Monday, January 2, 2012

ALSO, BE MORE SMARTER: It's January 2, which means that I'm a day late asking you what your resolutions were? Remember, write them down -- that's what makes them come true. Or something.

Mine: (1) build a desk for my office, to be ready when my firm moves to the new space; (2) the usual lose-5-to-10-pounds; (3) maintain three-star status on all (non-Facebook-only) updated levels of Angry Birds, Angry Birds Seasons, and Angry Birds Rio.

95 comments:

  1. SlOwlylu4:40 PM

    1. Take up adult ballet.
    2. Stop biting my nails.
    3. Perfect Choux Pastry

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  2. Emily W4:52 PM

    1) Go swimming at least 3x per week (easier to follow through on than "lose X pounds"); 2) Get a new job in a new city; 3) Save up enough cash to justify buying a new computer.

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  3. Emily W4:52 PM

    1) Go swimming at least 3x per week (easier to follow through on than "lose X pounds"); 2) Get a new job in a new city; 3) Save up enough cash to justify buying a new computer.

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  4. Emily W4:54 PM

    sorry, I forgot to answer using the browser that doesn't post multiple times.....

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  5. littleredyarn4:59 PM

    My resolution is to take better care of my health.

    I was blindsided by a medical problem in late November and as a result I'll be having surgery in the next week or so.

    It's not something that could have been detected by regular checkups or tests, but since I'm not 29 any longer...I need to be more vigilant. 

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  6. Meghan5:09 PM

    1. Deliver a healthy baby by Feb. 1, 2012
    2. Exercise 3 times a week
    3. Read some books

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  7. Marsha5:25 PM

    I'll be thinking good thoughts for you - hope it's nothing too horribly serious.

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  8. Marsha5:26 PM

    1. Watch The Wire with all y'all!
    2. Carry over my "learn to bake bread" resolution from 2011. I got a slow start last year and need another year.

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  9. I tend to make the same mistakes over and over again, so my resolution is All New Mistakes. At least that way I can shake things up a little.

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  10. 1. Get in shape/Train for a 5k
    2. Less passive entertainment (I'm whittling down my TV viewing)
    3. Better work/life balance (I need to manage my stress, yo!)
    4. Call the guy

    The one I'm most likely to accomplish is #1 because I signed up to do Run Amuck w/a bunch of friends in May. The fear of public humiliation should motivate me.

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  11. Good luck w/the baby!

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  12. Fred App6:00 PM

    I lost 25 pounds last year, which means it was the first time I can remember when I actually stuck to a New Year's resolution. So my resolution this year will be to keep the weight off. And maybe finally finish the novel I'm writing, and have been resolving to finish for at least the last decade -- or since my son was born and I discovered I didn't have time to do much of anything.

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  13. isaac_spaceman6:00 PM

    And the exercise and reading!

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  14. littleredyarn6:18 PM

    Thanks, Marsha...I really appreciate it! It's not serious; I'll just need to be off of my feet for about a week or so. I might need some good recommendations for books, though.

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  15. littleredyarn6:19 PM

    Best of luck with the new one!

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  16. Becky6:20 PM

    If you haven't seen it, I would recommend Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day. That book changed my life. I didn't buy bread for a year! So easy and no bread machine necessary.

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  17. Becky6:22 PM

    1. Write a haiku a day.
    2. Watch a "new-to-me" movie a week.
    3. No fast food or frozen meals.
    4. Be more honest with myself and others.

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  18. Good luck on the work/life balance goal! I've seen it done before, but the how behind it has always been a mystery.

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  19. lisased6:26 PM

    I make a list every year, so this year's list is 112 Things in 2012. It's a mix of practical, silly, expensive, and free. Some highlights include watch The Wire, submit my children's book to an agent, host a Venn Diagram party, sleep in a tree house, and go Zorbing.

    I am still six items short, so I'll be reading your posts for ideas.

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  20. Hannah Lee6:49 PM

    I'm curious:  What's a Venn Diagram party?  It sounds like something I would love to host, if only I knew what it was.

