grown up things update

1. The leaking fire hydrant that I reported was fixed within 24 hours! I am so powerful!

2. They had leeks and radishes at the farmers market! And in a few weeks the market will move outdoors for the summer and hopefully there will be even more vendors!

Basically, I am succeeding at growing up.

grown up things

Today was a day of doing things that just screamed at me, "You're an adult!" Not in any big life changes way, but in the small realization that these are things that real people do and it just seems crazy that I am a real, adult person that can do this. I mean, shouldn't I have had to take a test of competence or something to be let into the world? 

Grown up thing #1: Book club

I have wanted to be part of a book club for a long time because it seems like what successful and established women do so that they can hang out with each other, but also have a backup conversation topic (the book) in case they run out of small talk. I am neither successful nor established, but dress for the job you want, right? Anyway, a few weeks ago, after many months of deliberation, I chose the book and emailed everyone and started a book club! And then tonight I had to follow up with everyone, confirming the time and sending out my address to make sure that my new cohorts know that I am serious about this and will not flake on them at the last minute. Because this is a grown up book club and we actually use our weekly planners and calendars!

Grown up thing #2: Calling city services

When I got off the bus at my apartment building after work, I noticed that the fire hydrant on the corner was gushing water. GUSHING! And it was coming out all sides of the hydrant. My (narrow) street is all torn up due to construction so it isn't that far fetched that one of the big yellow bulldozers knocked into it. In any case, I decided to call city services to let them know, because if everyone just assumes that someone else will call we will soon be needing a canoe stop instead of a bus stop! I rather felt like a kid in the principal's office being grilled by the call center woman about the details and I didn't really have much to say on the issue. But at least I told someone so I hope that they are able to fix it quickly and if they don't, at least I can rest easy knowing that I did my civic duty.

Grown up thing #3: Farmers markets

I took the slow bus to work today because of poor planning on my part and did not have a book in my work bag (more poor planning), so I ended up staring out the window and completely by chance saw a big sign for a Saturday farmers market just a short bus ride, or medium walk, from my apartment! Fresh produce, maybe even some artisan breads and a deal on cut flowers! I was super excited. So I made a note of it in my planner along with their website, and to make the whole thing even more grown up, I invited a friend to go with me this weekend! Grocery shopping with a friend seems very collegiate, but a farmers market with a friend? That is grown up gold. 

And then to counteract all the maturity I displayed today, I ate cereal for dinner. After all, I am only twenty-four. 

grilled cheese

You know you have officially moved into a new place when you set off the smoke detector. Unfortunately my smoke detector is between my stove and my windows which necessitated a fair amount of jumping around and waving an 8x10 picture frame above my head to clear the air. And the grilled cheese wasn't even that burned!

new beginnings

Resolutions and new beginnings get a lot of hype around January 1st, but the hope of spring always seems to make more things possible so I prefer to use April 1st as the start of my yearly resolutions. (Also, it is my birthday which is more important to me than a new calendar year.) This past April Fools' Day I turned 24 years old and moved into my very first apartment sans roommate. Settling into the new place over the last week has felt like a fresh start and has strengthened my resolve to explore new possibilities and have a year of positive growth.

I'm not sure where this year will lead me, but my hope is that next year, on my 25th birthday, I will be able to look back on this entry and definitively say that my life has improved and that I am happier. (And if nothing else, writing is supposed to be the new super therapy tool.)

Happy new year to me!