I was browsing through the trending posts of 9Gag earlier. One picture really caught my attention. Since last weekend was a surprise about my realization on growing old and growing up, I read the message of the picture saying there are 25 ways to tell you've already grown up. As I scan it, I thought of actually analyzing each item and tell if I pass that particular criterion. If I get 13 or more criteria passed, I'm a grown up already. If not, then I'm still a kid. This is just for fun, don't take this seriously.
1. Your houseplants are alive, and you can't smoke any of them.
--- First of all, I am not the one taking care of the houseplants. It's granny's. And yes, there are no marijuana in there, or stuff like that I can smoke or something. I never smoke, anyway.
2. Having sex in a twin bed is out of question.
--- Yeah, maybe. I mean, whether it is on a couch or just on the floor, grab it. (1 point)
3. You keep more food than beer in the fridge.
--- Zero beer in the fridge, that's for sure. I swear to God never to drink beer again, ever!
4. 6:00 A.M. is when you get up, not when you go to sleep.
--- It is the other way around for me, seriously. I went to sleep earlier at 7:30 A.M. I was not doing anything in total actuality. I was not working on a graveyard shift even.
5. You hear your favorite song in an elevator.
--- Because I have my iPod on? Yes. No iPod? I don't think so.
6. You watch the weather channel.
--- They are fun to watch, aren't they? Oh God, that's two points already.
7. Your friends marry and divorce instead of "hook up" and "break up".
--- Just two of my close friends got married (by unexpected pregnancy), and one of them got kinda divorced. And the rest - hooks up and breaks up, what's up?
8. You go from 130 days of vacation time to 14.
--- This one is complicated. With the time frame of trimesters my school's having, I was actually very lucky to have at least 10 days of vacation. But now that I am a bum, waiting for graduation next week, I already have more than 14 days... and counting.
9. Jeans and a sweater no longer qualify as "dressed up".
--- They still are. They will always be! I am not really used to "dressing up" dressing up. I love fashion, but not practicing it. Kinda weird, right? Just like sex - I love it, but I have none of it.
10. You're the one calling the police because those %&@# kids next door won't turn down the stereo.
--- First and foremost, I will never call the police for something stupid like the stereo thing if I could just shout right through their faces and scare the hell out of them. And kids here in our compound are not fond of playing the stereo because they've got childhood - playing in the soil, running around, ruining things such as water pipes for fun. They also got iPad and laptops.
11. Older relatives feel comfortable telling sex jokes around you.
--- Four words: No, they are not. Well, actually, no older relatives have ever thrown some dirty jokes on me.
12. You don't know what time Taco Bell closes anymore.
--- There is only one Taco Bell store I know, and it is located in a mall down west. The mall closes at 9:00 P.M. so Taco Bell closes at that time. Nailed it!
13. Your car insurance goes down, and your car payments go up.
--- I have no car. End of story.
14. You feed your dog science diet instead of McDonald's left over.
--- No dog, too. Sorry.
15. Sleeping on the couch makes your back hurt.
--- Oh my goodness! Yes! It really does. I don't know what's with the couches. (3 points)
16. You take naps.
--- Does a long nap count? If naps meant 10 to 15-minute powernaps, then no.
17. Dinner and a movie is the whole date instead of the beginning of one.
--- It is, for me. Oh wait a minute. I mean, after watching a movie, what do you do? Well, maybe have some coffee and talk some more before heading home then. After that? Ok, I know what your mundane mind is thinking. Got no point for this one, hooray!
18. Eating a basket of chicken wings at 3:00 A.M. would severely upset, rather than settle, your stomach.
--- Oh no no no. You give me something to eat past 2 o'clock in the morning and I'll be perfectly fine. Please serve it with a hot choco, iced coffee, or a bottle of water.
19. You go to the drug store for ibuprofen and antacid, not condoms and pregnancy test.
--- Wow. I go to the drug store to buy the third one. Enough said.
20. A $4.00 bottle of wine is no longer "pretty good shit".
--- No. It is not ever a pretty good shit. I mean, I've tried some wine that cost this cheap and it tasted not pretty nor good; just plainly shit. (4 points)
21. You actually eat breakfast food at breakfast time.
--- Yes, but I also eat hotdogs and eggs for lunch and dinner sometimes. I sometimes eat gourmet lunch for breakfast. It is kinda flexible.
22. "I just can't drink the way I used to" replaces "I'm never going to drink that much again".
--- Yes, it actually is. I mean, I swear to God never to drink malt again, and not that much of alcohol, and I actually am now. I just drink alcohol when there's a chance, and if I am in a perfect mood to take that chance. Just because I want to drink and get wasted afterwards? No, thank you. I really just can't won't drink the way I used to. (5 points)
23. 90% of the time you spend in front of a computer is for real work.
--- Let's make this short, shall we? I am unemployed. So whatever I do in front of the computer is definitely not for work. It's for fun. Lots of fun, if you know that I mean.
24. You drink at home to save money before going to a bar.
--- I said this earlier on - there is no way that our fridge would have some alcohol or beer in it. So I don't drink at home before going to a bar, which seriously is another point in case because I do not usually go to a bar. I have entered a bar four times in my entire life. I am not a party person. I wish I am, but I can't really be.
25. When you find out your friend is pregnant, you congratulate them instead of asking "Oh shit, what the hell happened?"
--- Two of my friends already have kids now. When I found out, I congratulated them. As of today, no one approaches me and say "Hey, I'm pregnant" or "Hey bro, 'got my girlfriend pregnant". My reaction would depend on the age of my friend saying one of these two lines. If it would be a high school buddy, I'll most probably congratulate. If it would be a young colleague in my college publication, that's a total "whoah" on my part. So, I am in the middle for this criterion actually. Half a point would do.
20% GROWN UP. That is a total of 5.5 points out of 25. I got a little above 20%, which is obviously not alarming. I mean, I know that I am still not a grown up. Still growing up, I guess. There is still a lot to experience out there. However, these are not really the criteria that you consider for you to say you've grown up fully into a person who already experienced and learned everything. So long as we age, we grow, and we experience things like never before. The concept of being a grown up is not really cool with me.
Old times would make you think you are old and stuff tells you you've already grown up. But, just think that you're still young to experience new things, even though you've been through a lot. That is how I see life. I have been the toughest times I could ever imagine, and glancing back at them makes me think how old and wise I've become. But when I set my eyes on what's in front of me, I see a never-ending horizon which, I know, will offer me a wide variety of possibilities to be delightful with, or to learn from.
Wait up - there is a 26th bonus criterion from the picture. It says: You read this entire list looking desperately for one sign that does not apply to you and can't find one to save your sorry old ass. Then you forward it to a bunch of old friends because you know they'll enjoy it, too. And now, you know why I am forwarding this to you... Ok, there is not a single sign that does not apply to me; there is more than half of the entire list! Sorry, I will be forever young (mindset). And I blogged this one for my friends to read, and see the fun for themselves.
The only person, anyway, that could set a criteria for growing up for yourself, is simply yourself. It is a choice - go be old, or go feel young. Enjoy!
The only person, anyway, that could set a criteria for growing up for yourself, is simply yourself. It is a choice - go be old, or go feel young. Enjoy!
Images taken from Google