It’s a new year. And that means new goals. Many of my goals are the same as last year…Goals that I’ve failed at achieving. But, we never let failure stop us from trying to succeed. We’d really never get anything done if we did!

There’s a number of things I want to do this year.

Writing: I want to start writing more and better. 2009 saw me get hired on as one of the parent-bloggers for Onslow Memorial Hospital’s Mom-Talk blogging network. I’m hoping that will continue through 2010 and flourish into some new opportunities. New opportunities that include include publishing in magazines and other websites. I want to start and keep a journal. My goal is to write one non-blogging piece a month for submission to magazines. I’m focusing on publications that look for creative non-fiction like The Sun Magazine. If you know a similar magazine that’s looking for something new, please let me know.

Reading: I want to actually finish a book this year. I’ve read horribly little the last few years. I want to read some creative non-fiction to help build the writer I want to be…But I also want to read good fiction. My goal is to read one book a month. Starting this month with Jack Kerouac’s Town and Country. I’ve been reading off and on (mostly off…) for months. I’m looking for recommendations, so if you’ve got them, send them my way.

Photography: I want to start taking photos…Again. To that end: I’ll be taking a self-portrait a day. Today it’s with the iPhone (at left). Future self-portraits may be well-planned shots, others on-the-go. The idea is to get back into the habit of taking pictures. I also want to start using my Nikon D40 more. I want to take more photo-walks and maybe even take the camera along on some bicycle rides and commutes. My goal: Post weekly to the Photography blog. Post daily self-portraits there, here and on Twitter and Facebook.

Bicycling: I have been extremely lazy when it comes to bicycling since October. I want to get back into using the bicycle as my primary form of transportation. I also want to get back into blogging more about bicycling and working harder to advocate for the bicycle as a viable form of transportation in Jacksonville, NC. My goal:  250 miles ridden a month by bicycle.

Fitness/Weight-loss: I have completely failed at all previous attempts to get into better shape. This year, I hope to make real and lasting lifestyle changes to get back to a reasonable weight. My goal is to lose 25 pounds by May 2010. I can achieve this by making better food choices, exercising and bicycle commuting more. Tools like the Lose It, 100 Push Ups, 200 Sit-Ups and 200 Squat iPhone apps will help me. As will getting to the gym and not being a slave to sodas.

Activism and Issue Advocacy: I’ve been remiss in advocating for the issues that are important to me for some time. In 2010, I want to take a more active role in the world around me. That means making more time to research issues and contact the elected leaders that can influence them. More letters to the editor, more letters to elected leaders (local, state and national) and more work pushing the ideas and ideals that I believe. It also means a more active role in the City of Jacksonville Recreation and Parks and Trails and Greenways Commissions.

So. Those are some of my goals this year. What are yours?

There are approximately 1600 homeless people living in Onslow County. As of August 26, 2008, there are 166 homeless children enrolled in the Onslow County School system (statistics from Onslow County Schools). That number is expected to rise dramatically as more families are evicted from their homes and more providers lose their jobs.

Studies have shown that providing a roof over someone’s head contributes more than just a place to stay. It helps to provide stability, dignity and pride for those families. Health, physical safety, and security improve. Educational and job prospects also tend to increase.

Jacksonville/Onslow Habitat for Humanity’s mission is to help end poverty in Onslow County by providing safe, decent, affordable housing to those in need. Established in 2005 as an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, we have completed one home in Onslow County. Our second home construction began on October 4 at 1622 Hargett St.

We are planning a unique fundraiser, “Windows of Opportunity”, that will help in raising money for home construction. This fundraiser is a silent auction event that will feature the work of local artists in the Onslow County area.

The Habitat for Humanity Restore, a thrift store that operates as a part of our fundraising efforts, recently received a large donation of old, wooden windows. We are asking local artists to take a window and transform it into a work of art, to be auctioned off at the silent auction event. Whether it becomes a painting or piece of a small sculpture, all pieces of family-appropriate work will be accepted and appreciated.

The completed windows will be auctioned off in a silent auction event. All proceeds will benefit Jacksonville/Onslow Habitat for Humanity.

To show our appreciation for anyone willing to donate their services, we welcome business cards, brochures or other promotional material to be displayed along with your submission. Artists are also welcome to attend the silent auction to answer questions and meet and greet attendees. The date, time, and location of the event will be announced at a later date.

We cannot pursue our mission of ending poverty housing in Onslow County without the support of volunteers, donors, and our community.

If you are interested in helping or have questions about the event, please contact Kristy Noble via telephone at 347-9400 or email at onslowhfhexec@yahoo.com

Thank you for your support in providing safe, decent, and affordable housing to those in need.

Kristy Noble
Executive Director
Jacksonville/Onslow Habitat for Humanity
PO Box 242
Jacksonville, NC 28541

This sounds like a great opportunity for emerging artists and it’s a great cause to support. I’m hoping to participate and will post more later.

Added as an Update:

An email from Ms. Noble includes the following information:

• Frames can be picked up from the Habitat for Humanity Restore located at 1909 Lejeune Blvd. The Restore is open on Tuesday through Saturday from 8am to 5pm. It’s recommended that you contact Ms. Noble prior to going as they are sometimes unpredictably closed (luncheons, construction supervision, meetings, etc).
• Any medium (photography, painting, sculputing, etc) is acceptable. As long as the finished piece is family-appropriate, it will be accepted.
• The fundraiser is scheduled for April 2009. The pieces will be due in March for cataloging and organizing submissions.

