Here are twenty three things that happened while I was twenty three:
1) I broke up a fight involving scissors.
2) I saw the film version of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and then recapped the film, the novel, and my entire senior thesis for my confused viewing companions.
3) It took me two and a half hours to drive home from work in the only serious snow of the winter.
4) Cousin The Street came to visit and we rediscovered the fact that we operate at exactly the same pace.
5) I saw a bunch of plays at the Steppenwolf. After one of them, I carried on a multi-layered text message conversation with friends back home that left me feeling as if I had been right there with them.
6) After getting up at 5:00 AM to take the GRE, driving to Aurora to meet up with friends, following them to Batavia to watch The Hunger Games on the big, big screen, and finally carpooling to a pub in Geneva, I stole my first beer glass, finally coming into my genetic inheritance.
7) I met Sir U von L when Subcontinent came to visit Chicago and the three of us took an architecture tour on a green river.
8) With three months left in my fellowship, I was asked to apply for a job at the Center. My first reaction was a resounding, "I'm outta here." Upon reflection, I upgraded that response to, "Hey, why not." Later, I was happy and excited to accept.
9) I decided to renew my lease.
10) I went to visit Subcontinent in New York and ate and walked my way across Manhattan.
11) I went to visit Roommate J in Baltimore. We can still live harmoniously in a very small space. This bodes well for our marriage at age 65.
12) I made profiteroles in honor of my mother and drank bourbon in memory of my grandfather.
13) I explained to my parents what a BAMF was. We all took comfort in Martin Freeman's wise words.
14) My parents moved away from my childhood home and I was so good at making the best of a painful situation that I am still patting myself on the back.
15) I broke down cardboard boxes and broke out in mysterious rashes in a 108 degree Kansas July.
16) I channeled a year of a despised job and beloved students and coworkers into my art and started writing again.
17) I went on a quest for the best pain au chocolat in Chicago.
18) I recorded classic family stories with StoryCorps.
19) I started volunteering with Big Brothers Big Sisters and recognized that I'll probably have to get back on the Spanish-learning wagon sooner rather than later.
20) I voted in Chicago--once--and celebrated until the early hours. I called my dad the Marylander and we got excited about progress.
21) I took a storytelling class and decided it was time to stop self-censoring and fly free.
22) I travelled to Ann Arbor. I tagged along to vegan restaurants. I listened as my history as a writer was recounted to third parties. I realized that, as self evident as it is, my friends care about me as much as I care about them.
23) I read Cloud Atlas, and got excited to do it all over again.
Now, a day into 24:
1) I'm doing it right.
