You KNOW You're an Adult When...

[StarDrifter]

bah a oh Twiggy that happened to me last year - the only reason I realised it was my birthday was the influx of mail for me - six cards in the mailbox and a package, it wasn't until I opened the second card that I realised it was my birthday that day and not the following week.

But I had another 'dang, I'm a grown up! Arrgh!' moment the other day - I had to book my car in for it 45,000km service myself, instead of Dad doing it for me! (the car is still under warranty and the first 30,000kms were covered at the dealership, but for the next year or so I'll have to pay someone to service it instead of doing it myself or with dad!) *sob!*

[Sanity Lost]

...you wish someone would send YOU to your room (for the peace and quiet), or even better, ground you for the weekend...

Need a like button

[Sunbeem]

Fitted sheets go on the bed silly.   If they are in the closet you are doing something horribly wrong.

Don't tell me you are supposed to have more than 1 sheet set for the bed, that is just silly talk.

Or you can do what a guy friend of mine used to do...he just put all his fitted sheets on the bed and he peeled them off as needed  .  (I think he had 3 sets....maybe 4)

That is absolutely brilliant!!!!!!!!!!!

[Sunbeem]

-When you spend your "fun" money on things like blenders, new shower curtains, and high-quality baking supplies.

-When each birthday is just a birthday and not a milestone (14=get a summer job, 15=driver's permit, 16=drive; 17=movies, 18=smoke, gamble, sign your own consent forms, 19=last year of teenhood, 20=not a teen!, 21=drink etc & fully legal adult; 22+ = ?)

-you can buy ANYTHING YOU WANT at garage sales because a) you have more than $5 to your name, and b) Mom's not there to say "your room is too messy, you don't need any more stuff!"

-you are so used to waking up at the same time every day during any season that you wake up without your alarm clock.

-you realize you are now allowed to get a pet monkey if you wanted to!

-"kids these days" don't remember what it was like before cell phones, mp3 players, free email accounts, gps navigation systems, etc.  You remember using portable tape players and thought a portable CD player was so cool except that it skipped if you jogged; had to get out of a broken-down car and walk to the nearest landline phone, had only 1 email account because it cost an annual fee, and you know how to read a roadmap.  (do I sound old? I'm only 23...)

[Sunbeem]

(Heaven help us when Hammer Pants and giant shoulder pads come back in fashion)

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!  Anything but that!!!!!!!!!

[Sunbeem]

This is going to sound a bit silly but I really felt like an adult when I was allowed to vote for the first time.  By the time that I could vote, I had already been self-supporting and married for two years.  As an emancipated minor, I had the all of the responsibilities and most of the same freedoms as adults.  Except for voting.  I was so proud of having the ability to cast a vote.  It meant a lot to me (and it still does) and I was eager to research and make the best decision that I could.  I'll never forget walking out of the polls with my head held high and a smile on my face.  I felt that I was finally accepted into the adult world because my voice now mattered.

I love this!  I feel the exact same way about voting.  What an incredible feeling! 

Me too!  Except for me, it was not quite the first time I voted, but rather the first time I drove myself to the polling place and voted (as opposed to getting a ride with Dad or doing absentee ballot while at college).

[kitty-cat]

-"kids these days" don't remember what it was like before cell phones, mp3 players, free email accounts, gps navigation systems, etc.  You remember using portable tape players and thought a portable CD player was so cool except that it skipped if you jogged; had to get out of a broken-down car and walk to the nearest landline phone, had only 1 email account because it cost an annual fee, and you know how to read a roadmap.  (do I sound old? I'm only 23...)

I vaguely remember a time before cell phones, laptops, ect. I had a tape player walkman when I was younger and just loved it. I looked at my old cd player a while back and thought "I used to obsess over this?" (8gig ipod in my purse now)

I didn't really have/use email until I was in 5th grade and that was just because we had AOL at the time, and the only way to get online was by having an email addy.

[Information_queen]

....when you get excited for winter because you can save on electricity again by turning the heat down (posted about that last year and I'm still excited )

...when you have to stop and ask yourself "Am I too old for this?" when you see something sparkly or rainbow-y. Answer: Never!

[rhirhi]

-When you spend your "fun" money on things like blenders, new shower curtains, and high-quality baking supplies.

-When each birthday is just a birthday and not a milestone (14=get a summer job, 15=driver's permit, 16=drive; 17=movies, 18=smoke, gamble, sign your own consent forms, 19=last year of teenhood, 20=not a teen!, 21=drink etc & fully legal adult; 22+ = ?)

You can't rent a car until you are 25, that's something...but i'm 26, so yeah.

[Hushabye]

-When you spend your "fun" money on things like blenders, new shower curtains, and high-quality baking supplies.

-When each birthday is just a birthday and not a milestone (14=get a summer job, 15=driver's permit, 16=drive; 17=movies, 18=smoke, gamble, sign your own consent forms, 19=last year of teenhood, 20=not a teen!, 21=drink etc & fully legal adult; 22+ = ?)

You can't rent a car until you are 25, that's something...but i'm 26, so yeah.

Some places you can (Enterprise), but they tack on extra charges and insurance, making it really, really expensive.

That's also the age at which most cruise lines stop requiring you to stay in a cabin with someone older or your spouse.  (Yes, Carnival, I'm looking at you and the fact that we weren't informed of this before we booked our cruise and almost got left in port.  )

[Elfmama]

....when you get excited for winter because you can save on electricity again by turning the heat down (posted about that last year and I'm still excited )

I wish...  we have electric baseboard heaters, and our heating bill goes UP.

[Kaypeep]

You get emails from Ticketmaster for upcoming concert tickets, and you don't recognize any of the bands/artists listed on the calendar!

[afbluebelle]

You try to plan a road trip based on a song by an uberfamous awesome band, and no one under 30 knows what you are talking about. Even some of the guys in their mid-30s were stumped :facepalm:

Why yes, I am referring to my mecca trip to Winslow, Arizona  I <3 The Eagles, and I'm only 25 (today, anyway)

[twiggy]

You try to plan a road trip based on a song by an uberfamous awesome band, and no one under 30 knows what you are talking about. Even some of the guys in their mid-30s were stumped :facepalm:

Why yes, I am referring to my mecca trip to Winslow, Arizona  I <3 The Eagles, and I'm only 25 (today, anyway)

Wai.....what?? Off to research (oh, and I'm only 26 so......) thought there was an upcoming concert and I got all excited 


Also, you KNOW you're an adult when: your friend posts on Facebook that she's excited her new washer/dryer were delivered and you 'like' the comment and get super excited for her


ETA bolded: I am a fool. Though thinking on it, I can't think of anywhere bigger than the high school in Winslow and I doubt the Eagles would play there. I'm a fool  An excited, then embarrassed, then disappointed fool

[Information_queen]

....when you get excited for winter because you can save on electricity again by turning the heat down (posted about that last year and I'm still excited )

I wish...  we have electric baseboard heaters, and our heating bill goes UP.

To be fair, if I set it low enough, our heater doesn't really have to do anything. I'm in Memphis so it doesn't usually get that cold (but then, before this summer, I didn't think it would get that hot....so who knows what will happen!?!), and our apartment has *amazing* insulation - we'll be at 65 inside for a week after the outside temperature sinks below 50, with no heat going.

Or maybe it just retains heat well, because it doesn't do the reverse in the summer And its not because of any effort on my part, either - I take the dog out 4-5 times a day and I'll leave the door wide open behind me. We will won't lose heat in the winter.