On turning 24

Happy Guy Fawkes Day everybody in England. Happy Birthday, me!

Am I where I thought I would be at 24? When I graduated from high school 6 1/2 years ago, did I imagine I would be living with my mom, in a house on the Columbia in Portland, scrambling for a job (as opposed to starting a career), at this age? In a word, HELL NO!!! Honestly, I can't remember what I was thinking then...I was vaguely planning on going the Dolphin Trainer route, but I must have known that wasn't going to last because I don't remember having any real concrete forecasts of my early-mid 20's.

I remember figuring out years in advance how old I would be when 2000 hit...(14, woohoo!)..., but I haven't been so preoccupied about 2010 (apparently, I'll be 24). My biggest timeline-related goal has been to fill up my passport with visas and stamps before it expires in 2013 (assuming we all make it past 2012-were those loco Mayans right?). I've also spent much of the last 6 1/2 years obsessing about 'being successful' by my 10 year high school reunion, which I realize now is a pretty arbitrary benchmark. 10 years out from high school I have a feeling I'll just be getting started. 'Pretty arbitrary benchmark' and also: 'aiming low.' Compared to my high school peers, I'm already kicking ass. :) Time to aim higher...

I'm 24 years old and I've been to 16 countries (not including the US) on 5 continents (N. America included). I certainly hadn't foreseen that. President Barack Obama has been to 15 countries in his first year in office. Compared to the POTUS, I've got a long way to go. Australia and Antarctica, here I come! It's all about perspective. Hmm, new life goal: join this.

I'm not the only one of my friends who's back living with the 'rents post-college. We're redefining success. Successful in your 20-somethings is no longer working a crap entry-level job at your dream company with aims of clawing your way to the top. Success is bumming off your parents, working a crap entry-level job that has nothing to do with your degree or future aspirations, and enjoying every day for what is it. Rock, rock on.

I'm not Oliver Wilde, John Keats, Chris McCandless (thank goodness!), Rihanna, Mark Zuckerberg, or any other freakishly talented, freakishly awesome young person. But I AM Annette McAwesome: traveler extraordinaire, student of life, cool-ass bitch. I'm 1 in a million, er, 6 1/2 billion, if you will. :)

SO, to sum up? Jobless and looking, carless and (trying to be) content (the western US is not Western Europe, public transportation- or other-wise), planning my next adventure (possibly Vietnam for 5-7+ weeks next June-July-August, and then *hopefully* the Peace Corps sometime next fall). I'm giving myself a 12-month limit back in the states-by no later than September 22, 2010, I'm outta here. There's just too much to see and no babies, terminal diseases, or significant others to tie me down (knock on wood). :)

I don't want to be one of those people who says: "I always wish I had done X, Y and Z." I want to be one of those people who says: "Yeah, I did X, Y, and Z. No big deal. I also did A-W too! Tell you about it? I haven't the time. Read my book!"

Off to celebrate. Tonight was good: 2 new McMenamin's locations (Ringlers and the St. John's theater, if you insist) and Henry's, which I hadn't realized I had already been to with Megan and her hs friend. I hope at some point this weekend I have (another) occasion to say: "Another pitcher of Puby, Snakes! And make it snappy, it's my motherfuckin' birthday!"

As Courtney has predicted, 24 is going to be my action year! Bring. it. ON!