Dawn of a New 'Age'

Well, it's official. My life as we know it has ended. A terrible thing happened this weekend that brought it to a screeching halt: 

My sister found four grey hairs on my head. FOUR. It may not seem like much, but it's certainly enough to be unsettling, to say the least.

It's no secret that this picture of Duchess Catherine is the kind of hair I would love to have. 

But as soon as my sister so gleefully announced her discovery, all I could picture was:

Yes, this may seem silly. Yes, I still have my youth. And yes, I am very lucky to have my health.


But FOUR GREY HAIRS?! That is something I was totally, completely unprepared for. They were long, too, and that's almost the worst part, because that means they have been there, hiding, for a while. I am here to assure you, though, that I had my sister ever-so-gently pull those four pesky grey hairs from my dark locks. Only she wasn't so gentle about it.

Sigh.

I've never once dyed my hair, I've never even so much as highlighted it...but this certainly got me thinking that I may have to get those caramel colored highlights I've always thought about after all.

I quickly sent out a panicked text to some of my close girlfriends, and quickly got responses something along the lines of, "how fast did you go buy hair dye?! I've been dying mine forever!" I guess I just didn't realize how common this apparently is, but that doesn't make up for the sinking feeling in my gut that I got the second my sister made the information public that I was starting to go grey.

Bye, bye, youth. I suppose you are headed out the door.

Something In The Water

I'm sorry, did I miss something? Yesterday (ish), I was just graduating high school, and by the afternoon, I graduated college, then by the evening, I was moving into my own place. Somewhere along the line, it seems like everyone started doing one of the following:

1) Getting engaged
2) Getting married
3) Becoming pregnant
4) Having a baby
5) A combination of two or more of the above.

I won't say who, but I know of at least five people who are having babies, a handful of weddings to come, and honestly, I have lost count on engagements within the last three months.

At first it was all happy and exciting, then it was "gee, this is getting to be a normal announcement..." and finally, it turned into "I am no longer convinced the timing here is all coincidence, there must be something in the water that is producing rings, flower arrangements, and babies."

 It's making me a little unwilling to get my daily intake of water because I don't really feel old enough to be attending so many weddings as a friend rather than extended family member, and I definitely do not feel old enough to know of people I graduated high school with who have been married, had a couple kids, and then got divorced. 

I mean, honestly, I'm thinking back now on all the summer afternoons I wished would speed up because I was just "sooo booorrreeddd, Mom," and yes, it's disgustingly cliche, but I am feeling like time is now in fast forward and I don't have time to adjust to all the new things coming my way before another comes along.  I say this as I think "the vacuuming and bathroom cleaning needs to happen this weekend, and I should really get to that mounting pile of laundry, and oh, I need to call the insurance guy, and I need to decide what crock pot to use for the chili I'll be making..."
 
Meanwhile, my un-old brain thinks "I am within 20 minutes of three breweries and that snow looks like more than a lot of fun to play in this weekend."

All I'm saying is, while everyone else is either planning a wedding or buying a lifetime supply of diapers that really only lasts a week, I'll be at the brewery, because it appears beer is safe...because something is definitely in the water.

Long Time, No Blog!

Wow, last week completely got away from me. Things are busy, busy, busy around here as I try to get organized and packed, in addition to getting in extra family and friend time. Whew!

Here's a little more good news: I found an apartment I like, finally, so I can officially discontinue my worries about being a nomad in the dead of winter. At least I know I'll be warm at night!

My apartment searching was certainly an adventure. I had my heart set on one complex that I had found online which was not far from where I will be working. A word to the wise: don't get your heart set on a complex you find online. When I arrived to walk through a model apartment, I was surprised at just how run down the place actually looked. While my mom and I waked through the apartment, we couldn't help but be completely grossed out by the smokey smell (I absolutely cannot stand the smell of smoke) and the full, stinking trash bags that were laying in the hallway. Seriously? Who could live with smelly garbage like that? Yuck. Aside from that was the fact that the apartment definitely did not have all the features the website listed. Boo.

The next one was even dirtier. Not cool. The young man that was showing me the model apartment had his sales pitch down, though, I will say that. Unfortunately for him, I have a psychology degree, so I learned all those tricks, meaning I was not about to fall for them. For example, the "so do you think you can picture yourself cooking a meal in this kitchen?" is a great way to get people thinking that yes, they could and why would they not sign a lease there?! Except that I definitely could not see myself cooking in that kitchen. There was barely enough room to turn around, and counter space was virtually nonexistent, which is very bad for someone like me who prepares food using every spare dish and inch of counter space. Wah, wah, wahhh.

