m3

1. Healthy Budget (details tbd)
Between my minimal check, OSAP, transportation, other necessary and possibly unnecessary expenses, there isn't much room for all of a healthy diet, savings and paying off debts. With a little organization, planning and enlisting a little help from my friends and other individuals, maybe 2012 can balance the scale.

2. Go Vegetarian (February, details tbd)
Is this good or bad for the environment? Can this effect my health problems positively? Is this how humans (me) should be eating? As a Leo, meat is an essential part of my diet. I can't say no to a good steak. But I will, for a certain time period. Time might go by slow, but research, trial & error, & experience is the only way to learn.

3. Go Vegan (timeframe tbd)
Once I quit meat for that excruciating time period, how hard will it be to live off greenery entirely? I intend to find out. Call it self-torture or a test of will power, there is some appeal in terms of saving fuzzy creatures and being supposedly environmentally friendly. I like being green, but we'll see if its the way to be.

4. Monthly Meditation (details tbd)
Being Zen is an excellent deterrent of stress and in fast-paced, polluted, commercial Toronto, knowing how to relax and be calm is a necessary skill (if it can be considered a skill) and actually setting aside time to think (or not think) seems to be the only way to achieve a bit of clear-minded control.

5. Practice Reiki (details tbd)
Believe what you will, this lay-on-hands transfer of healing energy is one of the only ways I can get simple relief from my chronic back, nerve & joint pain. It takes effort, checking your ego and energy to heal. Whether magic, miracles or make-believe, I'm just trying to do it like Jesus: feel that holy spirit, on high!

6. Versatile Cooking With all these different ideas and circumstances, there are plenty of other cultural things to pick up. Knowing how to cook, bake, create meals from scratch - a necessary practice. But not everyone has the liking for this talent. Since I do, learning new techniques, recipes and diets might be rather useful for myself as well as my friends and family. 7. Quit Cannabis (timeframe tbd)
Does the easily home-grown marijuana plant have medicinal benefit? Or does that prohibitionist propaganda truly prove the plant as addictive, a gateway to drugs, & harmful? A video/written documentation of my pain and mood as I quit cold-turkey for a month & use alternative measures to cope may be tangible evidence of why I get high.

8. Make Music (details tbd)
Hip hop, original rap, has always raised my spirits, made me feel the substance of the lyrics and bounce to the beat. Not all change is good: modern slow-flow sex obsession is not the culture I know, love and grew up to. Can't point fingers til you do it yourself so keep posted for special A Joint Effort releases.

9. Learn Italian (progress tbd)
I'm in love with the country, the people, the food. If I ever want to live, go to school or run a business in Italy, knowing the language will help make that possible. With a bit of effort and resilience, by the end of 2012 I plan to be fluent and capable at writing, reading and speaking the language of love.

10. Train Copper (details tbd)
My dog might be my best friend, but he's got many behavioural problems: nothing like a little avid training and treats to teach him how to share and play with other puppies properly. By getting on a park, playdate and socialization schedule, this pup's bad behaviour has no chance but to change.

11. Stop Generalizing

12. Make Art

13. Grow & Garden

14. New Experiences I will do at least one new thing every month that I have never done before.