While I'm stuck at the airport for the next hour and a half, then on a plane for 2 more, I figured I'd catch up on my posts based on 30 Things. Let's see how far I can get.
5. A youth you're content to move beyond.
Well, that would imply I will be beyond my youth when I turn 30. I'll be the first to admit, I've got a bad case of Peter Pan syndrome. It's all about the next great adventure. Granted, as I've gotten older, the adventures have changed from following the dog through the neighbor's yard to see what she sees to more grown up things.
I suppose a better way to approach #5 would be to assume it means accepting of one's past, good or bad, and moving forward contentedly. I'm there now, though acceptance and moving forward haven't always been my forte.
My younger years were fantastic. My family has always done what they could to give me everything I needed or wanted. I can't complain too much about my younger years. However, I was also deeply hurt by those I loved the most. For years I dwelled on every little bit of the hurt. What the catalyst was to my change, I'll never know. One day, I just decided that I was missing out on so much more life by focusing on the bad things they'd done. It just made sense to accept them as who they were, regardless of what they had done in the past, and to move on. It truly did make me more content. I carried less anger, regret and other harsh feelings.
6. A past juicy enough that you're looking forward to retelling it in your old age.
Everything is an adventure. Some are short and exciting, others run the full spectrum of emotions. I'm collecting adventures. I'm working on my favorite love story. Someday, I'll be a great writer.
7. The realization that you are actually going to have an old age - and some money set aside to help fund it.
If I am being honest, I have to admit I've never given much thought to having an old age. It simply does not compute that me, Miss Lindsey, would ever get old.
I'm not amazing at saving money. This is probably because I've never tried. A friend once told me that his grandfather used to say of money that "there is never enough, but there will always be more." I've found this to be true so far, but I can't count on that.
I've got a lot of expenses to sort through right now, but within the next 30 days, I fully intend on figuring out a solution to smartly save for (::shudders::) old age.
8. An email address, a voice mailbox, and a bank account - all of which nobody has access to but you.
I honestly believe this one has less to do with hiding things than it does preserving an ounce of privacy in a very public world. Many people hang their heart out to dry on the Internet, will share their hopes and dreams with people they'll likely never see again, and then wonder why they feel so raw when the world takes notice.
While I pride myself in being a very straightforward person, there are some things which are just best left unshared. Call it self preservation, call it being a better friend. In the book which accompanies the 30 Things List, there is a short story in which a successful writer, Jacquelyn Mitchard, writes about establishing a 1 to 5 ratio for listening and speaking. I'd use the excuse that I'm a story teller and like to talk, but so is Mitchard. It doesn't sound like a bad idea to adopt the same ratio. I'll be giving it a shot.
9. A resume that is not even the slightest bit padded.
This may be great advice for many people. However, I've done so much, padding the dang thing would knock it up past 3 pages. For being as young as I am, my resume is pretty long as is.
I've done a great many things through the years. While in high school, I had my own web design company. Later, in college, I racked up service and social organizations. I even ran a couple of them. For a while, I designed the artwork for the ads on the city buses in El Paso. I spent a chunk of time as a bookkeeper for a party supply store and later a finance representative for Cingular Wireless. After college I worked as an admin for a large medical company. Now, I'm a teacher who can't seem to say no when it comes to taking on new responsibilities, organizations and challenges.
By far the least believable thing on my resume is my time at Walt Disney World, in which I worked in entertainment, as "friends" of characters. But every bit of my resume is true.
10. One friend who always makes you laugh and one who lets you cry.
We collect "friends" by the dozen on social networking sites. It's when you need one for something, you find out just how many you truly have.
I'm blessed with a bunch of friends who make me laugh. They're just awesome, hilarious people. You, my readers, are the people I intentionally choose to surround myself with - good people who love life and like to laugh.
As far as a friend who lets me cry, I don't intentionally collect those. While I'm sure many of my friends would gladly be there for me and let me cry, I try not to cry.
I've leaned on a friend heavily lately. For that, I am eternally grateful.
Posted with Blogsy
No comments:
Post a Comment