Time and Norms

Forewarning - this is a bit more train of thought/need to process out loud but I live by myself so writing is how I do that. Time is a funny thing. It seems like winter has gone on FOREVER... and at the same time, I don't know how it's already March. Norms are the same way. Some changes seem second nature immediately, and others take much longer to become a new default.

Time first - I've been out of college longer than I was in it. Graduation seemed like this giant milestone that I worked towards forever, and yet more time has passed in seemingly less time.

However, in the last 5 years I have:

• had 3 more addresses
• changed careers and companies
• traveled to Sierra Leone
• joined and left 3 committees/boards and joined 3 more
• paid off my student loans
• made a list of 24 things to do before 25 and finished 18 of them
• learned more life lessons and random facts than will ever fit in this post

And norms. I started thinking about this as I was out to dinner with a dear friend who asked, "How's life? Still drinking strictly coffee and Diet Coke?" to which I honestly replied, "Not really!" ... granted most days I do manage a cup of coffee in the morning, I do many things I didn't 5 years ago.

• I own (and wear) scarves and cardigans instead of tshirts every day
• I drink tea and water (this is new in the last 2 months)
• I prefer dresses/skirts to pants
• I own boots that are not snow boots
• I wear my hair down and straight instead of pony tail
• I live alone
• I fly, live in a hotel, and drive a rented car 17-18 weeks a year
• I went from driving 18,000 miles a year to 7,000 (thank you MetroTransit)

Some things never change

• I have a hard time justifying buying lunch and eating out in general (thank you mom and dad)
• I'm the most organized and messy person I know (note: messy, not dirty)
• I'm still a much more pleasant person with a cup of morning coffee
• Hand written cards are still my thing
• I'm a night owl, and not a morning person
• I am textbook oldest child
• I love traveling, and feel claustrophobic if I stay in Minnesota longer than 3-4 months
• I don't like light beer

Rereading this - it seems like less of an epiphany. But it was an a-ha if nothing else... and helped me track progress. As a child you mark time passing with birthdays... and then school years... and eventually graduations. Theoretically a majority of adults mark time passing by their children's birthdays... but I have no children, and want to acknowledge growth that continues to happen.