    Also, I came up with 3 awesome resolutions yesterday, but didn't write them down and now I can't remember what they were, so I guess my #1 resolution is to work on memory improvement exercises.

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  21. Hannah Lee6:49 PM

    I'm curious:  What's a Venn Diagram party?  It sounds like something I would love to host, if only I knew what it was.

    Also, I came up with 3 awesome resolutions yesterday, but didn't write them down and now I can't remember what they were, so I guess my #1 resolution is to work on memory improvement exercises.

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  22. Hannah Lee6:51 PM

    Please, do tell, which browser is that?  I always have that problem here (see below)
    If I don't click away fast enough after clicking post, my posts always post multiple times.

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  23. lisased6:57 PM

    It's a party where everyone who comes must bring along someone who has never been to our house. 

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  24. Emily W7:21 PM

    The multiple posts happen when I use firefox on my mac at home, but not when I use Safari. Weirdly, when I post using firefox at work (on a PC), it doesn't happen.

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  25. Mine is to get my book manuscript to the publisher.  To make a long story short, I'm working on a book based on my dissertation, which I finished in 2010.  I've sent one draft to the publisher, who sent it to outside readers, who had way more suggested revisions than I anticipated.  The publisher now wants me to do a second round of revisions and submit another draft.

    That was around September, and I haven't done jack since.  The truth is, after working on the dissertation for several years, and then spending several more months turning it into a book manuscript, I'm pretty burned out and sick of working on it.  It's hard to find the motivation to work on it when I'm not at my full-time job or hanging out with my 21-month old son.  But, it's a huge life goal of mine to publish a book and I'm still hoping to get it done somehow.  Anyone who's been through this have advice on how to kick myself back into gear?

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  26. I haven't figured out all of my goals yet, but they all seem to be around turning 40 (at the end of February).

    For certain, I'm starting a 40 for 40 - going to read 40 books this year.  

    I will sort out my other goals later today or this week!

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  27. spacewoman7:57 PM

    Do my French homework any time earlier than the hour before class.  That's right: I'm 12.

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  28. 5 Minutes a Day is good, though if find you really want to understand dough head for Peter Reinhart.

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  29. Philomena Throckmorton8:14 PM

    Every year I resolve to be more organized or generally neater.  Every year this resolution fails, and now I have a toddler.

    That's why this year I am resolving to hire a cleaning person.

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  30. Randy9:05 PM

    Learn to play guitar.  Can anyone recommend any good resources for teaching myself, or should I shell out the bucks for an instructor?

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  31. Thanks! That work/life balance is a tough one but I'm hoping that training for this 5k will force me to make time for myself. Same with "less passive entertainment." So often I come home from work and then after dinner I end up on the couch with my laptop finishing up some work while I watch TV. If I were reading or doing something that required more of my attention I wouldn't be able to also do work at the same time. We'll see. I'm cautiously optimistic.

    Really my goal should be better time management. Maybe I'll make that goal #5. And hey, if anyone has any time management tips or recommendations on books/resources to manage time better, I'd really appreciate it!

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  32. I have the multiple posts issue when I use firefox on my work PC. I usually don't have any trouble when I'm using safari on my mac.

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  33. Emily9:20 PM

    Write my dissertation. I'm pretty good at keeping my resolutions; I hope that's true this year, as well, because I'm ready to be done with the damn thing.
    I've signed up to run a half-marathon in April and want to continue the running stuff I started last year, but the real resolution is the dissertation.

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  34. Genevieve9:27 PM

    Exercise 3x a week, and hire an organizer (since we haven't had much success on our own -- though today was insanely productive along those lines, but now I'm exhausted).  And do relaxation exercises regularly.

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  35. Adam C.9:51 PM

    1. Fix what needs fixing. Yes, that covers a lot of territory. But it needs to.
    2. Start a blog that merits listing at right.
    3. ?
    4. Profit.

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  36. I haven't updated the blogroll in years. I do not resolve to do so in 2012.

