1. Forgive and forget. I once read a quote that said something along the lines of “If you stay mad at someone you’re letting them live rent free in your head.” Here are the eviction notices! Get out! I sent out emails (some of which took a while to write), made some uncomfortable phone calls, texted some (those who wouldn’t pick up after several failed attempts) and let them all know that I had no more grudges against them. I wanted to start this year fresh. And all that animosity was gone, simple as that. The ball was in their court.

2. Open a Roth IRA and max it out. Simple enough, except for trying to figure out where to open it. I would open it at Sharebuilder, where I opened up my first account, but I feel that I’ve outgrown them just in this past year. Optionsxpress is where I have my other account, yet I feel like I could find something better, in regards to fees and the UI. Zecco is tempting, but from what I’ve read online, people have been having some problems with them. So, that’s up in the air.

3. Have at least $50,000 sum total in my brokerage account. This one might prove a little difficult, especially with the market being the way it is right now. I am starting with $5,000. I did say aggressive, didn’t I?

4. Pay off all of my debt, which currently totals $18,922.96. Aggressive, remember?

5. Gain weight, healthily, of course. I currently sit at a hefty 109 pounds. Mind you, my BMI says I am at a healthy weight for my height, but I just feel much more comfortable….erm substantial? for better lack of word at a heavier weight. I want to sit at or near 150. 35 lbs in a year would be about 3lbs/month, which would be a little less than .67 lb/week. Though the weight gain will come on quickly at the beginning because I am basically emaciated (not really, but I eat 1, or 2 times a day, and rarely 3 times max, compared with how I will be eating), it will slow down near the end of the year and get harder to gain. I use fitday.com to keep track of health goals.

6. Buy a decent car which has all of its working parts not just selective features. On my older car the speedomoter stopped working, one of the rear passenger doors wouldn’t open any more, the hood wouldn’t stay up when opened, the a/c was nonexistent, and the passenger window was perpetually down (it sucked for roadtrips and when it was raining and I had a friend with me), and to keep the engine from over revving I had to drive with the gear shift in between neutral and drive. The current car I have now does not spray any wiper fluid (I have yet to figure out where the fluid ends up!), the odometer is forever stuck at 149,000 and has been stuck at that number since March when I bought it off a neighbor, the a/c is shot (Texas heat sucks!), the passenger door does not open so it looks like I’m chauffeuring all my friends, the passenger window on that same door is slowly dying, the battery does not have a clamp or case to keep it from moving around which loosens the terminals from time to time and this wouldn’t be such a hassle except for the fact that the spring on the hood is broken, so two people are needed to open it (phew!)

7. Take more positive risks.

That should be it. Patience will be key as it’s the destination that matters. Wish me luck!

This is a beautiful gem of a movie that will simply blow you away. The great chemistry between Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova pulls you in and will leave you aching with them.

The songs are incredible and elevate the movie from wonderful to a carefully crafted masterpiece.

You won’t see another loose ends tied-up, pretty, prepackaged Hollywood ending here. Just raw emotions that include awkward moments and heartbreak.

There was no character development, but I knew that going in and some of the characters could have been cut out completely and it would have been the same movie.

At times it seemed like the cameramen had ADHD cutting quickly between busy scenes crammed with too much. Also, I never felt a real sense of danger or urgency within the movie or the characters themselves.

All in all though, I would go watch it again because it was BIG FUCKING ROBOTZ BLOWING SHIT UP!!!!1111

During the previews though, there was a trailer for this movie. No movie title. Just a date and a producer (J.J. Abrams from Lost).

The anticipation begins.

Right before his fear overwhelms him, I step up to him and offer him my hand. Fear and uncertainty flash across his face, but only for a nanosecond. He takes my hand.

“What’s your name?”

“Do you know my mommy?”

“No. But let’s go find her.”

“Do you remember what she was wearing?”

“Where’s my mommy?”

So at four years old, children haven’t really been known for their articulate speech or comprehension.

Let’s try again.

“What does your mommy look like?”

“Shh…she…she…(incomprehensible mumbling)…she looks like my mommy.”

Priceless.