Tired of listening to the same tunes over and over? Or maybe you’re just outgrowing a lot of the music you’ve loved in the past. Here’s our guide to some new music you’re guaranteed to dig.

If you love Taylor Swift, give a listen to Melissa Etheridge.
Teenage country crooner Taylor just scooped up four Grammy awards -- twice as many as Melissa has to her name, but rocker Melissa is a near-legend. Now, Etheridge’s new CD is titled Fearless Love, just one word shy of Taylor’s Fearless. The title track serves up a twinge of teen angst, yet Melissa’s words have a strong air of emotional maturity.

If you love Justin Bieber, give a listen to Sean Kingston.
We like My World 2.0 just as much as you do. And you’re probably all over the new single “Eenie Meenie,” a collaboration between Justin and Sean. So, if you haven’t already, why not check out SK’s most recent CD, Tomorrow? Have you seen the video for “Face Drop”? Sean proves that hot talent comes in all shapes and sizes. Love!

If you love Miley Cyrus, give a listen to Shannon Curfman.
Miley’s cool and all. So is Shannon, but with deep, deep soul -- and a killer voice. She first came on the music scene a decade ago when she was only 14. Ten years later, Shannon has just released another CD, What You’re Getting Into. Shannon’s style is more blues-y compared with Miley’s pop slant.

If you love Jonas Brothers, give a listen to Pet Shop Boys.
Pet Shop Boys’ Pandemonium Live CD/DVD was recorded at the O2 Arena in London late last year. The group manages to provide a load of eye candy with their ultra-theatrical stage show, while the ear candy is in the fabulous roundup of modern-classic electronica.

If you love Nick Jonas & the Administration, give a listen to Jonny Lang.
We’re really impressed with Nick’s solo effort, and we hear a lot of Lang-influenced hooks on Who I Am. Indeed, Nick’s keyboardist and guitarist have both played with Jonny. Jonny’s Live at the Ryman CD just dropped, offering up a wonderful shuffle of songs. When he debuted in the mid-’90s, Jonny, like Nick, was a teen music sensation. Now? A lotta blues, a little soul and a drop of urban flavor … nice.

Yes, we hope you love yourself exactly the way you are right now. But life is about continuously growing and evolving, and what better time than the new year to make positive changes?

“I’ve been wearing my hair the same way since I was 5.”
Ponytails and headbands are great, but could it be time to update your do? Cropped pixies and bobs are expected to be popular in 2010 if you’ll let your stylist go scissor-happy. (C’mon, be brave!) If you’re adamantly against short hair, go shoulder length but play with it: buns or low ponies, curly or straight, middle or side part.

“I have OK clothes, but I don’t really have a style.”
So, you throw on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt most days? Great, but put a little personality into your look! You can really punch it up with accessories. Take a fashion trend -- hats, shawls and denim jackets are hot this season -- and make it your own by adding, say, that punk-rock pin you keep stuck to your bedside lampshade. Stylin’!

“I’m so sick of the drama between me and my friends.”
If you and the BFFs consistently have conflicts, remember: You can’t change their behavior, but you can change your own. So, take an honest look at your actions and promise yourself three things:

1.    “I will not put my friends down.”

2.    “If it’s not my biz, I’ll stay out of it.”

3.    “I won’t hold grudges.”

Follow these rules, and your relationships should improve.

“My grades aren’t too bad, but I know I could do better.”
If you know you’re not doing your best work, then you’re not trying hard enough. It’s one thing if you’re giving it your absolute all and still only coming out average, and that’s OK. But if you’re just getting by when you know you could be even slightly better? Crack the books. If you need a little boost, ask your teacher for some pointers.

“I just wish my parents would get off my back.”
Sometimes it seems the parentals are pushing you too hard, and the very next sec, they’re reining you in. Yeah, we know. Your best bet? Demonstrate maturity. Show them you’re responsible by coming home at curfew, keeping up with schoolwork and doing chores without being asked. We can almost guarantee this will keep them off your case -- and maybe even give you bargaining power for negotiating extra privileges!

If you’re looking to throw together the party of the century without a ton of prep time, don’t sweat it! You just need to be a girl with a plan if you want it to be spectacularly successful.

Permission, Please
Be sure to get the OK nod from your parents before giving the shout-out “Party at my place!” It’s their house, and you might need them for some moolah or even to supervise and help you shop for stuff.

Do Your Homework!
No, we’re not talking about catching up on that science project. Figure out what items you’ll need and how much it’ll cost so you don’t come out unprepared. Grab a notebook to make some lists: invite list, shopping list, to-do list, etc.

Look Who’s Coming?
Unless you want to have a full-blown huge party, we recommend that you invite no more than, say, a dozen close friends. A fairly small get-together means less food (and less money spent).

Get Down to the Deets
Plan out these questions in that notebook:

• Will you decorate with a theme?
• What food will you serve?
• Will there be a dress code?
• Which songs do you want on the party playlist?
• What games and activities will you have?
• Are you passing out party favors?

