I’m trying to remember where it was that every chapter or episode starts with “In which…”, but I’m struggling a bit and Google is no help. Oh well, maybe I’ll add it later.
[Update: it’s A.A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh – I thought it was some kind of children’s book]
As a newly twenty twenteen-year old, I think that it feels like it’s ridiculous how much difference one day makes. On the one hand, I’m not much older. Then again, I’ve entered a new decade of my life, left my childhood and teenage years completely, am going to get old etc. etc. and it seems like a pretty big difference! With lots of responsibility.
But it’s ok because my friend Libby and I have agreed that we can be childish together, and do all those things we really want to but officially/technically feel slightly too old for together. And, although I am pretty mature in the majority of ways, if I do say so myself, I am definitely still a child at heart! I have made it my mission to find a bouncy castle to go on that allows over 12s (I don’t care if it’s in a nightclub, just find me one!) and I would actually pre-book chairoplane tickets if I could! Not to mention my deep and abiding love of.. so so many childish things. For example – although I know I am not alone with this one, it’s pretty much an accepted thing among my generation I’d say- Dreamworks and Pixar films, miniature anythings, bright things and bows..possibly why I get asked for ID so much, but oh well. The list is long and I will add to it at some point.
On the whole, 19 has been a pretty awesome age. 18 had some nice parts, mostly in fact, but was often kind of stressful. 19 has been more interesting, with many new things but not quite as big/major, yet still stuff I’ve been wanting to do/try/experience/learn about etc.
There have been a lot of ‘firsts’, that’s for sure! Some good (first fencing competition, first ‘proper’ part time job), some less so, including losing my first grandparent. That makes it sound like I misplaced her – what I mean is, my Grandma died. Also going to my first funeral*, though not Grandma’s as she is was in New Zealand. And some ‘rite of passage’ type firsts that I guess I’ll look back to fondly-ish, like my birthday party! (I certainly said goodbye to my teenage years with a bang anyway. I can’t quite bring myself to say “in style”, because that implies a lot more grace and dignity.)
I didn’t manage to go on a proper rollercoaster before turning twenteen, so that will be my aim before twenteenone. We’re hopefully going to have a fencing trip to a theme park in summer, so fingers crossed!
Some of the highlights and firsts of 19:
My 19th Birthday in Edinburgh in October, which somehow almost all of my school friends were able to go to (pretty rare these days!)
The Fencing Ceilidh in November
December
My first fencing competition in January
February
March
Being voted onto the Fencing Committee in April (and starting a bit in May and properly in September)
Somehow passing Finance in May (+ a really nice day with Grandpa)
Moving into our pretty new flat in June
Awesome summer fencing and finally going to the West End and on the Subway in July
Starting my new job in August. Also going to my first UK wedding (and “as a more or less grownup”, rather than in my usual capacity of flower girl)
Welcome Team in September (plus Fencing Committee things)
Fencing Heroes and Villains Party, MGMT (+first proper) concert, first flat party in October
This post is vaguely incomplete, but as you may have noticed I tend to just put it up anyway, otherwise it stays as a draft for another who knows how many months! I will expand upon my points later! 🙂
Anyway, goodbye 19, it’s been fun! May 20 be even better and full of new, exciting and delightful things…It definitely looks to be busy anyhow!
(although the law of good and bad dictates that amazing is followed by things that will make you really appreciate the next time amazing comes along, in my experience. But it’s not as if I can change that, so at the risk of sounding a bit Pollyannaish, I’m just going to take it as it comes and look for the small good things if that happens. And yes, I probably will forget about that at the time, but I try.)
*= As more or less an adult, at least. I think I’ve been to the funeral of someone my Mum and Grandma etc. knew when she was growing up. I feel fairly sure..but neither of my parents remembers this (not uncommon, they told me a lot of things which I remember and they don’t, for example)