Why? Why not, is more like it:
- I have a mortgage and a lawnmower.
- I have a cat whose vet bills I pay all by myself.
- I have a car in working condition, that I bought myself, with cash.
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| Grown-up disguise! |
- I have a full-time job with benefits.
- I plan my meals a full week in advance.
- I have automatic debits from checking to savings.
- I have automatic debits from paycheck to 401k.
- I got into graduate school all by myself, and will pay for it all by myself.
- I have a mobile mini-bar. (It could be argued that this belongs on The Ways in Which I am Not an Adult list.)
- I throw parties where, sometimes, I don't even drink.
- I host potlucks.
- I occasionally play matchmaker.
- I make small talk about home improvement projects.
- I have not occupied anything in the past six months.
- My socks always match.
- I carry an umbrella in my purse.
- I own several pairs of practical shoes.
- I can detect very small percentages of cashmere and silk in clothing by feel alone.
- I have matching furniture.
- I have matching curtains, and a bedskirt.
What makes you feel all grown-up?
PS - My friend D is going to write a handbook on how to be an adult. She is the best person for the job, because 1) she has more than one mortgage, 2) she has an MBA and 3) she is awesome.
if i recall correctly - on march 24th you mentioned the top ten reasons not to be your friend. You said something about drunk dialing.
ReplyDeletehave you grown up since? lol
hugs. don't kill me. hmmm...ok scratch that.
BREAK DOWN THOSE EMOTIONAL BARRIERS, miss (that was another reason you said we couldn't be friends)
Isn't that adult-ish?
ok now - this post.
#12 - help a sistahhhh out. show me your skills and i will stop judging you.
#19 & #20 - I guess i am an adult as well.
*cries in excitement* I am an ADULT!
Ha! Given the evidence of last month's birthday party, it would appear that I have grown up not at all. I wore a tutu and had to be carried inside. Did I say "I"? I meant someone else. Someone anonymous, and definitely not me. Although, it's been a while since I drunk-dialed anyone (not for lack of trying).
ReplyDeleteHooray for pretend adulthood!
Excellent Post,
ReplyDeletewell, sometimes I have match made and it has usually had great results. But none of the other things in the list.
So, in my ripe older age I do not feel grown up- my generation forever young. Guess that was what they meant by being established in the hippy days to seem grown up.
But not everything is the fault of the individual sometimes.
The PeSla
Interesting list. I'm baffled by the not having occupied item--not sure what that means or how it connects to adulthood...?
ReplyDeleteThings that make me feel adult: having a living will that I drew up with a lawyer (EVERYONE--yes, you included--should do this); investing in socially responsible funds; belonging to museums; voting; being older than the other research assistants on my team; having lived by myself for over 6 years, and paying all of my bills on my own.
Of course, a lot of this is intricately tied to white privilege and class mobility.
The PeSla: My matchmaking attempts have so far failed miserably by either
ReplyDeleteA) creating awkward situations for mutual friends, or
B) creating date-a-holic friends who won't stop hounding my single friends, thus
C) creating awkward situations for mutual friends.
So, writersays, I may not be the best resource for you...
Deena: The Occupy thing was in reference to all the various occupations (wall street, etc.). Normally I'd be all about that, but I am just too old. Here is why:
ReplyDelete- Back injury makes sleeping anywhere but my bed hell
- Knee injury: Same deal
- Curmudgeonly misanthropic attitude makes crowded places full of strangers no fun
- General schedule makes staying up late plotting revolutions totally out of the question
To recap: I am a rickety curmudgeon that goes to bed early after drinking decaffeinated tea. Definitely adult-y traits in my mind. :)
Aaaahhhh wait there is so much I didn't catch in all your comments!
ReplyDeleteWriter: Wait, you judge me? And the only way you will stop is if I find you a suitable romantic partner? *whimpers*
Deena: Class mobility is pretend! Also - did you read that one book by Suse Orman too? I got through the living will chapter and got suuuuper guilty about not having a will, and then resolved to do so, but still haven't. :( One more way in which I am not an adult.
- Curmudgeonly misanthropic attitude makes crowded places full of strangers no fun
ReplyDelete- General schedule makes staying up late plotting revolutions totally out of the question
You're not alone. No back injury or knee injury but sleeping anywhere but my bed is always iffy, and outdoors in a tent? No thanks, but tell me how to make out the check. And the attitude and the hours thing, definitely. I try to suppress my guilt by reflecting that (unlike one-off marches and demos of the past) this doesn't necessarily depend on huge numbers. Then I remember that huge numbers plus social diversity (i.e. including middle-class alte fartzers like me) were said to be critically important in Tunisia and Egypt, and the guilt returns... do you accept donations via PayPal?
I'd argue that class mobility is not pretend if you're white and have access to certain things like a college education.
ReplyDelete<3 Suze Orman! I was motivated by other reasons, but that's a story for another time.
Here: http://www.caringinfo.org/files/public/ad/Oregon.pdf
"14. I have not occupied anything in the last 6 months."
ReplyDeleteGuess I'm an adult too. I totally needed that this week! :D
Ummm. The fact that I'm considering dyeing my hair and not with like, manic panic, makes me feel like an adult. With scary adult problems.
ReplyDeleteDeena - ooh you found me one for the proper state! Thank you. :) Also, on the whole class mobility thing: Doesn't having access to a thing like college education mean you are statistically more likely already a part of a higher class? Ehhh this is probably a discussion for some other, smarter blog but hey, you're an expert and I get free access to your brain so yay!
ReplyDeleteMajor: Happy to help!
ReplyDeleteHotfemme: Are you covering grey, or previous Manic Panics, or both? I remember dying my hair pink ever so fondly. perhaps some clip-in hot pink extensions worn on the weekends would allow me to reclaim my youthful rebellion cred...