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21 More Things

bluebutterfly

I have moved away from Buzzfeed for the time being, and I found this other site that makes lists (I do love lists). 21 Things You Suddenly Start Wanting In Your Mid-20’s. What I found interesting is that this is pretty much a random list of things people would want at any age, and half of these I either wanted and/or had by the time I turned 18. Maybe I didn’t develop properly.

1. A job where  you have to wear something nice.

I have been what you would consider “overdressed” since elementary school, and even when I worked part time for minimum wage, I still dressed well. Yes, I understand the implication that having a job which mandates dressing well means it is a nice job, I have to say this is an incorrect inference. I had a friend in undergrad who worked as a waitress at a local restaurant. She was getting paid minimum wage (plus tips of course), and was expected to wear cocktail dresses and fancy shoes. She hated everything about her job except for her attire.

2. Sangria.

Ok, I do have to agree with this one. I discovered sangria in my early 20’s, and had a very good first experience with it.

3. At least a few hours of precious weekend time to browse home decorating websites.

I have never had the desire to browse decorating sites for any extended period of time. Maybe this want will develop in me later on in my 50’s or something.

4. Dinner parties.

Again, I am not sure what this has to do with the 20’s. I loved helping my mom prep for dinner parties for as far back as I have memories.

5. A hearty breakfast.

Nope. Never was a breakfast person, still not, probably won’t be.

6. Classic jazz.

Playing the piano got me into classic jazz long before my mid 20’s.

7. A desk to work at.

I think in my mid 20’s I started appreciating my desk… but I had had one for several years already.

8. A decent amount of time to do everything.

You would think that by the time someone got into their mid-20’s they would know that there is never enough time… for anything. Granted I learned the lesson when I got to college, and I know not everyone goes to college, I am sure there are equivalent lessons learned through other means.

9. Friends who work in the same industry as you.

Not really. No. In fact I have only recently joined most of my friends in their pursuits. A large part of my friends got their doctorates long ago and have been teaching at universities for years. I have only just now began it all. At no point in my previous career would I have wished my friends to join me.

10. Functional clothes to wear to weddings.

There is nothing functional about a wedding. And considering I have been a bridesmaid to almost every wedding I have attended… well…. you try finding a functional bridesmaid dress.

11. Throw pillows.

I have an interesting on and off relationship with throw pillows, but I am not entirely sure when it started. I think we are kind of on right now.

12. A blender.

Yes. I did get my first blender in my mid 2o’s. Coincidently it was also the first time I lived by myself. Hrm…

13. Activities.

Um… I am pretty sure I have always wanted/enjoyed/participated in activities. I assure you I did not spend the first 20+ years of my life in a cave.

14. Yoga.

Yes, I did take up yoga in my mid 20’s. I would like to some day take it up again.

15. Someone to wake up next to.

Again, not something I feel is particular to being in your mid-20’s.

16. An iPad.

Um… well… considering they didn’t exist, I did not want an iPad in my mid 20’s. However, I don’t own one, nor want one now either.

17. A calendar.

No, I like organizing things and making lists entirely too much not have wanted a calendar far sooner than my 20’s.

18. Bottomless brunch.

Are you kidding? I have wanted bottomless meals since the day I was born!

19. A cute travel mug.

Nope, my coffee cup fetish began when I was still in my teens. By the time I reached my mid-20’s I was a travel mug connoisseur.

20. A good knowledge of wine bars.

Actually I didn’t even know these things existed until about two years ago. However, I have found a favorite one and have so far gone there multiple times with Tanya, Hannah, and Mary. Stephanie and Allie are next.

21. Routine.

I am a creature of habit. Routine has been my favorite thing since forever.

All the Little Things

Dark_Pink_Butterfly

It was one of those days. It all started at Starbucks this morning when they gave me the wrong sized coffee. It was a grande when I had ordered a venti, but I figured it was only the second cup of many for the day, so I took the coffee and left, not giving it a second thought.

Then I went to the grocery store where I found they discontinued one of my favorite lunch items from the store and switched the brand of several other items I buy on a regular basis. I am not terribly brand specific, but the switch was made in favor of more expensive items. Well, I figured it was only a few extra dollars, so not a big deal. I bought what I needed and left.

Then I went to get a manicure and decided to try this new place that just opened. The only reason I am even getting manicures on a semi regular basis now has to do with my crazy schedule that no longer allows me to do my own nails during the week. If I do them on Sunday night, by Wednesday they are already chipped, and I most certainly am not coming home on Wednesdays at 10:30 p.m. or later to reapply nail polish. Yet I think chipped nail polish is one of the tackiest things a woman could wear, leaving me little choice. Recently I started doing the Gel polish where after it gets applied it will last until your nails grow out, which for me means roughly three weeks. It is expensive, but worth not having to worry about them.

The lady started removing the previous polish (which with Gel is a process onto itself), and when she got to the reapplication part I realized she had not yet asked me what color I wanted (and I had anticipated getting a nice midnight blue). Typically in any nail salon that is the first question they ask as soon as you walk through the door. I found out that that is because this new place only had three colors – magenta, orange, and peachish. Considering the alternatives, I now have peachish nails, a far cry from the midnight blue I had wanted. Well, they are only nails, this is not permanent, so I let it go.

If you are unfamiliar with how Gel works, it is an acrylic based nail polish that is cured with UV light and alcohol. With each coat you stick your hand in this little UV light machine for thirty seconds, and once the top coat is applied you pour alcohol on your hands to set it permanently. After the hour long process she realized she didn’t have any alcohol. How can a salon not have alcohol? How do they sterilize things? You know what, nevermind, I don’t want to know. The polish didn’t set (Gel does not “dry” like regular polish, so without setting it remains indefinitely tacky). She sent her assistant to the store to buy alcohol while we waited. By the time she came back and we finished the process I had been there for two hours, and needless to say, running late for everything else. She only charged me half price, so I decided to regard the whole experience as a discount manicure. Worse things have happened.

It was already one in the afternoon, I was hungry but had no time, so I skipped lunch and drove across town to my next appointment at the spa. I had scheduled a facial with one of the girls everyone has been telling me is fantastic, but the spa switched their schedule around and when I got there they told me she was no longer available. They did have me down for an appointment but they had no one ready. Luckily one of the estheticians who was off today lived close by, they called her and she was there within the hour. She had worked on me last time and I remember she had done an excellent job, so all was not lost, and my face feels wonderful.

I know the above can hardly be considered great hardships. I am well aware of how trivial it all is, hence my not making a big fuss at any point, and any one of these things going wrong would not even warrant a blog post. But still, when they add sequentially, it is all the little things.

Chocolate

I like this song. I have to admit that the first 5o times I heard it I had *no* idea what they were saying. I just looked up the lyrics, and well, I have to admit better songs have been written. So I am going to pretend I never looked up the lyrics and continue listening to the song as when the only word I understood was “chocolate.”

Don’t look up the lyrics… just listen… chocolate…

 

(Yes, I know they are terrible. Don’t judge).