Not resolutions, mind you. Just goals. 2008 was a very rudderless period for me, and I think a little direction is in order. As such, here are some goals I hope to see to fruition before 2010 rolls around.

1. Take more vacation.
I ended the year with almost 18 days leftover. That’s utterly insane, and probably explains why I was utterly insane. I’m entitled to time off, and it’s necessary for basic decompression! (And I’m already well on my way to making inroads, as I’m taking 2 days off this month, a long weekend in February, and a trip in March.)

2. Finally sign up for improv classes at The PIT or UCB.
I’ve been wanting to do this since I moved to the city, and kept pushing it off and excusing it away, but improv is something I really, really used to enjoy. It’s fun, it’s a great form of creative expression, and it’s something I know I’d be much better at now, at nearly 31, than I was as a spazzy, self-loathing 19-year-old. (But, really, who ISN’T spazzy and self-loathing when they’re 19, right? LOL.) The PIT, especially, has a Level 0 class that’s not too pricey. It’s just good sense to start at the bottom and refresh my memory.

3. Be more culturally active and aware.
I love being Indian-American. I love speaking Bengali, I love that I understand Hindi, and I’m obsessed with Bollywood cinema. Unfortunately, these are all things I tend to relegate to the weekend. I tend to be a bit of a coconut the other five days of the week. It’s time to crack that shell and let the two sides of my life blend together and find some kind of harmony.

4. Take more pictures.
My parents got me a camera for Christmas, and I should start cataloging more of my life for posterity.

5. Be more assertive personally.
This is kind of an all-encompassing goal, because I have a huge, huge tendency to let life just happen to me. I don’t get out there, and I don’t put myself out there in terms of making friends or looking for a partner. I’m not exactly a big believer in The Secret, but there IS wisdom to the idea that you have to put something out into the universe for it to actually become realized. So. Yes. I’m going to quit being such an ostrich and actually risk opening myself up to people and possibilities.