Before I Was A Grownup, Drama Queen, Everyday Adventures, Life in Australia, Nature Loving Hippy, Stratford-upon-Avon, Travel
The Reluctant Grownup
I feel I should probably explain the title of my blog before I get too far into this. See, I have just completed my first full year of working in a job I call a "REAL JOB," with big fat quotation marks. My early twenties were spent earning peanuts in non-profits and loving life, and now I’m trying to be the proverbial ant slaving away for the winter. I liked being a grasshopper better.
A quick recap of what I’ve done since college:
(1) Went to Australia for a year. Wore the same 5 outfits over and over, had my boyfriend cut my hair, we slept in the back of an 82 Ford Falcon and ate mostly bananas because they were cheap – in this way I funded my trip of a lifetime. I drove across an unfathomably large desert for days on end, saw a couple of Olympic events, climbed the Sydney Harbor Bridge, saw plays in the opera house, walked around the base of Uluru, and did many other millions of things that I will never forget. Absolutely, dramatically life-changing.
(2) Worked at an outdoor center for a year and a half. I miss this job. We taught kids how to be good stewards of the earth, and also enjoy being outside – I basically got to play big games on a huge grass field for a living.
(3) Went to England for a year to get my Masters. Lived in Stratford upon Avon, studied Shakespeare, went to plays, ate bangers and mash and other silly-named English foods, drank in pubs, worked in a pub, went dancing most every night, and loved everything except the weather, which was terrible.
(4) Was a starving actress for a while. Worked in a bakery by day, and learned how to make bread and tres leches Mexican cake (soooo good) and also ate about a thousand cinnamon rolls. Did shows by night, and travelled the country doing a couple of things in a couple of places. Saw a lot of the South land, made a ton of friends, had a blast.
(5) Spent a summer leading kids on hikes and adventure trips throughout California. Spent lots of time in Yosemite, met lots of cool people, learned how to eat vegan (though I never became one, I love me some meat), did Extreme campouts on cliff faces under the stars, and ate lots of sushi from Whole Foods. Very healthy time of life.
(6) Reluctantly retired from my loose life and became an office drone. And promptly gained 10 pounds.
And I think perhaps you can understand why I did this last one "reluctantly." Paying bills, getting out of debt, being responsible, blah blah – not nearly as much fun as waking up a new place most mornings. There are things that make this life wonderful – and I remind myself I wouldn’t have this wonderful relationship with the perfect guy right now if I was still running around, I wouldn’t have my fabulous truck for camping in, I wouldn’t have my house that I just bought on my own. These are all wonderful things, and were I travelling, I’d be longing for them I know. But sometimes, I just get a hankerin’ for the Southern Cross in the sky, for a night in a smoky 400 year old pub, for a 10 mile uphill hike through national parkland where the air is clear and the view unbelievable. Can you blame me?
4 Comments
Unknown
Hey there…stumbled upon your blog via Davina and Kenny\’s Spaces. I enjoyed looking at your pics — your captions of your sister were hilarious! You remind me of my friends!Take care and good luck with your future endeavors!Annie
Davina
I am officially jealous. You have visited every place that I have dreamt of visiting/living. My BFF is in Southern Cross right now, studying abroad. She is trying to talk me into moving there with her in May for a year while she gets her Masters, I am trying to talk her into backpacking across Europe and moving to Cali with me!Take care,D
Nice Girl
Hey there!Looks like you are getting some good comments and probably some good page views — you are certainly more interesting than I am online! 🙂 Ah, to travel again. While I hated certain aspects of it, I did love being able to go lots of places on someone else\’s dime. I am jealous of your international travels though. You have NOT gained ten pounds! If you have, I can\’t tell! You are still thin and gorgeous!Amanda
Kelly
That sounds like so much fun! My whirlwind trip to Europe lasted all of ten days and I barely remember anything except how wonderful the fish and chips in Stratford upon Avon tasted after 8 days of German and Swiss food…Great blog! I\’ll be back to visit.Kelly (not to be mistaken with that person you work with..heehee)