Marijuana in Maryland, Secure Passwords, Healthy Do-Gooders: Top Local Voices

By Susan Jenkins and Shannon Morgan

Will Maryland Decriminalize Marijuana in 2014?
One state delegate offers a preview of what he thinks may be the hot-button legislative issues for the 2014 session of the Maryland General Assembly. Read what's in store from Del. Eric Bromwell, who represents the state’s 8th District, in his blog: A Preview of the 2014 Legislative Session.

4 Steps to Making New Year’s Resolutions That Stick
Have you found yourself giving up on your New Year’s Resolutions already? Don’t despair. Catonsville Patch blogger Chris Aitken offers four steps to help you stick to your goals this year. Chris blogs about fitness at CrossFit Catonsville but even if running a marathon isn’t one of your goals this year, you can still apply these steps. Let us know which one speaks to you.

Tips for Secure Passwords, Facebook Privacy
Whether you are looking to speed up Mac OSX or perform regular maintenance on your PC, Patch blogger Riva Computers offers all kinds of computer and Internet tips. Worried about what others can see on Facebook? Check out the blog post on tips to keep your Facebook account secure. Read the blog post about creating passwords if you think your password is foolproof! Click here to see all the posts in the Computer Tips Blog.

Banish ‘Bacne’ and Other Skin Care Tips
Blogger and Annapolis-based esthetician Cate Campbell believes taking care of your skin can enhance other efforts to be healthy in 2014. “A healthier you translates to a beautiful healthy skin,” she wrote. See her eight skin care tips in the blog post: New Year! New Beautiful You!

Benefits of Doing Good
“People who volunteer to do helpful things for others are 10 times more likely to be in good health than people who don’t volunteer.” Blogger Kim Wiklund reflects on why doing good deeds is good for us, too, in her post on Kate’s Blog, a health and spirituality Patch blog. Tell us: What good deeds will do this year?

How To Paint a Portrait
“Start with a theme and develop on it.” Artist and blogger Vian Borchert muses on creating art in her recent blog post and talks about how she created a series of paintings inspired by her own self-portrait. For readers wanted to dive further into their art, Vian offers classes in Gaithersburg and Glen Echo. Find out more on her blog, Vian Shamounki Borchert's Blog.