Dear 30,

The list is a big one this year. 30 things, including seeing new states and watching 840 minutes of the Godfather trilogy. With 2014 around the corner and so many people making resolutions, I have compiled a tiny list of wishes for 2014. A list within a list has been done in a Love Letter before (Yesvember was a brilliant idea in theory but made for one heck of a busy month. Additionally, Yesvember is cooler to say aloud than Yesuary. Yesuary sounds like it could be a part the deacon plays at Mass or some high level notary.)

1. Be able to tell three great jokes. 
You heard it here first, people, jokes are making a comeback. I might be making a ridiculous claim, but I think jokes are now only told in stand up routines and at construction sites. Again, this might be untrue. But before last Saturday, I'm not sure I'd heard a joke, like a real story problem style joke told with that ease and hang-on-every-word delivery, in years. After being told two jokes by the Jim Baker, and talking to Bob Sheets (one of my life idols), I've decided that jokes, the tastefully hilarious kind, will make a comeback in 2014. In fact, I think one of my 3 dinner parties will have to be a bring your own joke dinner where the food is based on hilarious puns. I'm sure I'll have some ideas of what those will be. But right now. Hm. Let me consult my joke app. 

2. Be actively invested in my own health. Also known as "show up. feel more confident in shorts when you sit down. Don't be fat in the heart."
I've never really taken to gym life. You KosamaFit people confuse the heck outta me. Nothing is really fun about exercise, this is a sweet fib that fit people tell you. I mean, I wanna be able to walk up 4 flights of stairs and sing at the same time, yes, but when will this skill be useful? (Unless I'm on the Sing Off eventually, it won't.) In 2014, now that I'm 30, it's time for me to channel my 9th grade self and remember how to power clean. Now that I'm 30, I should probably be able to prioritize my health over happy hour drinks and one extra hour of sleep in the AM. Come summer 2014, I'll be sitting down in shorts with the confidence of a person who can walk four flights of stairs and sing and I'll be able to wave at passing cars (you're right Tim, I do wave at cars an awful lot) without my under arm fat swaying and not compare my hamstrings to a tightly tuned piano. In 2014 I'll do my best to enjoy exercise or at least not be fat in the heart. 

3. Draw a little bit everyday and document it. Because the world needs to see what I'm drawing. 
That's pretty much it. Draw more. Document more. So many great inspirational peeps here in Des Moines and all over the internet. The only way to get better at something is to practice. We talked about this. 

So that's it. Pretty basic stuff. (On top of that list of 30.)
Yesuary. Three little wishes. I'm basically rewriting a Disney adventure over here.

Holy moly girl, be sure to prep your heart, because a whole new year is getting ready to start. Set your sights on your dreams, and wish on stars and stuff, but remind yourself often that your best is best enough. In two-oh-one-four may you be blessed with good timing, to know when to quit and then to stop rhyming. Cheers to a new year full of adventure and on that last night of 2013 may you have a great time. (and one more thing I should mention... this is for sure a sick rap and definitely not a rhyme.)

What are your wishes for Two-Oh-One-Four? Maybe for me to never rap on my blog again? Maybe to dance outside a Vegas casino with Anthony Bourdain? Make a cameo on the Sing Off where you climb four flights of stairs while singing and not being out of breath?

Be bold. I have faith in you. 
(If you say "tell more jokes" I can help you out.)

Happy New Year!
xo-LP