To be 21

I can sum up what it's like to be 21 in one picture. What? How could a person do that? How could they convey the unfettered excitement of becoming an adult and moving into a new phase of life in just a single picture? Surely two must be used! Or several more! Nope, I have exactly one picture that tells the story of my coming of age. So...what could this picture possibly be? What could so exactly portray my every inner thought and feeling about what it's like to now be 21 years of age? Well...

Leaving the Nest

It's something that happens to everyone, when I think about it. You grow-up, move out of your parent's house and start living your own life. For me, it happened rather quickly, but I'm glad it did. Having to take care of yourself, pay bills, buy groceries (which is rather optional, it seems, in my apartment), and basically being your own man...it's a strange, new feeling. Just knowing that I have to depend on myself and work for everything I have gives me a greater pride in life, a greater sense of purpose and duty.

So how's life away from mom and dad's house? Well...

It's awesome.

I am the proud co-renter of an apartment in Salem, Oregon. Cascade View Apartments, to be specific. It's a place I can call my own, and I really like to have that sense. This is mine, no one elses. Sure, there are other things I can say that about as well, like my laptop, TV, Xbox, movies...or other stuff like that, but this is a roof over my head. The place that marks the start of my life as my own person. Nothing I own has that kind of weight, that kind of importance. Now that I've been experiencing this feeling for the past few months, I'm can't help but give God thanks for allowing me to have this kind of opportunity...this new life, really. I'm also really greatful that I get to share that with a really great guy...

This is my roommate, Jeremy. We get along pretty flippin' well, I have to say. We tend to be very opposite people at times. I tend to be the more calm and composed, while he's definately a straight nut job. It's tough to sleep at night when you have a guy jumping on your bed and making you watch YouTube video's until your eyes bleed. However, I did get slight revenge when I told my dad that he likes to watch shows about ghosts (which he does), leading my dad to think he was, "some kind of freak." (A real quote from my dad.) Besides that, he's a cool guy to share an apartment with. Lately we've been going out and practicing golf when we have nothing going on. For a guy that's only just started golfing, he's impressed me so far...

This is also something we did when we were bored. It's a little video portraying daily life in the apartment...while juggling a golf ball.

That's about all I'm going to share for right now. Life's going good, and it feels great to be out on my own. Leaving the nest is better than I thought it would be...