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  37. kenedy jane10:25 PM

    A few years ago I stopped doing resolutions and instead pick a word or two that are my words for the year.  The idea is that throughout the year, I reflect on the words and check-in on how I want to be in that area.  For example, rather than making a resolution to be less judgmental, I choose the word, 'tolerance' and when I find myself being judge-y, I think about how I would like to be in the realm of tolerance.  It sounds weird, I know.  But I find myself feeling more successful with these than old-school resolutions because there's lots of room to decide what you want to do with it as opposed to strict guidelines like 'lose 10 pounds'.

    Clearly I need to choose 'timeliness' as my word for this year since I still haven't chosen...

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  38. Adam C.10:28 PM

    I will not resolve to expect you to do so; you look to have enough on your plate. The aspiration is more toward merit than listing.

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  39. I don't eat many frozen dinners, but I'm right there with you on the no fast food this year. And the only thing I can buy in a drive-thru is coffee. 

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  40. 1) Go on more day hikes with friends
    2) Find a new extracurricular or two that strikes my fancy - maybe becoming a tour guide or working at the writing center
    3) Get an interesting/fun/rewarding intership for this summer
    4) Lead Shabbat services at least once
    5) Learn how to cook something that is not pasta or eggs

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  41. Deanna11:45 PM

    A friend of mine does the same thing as you. Great idea.

    I'm setting intentions this year. I suppose I should get to it...

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  42. I would love to finish something ambitious this year. I am one of those great Starters of Things, with tremendous lists of IDEAS all over my computer. I should select a few of these and actually finish them. Or, start small, and just do the next step. The research for my pilot ideas. Outlines for the books. An actual schedule for the blog. ET CETERA. Even I have grown weary of me and my nonsense.

    I'd also like to find work I actually enjoy. Get back on the treadmill. Reconnect with friends I haven't seen in a while, including those back east. I haven't decided yet whether I want to attend or avoid my 20th high school reunion. Whichever one of those I pick will be a goal. And not get sucked back into a job that takes ALL my time. 2012 might be the year I try internet dating. I haven't decided on that, either.

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  43. Andrea6:10 AM

    Move more
    Read more
    Smile more

    Last year, I made one resolution, and for the first time ever I feel I fulfilled it.  Not sure about this year though. 

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  44. Renee6:16 AM

    2011 was The Year of Renee and I accomplished everything I wanted: half-marathon, new car (that wasn't in the plan, but it had to happen), marathon, turn 30, new job.  Now I am making 2012 The Second Annual Year of Renee.  Goals include but not limited to:
    1. Improve my half-marathon time. 
    2. Learn how to ride a bike.
    3. Be able to do 10 real pushups.
    4. Knit a lot.
    5. Build my savings account back up.

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  45. Fred App8:41 AM

    Sounds like the kind of party Cliff Klaven would host.

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  46. Steph9:03 AM

    I am teaching myself banjo using a free e-book and videos from You Tube. Give it a shot, it's amazing what you can find for resources online.

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  47. Steph9:06 AM

    Learn some Irish Gaelic and get my dream trip booked. It's intimidating (I've never been to Europe) and I've been putting it off until I had the "right" amount of money and time. But if I got hit by a bus today, the only thing I would regret not doing is seeing Ireland so damn it, I'm going to do it!

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  48. victoria9:09 AM

    I am with you on #4!

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  49. I love that in 2011 one of your goals was "turn 30." It's like when I put things like "eat breakfast" and "get dressed" on my to-do list just so I know for sure that I'll have something to cross off.

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  50. Fred App FTW.

    Cliff Clavin would totally host a party like that. I'm guessing the line "Who are two people who have never been in my kitchen?" would feature prominently in the evite.

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  51. Renee9:36 AM

    It wasn't exactly a goal, but that was a big part of "The Year of Renee" and why I wanted to accomplish so much!

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  52. victoria9:51 AM

    Save up enough money to buy a new-to-me car. That is all.

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  53. lisased10:22 AM

    I like that!

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  54. Andrew11:00 AM

    Simply: make 2012 a better year than 2011. It shouldn't be hard, since last year was full of not good (OK, to be fair, also a LOT of good.) But since 2011 ended with a surprising job offer/opportunity that I'm transitioning to next week, I'm scared, anxious and hopeful. 

