Although there is no tangible difference between December 31 and January 1, I appreciate the division we have created between the boisterous, decadent celebrations of the year’s end and the chance for a fresh start when the calendar changes. We can make a clean slate any day, but the new year is when I think of all the things I want to do better in the next 366 days.

I’ve read many wonderful year end/new year posts and now I’m not quite sure what I want to say about this time. I like setting goals and dreaming of new routines and accomplishments. I like the feeling that things are going to change slightly, because I want them to. Because I want to waste a lot less, listen to music more, learn more about food and cooking, and make leisure time more of a priority I am making a list in early January to keep in mind all year. I welcome this annual chance to look back thoughtfully and refocus on what’s to come.

I spent a lot of the first day of 2012 serving people brunch, so the second day of the year seemed more like the start of something (slightly) new. I went to the crowded grocery store and brought provisions home to our sunny kitchen. The sky was a bright winter blue and the sun glints coldly off the ice on the sidewalks and roads. The weather was finally gotten cold enough to enjoy a cozy afternoon making granola and squash soup. Nothing new about that, but I still revel in the sense of possibility and dream about what is to come.

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