the things that come with getting older

(random pictures from lately, including but not limited to, pipes found at the river, a Scout ceremony, banana bread with chocolate chips, rollerblading down the street, pretty afternoon light, etc etc)

Well.

It's happening.

I'm growing up.

Oh sure, I've been growing up for seventeen years and one month. But it's a gradual kind of thing, you know? It's like that John Green quote that's been going around for awhile: "One day you're seventeen and you're planning for someday. And then quietly, without you ever really noticing, someday is today. And then someday is yesterday. And this is your life."

Today I found myself playing mom again; my dad went in for some relatively minor surgery this morning but complications arose and they're keeping him for the night. So! That left me skipping class and racing home to be chauffeur for my sibs and feed them lunch and dinner (both involved bread; creative cooking lessons and/or a trip to the grocery may be in order).

And it's weird, you know. Driving around. Going to class. Going to work. Planning for life after high school. Like, I've thought about being this age for so long and now that I'm here, it's not nearly as glamorous as it sounded when I was younger.

It'll probably be like that, too, when I'm twenty-two, and twenty-five, and thirty-one, and so on and so forth.

Life has been...well, boring. I am a very, very restless person. Not that I'm proud of that! But I am. And I've been trying to cherish these "boring" times because I know I'm gonna miss them. Maybe not immediately. But I will, someday. It's my last "normal" year at home and...yeah.

So, growing up. Right now it's involving reading travel books and doing lots of homework and occasionally (occasionally) making 100s on assignments (!!) and being mistaken for Taylor Swift more times than I care to admit and wearing too many gray sweaters and failing again and again but trying again and trying to be a good friend/daughter/sister and, most of all, being perpetually tired.

Oh, and I saw a guy whip out his Nintendo DS today and start playing on it, so that happened too. I get such joy out of people watching. WOW people are fascinating. And I don't mean that sarcastically. They really, truly are. (And speaking of people, if you have a moment, read this article. Really, really fascinating.)

Peace out.

(here's where I would insert an emoji if this were instagram)