growing up

This Week I Read…

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Welcome to the September 14th Edition of This Week I Read…

Since I started working at the public library, I have discovered so many new and interesting books (like A LOT of books!). I’ve mastered the inter-library loan system that allows me to get books from anywhere in Michigan. The only problem is, when five of these requests show up at the same time, I only have three weeks to read them. Challenge accepted.

One of those books was Adulting: How to be a Grown-Up in 468 Easy(ish) Steps by Kelly Williams Brown. Love the title. Love the format (a book long list!). Some of it was funny, some serious, some obvious, and some new. Overall I’d say, according to this book, I am about 33% of the way to being a grown-up. Not bad. Not bad at all.

It feels like something I should have written. If I had, it would be less useful and far more ridiculous. Since I didn’t it, I commend Kelly Williams Brown for writing a book that had some very funny moments in it and a lot of practical, useful ideas. I particularly recommend the section about friendships. I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what it means to be a good friend, how to break up with toxic friends, and what the appropriate boundaries are for what type of friend (I get SO much TMI!). Thanks for the tips Kelly!

The Art of Adulting

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I have been working on the art of being an adult. What does being an adult even mean? To me it means autonomy, taking responsibility, and paying a lot of bills.

In some ways I’m doing a fine job of adulting. I pay my bills (mostly on time), make my own decisions (after much consultation), and cook my own meals (occasionally). I still, however, do not have a washer or dryer and cart my laundry to my parent’s house every few weeks. I sleep on a futon and ignore my dirty dishes until I can’t use the sink faucet. So I’d say it’s about 50/50 right now. I may act like an adult but I live like a college student. And you know what? Right now, it works for me.

Note: This piece was originally published in April but, due to user error, it showed up as a page rather than a post. The author would like you to know, she no longer sleeps on a futon. She now has a mattress on the floor.