Twelve Colorado New Year's Resolutions From a California Transplant

Earlier this week, I published an essay about moving to Denver from Los Angeles in my four-cylinder Kia Rio, and how I adapted to a new life as a transplant. My first year in Denver was filled with important lessons and discoveries, but I still have a ways to go before I’ll feel completely settled in Colorado. To help get there, I’ve compiled a list of New Year's resolutions and Colorado bucket-list items for 2016. Perhaps they'll resonate among some of the other 100,986 people who moved to Colorado in the past twelve months.

1. Sell the Kia Rio and get a Subaru.

2. Learn more John Denver lyrics. I’ve been told I’m seriously lacking in this area.

3. Hit every dive bar on Colfax. 

4. Try out fried tacos, which I hear are a Denver creation.

5. Force myself to adapt to Colorado lingo, like saying “pop” instead of “soda,” and “sack” instead of “bag.”

6. Go “skinning” on a “hut trip,” because I guess that’s a thing here. 

7. Volunteer.

8. Continue writing about issues like government malfeasance and homelessness to raise awareness.

9. Get a Colorado girlfriend (does not necessarily need to be from Colorado, but must live here. Interested readers, please e-mail the author.)

10. Explore more Denver places that are on my radar but I didn’t get to in 2015, like Rhinoceropolis, Comrade Brewing Company, and Wax Trax Records. 

11. Make a birthday cake using blunts as candles. I’ve always wanted to do that.

12. Support and get to know more local bands and artists.