I definitely, definitely do want to be here in my cit-aay, but urban living has its challenges: a lack of space and privacy, an abundance of noise and dirt, and a high price of admission. But, oh, the wonders to behold! Let's explore the ways we fit into our cityscapes in 2012…

• First off, are you living in one of The World's Most Livable Cities? Would you like to be?
• If your city didn't make it onto the world list, perhaps it's among America's Best Cities. For the record, I strongly disagree with one of the overall 10 Best, but I'm not going to name names..
• Or maybe you're more interested to know the Best Cities For Urban Homesteaders On A Budget?
• An Urban Oasis: Cozy Balconies features 10 amazing and petite outdoor spaces that put my boring old fire escape to shame — though I do greatly appreciate its fire-escaping capabilities.
• Pets struggle with the lack of outdoor spaces, too, so Keep Your Pets Happy Without A Yard has some great tips.
• Small Space Solutions for City Dwellers: Delivery & Sharing Services lists a few great companies, including a laundry pick-up service that would seriously reduce the amount of schlepping in my life..
• But never underestimate the power of schlepping! In Schlepping: The Ultimate Urban Workout I calculate what a fantastic workout we're getting toting our groceries, laundry, and everything else, all the time.
• What Do You Hope Moves Into Your Neighborhood? asks the question I ask myself every time the shop across the street changes hands. A combination Heath Ceramics outlet store/vegan donut shop, perhaps?
• The author of Sleep Tight: Dealing With Noise At Night may have built up a tolerance to pre-dawn recycling pickups and constant yelling (seriously, someone is always yelling), but for the rest of us she's gathered 5 helpful hints for sleeping through the ever-present urban noise.
• Oh, and it's also dirty. In Dealing With Big City Grime, I reveal that if left unattended for over a week, serious black grime starts to take over.
• Did you see the episode of How I Met Your Mother in which the gang establishes you're not a true New Yorker until you cry openly on the subway, not caring what anybody thinks? City Stress: Crying In The Car addresses that sometimes overwhelming lack of privacy.
• But even your car is probably bigger than the 7-square-foot apartment featured in Small Space Extreme In Beijing.
• A bit larger — but more expensive per square foot — are San Francisco's Micro Apartments: 220 Square Feet For $1,500.
• And if you're going to pay that much to live in a city, it had better be worth it, right? Urban Guilt: Are You Making The Most Of Your City? wants to know the same thing.
• Even if your city life is exciting and fulfilling and feels like home, is it sustainable? It appears many of us don't have an answer to Living In The Most Expensive Cities: How Long Can We Keep This Up?
• Maybe a proposed city outside of Chefdu, China has all the answers. So ask yourself: A Self-Sustaining, Environmentally Sensitive, Car-Free Satellite City: Would You Live There?

But perhaps there's a chance that no city, no matter how well-designed, could possibly compete with the flawed but beloved cities we call home?

(Image: Shutterstock)