Finally, I went to the third apartment complex. My boyfriend had called after we saw the second one, and I was quite concerned when I talked to him that I would never find the right place, because even the ones we drove by were less than ideal. I had a little mini panic on the phone, thinking I was doomed to live the life of a homeless nomad who wandered from place to place searching for a more permanent residence.

Thankfully, everything worked out and I think I'm going to love this new place...now I just have the overwhelming task of picking furniture to fill it, wish me luck!

Grown-Ups Have Boring Christmas Lists...

Have you ever heard the song "Grown Up Christmas List," which is a lovely, inspiring song that a number of different artists have recorded? It's one of my favorites, really.

The song is about a hope for a better world, one without suffering, one with compassion, and one with help for those who need it. It's a song that any peace-loving person would probably play on repeat as the holidays approach. What a nice thought, that especially during the holiday season, the world could enjoy peace, joy, and love. Sigh.

This year, my Christmas list is a little different, but still a grown-up one. Life is changing these days, and fast. I find myself thinking of cleaning products that need buying and cupboards that need cleaning. As I prepare for my big move before I start my new job, I keep thinking of things I need to acquire in order to have any sense of organization in my new place.

So what's on my grown-up Christmas list, which my grandmother nearly begged me to give her yesterday when I went for a visit?

A vacuum. A bright, shiny, quality vacuum. It's actually topping the list. I have been defeated by the Responsibility Gods, who have won the growing-up battle. Other items include a nice spice rack, a mirror/shelf/hook thingy so that I can hang up my coat and keys all in one convenient place next to my door. New sheets would be great, too.

Now that I'm looking at it, my Christmas list is a pretty boring one this year-it's all about practicality. Is this a trend in this economy, or is it just me? What's on your list this year?

Oh, But The Leaves

I have an announcement.

It's hugely exciting.

Are you ready??

The leaves are turning color!!! I love this time of year. It's beautiful here in Michigan during the autumn months, and even more exciting is the fact that fall means winter is just around the corner, and do you know what that means? Christmas. I love absolutely everything about Christmas. The lights, the music, the gently falling snow glistening under the street lamps, the hot cocoa by the Christmas tree..everything.

My boyfriend took this photo on Michigan State
University's campus last year--beautiful!

I'm getting ahead of myself. Fall. As a kid, I looked forward to packing up all my new school supplies, unpacking, and then repacking them and heading off to school in the morning. Fall also meant my birthday had arrived (even though now it means I'm getting older, apparently), and that provided an excitement all its own. Plus, what's more fun as a kid than raking up the leaves into a huge pile and promptly throwing yourself into them, effectively destroying the newly raked lawn?

This year, fall meant a new beginning for me, in a way. It felt a little strange not packing up my possessions to move back into a cramped dorm room, but not doing so also began to solidify the thought that if I so choose, I could be done with school forever. Very strange feeling, indeed.

I'm officially not a student now, though I believe I will always be a student at heart. New things fascinate me, and I thoroughly enjoy soaking up the information contained between the binding of a brand new book. The amount of books I read increases tenfold as the weather turns cooler, I think. To me, there is nothing more satisfying than being surrounded by the beauty in nature with my nose in a book, curled up in a cozy blanket, and something warm to drink. Ah, perfection.

Another Year Older

Tuesday was my birthday, and what an interesting one it was.

You see, it began with a visit to the doctor's office, which is not exactly my idea of a good time on my birthday. I was there for a routine check-up, but decided to mention that lately I have been wheezing after some time on the treadmill. Odd, right?

After a breathing test (don't ask me the technical term) and an EKG, what did the doctor report? Perhaps I'm just getting older. Excuse me??OLDER?? I'm just into my 20s! I've only become a real adult in the last couple of years! How could that possibly be a real explanation? This is supposed to be the best shape I'll ever be in...and if this is what it's like...well, it's just not a good sign at all.

This came on the heels of an elementary student inquiring about my age, and responded with, "you're over halfway to 40!" Thanks, Kiddo, you know just what to say.

Later on, I was blessed to celebrate with my family and boyfriend after what seemed like the longest birthday I've had. They know me all too well, of course. From my boyfriend, I received a few essentials for my growing bar collection including new martini and shot glasses, as well as some handy tools to go with them.

My family gave me things dealing with Duchess Catherine (or Kate Middleton, as some still say). A new book and a magazine? Awesome.

All in all, it was a pretty good birthday, and I'm grateful to be surrounded by so many well-wishers. Honestly, I'm excited about what I can accomplish between now and my next birthday...even if it means I'm getting older.