I am fifteen, going on sixteen

Hellooo,

Today is kind of a big deal to me because it's my last day of being fifteen years old. My 16th birthday is tomorrow, and since I won't have a lot of time to blog, I wanted to do what a friend of mine does on her birthday. Sixteen wishes for sixteen years.

1. Leave the country. I should probably flee the country now, before the RCMP starts tapping my calls... No, just kidding (and hey, did you notice how RCMP sounds so much less intimidating than FBI or CIA? Come on, Canada). I just want to go somewhere amazing.
   
2. Eat less meat. This is actually one of my New Year's resolutions, too. I really see the benefit of being a vegetarian, and I'll do my best (but, oh my god, meat is tasty).
3. Get my L. When you turn sixteen, you can take a written test to get your Learner's permit and--no way!--drive. Oh my gosh, I am horrified already.
4. Go to writing camp. This will be my second summer going to the Penticton Youth Write Camp, and it was so fantastic last year that I can hardly wait till July.
   
5. Start a 'wrock' group. Aka Wizard Rock--I want to write songs about Harry Potter.
6. Learn to swim. Don't get me wrong--I can swim. If you toss me into a lake or ocean or other large source of water (but don't), I can keep myself from drowning, and move a bit, too. Unless there are sharks. Okay, bad example, but I want to be a better swimmer, like, swimming lanes and such. Oooh, athletic.
7. Stop biting my nails. Finally! I have been biting my nails for... basically my whole life. I hate it! This year, I will have longer nails!
8. Write a book. This is where I say, in my pompous British accent, that I have written a book. Well, okay, a first draft for NaNo, but I'm proud of myself. And if I did that, I can write another, right?
9. Make a new friend. Okay, lame, I know. But I love meeting new people, especially people that I really "click" with, and having another friend like that would be absolutely fabulous.
10. Walk more. Instead of getting rides to school or work, or taking the bus, I want to do more walking.
11. Drink more tea. This goes without saying, really. I'm honestly surprised that I've been able to survive without caffeine for so long.
    
12. Write every day. Whatever it is! This kind of goes along with not being afraid to write, and not being afraid to screw up. Something I want to work on.
13. Read tons of books! Maybe 16 can be the year I finally read War and Peace--or, at least, Lolita. Oh, and a bunch of YA books, too.
14. Be unafraid. I was going to write "be fearless," but I don't know if that's the best advice. Like, I'd prefer it if I stayed afraid of killer bees, because that's mainly for self-preservation. But I want to stop being so afraid of screwing up or saying the wrong thing or being too weird to do what I want.
15. Be open to love, in all its forms. I know, I'm bordering on motivational-speaker here, but I really feel like I need to work on being more... lovely. And loving more. Just, all that love stuff.
16. Be happy. With myself, my hair, my body, my friends, my family. With my job, my houses, my day, my age. I just want to learn to be more content and grateful for everything I have right now, and work towards even more.

Awww. Sorry guys. Didn't mean to go all overboard on the mushy feelings towards the end, there. But growing old makes me sentimental *sniff*

Anyways, I hope you're having a fabulous year. Mine has been... eventful, so far, and not in a good way. Because I forgot to say this earlier, I want to wish you luck, love, happiness and all the perfect words for 2011.

Take care,

Erika