traxis on the run

Stollen from neetus:

Ten things I have learned since highschool undergrad:
1. It is okay to wear colour
Back in the day, I wore exclusively black, and I'm not sure if it dictated my mood or my mood dictated my wardrobe, but I certainly wasn't as happy as I was back then; it also broke through my saying "no" to things like sports, flighty books and movies, and enjoying the sunlight.

2. I am incredibly allergic to lots of foods
This one sucked. I found out about some allergies towards the end of high school, and then a bunch more came up through undergrad. I understand that throughout puberty and then for a while afterwards allergies can develop, for god knows what reasons. I miss pears, apples dipped in peanut butter and cherries the most.

3. I will make a good mom one day
I used to think I would never have a kid, that I would suck as a mom because I have no experience with children and feel completely disconnected to them. After studying kids in grad school and actually raising Hershey who is completely dependant on me, I know I'll be okay when the time comes.

4. How to do small talk
This was a hard one to learn - I always felt stupid talking to people I barely knew or being forced into coctail party type situations where really, I figured, no one would care about annecdotes or questions. I also learned that it is a good thing to start talking about yourself a bit - and not to keep it news-ticker short. My skills do need practice to be kept up, it's hard right now that I'm dealing primarily with younger kids these days - they don't know how to small talk back, so it is frustrating.

5. How to keep a secret
Yep, I finally got the hang of it :)

6. The world won't care what you've worked on / Hard work doesn't always pay off
After working thousands of hours for my student organization at the university, I was not offered a job, in fact, I did not get any of the jobs I applied for (and was completely qualified). Luck has so much to do with it. Same thing at the City - I worked my ass off and when it came down to things, beuraucracy was the obstacle that I simply couldn't move beyond.

7. Grown ups can be such babies
I've been around a group of wannabe-alpha-males for a while now, and they are always vying for the "coolest" or "most unique" title; of course this just leads to people fighting and the attention being drawn away from the thing/event at hand. Also, I found out that people - grown-up, 60-year-old people, still play schoolyard games, blackmail and can be passive agressive in the most formal of work settings.

8. Raw fish, mushrooms and beer all taste good

9. Sometimes spending the money is the right thing to do
I have found this especially at work - it is worth buying the higher quality things, or spending a bit more on an upgraded car rental or picking the second-cheapest flight because its takeoff time makes more sense. Also, I have found out the true value of certain things, from the cost of eggs to how ridiculously expensive a three-hole punch can be, a tank of gas, planning weddings, buying a car, renovating a kitchen, etc.

10. How to please my family
Writing a christmas letter and sending it to people who are barely related to me makes them feel good, especially the older ones, and definitely worth the extra postage. I learned to sit and talk with my relatives at get togethers, listen and learn. I've learned that although some of their behaviours are not kosher, I still need to be decent and avoid fights whenever possible.


Ten things I have forgotten since highschool undergrad:
1. Extracuricular activities should be fun
I barely have any nowadays, but the ones I am involved with are usually "work"-y or worse yet - because I should. I'm not volunteering as much as I used to, I miss that. I keep telling myself I either don't have the time to spare, or that the activities cost too much (those voice lessons I keep putting off).

2. Getting all caught up in romance
I don't know how some couples do it, but I can't imagine being so goofy in love or "crushing" that I can't think of anything else. I mean, we're in a wonderful relationship, but do I spend hours planning out elaborate scenarios for us, etc.

3. That magic/impossible/unbelievable things exist
It's not that I've forgotten, but ratther that I've moved beyond this? The idea of extremes have been dampened for me with age.

4. Someone who is 27 years old is OLD
I shouldn't feel like a kid anymore, I should be well established by now! heh :)

5. The importance of girlfriends
I have been doing a terrible job at keeping in contact with people from high school, and to be honest I don't even remember anyone from undergrad. My oldest friend (Paula) isn't keeping in touch really anymore, and I am not motivated to call her (disgruntled because the gift I sent for her wedding was never really acknowledged, feel disconnected to her, etc.)

6. Enjoying Halloween
This is what I enjoyed most about halloween back in the day - now it's not the same, decorating the house and giving away candy is fun and all, but it's not the selfish kind of fun we used to have on halloween.

7. What I wanted to be when I grow up
I'm not any of the things I wanted to be, but at the same time, I get a lot of the perks of the different things I was interested in; for instance, I wanted to be on TV doing a science show or as a newscaster, I get to do interviews now for my work. I wanted to design clothing and interiors, I get to determine the image of my organizations and plan our office space. I wanted to be a marine biologist, well - that one doesn't carry :)

8. Following the leader
I am such a micromanager now, I cannot let someone else do the planning unless I am totally informed about what will be going on. Gone are the days of being told by Mom & Dad or the field trip leader where we were goin and what we'll be seeing.

9. Deciding on small stuff
Perhaps because I care so much about the big, important decisions, I have given up on caring about small stuff, like what to have for dinner, what to rent at the video store. I always know what I DON"T like, but it's hard to get a clear answer out of me on what I absolutely want.

10. The importance of teachers
There have been fewer and fewer nowadays, but there are certain people who will act as mentors or advisors to me, and for them, I am thankful.

posted by traxis @ 11:13 a.m.