Growing Up

First order of business, I need everyone to re-subscribe to this blog. When I changed the location to lovetinamarie.blogspot.com I didn't automatically get all my followers. So to follow me again just click on the little follow button on the right hand of the screen.

Thanks.

Now for some introspection. I went to the beach this past weekend (pics and a post are forthcoming). I had lots of time to lay out on the beach, and take long walks with no real purpose in mind. I started thinking about all the amazing things that I have done in my life and how much I have grown since college. I think the start of adulthood for me began when I was 12 (hey, I said it was the start). When I was 12 I was accepted to a very good private school. I had such great grand ideas of how things would be. I considered myself so grown up. High school was nothing like I thought it would be. It was hard. I mean, really hard. I struggled coming from public school. Eventually I caught up. I graduated with honors. I was accepted to school in New Orleans, and I had new ideas about what being a "grown up" would entail.

I pictured myself living alone... well, living away from my parents at least. I thought about how I would spend my days running along the street car line, and laying out in the park.

In the four years I lived in New Orleans I never ran along the street car line. I did go to the park... usually to sip on daquiris after class. I ended up joining a sorority, something I never would have imagined myself doing. I loved it. College was nothing like I expected it to be, it was so much better, but like all foolish 22 year olds, I was anxious to REALLY be an adult. I wanted to start working, and really live on my own. Naive.

I did start working. I spontaneously moved to Austin after college with a friend. He decided to move back home after a few months. I was working four jobs to make it. It wasn't quite what I had in mind, but it taught me that hard work is nothing to be ashamed of. After a few months I started applying for "grown up" jobs all over the country. I ended up taking an interview for a job in DC, and voila, 5 years later I'm still here. It was all so random, as I have learned life is.

I suppose the purpose of my rambling is that I have grown so much in these last years, and time flies by more and more quickly every year. I no longer am scared to get older though. I embrace it. I think my life has only gotten better with age. You learn how to take a punch, get up, dust yourself off, and keep going. You also go on so many adventures. Last year I got a scar on my face. 18 year old Tina would have been freaked out about going through life with something like that, 28 year old Tina loves it. It gives me the chance to tell a story about cliff diving into 100 foot waters in the Mexican jungle. I love all my markings, scars and stories. I have to say I am very blessed by the life I have led, and I look forward to what the future brings.