Turning 17

Today, my baby brother turns 17. This is too weird. I'm 12 years older than he is (yes easy math, I know) and while 17 probably should seem like so long ago... it really doesn't. 17 years ago should feel like a long time ago too - but that also doesn't. I remember being there the day he was born. He came out with a squished nose and a blue tinge, but it didn't take long for him to be the cutest little thing ever with two teenage sisters to completely dote on him, which we did. From there, it seems it didn't take long for him to become this amazing young man of 17.

But today it made me think. What was I like at 17? What was happening in my life then. In the world (apart from it all revolving around high school dramas).

When I was 17:
I was in year 12 at Kent Street Senior High School.
I played the lead in my high school musical Little Shop of Horrors (bit sad, haven't performed since) - and I remember my brother, the only 5 years old bursting into tears in the audience when I got eaten by the plant. I had to leave straight after to go and calm him down!
I worked at my local supermarket as a check out chick for $6 something an hour.
I had a boyfriend I'd met working at the local supermarket.
I'd just discovered parties.
I wore halter tops and flared jeans.
I didn't have my licence, that took another year.
I lived in Forrestfield.
It was all about the Year 12 Ball. All we could talk about were our ball dresses,
I had lost my virginity (well it wasn't lost, I knew where it went - scandalous!).
I listened to Eminem - The Eminem Show, Milincolin - Pennybridge Pioneers, Red Hot Chilli Peppers - By the Way on high rotation.
I was watching Australian Idol and Sex in the City.
I weighed in at about 50kg... and did no exercise apart from walking to the bus and to work - wish it was that easy now!
I had a Nokia 3330 that you could only play Snake on, text and call.
I was doing 4 subjects at school Maths, English Literature, Drama and History studying for my TEE.
I dreamed of being a writer/actress.
I had a great bunch of loopy friends, a select few I've managed to retain and they are still my most favourite people and it's a joy to be growing up with them... even if some things were more fun at 17! 

Happy birthday little bro!

One of my fave photos of us - circa 2010.

What were you doing when you were 17?

25 reasons being a grown up is not all it's cracked up to be

When I was a little kid I couldn't wait to be a grown up. It all looked so glamorous and dramatic(in terrible 90s style ofcourse). I dreamed about having a briefcase and trotting off to work in a pencil skirt and stilettos like my mum. As a teenager I simply couldn't wait to be able to do whatever I wanted and when I first started uni, I couldn't wait to be taken seriously. All these things we dream up for our adult lives... turns out their a little bit bullshit!

Call me pessimistic but lately it's dawned on me that being a grown up is not all it's cracked up to be. And I don't even have kids! Those mother effers got it bad! The saving grace is that I do get to wear pencil skirts and stilettos, thankfully briefcases went out of fashion! I think we should all go eat fairy bread and play in the sandpit.

So here's 25 reasons why being a grown up is not all it's cracked up to be.

1. When something goes wrong at your house you have to fix it/pay for it because you own the bloody place.

2. You realise The Never-Ending Story had nothing on your pile of bills - that never seem to stop coming, never, ever! Not to mention the pile of washing that's taken up residence in your spare room.

3. There is still someone telling you what to do, only they are called 'Boss' and 'Bank' and 'Water Corporation' instead of 'Parents'.

4. You have to make decisions about the rest of your life because 'what do you want to be when you grow up'... well it just doesn't apply to you anymore.

5. You have to admit when you're wrong.

6. You can't eat cake anymore without thinking about how hard you're going to have to work in the gym to work it off.

7. People expect you to 'know better'.

8. There's no fairy bread at parties.

9. You only get 4 weeks holiday a year instead of the 12 weeks they accustom you to at school and the 3 months you get at uni.

10. Your life is consumed with getting rid of unwanted hairs (not to mention the cost of getting rid of said unwanted hairs).

11. Drinking a whole milkshake makes you feel sick.

12. People will still say 'no' without giving you a reason. And it will still not be fair.

13. You realise your parents were right about a lot of things.

14. You have less and less disposable income.

15. There's no hope that you're going to get any taller.

16. You still get pimple breakouts - what the hell! They told me that was just puberty!

17. All of a sudden - poof - imagination gone!

18. Your body starts to hurt... in your 20s. This is not something that happens to old people.

19. Your friends start dying... again, this starts in your 20s, people are taken from your life way too soon.

20. Kissing and holding hands rarely make you giddy anymore.

21. Christmas and birthdays get less exciting.

22. You have to cook your own dinner... every night.

23. Mostly your weekends are just as busy as your weeks and they're filled with house things. Buy this, cook that, weed this, fix that, pay this, wash that - 'Muuuummmm can I go to the beach now???'

24. All dreams of being an artist/singer/dancer/poet/historian go out the window when you realise you can't make any money out of them.

25. You look back at photos from when you were 16 when you thought you were fat and wish you could be that thin again!