25 in the Midwest March 28, 2011

Are expectations different depending on where you live?

I had this thought today as I was driving to the gym.  I had Cosmo Radio on in the car and was listening to a segment called, Cocktails with Patrick or Cocks with P (if you’re feeling a little sassy!)  He was on a roll delivering a strong message about being 25 years old to his co-host.  Apparently she is 25 and he was telling her to relish every moment of this time, because it only goes downhill from there. 

After you’ve all stopped gasping, continue reading please.  He was telling her that she is at her prime physically, emotionally, and sexually.  He went as far as to tell her that she should throw herself a party tonight to celebrate this wonderful age!  But what really got me was when he asked her about her “old” friends, you know, those girlfriends she has who are 28 or 29 years old.  (There was even a moment where they referred to these women as “golden girls!”  Their words, not mine.)  If asked, he believed every one of them would turn back the clock 4 years.  Why? Because they have more pressure and responsibility now.  Together they listed the things that cause pressure and responsibility when you are in your late 20’s like careers, marriage, and babies.  He advised his halfway to 50 co-host to truly soak up every moment of her carefree existence right now before she becomes engulfed in life’s expectations.

Here is where my head spun around.  What he is talking about??  I’m 25, four years into my career, married, and paying a monthly mortgage.  My halfway to 50 life is full of responsibility and pressure!  Now, please don’t think I’m complaining.  I chose every element of my life and love what it has become.  I have a career that I’m passionate about, a husband who adores me, and a home that we’ve created together that someday we’ll raise children in.  So why does this radio host believe 25 year olds are free of responsibility?  Am I crazy or is he?  Where I come from, once you graduate college, you get a move on with life.  It is still filled with fun and excitement, but you have to work for it.

Most of my friends were married in their early 20’s and many are starting to have children.  We all have jobs because, well, who else is going to pay the bills?  We have fun on the weekends and work hard during the week.  We haven’t thrown in the towel on our youth yet, but still take on a lot of responsibility. 

Two of my best friends are not married.  Both have come to me with concerns about their age and the increasing pressure to marry soon.  They’re great girls with good jobs, amazing families, and dazzling personalities.  So why are they worried?  Because they want security, love, and, babies before they’re 30.  Most of the time these conversations turn to the idea that people our age in other areas of the country are partying, carefree, and starring in reality shows about living in a beach house. 

I guess what I’m saying is if I was born in Los Angeles, maybe I’d be running around from bar to bar, flirting with muscle laden bronzed men, working a temp job as a dog walker, and living in a run down apartment on the beach.  The only responsibilities I’d have is to sweep the sand off the floor at night, keep enough protection in the house for my gentlemen callers, and keep an ample supply of sunscreen on hand for my tanning sessions.

So my final thought to you is, does region determine the expectation on you and your age?  Do you think you’d have a different life if you grew up elsewhere?  What is society’s current expectation of you?

Green Drinks? Yes, Please! March 16, 2011

So St. Patrick’s Day is tomorrow.  I’ve recently begun to celebrate this lovely holiday in which leprachauns dance and the beer is delightfully green.  Why?  Because it always falls during my spring break and let’s face it, I have nothing better to do.

This year I’ve happily recruited 2 people to join my in my St. Patrick’s Day festivities.  Both ladies are teachers and therefore also experiencing a lame spring break in the midwest (not on an island.)  Together, I’m hoping, we can say “Screw the island spring break getaway!  We have green beer to drink, green shirts to wear, skinny jeans to rock, and good times to be had!”  Yes, this year is set up to be great.  However, being halfway to 50, I have some worries about what is actually going to happen tomorrow.  Here are two scenarios I’ve created in my mind that may or may not happen:

Scenario #1) We three half way to 50’s arrive at the most Irish bar in town.  The place is packed and we push our way through the crowd to find a table.  We waltz to the table in our green attire, tall boots, and hair flowing in the breeze.  (Well, it’ll probably be flat and a little snarly, but this is my fantasy ok?)  We order some lovely green beverages and begin catching up on all that has happened over our spring break so far.  We shoo away the men who just keep coming up to our table in attempt to buy us a drink.  “Please,” I say, “I’m married!”  (Again, this is my fantasy so don’t judge.)  After several beverages we dance a little to our favorite songs and run into even more friends.  We stumble out the door after a fun night of drinks and laughter.  St. Patrick’s Day was a succcess!

