WOO HOO, Y’ALL! It’s a new year all up in this piece! And apparently, in 2010, I am going a little ghetto crazy.

I love the New Year, love love love. I completely adore anything that makes me re-examine my life and think about what I want to change, a clean slate! A better me! HELLZ YEAH, PLAYA.

I recognize the fact that most people drop their resolutions by February and that it’s not feasible to think you can just overhaul your life by making grand declarations about 100 lb. weight loss or being nice to your super bitchy neighbor. HOWEVER! In defense of New Year’s resolutions! I will say that I am moderately successful at them, mostly because I:

1. KEEP LISTS TO REMIND MYSELF AS THE YEAR GOES ON. (Hi, I’m a tool.)

and

B.) Break down my resolutions into small, manageable steps

I have decided to post some New Year’s breakdowns at the beginning of each month this year. And we will see if, by December next year, I have achieved some goals. OH MAN, YOU GUYS, THIS IS ABOUT AS EXCITING AS IT GETS OVER HERE.

I’m not entirely sure why I think you’d be interested in this but I suppose it’s mostly for my own accountability. WHO KNOWS? Maybe you’ll be inspired by some of my resolutions and make your own. If you would like to make some resolutions and break them down into babysteps, please share in the comments or on your own blog all about how you are bettering yourself and the world in 2010! YES WE CAN. WHAT. WAIT. I’M TIRED ALREADY.

When I think about things I want to change, I try to look at parts of my life that could use improvement, envisioning my life as a wheel with different parts – FRIENDSHIP, FAMILY, HEALTH, MONEY, LOVE LIFE, CAREER, SPIRITUALITY, THE TIME I SPEND THINKING ABOUT WHEN I CAN EAT THAI FOOD AGAIN, etc. Let’s nix that last one because I doubt many of you have the same struggle with kee mao addiction that I do. Sigh.

So! Once I have a magical wheel of areas of my life, I try to see which areas are pretty awesome and which areas could use some help. There is also a somewhat maintenance aspect to this in that if an area is pretty awesome, I try to see WHY it’s awesome and to KEEP DOING whatever I’m doing to KEEP IT awesome AKA why I spend money getting Thai takeout once a week. BECAUSE IT IS AWESOME. WHO’S WITH ME!?

Here are some of my New Year’s resolutions for each category of LAURA’S LIFE in broad sweeping general terms. I have added a category for my Mondo Beyondo list which sort of works the same way as resolutions. You can’t expect to conquer HUGE seemingly INSURMOUNTABLE TASKS if you can’t break them down and think about HOW you’re going to do them. AM I RIGHT, PEOPLE!?!?

FRIENDSHIP

* Would like to turn some female acquaintances into solid female friendships

HEALTH

* Would like to eat less sugar, less soy, run a 10 minute mile, go all the way to the floor in the third section of the second pose of Bikram Yoga – SHUT UP IT MAKES SENSE TO ME

CAREER

* Would like to form an improv practice group, would like to lock down legit representation, would like to book a commercial, write a new show

MONEY

* pay off credit card debt, have X amount of dollars in savings

SPIRITUALITY

* meditate 2 x’s a day, gradually working up to a 1/2 hour each time
* find a church I like to go to and…go to it

OTHER RANDOM STUFF INCLUDING MONDO BEYONDO GOALS/STUPID CRAP

* join the library
* cook dinner more, learn new recipes
* learn conversational Italian
* read 3-5 books off this list
* get to work on time
* have a baby

HA HA JUST KIDDING ABOUT THAT LAST ONE, MOM! Okay! THAT WAS SCINTILLATING, WASN’T IT? WHY AM I YELLING? If I left off a category, it is because it is awesome right now. (see also: family, love life, etc.) I shall continue to maintain these awesome categories by a) continuing to text my sister while she’s commuting to grad school which has enriched our relationship enormously and 2) continuing to carve out space for me and PCG and our quality time, which is very important to me and our relationship. BLAH BLAH RESPECTING YOUR PARTNER BLAH GAG ME NOW.

Okay, dudes! Without further ado, may I present the January breakdown of New Year’s Resolutions! Feel free to share your own, comment on how dumb mine are or buy me some vegetable dumplings because MMMMMMMM YUMMY.

JANUARY BREAKDOWN

FRIENDSHIP

* make dinner plans with K
* schedule drinks with T
* get breakfast with Married Ashley (BECAUSE HOW MUCH FUN WAS THAT, DUDE?)

HEALTH

* attempt two weeks without sugar, starting today
* go for a run, attempt to add some sprint intervals to increase speed (try this at least once a week)

CAREER

* e-mail legit agent I met to follow up
* e-mail improv peeps to see who would be up for a practice group

MONEY

* pay $300 down on the credit card by the end of the month
* new policy in place – no shopping for unnecessary items unless you have a gift card or magic wand

SPIRITUALITY

* set alarm for fifteen minutes earlier to solidify AM meditation

OTHER

* walk to library, bring utility bill, join library
* check a copy of “Ulysses” by James Joyce out of library, read it
* when you get together with K, cook her dinner, VOILA, two birds with one stone and all that
* order Italian CD’s off amazon.com

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL! Looks like I have a very busy month ahead of me though some of these things will only take a few minutes. And sort of off the cuff, I solemnly swear to blog three times a week and respond to comments in a timely manner. Hope your 2010 is off to a ROCKIN’ START my ninjas! HOLLER.