“My New Year's resolution list usually starts with the desire to lose between 10 and 3,000 pounds.” Nia Vardalos. I love this quote, but I never make resolutions because I know myself too well. The pressure! The Damoclean sword. The inevitable fail! Resolutions smack of puritanical punishment to me. I will lose weight! I will lift weights! I will read something weighty! At one point, I decided that instead of resolutions I'd pick a Word for the year—Strength, Creativity, Gratitude—but even that was too much work. What if I forgot the Word or forgot to work the Word or failed to live up to the Word? Whether it was a Resolution or a Word, I was striving to make each new year extraordinary, stellar, stardusty. But recently, I came across a casual snapshot of my former husband and me at a long-ago family wedding in Kentucky, and we looked like two small-town kids playing grownup—which we were. The photo had the faded colors of old Kodak prints, my hair was just cut not styled, and my glasses were cat-eyed. We were so ordinary! We were just living our lives without witnesses, comments, or feedback--unlike today when every party, dinner or special event is Facebooked and Instagrammed. There was something so sweet and unplanned and unposed about it. I don’t have a resolution for 2022, but if I did, it would be to live my life as if it were taking place moment to moment, in the moment, un-momentously. 

 

After overindulging for weeks, I crave a return to basics. A friend introduced me to the Cruciferous Crunch mix from Trader Joe’s, which I sauté and pair with Steamed Pork and Ginger Soup Dumplings or steamed Vegetable Gyoza. Even with sauteing and steaming, the whole meal takes only about 10 minutes—quick and delicious.

January can be a letdown after the glittery build-up to Christmas, but someone I follow on Instagram gave me the idea of creating a January “Advent” package for my daughters. I spent the past year taking my time to fill 31 envelopes for each of them with tiny trinkets, poems, photos, artwork, and assorted curiosities so that they would be able to open one a day during January to ease into the new year. It's the kind of homemade gift that would also be great for someone leaving home to go to college for the first time or someone moving to a new city to make the life transition less lonely. 

I don’t know what Magic Finish contains, but this cream makes my face look like it’s been Photoshopped. It’s suitable for most light to medium skin tones, so there’s no guesswork or confusing range of tints for me to choose from (I never get it right!). Billed as a four-in-one foundation, primer, powder, and concealer, you barely know it’s there. I've never spent much time on makeup, but Magic Finish might make a believer of me.

My family drew names for gifts this year, and one of the things on my list was The Book of Change by Stephen Ellcock. It’s a collection of beautiful, thought-provoking images and icons from more than 3,000 years of artistic history paired with quotes to provoke reflection and revelation (or spiritual revolution). One of my best gifts ever!