However, there is always this possibility…

Scenario #2) I can’t find anything green to wear that looks cute.  Someone calls to say they’re running late.  My hair won’t stay curled, but looks gross flat.  I pull it together and run out the door to meet my friends.  We walk in and nobody is at the bar.  Apparently, there is a free keg somewhere downtown and everyone went there.  We easily grab a table and order drinks.  There are no drink specials and no men grappling at our feet.  We have a drink and then someone decides to make it an early night.  Then there were two.  We have one more drink and decide to head home.  St. Patricks Day was a disappointment.  Maybe next year…

When you’re halfway to 50, you just never know how the night will turn out.   Sometimes people are in the mood to party like they’re 21 and sometimes people are tired and pack it in early.  It’s like flipping a coin.  But hey, pennies are lucky so maybe I could flip one of those tomorrow night.  It’s the luck o’ the Irish!

5 Gym Pet Peeves March 15, 2011

Please wash off your equipment!  That is just one thing I’d like to yell at the gym on a daily basis.  I’m 25 and a couple of years ago I decided to making working out part of my regular routine.  I spent time at several gyms in the area trying to find the perfect fit for me.  Finally, I found The One and have been there ever since.  Upon becoming a gym rat, I have found that there are several things that bug the crap out of me when I work out. 

1. People jump off of equipment and walk away.  They just walk away without cleaning off their sweaty nastiness that I have to endure.

2. Women have no shame in the locker room.  I’m not saying women shouldn’t be proud of what their momma gave them, but at the same time, I don’t need to see your naked boobs as you change into your sports bra.  Find a bathroom please!

3. The gym is not a runway.  Please don’t show up in your low-cut, tight-fitting work out clothes.  One girl in my class does this and every time we have to do planks, her cleavage is looking back at me in the mirror. 

4. Kids under the age of 16 should not be working out with a personal trainer.  There is a 12-year-old who regularly trains with a professional at my gym.  What in the world are you training for buddy?  Got a big pee wee championship coming up? 

5. The T.V.’s should be on a variety of channels to meet everyone’s needs.  I’m a T.V. junkie and my time on the eliptical goes much faster if I can watch Real Housewives, E! News, or House Hunters.  Staring at Sports Center on 5 T.V.’s is boring.

What about the gym makes you crazy?  I’d like to hear from my fellow gym junkies!

Facebook Free for 40 Days March 8, 2011

March is a month where people are just looking for a reason to go out and celebrate.  Christmas is long gone, summer is still out of reach, and that one unexpected (and unwanted) March snow storm makes us all want to throw up in our mouths a little bit.  So when opportunities arise for a party during this rather dreary month, we take it.

Take St. Patrick’s Day for example.  Would this holiday be as popular if it was placed in the middle of December or July?  Would “Kiss Me I’m Irish” t-shirts and green beer seem as appealing at any other time of the year?  I don’t think they would. 

How about Mardi Gras?  During what other month would girls lifting their shirts for a plastic necklace seem appropriate? 

Let’s face it.  We’re bored in March and everyone is just screaming for some fun!  Why else would our country declare a full week a vacation for students and teachers?  I like to think they do it so we can go have some fun and shake the winter blues.

This brings me to the ultimate March challenge…  Lent.  Every year I try to come up with something I’m willing to sacrifice for 40 days that I can actually follow through with.  People always suggest chocolate, but hello!  Are they crazy??  If I didn’t have a bite or two, or three after a long day, I think I’d go nuts.  Please don’t tell me to eat fruit instead, because it’s “nature’s candy.”  That’s bullshit and you know it.  Pop?  Psh! I NEED my Diet Coke at night.  I like to think of it as my little reward for getting through the school day successfully with 26 students and imparting some knowledge along the way.  Alcohol?  Um… yeah… that’s a joke right?

After a lot of thinking this year, I believe I’ve come up with a Lent sacrifice that is going to be a challenge, but something I’m capable of doing.  I’m giving up Facebook for 40 days. 

I’m not a crazy Facebook user who updates the world every time I use the bathroom and I don’t change my profile picture twice a day.  But I do check it about 2-3 times a day to see what my friends are up to and lately… to find out who’s pregnant.  Giving up Facebook will not be easy, but I need to remember that only 6 years ago I had no idea what Facebook was.

I’m looking forward getting some of my life back.  No longer will I be subjected to people’s pregnancy progress complete with  images of the fetus during week 24.  I won’t need to hear people bitching about bad drivers (as if writing this information on Facebook via their Blackberry while driving makes them any better) and finally, I won’t have to read the letters FML for 40 days.  For those of you who don’t know, I despise this acronym. 

Sure, I’ll miss knowing what’s going on with some of my faraway friends and may even feel out of the loop when co-workers are talking about the great vacation pictures someone posted, but it’s time I push some media out of my life and get back to the way things used to be.  Perhaps I’ll watch an extra movie with my hubbie on the couch at night.  Maybe I’ll finish getting that box of overflowing pictures organized from two years ago.  And who knows?  I may even become a cage fighter.  But rest assured, I will be able to do this and it is sure to make this lovely month of March all the more interesting!