You know those people who are like “I bet that if I met myself from four/five/six years ago, we’d hate each other, I would probably punch them in the face?”  Those remarks go around a lot near New Year’s, I’m not sure why, maybe it’s some sort of weird desire to better ourselves.

Yeah, I’m not one of those people.

I don’t know, I think that if I met five/six years ago me I would grab her and hug her and tell her that it was going to be okay, and then I would say “Now I’m gonna teach you three very important things.  First, it’s okay to fight, to embrace the fire, but only for a good cause.  Second, you’re a good cause.  Third, this is how to slam a football player into a locker and how to snarl and how to look scary.  You’re tough, you can fight, you can kick ass, it’s allowed.  The world won’t magically become okay on its own, but you can make it.  You can take the cards you were dealt and rip them up and do your own fucking thing because you’re the boss.  If you don’t like your world, you’re allowed to burn it down and rebuild it the way you want.”  And I would have really needed that.

So my resolution, and what I’ve resolved for the last several years, is to be that person.  For anyone I meet who seems like they need it, kids and teenagers and whatever.  So if you’re reading this for some reason, I’m really proud of you for sticking out the year, you’re tough as hell.  You’re a good cause.  You’re worth the fight, and it’s okay to fight.  It’s okay to bare your teeth and kick and scream and make the world be what you want, even if it’s just for a little while.

And when you throw a punch, always keep your wrist straight, never wrap your fingers around your thumb, and remember to use your hips for power.