1. You work on a computer all day. Yes, that lame, complicated thing Mom & her new geeky boyfriend played with all the time (btw, they got married & it's great). Computers are really big now -- I mean, they're important, but the actual box is really small. And they're easy to use, thanks to the Macintosh (remember the Superbowl commercial last year? it all comes true! well, kind of. not so much the computer, but the iPod. Wait for it). And that dumb typing class you took in freshman year will come in *really* handy, but no, it's not just for secretaries. You *will* be a writer someday in some way, no surprise there.
2. You watch hockey now. Yes, that thing you think only happens every 4 years at the Olympics (btw, Olympics? every 2 years now, alternating summer & winter, weird, huh), it's not just Russia vs. USA anymore (btw, no more Commie Russians either, not like back then). Hockey is in your own hometown, & you like it, when it doesn't piss you off.
3. You married a man. Go figure! But he's a sensitive new-age guy, so it's OK. And you're not some Stepford Wife, so don't freak out.
4. You bought a house in your hometown. Nope, not your college town, not that hip-seeming place with the orange bridge either, & not some exotic foreign land. You'll realize that the infamous "there" really is here.
5. I'm sorry to say, you haven't held political office. You haven't even run for one. But you have voted in every single election since you turned 18, you've participated in rallies & protests, you helped shut down the Bay Bridge to protest the 1st Gulf War (eep, sorry! yeah, we have 2 of 'em, plus even worse in Iraq & Afghanistan; you protested that too), you've volunteered on political campaigns & for the Democratic Party, & you've written a boatload of letters to your state & federal reps over the years, plus you gave money during campaigns whenever possible. So you're still involved in the process. Btw, there's a black Democrat as President, & a Democratic woman has run once & has a good shot at winning next time. Can you imagine that? Heh, you probably thought it would have happened sooner, my little idealist younger me!
What 5 things would your 16-year-old self NOT be surprised by in your life right now?
1. You still dress up in funny clothes & your motto could still be "nobody every said I had taste." If people wanted to, they could still call you Fucking Gypsy Poseur (tho' they wouldn't know the exact provenance, & frankly, you'll forget it offhand anyway). You're still sewing & crafting & thrifting strange things to wear, bigger & better even. And you still have plenty of lazy days wear you roll out of bed & where all-black because it's easy.
2. You still write in a journal constantly. It's online now (don't ask me to explain what that means 'cept it has to do with those computers I mentioned before; just trust me). You will scribble on anything, anywhere, all the time, same as ever. Only now, your crappy handwriting doesn't matter, yay!
3. You still laugh really loudly. And a lot. You make anything into a joke when possible, usually bad ones, which might explain why the comedy troupe didn't work out (sorry!). But the humor is always essential, crucial, & found in everything.
4. Despite said humor, you will continue to be depressed. You'll find ways to cope (thank the gods, it's a medical thing, not a personality defect), but it will be a constant companion, a dark shadow in the wings of your life.
5. You've seen the world. You always knew you would somehow. Didn't know how it would happen, didn't know what parts of the world you'd make it to or when, but you just knew you'd go Out There. Well you did. Every single continent including Antarctica (OK, that one may surprise you ;-), & you are still going!
What I'm wearing: Black knit top with 3D roses, Newport News | White & black & pink cat-print skirt, Etsy | Black tights, Calvin Klein | Black flats, Aerosoles | Gunmetal hoop earrings, random accessory store
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