Happy New Year from Home-Ec 101

Heather says

2012 is rapidly winding down, and in all honesty 2012 probably won’t go down as my favorite year ever. I’m looking to 2013 for a fresh, new start.

Are you?

I want to create a community of encouragement around here and I’d like your help on brainstorming ways to meet that goal. How do we interact with one another without relying on a platform like FaceBook (which can take away that community at their discretion) in a way that respects your privacy without allowing complete anonymity, because frankly that’s when some unsavory types may decide to show up and I need, for all of our sake, to have the ability to moderate.

I want to open up Home-Ec a little more to user contribution, but I don’t want to do it in a way that gets abused by people looking to promote their sites on selling insurance or college admissions or what have you. I am in full support of paying contributors -granted at this point it cannot be a lot, but as we get back on the growth path, that will, over time, change to a respectable amount. However, even at this stage, the content has to meet Home-Ec 101 standards. If you want to discuss this with me, feel free to message me privately. Active Home-Eccers will be given preferential treatment.

What are your opinions on this matter?

As many of you know, I have taken on a full-time, grown-up, real, big-girl job with FeedBlitz. I love it. I’m still working at the Irish pub which lets me see actual adults. -One of the major sources of stress / anxiety for me was how isolated I’d allowed myself to become over the years. I won’t allow that to happen again. That said, these things have cut into my ability to work on Home-Ec, but we’re going to figure this out. Right?

Now for the stuff of more general interest.

At this time of year, many people are searching for a cleaning routine or a printable chore schedule and you’re in luck, I have got one just for you. Are you thinking of learning how to cook? Are you determined to start menu planning? Perhaps you’re just looking to start cutting out processed foods?

Are you making resolutions or setting goals?

What are they?

My goals for this site are:

To continue adding recipes, cooking tutorials, and answering reader questions as I have done for nearly 6 years. (Don’t forget, you can send your household and cooking questions to helpme@home-ec101.com)To encourage more of a community feel to Home-Ec 101 without losing the tone or voice.

Is there anything you want to see happen with Home-Ec 101 over the next year?

I can’t promise it’ll happen, but I can certainly listen and give your ideas consideration. And no, I’m not coming over to clean your house. Completely unrelated, I hate it when I make an offhand comment about completing some chore or another and someone pipes up with, “Now come do that at my house.” Dude, I never said I enjoyed doing said task, what on earth makes you think I’m all gung-ho about doing it for you? Chances are it took all my will power to complete the task for myself. Grr.

Do you have any New Year’s  traditions?
I always make hoppin’ john, collard greens, and cornbread for luck and prosperity (settle down, it’s tradition not superstition). If you’d like, I also have a vegan version of collard greens that are ah-mazing.

What do you serve?

Thankfully, the world did not end on December 21. (Please don’t think I actually gave that prediction any actual credence)

That said, it’s important to some basic, rational steps toward emergency preparedness. You’ll thank me during the next actual minor emergency.

Happy New Year. Thank you for everything.

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