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I'd say it was my parents' allowing me (and even encouraging me) to be the goofy, non-athletic, brainy, weirdo kid that I needed to be. I realize it was mostly benign neglect, but I would have been miserable if they'd tried to make me conform to all the macho-stereotype BS that so many of my friends had to fit into.
Specklet, awhole bunch of years ago there was some kind of celebrity quiz in TV Guide on the best human achievements, and Alf (yes, Alf) answered, "Soap". Isaac Asimov chimed in to back him up, citing, among other wonders, soap's miraculous ability to clean by actually breaking the molecular chains of greasy gunk... or whatever that thing is that soap does; I'm not very scientific.
Going to bed earlier, keeping up with the laundry, having a bi-weekly cleaning service (just hired a person again), planning meals, thinking before I speak and keeping quiet instead of "busting balls" when my husband does something that annoys me.
Living alone, for sure. Even though my parents have a tendency to show up, at least my mother has finally learned to fucking call first. (Pops didn't seem to have this issue.)
Having two parents who both worked hard to support us kids.
Getting a scholarship to college.
Finding that life is all about connections - finding people you can work with, enjoy having as friends, who encourage you, who work with you on goal.
Being good at speaking and writing.
...other than that stuff, which I don't scoff at, I'm still waiting for the easier part to set in.
Getting sent to reform school as a teenager. You know how the army takes skinny little weaklings and turns them into manly killing machines through hard work and discipline? Reform school molds ahem, behaviorally challenged fuck-ups with mental health issues into normal people who can work jobs and pay the bills and maintain relationships without running to the bathroom to have an anxiety attack every day.
I don't know what life I'd have if I hadn't been forced to learn all the little coping skills and tricks to being a functional human being.
Finding a job that allows me to live within my means
It is amazing and somewhat embarrassing how money makes life much easier. I used to spend so much brain power making budgets down to the penny, collecting coupons, finding the cheapest everything, finding free things to do, figuring out how to get my junker car through state inspection, keeping the utility companies from shutting off my service, etc. It does make me feel guilty that I can blow all that stuff off and buy dinner when I'm too lazy to cook and pay for people to fix stuff for me and not take time to budget or find the best deal for stuff. Being unemployed for four months this winter should have smacked some sense into me but it hasn't really.
photo by splunge
photo by TheophileEscargot
photo by Kronos_to_Earth
photo by ethylene
