What’s ahead for 2010…

…for this blog, that is.

What will stay the same and what will change?

I’ll keep posting photos of our CSA delivery, photos of our food waste, photos of readers in their stylish secondhand clothes on Thrifty Threads, Meatless Monday recipes, and an occasional Wine Finds. I’ll also continue to ask questions relating to non-consumerism as food for thought, like “How much do you need to live on?” “How do you measure wealth?” and “How do you judge success?” I’ll keep on bringing you free stuff alerts, as well as share tips I learn from other bloggers and from readers. And hopefully we’ll just keep learning from each other about how to live a simple lifestyle with abundance.

What will also stay pretty much the same is the look of this blog. While I’m aware it’s a bit quaint, and that other bloggers are switching platforms and looking more professional, etc., I really can’t justify spending that kind of time and money on something that I’m not being paid for. My intention isn’t to earn money, and I’d rather spend my time on posting rather than unveiling a new design. However, my husband has offered to design an original banner for me, and I’ll probably start switching out my photo every so often, and I’ll need a new tagline. But at least for the time being, it will look about the same, and I hope that works for my readers. I secretly still like the layout, since so many blogs are starting to look the same to me.

Here are a few other things I’ll be exploring this year:

More baby steps challenges, although I don’t know what they’ll be yet. I’m thinking of growing our own lettuce this spring, eating from the pantry for a month, and learning how to cook Indian food. I’ll be copying some of Cate’s recipes at Budget Confessions, since she started making Indian food at home a few months ago.

I’d also like to do physical 30-day challenges, like taking a walk or doing yoga every day for a month. I think there are a lot of benefits to focusing on one thing at a time.

I’ll definitely be doing a lot more decluttering. I got started on that last year, but I didn’t do nearly as much as I would have liked. After joining Non Consumer Girl in her Clutter to Cash challenge of raising $5000, I managed to sell my girlhood saddle for $200 and some vintage clothes for $21. So I came up a bit short. My enthusiasm sometimes gets the better of my logic, although maybe that’s not altogether a bad thing.

I also want to explore the local thrift stores a little more. I don’t really need any clothes or much of anything else, but it would be nice to know where to go when I will inevitably need to replace my black go-go boots or my favorite jeans.

I plan on reading some simple living books like Voluntary Simplicity, writings about “food politics” like Animal, Vegetable, Miracle and In Defense of Food, and the Bible of lifestyle liberation, Your Money or Your Life. I’ve heard so much about all of these books this past year, so I really want to get to them, and if I do, I’ll tell you what I think. I usually read mostly fiction so that will be a change for me.

I’m also going to start doing interviews, with other bloggers and people in the “simple living/non-consumer/Compact” community.

And I’ll see what comes up as the year unfolds. At the beginning of 2009, I thought I’d be writing about temptation and “falling off the wagon” a whole lot more than I did. And I didn’t know I was going to be writing about CSA delivery (didn’t even know what it was!), composting, or how to be stylish while shopping at Goodwill.

So I’m looking forward to all the new things I’ll be learning and all the new people I’ll meet. And I hope you’ll join me… Let me know your favorite features, themes, or posts and what you want more of in the Comments section.

Comments

  1. Anonymous says

    Hi
    I visit your blog regularly but have never commented before, but I would just like to say that I find your blog very interesting and I'm glad you are not looking to change the layout as I find it very easy to look at.
    Good luck with your plans for 2010
    All the best
    Judy in Adelaide

  2. This Thrifted Life says

    Looking forward to seeing what you have in store for us this year!

    All of the books you mentioned are so good–I hope you get to read and enjoy them soon.

  3. Cate says

    I like your layout. The lack of bells and whistles is very appealing.

    I'm really fond of the baby steps challenges and have even followed along on a couple of them, so I'm glad they'll be sticking around.

    Like Lucy, I also love all the books you mentioned–particularly the Barbara Kingsolver. It reads almost like fiction, it's that good.

    I'm glad you'll be learning to cook Indian food along with me! I took a short break from it so we wouldn't get burnt out, but I think later this month I'm going to try my hand at chana masala again. I've tried making it before and it's just never turned out quite right.

  4. Jen says

    Hey! I'm a relatively new fan of your blog. I've actually been thinking more deliberately about my spending and simplifying, so your blog is really helpful. I'm particularly looking forward to when you do the 30-day challenge. I'm currently "training" to do a 100K walk (onedayhike.org) and I do mean 100, not 10. No typo here. I figure it'll be helpful for my own motivation to know other people are challenging themselves physically. Good luck!

  5. Betsy Talbot says

    Hi, Angela. I'm looking forward to this year of "compact-lite" on your blog. In fact, I wrote about a friend who is downsizing to 100 things on my blog today and listed you as a resource for simplicity and readers are already thanking me for the recommendation. So I'd say your layout is fine!

    Let me know when you decide to read "Your Money or Your Life" – it is on my list, too. Maybe we can have a "virtual conversation" about the book and post it on both of our blogs?

  6. Anki says

    Looking forward to reading your blog this year. I just finshed and reviewed in defense of food and it was relaly good. Lots of "food for thought" :-) I'm also reviewing Kingsolvers book in a couple of weeks!

  7. Angela says

    Judy- Thanks so much for commenting- I really appreciate it and am glad you like the layout.

    This Thrifted Life- Thanks! I'm looking forward to what's in store also! The books- yes, I'm very excited to start the Barbara Kingsolver soon- she is one of my favorite fiction authors.

    Cate- Thanks! (about the layout) Yes, the challenges have been fun for me and I love the idea of tackling one thing at a time and focusing on it. Sometimes we get overwhelmed and think we have to do everything at once and since it's not possible, we do nothing. Re: Kingsolver- yay for her! I love her books. And yay for Indian food- I'm going to try the "chole bakura"- I know that's wrong- next week. Can't wait. It will be so fun to be learning it together. It is our very favorite food.

    Jen- Wow! You have really intrigued me with that statement- is that over 60 miles in one day? Wow- I must hear more- please keep us informed- that is incredible!

    Betsy- Thanks so much for mentioning me- I certainly have a lot more than 100 things- but I am on a path to live with less, that's true. I love the idea of a conversation about YMOYL when we read it- let's do that! Oh, also- I'm happy to hear your opinion on the layout because I consider you an expert in all of that…

    Anki- Thanks. It sounds like we're working from the same reading list! Thanks for commenting!

    Emily- I've heard about that book a few times- I'm putting it on the list right now- thanks!

    Thanks everyone for commenting!

  8. Jen says

    Yep, 62 miles. One day. It starts at 3 am and goes until midnight, hiking from downtown DC to Harpers Ferry, WV. There's a 50K option that starts at 10 am. Bit of a glutton for punishment, I suppose. In the next couple of weeks I plan on getting my blog back up and going and while the long walk won't be the focus of the blog, it'll no doubt get mentioned. I think others should sign up with me. 😉 Anyone?

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