, but I felt like sharing ... with age comes wisdom? I'm hoping I'm closer to reaching my ultimate goals.

6) I ordered heirloom varietal catalogues.
Mark and I are growing heirloom vegetables this year and forever more. I'm so excited for the catalogues to come in!!! It'll be like Christmas all over again!

7) I converted a few non-believers.
And when I say converted, I mean badgered to death. There's nothing quite like persistence when you want results. Thank you to those who have finally hopped on the good foot.

8) I have suffered through the cold
Not that there's been that much of it the past week, but I've taken to keeping my heat at home to no higher than 55 degrees. We live in a mighty shit hole that leaks everything but gold coins. If our gas-fed forced-hot-air system in fact did spit out gold coins, they would slide through the cracks in the walls, windows and doors before I could get my hands on them. I will not submit to the chills. I will just put on an extra sweater.

9) I take the recycling from my office home for collection.
Elm Street in Manchester doesn't have curbside recycling. The rest of the city does. It's stupid. I will not throw out paper, plastic, glass or aluminum, so I take them all home ... with a smile.

10) I haven't quit-
Though I'm pretty sure some of you might have thought my green ramblings were on the outs ... not so! I promise! I will make a better showing. That's my New Year's resolution ... to make a better effort at everything. The least I can do is give 110% ... right? If I ever fall short, at least I was giving my all.

I love you guys, happy New Year!!!