A couple of weeks ago, I made a list of things that I was anxious to leave behind in 2009. But I also have a list of things that I am looking forward to in 2010. It’s kind of mushy, but I believe the time for Mushy has come. Mushy is the snark of 2010. Or maybe Snark is the Snark of 2010 and Mushy is, like, the Ke$ha or 2010 — except I have deep, deep problems with Ke$ha and hope that she jumps straight to the casino circuit (or a nearby crevasse) and leaves the rest of us alone, but I’m fine with Mushy hanging around for a bit.

Anyway, here is what I want:

1. Fewer things. Many people asked me what I wanted for Christmas, but here’s the deal: I didn’t want anything for Christmas. In fact, I wanted the opposite of things for Christmas. I wanted someone to march up to the attic and throw away a couple dozen boxes of crap. (Note: that is not what I got.)

2. Spending more time with Jonno. That should be self-explanatory, and with my schedule, maybe it’s a total fantasy. But a guy can dream. 

3. New projects that allow me to work with fun/interesting people. I’m involved with a great theatre company here in New Orleans, and we have loads of fun producing shows — mostly because we only take ourselves seriously enough to get the job done. (Nothing ruins a party faster than theatre people who talk about their Craft and think that they’re Deeply Important.) Last year, I also had the privilege of working with other friends on a series of outside events, and I’m hoping for more of that in 2010 — gigs with Heklina, Blaise, and a few others that will be fun for me and amusing for audiences and pull me from my shell of worsening agoraphobia.

4. Less Katy Perry, more…well, anyone but Katy Perry. Or Miley Cyrus. Or Heidi Montag. Or John Mayer. Or Twisted Sister (who showed up on Regis & Kelly the other day, which makes me sore afraid of a comeback tour). Whatever happened to Jill Scott? MORE JILL SCOTT PLEASE.

5. Learning to do things myself: I already cut my own hair. (I mean, obviously. Have you seen me?) In the short term, I also hope to “master” sewing, embroidery, the changing of spark plugs, the making of bookshelves, and the pouring of cement.

6. Managing my time. I know: another pipe dream. But I think I’m getting better. I’m getting better at saying “no” anyway, which is a start.

7. Losing weight. Believe it or not, I can manage this. It’s hard in the winter, when I pack on pounds for a hibernation that never comes, but in summer? No sweat. Well, actually, lots of sweat.

8. Reading. As a kid, I was a Classic Gay Nerd. All of my brothers brought bags of toys on vacation; I brought bags of Newberry Award-winning young adult novels, courtesy of Tab or Scholastic or whatever service our school used. Then I went to college and graduate school and got degrees in literature, and of all the stuff I learned, the one thing that stuck with me was a profound dread of books. I think I’m finally — finally — on the road back, but I’m not counting any poultry.

9. Writing. Oh, believe me, I do plenty of writing, but little for myself. If I spent as much time on my own stuff as I do on items for others, I’d have written War and Peace twenty times over. Not that I’d want that — ugh, ever — but it would be nice to have something to look back on and say, “Oh, I remember what that time in my life was all about” instead of just regurgitating items about Kim Kardashian on this thing.

10. A new mayor. If you live here, you know exactly what I’m talking about. If you don’t: hooray for you.