Well, here we are in another new year.

I don't know where 2011 went. Taking a page from Post columnist Gayle Foster, I took a look back over my calendar. It appears that I did lots of stuff, but most of it on a routine basis: attend council meeting, write about council meeting, lay-out newspapers, rinse and repeat.

With the start of the New Year, I feel like I should be making plans for 2012. I've already started my second annual Diet and Exercise Plan. I think of it in capitalized letters - Diet and Exercise Plan - because, to me, it's a proper noun. Last year, I Dieted and Exercised starting in January and lost a little more than two sizes. This year, I'm shooting to lose two more sizes. I've signed up for a Zumba class at the Medina rec center and am planning to sorta follow the same diet plan as Police Chief Pat Berarducci. I've got some copies of the recipes he uses, so we'll see how that works for me. I don't think I can give up all of the prohibited foods, but some of the recipes sound quite good.

Speaking of the chief, he tells me that his own New Year's resolution is to continue his own diet plan.

"I resolve to build on the health improvement successes I enjoyed in 2011 after losing 49 pounds," Berarducci said. "I want to increase my exercise sessions to four times per week and not miss a week. I will continue to eat plant perfect no oil diet at every meal."

Mayor Dennis Hanwell's resolution is similar. He plans to be more dedicated to his workout routine by committing to exercise three to five times per week and to be more flexible in that schedule.

"I noticed last year that I would intend to work out, but then schedule/commitments would prohibit it on a number of occasions. I intend to make much more concerted effort to do so," the mayor told me.

I couldn't agree with him more because the same thing happens to me. Things, such as cleaning and exercising, get pushed to the backburner in favor of more timely pursuits, like working or reading a novel. My own workout motivation is audio books. I listen to a lot of books that I might not ever get around to reading. "Jane Eyre" took me through about two months last year. I've got recordings of "Wuthering Heights" and "Mansfield Park" ready to go for this year.

Now, we all just need to follow through.

Resolution fulfilled

About this time last year, I also wrote about a New Year's resolution made by Medina resident Josh Schwarz. As a first-year student at Case Western Reserve University, he decided to design 52 Facebook apps, or one per week, for 2011. He recently contacted me to say that he has succeeded in his goal.

"I am determined to start my own company before I graduate from Case Western and so I am aggressively pursuing technology, business and entrepreneurship. I was inspired to create 52 Facebook apps in a week by week project after showing classmates at Case things that I had previously created. The collective body of my projects is viewable on my Web site, Amagit.com," Josh said.

Now a sophomore studying computer science, Josh plans to build what he calls a "mega-app" to help CWRU students meet new people and connect for social events on campus.

"One of the first things that I'll be working on this year is a service exclusively for Case Western Reserve University students that helps them meet people and find things to do around campus. I call this idea a 'Recommendation Engine.' If it works out, I could expand to a larger demographic," he said.

Hopefully all of us do as well as Josh did in keeping his New Year's resolution last year.

Safe from the snow

As a final winter safety tip, everyone should get familiar with the terms that are used to identify a winter storm hazard and discuss with your family what to do if a winter storm watch or warning is issued. Terms used to describe a winter storm hazard include the following:

* Freezing Rain: creates a coating of ice on roads and walkways.

* Sleet: rain that turns to ice pellets before reaching the ground. Sleet also causes roads to freeze and become slippery.

* Winter Weather Advisory: cold, ice and snow are expected.

* Winter Storm Watch: severe weather such as heavy snow or ice is possible in the next day or two.

* Winter Storm Warning: severe winter conditions have begun or will begin very soon.

Winter reminder

Before I leave the topic of snow, I want to share one of our most frequently requested graphics. As a reminder, mailboxes that lean over the street are more likely to be hit with snow from passing plows.

From music to meals

Medina-based heavy metal record label Auburn Records sponsored its third annual food drive to benefit the Cleveland Foodbank (which also services Medina County) and Friends of the Cleveland Kennel Dec. 23 with seven bands performing at The Saw Concert Club in Parma. Medina resident Bill Peters owns Auburn Records.

This year's donation totals included 2,159 pounds of food and $872.76 in cash Food donations were up 71 percent and cash donations up 310 percent from 2010!

Pictured is Peters standing by one of three containers of food donations being checked in at the Cleveland Foodbank.

From the auditor's office

Don't forget to license your dog no later than Jan. 31, for only $12. You can purchase your license at the Medina County Auditor's Office or a number of satellite locations throughout the county. A complete list of dog licensing locations is available at www.medinacountyauditor.org. Dog licenses are designed to assist in the location and return of a lost pet, so protect your pooch and get your license today.

Missing your tax refund?

In an annual reminder to taxpayers, the Internal Revenue Service is looking to return $153.3 million in undelivered tax refund checks. In all, 99,123 taxpayers are due refund checks this year that could not be delivered because of mailing address errors.

Undelivered refund checks average $1,547 this year.

Taxpayers who believe their refund check may have been returned to the IRS as undelivered should use the "Where's My Refund?" tool on IRS.gov. The tool will provide the status of their refund and, in some cases, instructions on how to resolve delivery problems.

Taxpayers checking on a refund over the phone will receive instructions on how to update their addresses. Taxpayers can access a telephone version of "Where's My Refund?" by calling 1-800-829-1954.

While only a small percentage of checks mailed out by the IRS are returned as undelivered, taxpayers can put an end to lost, stolen or undelivered checks by choosing direct deposit when they file either paper or electronic returns.

The public should be aware that the IRS does not contact taxpayers by e-mail to alert them of pending refunds and does not ask for personal or financial information through e-mail. Such messages are common phishing scams. The agency urges taxpayers receiving such messages not to release any personal information, reply, open any attachments or click on any links to avoid malicious code that can infect their computers. The best way for an individual to verify if she or he has a pending refund is going directly to IRS.gov and using the "Where's My Refund?" tool.