Let me clarify this title: I am not cheating on my spouse. But don't you think "adultery" is such a better word to describe being an adult than "adulthood"? I mean, adulthood seems to say, "Hey, just because I'm 40 doesn't mean I can't have fun...I golf with my boss; I wear fun ties!" (...yawn.) But adultery sounds evil (like larceny, perjury, treachery, etc). It sounds violating and heavy, which is exactly how I perceive it.
I see the end of childhood (aka turning 20) not so much as a celebration but more like the sweet innocence of those golden years going up in flames. I feel like there's so much I still needed to do as a teen...like I never wrote a book before I turned 20, which was my goal since probably age 8.
But I beat teen pregnancy, so that's something. And, my birthday wasn't as bad as I expected. I only cried once (not at my party though, and not because I wanted to). I went to the zoo with two great friends and we explored every corner of that place. I even saw two turtles making love and filmed it for a solid 30 seconds before realizing that's what was going on.
After the zoo, I got to spend the afternoon with my aunts, uncles & cousins at my grandma's house for a cookout. My parents brought cupcakes and a beautiful red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting (my favorite!) for everyone to share, and after we all had a water balloon fight. I felt like such a kid and I loved it. Next year on my birthday I can drink the night away like a "true adult", but I'm so glad I said goodbye to my teen years by being a kid again.
And speaking of kids, I started my summer job last Friday! Rather than spending 8 hours a night in a plastics factory, I'll be spending 8 hours a day with 60+ kids as a summer day camp counselor. I'll be there every Mon-Fri of June & July (when I'm not traveling the globe) and will be meeting new kiddos each week. These kids are wild as all get out, but they're also just so stinkin cute. And the best part? We take field trips with them every day! Last Friday we went bowling. I nearly ripped out my hair (and vocal cords) trying to single-handedly contain ten 5-year-old boys who were high on sugar and running around the lanes, but there was more laughter than tears, so it was a successful trip.
Tomorrow morning I wake up bright and early for my first full week of camp...here's hoping I still think they're so stinkin cute after 5 days of snot, scabs & tears.
P.S. I almost forgot, but guess what? Three days after my birthday, I got my first article in my hometown paper. In addition to working at day camp, I'm doing some freelance writing for the newspaper this summer. Not quite a book, but it's something besides this blog to keep my writer's mind working. The link's below if you'd like to check it out...just as proof that I can write about things other than myself. ;)
http://www.courierpress.com/news/2013/may/28/grace-on-the-piano/
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