Am I an adult?

So when do you know that you are officially an adult? Is there some kind of ceremony? Certificate? Ok, obviously not because I have to receive other one of those things. Is it when you get married? Well, what if you never get married? So, is it when your friends start getting married? Ok, is it when you graduated College? Some people never graduate, didn't go or will never leave. Is it when you start paying your own bills? Well, technically I have been paying my own bills since I was a sophomore in college. Was I an adult then? How about this one. Is it when you first live alone? Well some people have never lived by themselves. This is tricky.

So, let's go down the list. No, I am not married and I don't have any prospects. I did however catch Melinda's bouquet at her wedding last week so maybe this is closer then I think. (God, I hope not) I've definitely reached the age that people I knew in high school were getting married and having kids but just because someone else is getting married does that mean I am adult too? Just like we all graduated together, we passed into adulthood from childhood together too. This doesn't seem right. And anyway, Melinda is the first of my close circle of friends to get married so... Well, I don't know where I'm going with that.

I am a college graduate. I graduated last year but in the last year I really don't feel that much older. I kind of feel like I'm living day to day with no real plan for tomorrow. Is that what it's like to be an adult. I always that adults have plans, direction. They have careers not jobs. I have a job. I like my job, don't get me wrong but it isn't what I want to do with my life. Ok, I am more of an adult then I think so.

Now, I am personal responsible for my bills. My parents are no longer giving my monthly stipens and I no longer have a roommate to split the cost of rent, heat, water, cable. So, does that make me an adult?

I do live by myself. It is official! I have been really living solo since June but now I am in my own apartment by myself. Yesterday, I finished up cleaning my old apartment and returned my keys to my rental office. I am no longer a resident of Le Chateau. This made me a little sad because I had lived there for 4 years. First with my sister and then with Sarah. It was my first apartment. I really did love that apartment even with all it's faults. But I love my new place. It's the perfect size for me. Nice and cozy and now that my attention is not on two places I can finish unpacking and finally host game night! I think what I love the most about my new place is that I found it on my own. Katharine did most of the work finding our last place but I didn't have her this time. I did this. I searched the classifieds, called up potential landlords, made appointments to view apartments, made a decision without help from my family and sign a lease on my own. My parents didn't even see my place until I moved in. I did have a lot of help with moving and moral support but this is really all me.

I guess what really makes a person an adult is when you can make your own decisions. And not just what am I going to do tonight but the important ones. Financial, housing, entertainment, careers, marriage, friends, vacation and so much more. S, I think I am finally an adult. Now the questions is, is that a good thing or a bad thing? That is for another time.

The Clean Up Begins!

Ok, so the moving part is done. All that is left is cleaning up the old apartment. The carpet guy is coming on Friday and I have two weeks to finish cleaning the rest of the apartment before I give back the key and leave Le Chateau for good. I will miss that apartment. It's hard to believe that I had lived there for 4 years. Katharine and I moved in the summer after my freshman year of college. Kat moved out last year and Sarah moved in. Then Sarah moved out in May and now I am gone too. Standing in my living room after the last of my stuff had been taken to mom or dad's car, I started to get a little teary eyed. I didn't actually cry because I was too exhausted too. I think I might really cry when I finish with the clean up.

As for the move itself. It didn't go exactly as planned. What was supposed to happen, was I was going to go to my rental office, pick up my keys, pay rent, go back to my old apartment pack all my entertainment up and bring over to my new apartment so it would be ready for the cable guy when he got there. Mom was going to bring Zach and Emily at 10 and we were going to start carrying small things to mom's car. At noon, dad and I were going to get the truck and then load the big things and then at 1 my friend Scott would come by and help load and unload. Well, I unbeknownst to me, my rental office's power was turned off by the city because of repairs so they were not going to open until noon. As I was calling my cable people to reschedule the cable guy was calling to say they were on their way. Of course, the one time the cable people come in the first hour of the four hour window. Typical! I called mom, and she was already on her way and so instead of starting to load her car, she took me out to breakfast. That was probably a good idea because it was a very humid day and if any of us had tried to do all that moving on an empty stomach we would have been toast. We decided to see if you could get the truck a little bit early. We did. So mom went to get Zach and Emily and I went back to my rental office. Now, the people I rent from are very nice people and they did just move offices so they are not all situated yet but she was surprised that I was moving in on Thursday and not Saturday and she didn't have the keys, they were in the apartment. Something that would have been good to know because if I had known that, I would have needed someone to let me in and I could have been there for the cable guy (more on that later) but oh well the past is the past. From there on, things went pretty smoothly. We got everything from one apartment to the other in one day, leaving a few things behind like cleaning supplies that will be needed in the next couple of weeks.

Now, the cable. I had to reschedule my appointment for today but I had to work. I really don't have a lot of time to sit around for the cable guy. I'm working every day this week because of I took this upcoming weekend off for my friend Melinda's wedding. So, I asked if my mom would wait for me and because she is a great mom she did. Sadly for her and me they didn't show up. They didn't even call. I think the connection I am getting now is from the previous tenants account. So, tonight, instead of going to see my friend Preston's band play (his show was cancelled) I spent most of my night on hold. When I did get through to someone, she had no idea why that didn't show up. The only note in my file was that I wasn't there on Thursday. Some where my reschedule appointment got lost. Which is weird because I talked to someone else earlier in the day and they said they were on their way. hmmm... Anyway, so my appointment has been rescheduled and I got a $20 credit, which is not nearly enough but it's a start. I have never had trouble with this company before so I hope this will be the last of my troubles with them.

Other then that, things are going great! I have most of my apartment unpacked. Thanks to mom, my kitchen is in order. My room is coming together and my living room is looking more and more like a living room. So, yeah, I'm really excited about my new place. :D

I know I haven't posted in a while but I've been busy!

1. My sister Katharine and her fiance were in town so every moment I wasn't at work, I was hanging out with them. It was so great to see them. I wish we had more time because I don't know when I will see them again. Wales never seems so far away as it does now.

2. I've been getting my living situation settled. I found an apartment. A nice 1 bedroom in a good area of Coralville. I move in on Thursday so I've gone into packing overdrive!

3. Melinda's wedding is in two weeks! This week I have to go to her wedding shower and then my final fitting for my bridesmaid's dress on Friday! I haven't even started to plan her bachelorette party. Why oh why did I volunteer to plan it?!

So, basically I probably won't be updating anytime soon but really how is that any different. *lol* In the meantime, leave me some comments!