Dear Jacksonville Daily News,

Your blurb (at left and “blurb” is an overstatement) about the OOPS reception and art show at the Jacksonville-Onslow Council for the Arts was pretty sad.

Not only was it poorly written and only a sentence (and a fragment) long, but the photograph of Bernie Rosage, Jr. and his lovely (and growing artist) Olivia isn’t available on the online version of the article.

If you’re not going to print in-depth reports of local events, please do us all a favor and remove “Jacksonville” from your masthead.

Your even-more-embarrassed-reader,

Thomas Brock

Dear Jacksonville Daily News,

Shame on you for only sending a photographer to the Jacksonville-Onslow Council for the Arts‘ Soup in a Bowl event yesterday. And an even bigger shame on you for having a photograph and a slightly over-run sentence for your coverage in today’s newspaper.

With a staff of over 30 professional journalists, I would’ve expected more from you. But, of course, you never fail to disappoint me, Jacksonville Daily News. Shoddy reporting, poor grammar, and no proof-reading is but a summary of your shortcomings. Now, I must add a lack of interest in local events to that list.

It’s no wonder that the citizens of Jacksonville and Onslow County are mostly unaware of the vast majority of events held in the area. Your inability to provide coverage is clearly the cause.

Shame on you, Jacksonville Daily News.

Your embarrassed reader,

Thomas

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I had five hot soups plus one cold soup and two breads (there was a total of about 20 soups available). Here’s the rundown:

Soup #1: Matzo ball soup. After Ms. Steinfeld‘s post on good matzo ball soup, I decided that, since it was readily available, I had to try it. I’m glad I did. The balls were sinkers, and pretty darn dense (in a good way). The soup had carrots that were cooked perfectly. Overall, I can easily see why Emma calls it Jewish Penicillin (luckily, I’m not allergic!). I could easily slurp down gallons of the stuff while laid up in bed with a cold.

Soup #2: Cold orange and tomato soup. This was an interesting combination, especially cold (the thought of warm oranges turn me off!). It was almost like a V8 drink, but only orange and tomato. I thought it was very good, but because it was so thick, I couldn’t drink all of it (and still have room for more soups!).

Soup #3: Clam chowder. Wow! The chowder was great! The potatoes were big, but not too big, and cooked perfectly through. The bacon and bits of clam were also perfectly cooked and tasty. The soup was creamy and smooth and overall, not too seafoody. It’s probably the best clam chowder I’ve ever had.

Soup #4: Cajun chicken, sausage, and wild rice. Another great soup! The rice was wonderful. No under or over cooked grains and no clumps, either. The chicken and sausage had just the right amount of bite and spice. It was a great example of the perfect soup for a cold winter’s day meal.

Soup #5: Pumpkin soup. This was the best soup I had today. It was smooth and creamy. It was really thick and filling (another of the cold winter’s day soups). There was a hint of onion and garlic and maybe some nutmeg or cinnamon, but not really enough of anything but pumpkin to be a definite flavor. I’m going to hunt down a few recipes and try them out this fall.

I tried two types of bread, sunflower and salted white, and wasn’t impressed by either.

I had two nutmeg rum cookies and they were awesome. The rum kind of exploded in my mouth like those Hershey Kisses with the caramel inside. It was a flavor burst with booze! Wooohooooo!

Also present at the event was the great artwork from the 30th annual Middle and High School Arts Contest. The talent these kids displayed in their work was amazing. I was impressed and humbled by the level of dedication on display. It’s sad to know that for most of these kids, their love for art will be squeezed out of them by an education system not designed to tend to growing artists.

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Jacksonville-Onslow Council for the Arts will be hosting the 6th annual Soup in a Bowl event on Saturday from 11am to 1pm. The cost is a $10 handmade pottery bowl by Ben Watford. Of course, while you’re at the Council for the soup, you can peruse more of Watford’s work, along with dozens of other artists’.

EXIT Realty and Bettering Our Local Downtown (BOLD) is sponsoring “Downtown’s Going Green” Saturday from 1pm to 5pm on New Bridge Street. The event will have eco-friendly displays, information on how to better conserve your use of energy, and music. There will also be law enforcement booths (get your kid finger-printed and ID’ed) and car-seat checks.

Also on Saturday, the Swansboro Rotary will be hosting their 28th annual Oyster Roast and Pig Out from 5pm to 8pm. It’s an all-you-can-eat buffet that includes oysters, fish, pork, hush puppies, Cole slow, drinks, tea, and more. Tickets are $40 in advance, $45 at the door for adults and $16 for kids 15 and under. The proceeds benefit the Swansboro Youth Scholarship Fund and Community Youth Projects.

The Onslow Outdoor Painter Society will be meeting Sunday at 1pm at the old Jacksonville Train Depot (the Riverwalk Park). The group will have a Dutch treat dinner.

Photographers are invited to enjoy the afternoon shooting mostly-willing models and an array of plants and urban scenes.

People complain that there’s not much to do around Jacksonville and Onslow County. Here’s five events (three that’re free!) for the weekend (beginning tonight).

Get out and do something!

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At 7pm, Mr. Mertens will explain the artwork, his motivations, and his processes in creating it.

The reception is free and open to the public.

If you can’t make the reception tonight, please see the exhibit Monday through Thursday from 7:30am to 7:30pm and Friday from 7:30am to 3pm.

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