So, it's January 1 of 2007, and I've started my new blog as planned! Originally, my blog was going to be hosted on Freewebs on my website, but Freewebs' blogging software was crappy, so I ditched it and switched to Blogger instead, which is great. Anyway, 2006 was a great year. The thing that I liked the most about 2006 was that the sense of community on the Internet really grew. Video blogs on YouTube. The rising popularity of community-driven Wikipedia. Social networking sites like del.icio.us, StumbleUpon, MySpace (which sucks actually), and Facebook. Great stuff. All of you end users out there, who had never experienced the power of the Internet before, experienced it this year, causing Time magazine to name you (yes, you) as Person of the Year. The Internet is all about freedom, and that principal was truly exemplified this past year. I'm proud, 2006. It was a pleasure working with you. And it can only get better in 2007. The word "two thousand seven" still has an exotic flavor on my lips, the way saying the word "PlayStation Three" did before. It looks like it's going to be another great year in our lives, people.

So, having said farewell to yesteryear, it's time to set the stage for this new year. And that means New Year's Resolutions. Does anybody remember that? I think I found out about these in second grade, and I sort of forgot about them over time. But the promise of a blog starting this year brought me back to the idea of setting my goals and my standards before embarking on my journey through 2007. So I sat back and thought about what I wanted done this year. And I came up with a lot of stuff. Most for my own improvement, and one for us all. Here are my New Year's Resolutions for 2007.

• Adhere to my schedule for the rest of eighth grade, and keep all of my grades in the A-range by doing so.
  Having a schedule makes homework and school a lot easier for me, but it can be difficult to stick to. Thus the resolution to stick to it. And I'm not looking for 4.0s here (because I won't get them), I just want anything in the A range. A+, A, A-. That's what I'm looking for.


• Gather enough material and information to write my maternal grandmother's biography.
  My dear old grandma's not going to be with us much longer. She's old and frail, but she's still a vivacious person, and she will be to the end. I want something for my family to remember her by. I'll interview her and everything this year, but the actual biography's gonna take some time to write. In the end, my parents will help me publish it.


• Learn Python inside and out, prove it, and move on to Java.
  Python is a programming language, for those who don't know. I plan to master it over the course of this year (it takes a long time to learn a programming language). "Proving it" means writing a complex program in the language that covers nearly all of it, including any obscure corners of its functionality, like a database program or a game. And then I'll move on to Java.


• Switch to Linux.
  I know that I complain all the time about how much I hate Windows and Microsoft and all, but the problem is that I'm stuck using it because my laptop's disk drive is screwed up, so I can't install Linux. I'm hoping to either get the drive fixed or get a new laptop so I can finally start using Linux as my regular OS.


• Get at least beyond the school level in the Geography Bee.
  Sort of self-explanatory, but the Bee means a lot to me this year, seeing as this is the last chance I'm going to get at it in this life. It's gonna take a lot of studying to get very far, though.


• Write a few self-motivated essays.
  Currently, I only write essays for school assignments or contests. I know I can write reasonably well, but I'm not going to get anywhere with that unless I actually try to write about stuff that I care about.


• Construct my web site.
  Don't I already have a web site? Well, yes I do, but I'm not that happy with it. Freewebs is good and all, but I want more control over my site than what they give me. So I'm going to construct all of the XHTML and CSS for a full web site from scratch this year, and I'll upload the whole thing to a web server and register a domain name next year.


• Learn Geometry and a little bit of Algebra II over the summer.
  I love math, but I really suck at it. So last year I cheated a little bit. I took a course on Algebra I at Northwestern University over the summer. I'm taking Algebra I in school right now. I don't even pay attention in that class. Learning everything beforehand made everything much easier. Seeing as high school is equated by many to Hell, I'm thinking I'll need all the help I can get. Being ahead of the class won't hurt.


• Perform in the Talent Show and the school musical.
  This is my final year in Middle School, and I may never have time for these things ever again. QED.


• Write a useful program or Firefox extension.
  I can program, but I haven't ever programmed anything that people will find remotely useful. So I'll try to write a useful program, which may be difficult because a program is brought to life only when it scratches a developer's personal itch. I need to get inspired. If my inspired program falls beyond my own ability to write it, I'll just write a useful Firefox extension, which is much easier.


• Stay current with current events. Be able to speak intelligently about whatever's on the news.
  Staying current can also help out with the GeoBee. Plus I won't sound like an idiot when people start talking about the thing that happened in that one place a little while ago.


• Exercise on a consistent basis.
  I'll be thanking myself when I'm old.


• Play a particular sport often enough to become competent at it.
  I suck at sports overall, so I guess I'd better do something about that. I'm looking at basketball, because I'm sure I'll never be good at soccer and football.

And here's one for all of us (you don't have to take it literally):

• Read more books. Listen to more music. Work as hard as you play and play as hard as you work.
  To put it like Sony does in its advertisements: More. In every sense^TM.

That's the promise of 2007. And any other new year, for that matter. More. In every sense.