Just the Right Invite
Forget snail mail. Simply send a punchy e-mail or text message. Be sure to include all the details: who (that would be you), what kind of party, where, what day and time, dress code and if guests should bring anything. Ask friends to RSVP so you’ll know how many to expect.

Get Prepped … and Pumped
Break out your music and crank it up while you get your place party-ready the day before the event. Tidy up and get your decorations up. Arrange chairs in groups or pairs to encourage guests to sit and chat. Clear an area of the floor if you plan to have dancing. Put out any necessary items, such as favors and games. Get make-ahead dishes oven-ready.

It’s Party Time!
It’s the big day: Turn on the tunes, get your food ready to serve and let the fun begin! Oh, and have a camera handy. You’ll want memories of these rockin’ good times.

No matter what holiday your family celebrates, we have some unique ideas for making the season spectacularly special! Turn any of the following activities into an annual fam event, and there you have it: a family tradition.

Trim a Tree … Outdoors
We’re not talking about lighting up the shrubs and hedges with 1,000 bright-colored bulbs. Instead, give a gift to your neighborhood wildlife by decking out an evergreen with decorative edibles: garlands made of popcorn and cranberries, pinecones rolled in peanut butter and birdseed, dried apple slices tied with red-and-green ribbon. Watch the hungry birds flock to your yard!

Turn out the Lights!
Well, not all of them -- let the decorations shine on. But for just one night, turn off the main lights in the house, break out some candles, spin the holiday tunes and enjoy the illumination coming from your holiday decor. Use this time to make handcrafted gifts together, sing carols or video-chat with a relative who’s far away.

Ornament Trading Company
Many people have cookie-swapping parties, but how about an ornament trading get-together? Everybody in the family must make (not buy!) creative holiday ornaments. Glue popsicle sticks together to make sleds, build snowmen out of felt pieces or swirl different colors of paint inside clear glass ornaments. Then get together and swap away!

’Tis the Season to Give
Lots of families like to show generosity during this time of year by getting involved in volunteer opportunities. Check your local library or community center to find out how you and your family can sign up to work in a soup kitchen, “adopt” a needy family, visit nursing home residents or donate last year’s gently used toys to make room for the new batch of goodies you’re about to get.

What-a-good-time Capsule
Fill a shoe box with items from this year’s holiday festivities: a party napkin, wish lists, a few snapshots and so on. Stash it away, right along with all of your holiday decorations, and forget it about it for a while. Then on the following year, open it up and enjoy the memories from the previous holiday.

The Home-cooked Stretch
It’s always a letdown when the holidays are over. So why not extend them for just one more day? About a week or so after the fun has ended, schedule a sit-down family meal with a twist. You know how Aunt Sophie always serves her cornbread pudding or Mom makes the same chestnut stuffing every year? Hit the library for some offbeat cookbooks and make all new dishes for an “after party.” Place one small wrapped present at each place setting, even if it’s just a little something from the dollar store. The fun has just begun!

Nikki Goldstein, author of GirlForce: A Girl’s Guidebook for the Body and Soul, gave us the inside scoop on how air, fire and Earth elements dominate your well-being, based on the ancient practice of Ayurveda. One elemental energy rules for most girls. What’s your type? Read below to find which one fits you best…then be your best you!

Are You an Air Girl?
Girls who are air types are generally creative and adventurous with slim frames. They can be tall or short, but usually have brownish skin, dark freckles, frizzy hair, small eyes, small teeth (sometimes cute and crooked) and dark eyes.

Standout traits Imaginative and quick-witted, you’re a natural-born innovator. You’d make a good fashion designer or astrophysicist. Too much to do, so little time? You also tend to get stressed, scatterbrained, nervous and exhausted.

Make it work Get plenty of rest and eat warm meals. Light and gentle exercise, such as yoga or tai chi, is balance for your body and mind.

Are You a Fire Girl?
Fire-type girls are passionate and determined. They often have medium-sized athletic builds, reddish and blond hair tones, and piercing green-blue or hazel eyes. Skin tends to get sunburned.

Standout traits You make everyone’s party list because you’re dynamic, passionate and magnetic. Still, you’re not always right! It’s a virtue to be a good loser and let others share some of the spotlight.

Make it work To take the pressure off, try swimming and outdoor sports to keep you cool and balanced. Also skip the coffee and fried foods and eat salads and fresh fruit instead.

Are You an Earth Girl?
Earth types are often dreamy and low-key. You might have a larger, curvy build, skin that is pale for your race, thick hair, and large, dark brown or blue eyes. Earthlings generally don’t like exercise.

Standout traits You’re the one everyone depends on in a crisis. You’re a devoted friend who brings balance to any relationship. But when you let yourself go, you end up horizontal.

Make it work Don’t give in to your laid-back nature to the degree that you become lazy and lackluster. You need a light diet that includes plenty of fresh fruits and veggies, plus plenty of regular exercise. Push yourself to meet new people and avoid relationship ruts.