The "Year of Alex"

My New Year's Resolution is to have this year not suck. Scratch that. My New Year's Resolution is to have this year be awesome. This year is going to be the "Year of Alex" (just for me; I don't expect the other 7 billion people on Earth to adhere to this calendar). These are the things I am going to do in my year:

1. Get a passport and leave the country. I finally found my birth certificate and once I can wrangle together the $100, I am marching my butt to the post office and getting a passport. Then I am going to go to Canada, because it's the closest place to me that is in not-America. (In related news, anyone want to go to Canada this spring?)
2. Learn to drive. Third time's the charm, right? (The night before I decided I would do this, I had a nightmare about learning how to parallel park... and some other stuff happened too, but I don't want to talk about it.)
3. Get into a PhD program. This is happening. This has to happen. If it doesn't happen, I may just give up on academia. I'm really praying that I get in somewhere and that, that "somewhere" is in Boston.
4. Stop being ridiculous and getting in my own way. I don't think this one needs any explanation. I am ridiculous and I get in my own way. This needs to stop.
5. Stop using "I don't need to" as a reason to not do things.

I think I can do all of these things, but I think it's best that you all follow up when you see me.