In my 24th year* I…

- landed my first real job
- learned to accept (tolerate? weather?) professional and academic failure
- started rock climbing
- did not leave the country
- began to learn to play fiddle
- cried more than I’d hoped to
- gained a relative
- was reminded of the beauty, kindness, and strength of my friends
- got a (-nother) tattoo. But no piercings.
- thought about death
- read some pretty good books
- was granted ‘administrative’ privileges to my work computer twice
- shaved my legs three times
- tried to remember the difference between want and need
- happily shifted from ‘acquaintance’ to ‘friend’ several times over
- listened to a lot of great music
- knitted many scarves (+ two hats and a baby blanket)
- met at least seven fantastic people
- accidentally ate bacon once
- went on my first solo backpacking trip
- played Edward 40-hands twice
- started a filing system for my non-work papers
- made peace with my parents
- got poison oak on my face three times
- lived in only one city
- bought eight pairs of shoes
- over-thought several insignificant things (and a few significant ones)
- almost always meant it

What will the 25th year bring? ‘Tiz unclear. I’ve got some ideas and requests (no expectations, this time), but a firm belief that expressing wishes makes them not come true prevents me from telling. Let’s just say that I’d like this year to find me less petty and more athletic.


*Okay, I know that technically the year that I was 24 was really my 25th year, as I was 0 + X months for my first year of life, yadda-yadda-yadda, but get over it. It’s like when we geeks pointed out that 2000-2001 was really the millennium. No one cared. It was 1999-2000 that really mattered. Deal.