This is the year of:

The tiger. I heard rumors that 2010 is the year of the tiger (according to the Chinese), and since I spent the last month of 2009 watching Mythbusters, you'd think I'd be eager to verify that fact before posting it to a public website. Wrong! I think every year should be the year of the tiger. I've been answering the "what is your favorite animal?" question with "TIGER!" ever since my mouth would cooperate with my brain well enough for me to pronounce the word with any degree of clarity. From here on out, every year is the year of the tiger, and you are going to love it.

A clean slate academically. When DeVry University contacted me about their online program and told me of their policy to transfer in past credits without a past GPA, I almost cried. Despite years of floundering in the traditional college environment because of my own faults — poor time management, lack of motivation, and a bad habit of not going to class — and other factors, I will legitimately have a shot to graduate at the top of my class. That is music to my ears.

Writing more. Watch out, all you half-filled journals tucked away into secret corners of my room. I'm coming for you.

Reading more. I'm starting off the year by reading Stephen King's On Writing, which is bad news for the two birds I'm about to kill.

Loving more. Guh. I know. Being bitter and cynical lends itself to some great Twitter jokes, and I'll probably return to that in 2011 (or in February, to be honest). However, I'd like to give that whole "being kind-hearted and sweet and generous" thing a shot, if only so I can mock it later.

Worrying less. My father once worried about my shoelaces coming untied when I was wearing velcro-laced shoes. I do not want to live like that. So many things are out of my hands, and I should shrug them off and focus on the things that really matter in life. LIke finding out if I can legally own a pet tiger in Chicago.

Financial stability and freedom from credit card debt. FINE. I CONFESS. I am a really great shopper. I was a really stupid shopper when I lived on a college campus and refused to eat at the cafeteria. (It is possible to max-out your credit card buying only Pop-Tarts.) I also work at my church and get paid in pennies and pats-on-the-back, so all this means that I need to pay close attention to how I spend my money in the present and the future if I ever want to buy a car, a Nikon D80, or a one-way ticket to New Zealand.

Board games and gym memberships and Turtle Mochas and hugs. These are a few of my favorite things. (The gym membership is one of my least favorite things, but it might be the golden ticket to surviving swimsuit season now that I have my eye on a really cute bikini.)

I would like to send hugs to Lovely Anomaly and my adorable boyfriend for helping me get that board game resolution off to a fantastic start.

Every morning cartoons. It sure would be easier to love people if I started every morning with a good breakfast and cartoons. Sadly, that requires waking up earlier than I normally do, which is what makes this challenging enough to qualify as a resolution. (I can't believe you fell for that logic!)

So there you have it. 2010 is going to be the best year ever.