January 2008      As soon as the clock strikes midnight on December 31, the whole world starts promising to be good. Just like me, I’m sure you’ve run the gamut of resolutions: This year I will keep my room clean. This year I will floss every day. This year I will not procrastinate. This year I will be . . . super boring. Kidding, kidding. Don’t get me wrong—resolutions are great. But sometimes, just sometimes, it can also be fun to be a little bit bad. So along with your vows for betterment, why not have some fun being bad this year as well? You know those fuchsia leggings, the zebra-print top, the, um, tiara that you HAD to have because it was so out there, so crazy, so awesome? You know how it now lives, lonely and unloved, in the dark corner of your closet because you haven’t yet had the guts to sport it in public? Enough. It’s time. Love it. Flaunt it. Wear it already. Take a Tae Kwon Do class. Or karate. Or boxing. Not only will you learn to kick serious butt, you will also meet other über-cool people and get cool funky-colored belts. Plus, when you are alone you can pretend you’re the Bionic Woman. Tell him. (What?) You heard me. Tell him how you feel. (But, but, I can’t!) And why not? (Because . . . ) Yessss? (Because . . . because . . . ) Because then he’ll know? And perhaps reveal that he likes you too? (But what if he doesn’t like me, too—I mean, like me back. What if he thinks I’m hideous and cackles uncontrollably in my face?) Then he’s a freakazoid who doesn’t deserve you. Shower your attention elsewhere. Turn your room into a disco. Blast the music. Buy a strobe light. Or get your little brother to flicker the lights. Don’t stop until your feet hurt. Change your ’do. Cut it. Dye it black. Or pink. Get bangs. Why not? It’s only hair. It grows back. In the book I wrote with the fabulous Emily and Lauren, three girls take a road trip and learn for themselves the fun of being a little bit bad. To help us get it just right, we hit the road together and had quite the trip. We danced! We hot-tubbed! We flirted with alligators! There really is nothing quite like taking to the open road with your friends in tow. For more road trip adventures, make sure to check out our novel, How to Be Bad, when it hits stores in May! From E.—Sarah is not kidding about the tiara. She totally has a tiara. I have seen her wear it. In public! Also, Lauren has pink hair. And what have I done from this list I told him! That’s right. And now we're married, so there. From Lauren—I’m sorry, but SOMEONE must be the voice of reason here. Sarah’s “live free and be wild” advice is, for the most part, good and well. BUT:      Sarah! Of *course* you must floss every day! Good heavens. Emily, you, too. Darling sweeties who are reading this: You, too, must floss! Hair may grow back, but you only get one set of teeth. Sheesh.      Also, I will allow for fuchsia leggings maybe (although just because I’m trying to be generous), but I’m going to have to nix the zebra-patterned shirt for all eternity. Also the burgundy plaid shirt with the double ruffle and the high neck which I wore in my ninth-grade class photo. (Why did I clad myself so? Why?!!) So if that little gem somehow made it to any of y’all’s closets, LET IT STAY LONELY! Heck, it can play with the zebra-striped atrocity. `Kay? `Kay. Cheers!!!!!!! From Sarah again—Lauren, my dear, I’ll let you rid the world of burgundy plaid but zebra print is in! And since I’m writing this letter I get the last word. Love ya! Happy 2008, everyone!