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  55. 1. Exercise at least 2X a week. 
    2. Eat more healthfully
    3. Try at least two new recipes a month.  (My "once a week" turned out to be too ambitious and turned into "never."  But twice a month seems doable, you know?)
    4. Finish this list of tasks for my 3/10 wedding
    5. Turn 40 but feel good about it

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  56. how many of us are turning 40?

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  57. spacewoman12:48 PM

    On the recipe front, can I recommend my favorite favorite cooking magazine, Fine Cooking?   Everything I've ever made in there has been (1) really easy, even if you don't cook that much, and (2) awesome.  This will also help you with #2.

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  58. It doesn't sound from your post like you have the tenure clock breathing down your neck, which is what gets most people to power through. I took a lot longer to revise before sending my mss. out, so I had more of a mental break from the project - I certainly sympathize. No real advice, except to just block out some time and knock off the revisions piecemeal - good luck!

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  59. Maggie1:44 PM

    More reading (for fun), less eating (stuff that's bad for me), and improved seating (new chairs for my living room and dining room). 

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  60. Heather K2:33 PM

    I love our cleaning lady, not only is our house consistently clean and mostly organized, but sometimes she makes us tamales and leaves them in the fridge!

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  61. Heather K2:36 PM

    1) getting some for sure moving/exercising in every day even if it is just a little
    2) finish the 6 quilts on my to do by Christmas list--started one early and it is 75% to being a top
    3) finish planning/have my wedding and wedding receptions on 9/14, 9/15 and 9/22 (yeah I did that to myself)
    4) DO NOT GET RIDICULOUS ABOUT THE WEDDING PLANNING and keep in perspective that it should be a happy fun time and details schmetails on anything that falls outside of 'is everything still happy? if yes, than its fine!'

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  62. Lisa, as one of the few people here who falls into the overlap of "would enjoy a Venn Diagram party" and "lives within 2 miles of you," I hope to be invited!  :)

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  63. My hope is that 2012 will be much better than 2011.  My goal is to get in shape/lose weight/all that jazz.  My resolution -- about which I'm serious -- is to learn to cook.  I can't cook now, and I've been living on my own for over 10 months.  That's a lot of Panera/Chipotle/Wegmans/etc.  I won't cook tons when I know how to, but I will cook some, and I think it will serve me well. 

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  64. By the way, I was listening to something yesterday on NPR about how, when you tell people your resolution(s), you are less likely to follow through, because the telling itself makes you feel like you have worked on the goal.  I thought that was interesting.  (Apparently there was an article to this effect in the NYT or Boston Globe on Monday, but I haven't seen that.)

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  65. Genevieve3:35 PM

    Will be thinking positive things for you too, littleredyarn, and I'm glad it's not serious!  Lots of book recs in previous posts (don't know how to find them, though), or you could ask what people read over the holidays or got/gave as gifts.

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  66. Genevieve3:36 PM

    Ooh, me too! 

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  67. Genevieve3:42 PM

    How to Cook Everything (by Mark Bittman) is a terrific first cookbook - clear, complete directions, thorough descriptions of what to do with just about every basic ingredient, and after many recipes it has a quick description to how to make multiple variations (so you don't get bored).  Once I started using it, I suddenly could cook things that I had completely failed at cooking before (e.g. scallops).

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  68. The Pathetic Earthling3:44 PM

    I will walk 500 miles.  (Although I'm going to work in a fair exchange rate for altitude, since 2.7 miles with 800' of elevation gain, as yesterday, is a lot harder than 2.7 miles on flat terrain).

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  69. littleredyarn4:01 PM

    <span>My 2011 resolution was "learn how to knit", since I already crochet. That was the one resolution I managed to keep.   </span>
    <span> </span>
    <span>I guess one of my resolutions in 2012 is to "knit something useful" other than a scarf.</span>

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  70. littleredyarn4:16 PM

    Thank you, too! I think my reading list is going to depend on what kind of meds I'll be taking while I'm recuperating. At the library book sale I picked up "Three Cups of Tea", "My Antonia" and "Rich Man, Poor Man" hoping to cover some of the bases.

