2000-2009 (a.k.a. my 3rd decade of life)

I’m currently living with a handful of girls in their early 20s, who are all cute little bubbly nuggets of amusement. I especially enjoy listening to them ponder and contemplate their extensive lives and experiences. They’re so worldly, so self-actualized, and their goals are so realistic. Puh-lease! Their lives haven’t even begun yet. I listen to their idealistic aspirations and ideas about the world, and I chuckle inside because, as a highly intelligent woman in her thirties, I am so much more experienced in life than they are. I’ve been slapped (hard) in the face by reality (I think around my 25th birthday), and I’ve come out on the other side a much smarter, more aware, more realistic… more bitter… more defeated… woman. Huh. Maybe I’m not so better off in my thirties. What was I like when I was their age? What was it like to be so bright-eyed and optimistic? I barely remember my twenties. What the hoo-ha did I do in my twenties…? Let’s see…

• I graduated with my Bachelor’s in Studio Art and became a certified K-12 art teacher, which some might argue isn’t much of an accomplishment, but hey, at least I did it in only 4 years (and if you know the people I know, you would realize that that is a rarity).
• I accepted the ever-expanding world of technology. Cell phones, iPods, laptops, the internet, Wi-Fi, social-networking…
• I reconnected with my dad after 6 years of not speaking, but then we became disconnected again, and then we reconnected. We are, once again, disconnected.
• I became best friends with my twin sister after years of not being her biggest fan for a good chunk of our childhood.
• I lost my last living grandparent to a very unfortunate accident.
• I realized my parents and step-parents are aging as they dealt with a hysterectomy, breast cancer, and intestinal cancer.
• I learned to eat again which leads me to…
• I gained 30+ pounds, however…
• I lost 30+ pounds.
• I resided in 11 different bedrooms in 7 different towns in 2 different states, but none of them felt like home.
• I discovered a love for wine, quality whiskey and micro brewed beer, on the other hand…
• I discovered that tequila, vodka and California car bombs are not my friends, which probably explains why….
• I was in my first (and only) wet t-shirt contest, and probably also explains why…
• I kissed way too many people I shouldn’t have, and we’ll leave it at that.
• I had my WORST YEAR EVER in 2005, and the first part of 2006 wasn’t so great either.
• I was employed in 12 different jobs, quit 9 of them, was laid off from 2, but at least I still have 1.
• I went off the drug, went on a couple more, but eventually went off those too.
• I acquired my first sex toy as well as my first self-defense weapon (to clarify, these are two separate items).
• I discovered my own personal style.
• I broke a few hearts and had my heart broken.
• I met a lot of great people that I no longer see, but still think of quite frequently.
• I learned to accept myself, well, for the most part.
• I started flossing again.
• I visited NYC, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Orlando and DC, which, for this mountain girl, were all great adventures.
• I made art with kids and had a blast doing it.
• I had 28 different roommates/housemates of the male, female and canine varieties.
• I applied to, was accepted to and completed a majority of grad school.

Well, not exactly the greatest list of experiences and accomplishments. Glad to know I didn’t drift through the entire decade. Apparently I’ve also wandered quite a bit as well. Maybe I am afraid of commitment, as someone so kindly brought to my attention once, but I lived, and I loved, and I learned, and maybe there’s still some room left for a little bright-eyed optimism.