'Good Things' for January

It's been too long since I did a 'Good Things' post for the month.

So let's start 2011 off right: with some Good Things for January!

1. Resolutions

I think the general trend for resolutions is to pick something you'd like to do/change and then give up on it a few weeks into the year. I do it every year. Stop cracking my knuckles ... eat less sugar ... exercise more and on a more regular basis ... I'm sure you've all been there at least once before.

This year my resolution is a two parter. The first is to be healthier and to take better care of myself (physically but also emotionally, spiritually, etc). The second is to make sure that the people I love and appreciate know that they are loved and appreciated.

And I guess also to try and stop cracking my knuckles.

2. Artisan Breads

I sort of declared the last half of 2010 as my year of artisan breads but really only did it for about a month. Then school get hectic and I stopped doing too much baking. But if I can find the time, or maybe on the weekends, I want to get back into baking bread. There's something very therapeutic about kneading the dough and waiting for it to rise. And bread that you've baked yourself somehow always tastes a bit better than bread you buy.

That's not true, but there's great satifaction in eating a sandwich that you helped make possible.

3. Wine and Cheese Parties

I really want to have a formal wine and cheese party. One where each pair of my friends is responsible for bringing one specific type of cheese and one specific type of wine. Then we all eat our faces off and drink like champs. But it's okay to get drunk because it's classy. See the trick there? Classy. But I also really love both wine and cheese. And I got a brie baker for christmas along with cheese plates and a cheese tray. And I have cheese markers that I bought last year and haven't used yet. I may create a facebook wine and cheese event in the next few days.

4. Mad Men

I googled January and found pictures of January Jones, an actress in the show Mad Men, which is a show on AMC that I have been meaning to start watching. I want to dress like the women in this show and I also want to marry Jon Hamm, a card carrying member of the Handsome Men's Club.

Never heard of it?

Oh, my lovelies.

Watch.

Watch and love it.


That's it for this January.

I'll be back with the recipe for those cheesecake truffles tomorrow!