Life Hackery

The year is 2009. People, coming from the New Year celebrations, are preparing for the changes that should go along with the next 365 days. They make personal promises, which aim for the betterment of lives and careers. Effective as those resolutions are, you must also begin the year with a memorable or at least a pleasurable act. Such an activity will boost your momentum, accentuating an ideal start for the year. So before work or school resumes, pick yourself up and welcome the new year with a bang.

An ideal year usually comes with an ideal starter. It can be a simple gesture like baking a cake for your mom or taking your parents out for dinner. It can also be something that you have been longing to do during the previous year but couldn’t. Remember, your goal is to become a bundle of positive energy after the event. With significant amounts of inspiration gathered, you should have no problem turning the whole of 2009 into a massive momentous occasion. Here are nine of your best options.

1. Fun Times at the Karaoke Joint

For singing enthusiasts, you can celebrate the new year by spending some time at a karaoke joint. Sing to the tunes of your favorite songs while competing with your friends on who will get the highest scores. With the right pitch, tone and song selection, you can sing the stresses of the previous year away, as if you are a real recording artist. You and your friends, aside from normal singing, can also follow several themes to up the ante of enjoyment.

• Boyband Simulation - You and a group of friends can sing along to the cheesiest boyband songs, complete with all the annoying gestures and gyrations. You and two or three other pals get to play particular boyband members. The mic should be passed accordingly, depending on the sung parts of each member. As a result, everyone will be laughing, as your group tries to pass off as corny teen idols. You can even form several groups, with each group assigned to singing only the hits of a popular boyband like Backstreet Boys or Boyzone. Create your own funny boyband names, so the experience will be even more hilarious.
• Bad Singer, A Bad Dose of Alcohol - Raise the stakes of your karaoke competition by adding alcohol to the mix. The person, who gets the lowest score per round, must drink a tall glass filled with beer or down a Tequila shot before the singing continues. In the end, the worst singers should already see the fireworks even before the marvelous displays on New Year’s eve begins.
• A Sentimental Barrage - If you look at the songbooks of KTVs, you will notice that 80s pop ballads far outnumber any other genre. You might as well set a sentimental theme for the New Year. Take a trip down memory lane and sing some of the most notorious tear-jerking tunes that you can find (popular choices are “Knife” and “Ocean Deep.”) After the session, you have probably absorbed a ton of romantic lines, which may earn you a passionate relationship this year.

Singing, being a fun hobby shared by millions of people worldwide, is a surefire way to spark the New Year. Release a good amount of passion and tension through each song, and you’ll feel rejuvenated right after the session.

2. Attend January Concerts

The pulse-pounding effect generated by a live concert is something looked forward to by many, especially if its your favorite artist or band that’s playing. View the websites of your favorite artists, which contain the schedules of their concerts/gigs. If the sites don’t contain your desired information, tune in to the radio, since radio stations usually sponsor concert tours. Reserve tickets for a couple of January concerts. Come performance time, you’ll be singing and swaying your head during some of the year’s most unforgettable moments.

3. Soul Searching? Ski Trips? Head to the Mountains

Mountains, filled with serene areas, are popular New Year destinations, which cater to those who need some soul searching. Watching the year’s first sunrise atop a mountain brings an inner calm that can rinse off the previous year’s stresses and concerns. Just focus on the problems and how you can solve them while gazing at the environments presented. You’ll come home a changed person, much to your liking. (Why not try conquering Mt. Everest, learn how to climb Mount Everest)

If you’re not really the spiritual type, you can find enjoyment in the mountains by having a skiing trip or doing other snow sports. Traveling down the mountains, with a pair of skis or atop a snowboard, is pretty exhilarating, especially for extreme sports enthusiasts. Test your skills and courage in the downhill courses found in ski lodges. Just make sure you don’t go unassisted if you’re a newbie.

4. Artistic Masterpiece

Aside from making New Year’s resolutions, you can write a poem or make a painting regarding your current phase in life and your planned changes. Whenever you look at your created piece, you will be inspired to uphold your resolutions for the entire year. Your work may even inspire other people if it is nicely done. Don’t forget to frame your piece and display it in one of your room’s visible corners.

5. The Beach

The beach may be the perfect summer getaway, but it is also a popular destination for the new year. Tropical places like The Bahamas or Honolulu are flocked by tourists all year round for obvious reasons. You can enjoy endless rounds of swimming, beach activities and water sports, which never lose their flavor, regardless of season. Book yourself and your lover in a three-day, two-night stay at a prestigious resort and you’ll know why the beach is such a fine place for romance. (You could choose from this list of Top ten beaches to wear a bikini)

6. Street Party

The streets give the impression of freedom for party goers. Since you are not restricted by hotel or bar rules, you can do pretty much anything, as long as you are not breaking the law. This means you can let loose all of your issues and inhibitions during a street party. Purchase food and alcohol from the sponsors and grace January with dancing and energetic partying. Just inquire about the nearest street part y in your area through social networking websites and your party-going friends.

7. Social Scenes and Night Clubs

Many clubs, closed during the holiday season, hold post-New Year parties for everyone, especially those who missed partying during Christmas and New Year’s eve. Expect these parties to be wild, since everyone wants to start the year with a bang. So prepare enough cash to buy flowing rounds of hard drinks and beer. Once your in one of those parties, you’d wish that the night will never end.

8. Make Your Parents Feel Special

Sometimes the simplest gestures bear the greatest significance in a person life. In your case, a simple act of kindness to your parents can go a long way, especially after a special occasion like New Year’s Day. Bake your mom a cake, give your dad free tickets to his preferred sport, or treat the family to a fine dinner. Your parents will then feel loved and appreciated, which will strengthen their support for the remainder of the year.

9. The Loveliest of Dates

According to some superstitions, anything that happens during the new year’s first few days will occur repeatedly during the next 350 or so days. This is good news for passionate lovers. A series of good dates might actually set an unwavering romantic trend for the entire year. Bring your partner to a beautiful foreign city or several significant locations, which were instrumental in the formative stage of your relationship. Treat her to a fine dinner, a fancy bottle of wine and an array of sweet words and gestures. Before the night ends, your relationship will certainly blossom, regardless of the validity of superstitions.

Start the New Year Right

New Year is a symbol for new beginnings. People who celebrate the occasion should be ready to step away or continue the happenings brought by the previous year. As an individual, you must take it as a chance to center on your flaws and improve yourself. Not only will you change for the better, but the quality of your life will also flourish. There’s no better way to start things anew than to celebrate the new year right. Renew life and have a Happy New Year!