    Or I just might end up nodding off into a knitting magazine...we'll see.

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  71. Well, I will walk 500 more just to be the man who walked a thousand miles and to fall down at your door.  (Well, not yours, TPE.)

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  72. I'll help you!

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  73. Get Cooks Illustrated's THE BEST RECIPE and, plug, John Donahue's Man with a Pan: Dads Who Cook.

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  74. Heather K4:50 PM

    I second this, we have that and it has been very helpful.  Also make friends with the foodnetwork.com BUT at the beginning pay very close attention to how the recipie has been rated.  Easy means easy and so do the other difficulties.  Also it will take you longer than the time the estimate.  Often depending on chopping.

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  75. The Pathetic Earthling5:02 PM

    I was going to link to the Proclaimers song, but then I would have to say "I would walk 500 miles" and I don't mean to make it conditional.

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  76. Does that include info on cooking, or just philosophical reflections from smart lawyer-blogger-cooks?

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  77. Genevieve5:16 PM

    Also get How to Cook Everything (see comments above on Maddy's post).

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  78. Squid5:34 PM

    Me three!

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  79. Adam C.6:31 PM

    I'm going to make a slightly different suggestion: yes, read recipes and have a sense of what to do, but in the end, the best way to learn to cook is just to experiment and have fun with it.  Sure, you'll have some misfires, but you'll also do some things really well and each experience will make you better.

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  80. Marsha6:45 PM

    Funny you should mention - I'm working my way through "The Bread Baker's Apprentice."

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  81. bella wilfer7:36 PM

    Cook more is my big resolution also.  I've always been sort of terrified of the kitchen but I took some intro cooking classes last month and now I have the confidence to try.  Hoping this will also help with runner up resolutions "save money" and "eat more healthfully." 

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  82. Maggie9:21 PM

    I've had good luck with cooking classes - just choosing classes that interest me. Sur la table has some great classes and there are a couple of DC cooking schools (e.g., CulinAerie on 14th St comes to mind) that have really good instructors. It's a pretty relaxed setting and if you mess stuff up - it's not your kitchen.

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  83. I wound up doing this tonight.  Scheduling precluded me from having a full dinner, and I wound up at home with my little girl and needing something else to eat.  I took some chicken broth, put it into a pot, poured in some lentils I had bought, cut up some onions into it, and boiled the broth off.  The result is below.  The lentils were a little al dente for my taste, but certainly edible.

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  84. Hey, that reminds me -- wasn't there going to be a DC get-together?  Or did I miss it?

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  85. You're right -- I work for the government, so no tenure clock.  All of my motivation will have to come from within.  Maybe once the NFL playoffs are over.

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  86. lisased11:28 PM

    Russ, you're definitely on the list. 

    We never did have that D.C. get-together. Russ, should I just host it?

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  87. lisased11:30 PM

    Good luck. You've got this.

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  88. lisased11:31 PM

    I jumped in on November 2. The water's fine!

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  89. lisased11:35 PM

    Good job! When I started cooking on my own, I was too afraid to not follow a recipe. 

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  90. Take a look at Michael Ruhlman's Twenty: 20 Techniques 100 Recipes A Cook's Manifesto. If you read nothing but the salt chapter it's money well spent.

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  91. Thanks, Bill.  I did, and it led me to order one of his other books.  In fact, I was looking for something just like the one I ordered -- something conceptual and book-like rather than a list of recipes. 

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  92. Adlai2:33 PM

    You can't go wrong if you walk into the kitchen, chop up an onion, start cooking it in olive oil on medium/low, and then figure out what else will go in there. And whatever recipes say, don't add the garlic until right before the very end or you'll burn it (by the very end, I mean either when you take it off the heat, or when you add some liquid/other ingredient that will prevent the garlic from burning). Onions and garlic just don't cook at the same rate.  

    I also really like the Bittman How to Cook Everything app. I didn't use the cookbook itself a lot (since I have a TON of cookbooks), but the app is only $5, has all the recipes, and it's great to have with you when you're shopping.  

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