Bonjour Left Bankers,

After a much needed holiday in Montreal (climbing mountains, staying at a Buddhist Temple, getting trashed at a skateboard bar, eating mounds of poutine, and brushing up on my French), I’ve come back to the interwebs with a heightened sense of clarity and excitement. 2014 was Left Bank’s biggest year. 2014 was Left Bank’s only year. And, while the Left Bank Magazine 1 Year Anniversary celebration is quickly approaching, you can hold on to your knickers because we aren’t there just yet.

As much of an idealist and an optimist as I am, I’ve never been a fan of New Year’s resolutions. Shitty people resolve to be less un-shitty, and for the most part, everyday people resolve to do a number of things that truth be told never get accomplished quite like they wished. The idea of putting pressure on yourself is 100% not the way to go (unless you’re writing an English paper the night before its due, because, well, we’ve all been there).

Pressure, stress, anxiety, and self-deprecation don’t comprise a good foundation for making yourself a better person. While the prospect of a resolution is great for figuring out a goal that you’d like to achieve in the coming year (quitting smoking, saving money, etc.), it should be met with excitement and pleasure. You’re evolving damnit, it should be fun! The fact is, if you don’t lose those twenty pounds this year, try losing ten this year and ten next year; if you don’t create a literary masterpiece in 365 days, at least you’ve a foundation or framework for the masterpiece you will create sometime in your life. The point is, if you’re being made sick over your damn New Years Resolution, kick it to the curb, do the best for yourself as only yourself can do, and enjoy being alive.

If you still need to come up with a resolution for the sake of having one, try this:

Be happy.

I won’t make any grandiose resolutions for Left Bank in the New Year. We will continue to provide great pieces of art (keep sending in those submissions!) and continue to love, respect, and enjoy one another. That’s it. And, you know what? 2015 is going to be a fucking blast.

Sustaining the weirdness in 2015,

Editor // Curator