My youth sucked. I’ll be honest. I had to be older than my years and I missed most of the teenage adventures that were earmarked for me. I failed to have the experiences most of you probably did - I never really went through that whole keg-stand/funneling/shot-gunning beers, falling in love and going to prom with your sweetheart thing. I was busy being the designated driver, the school counselor, and otherwise keeping to myself so I couldn’t be hurt emotionally more than I already had been. It wasn’t rotten, it just wasn’t easy. I’m thankful for it just the same…for the lessons it taught me and for it having made me who I am.

This, among countless other reasons, is why you’ll find the following objects within arms reach in my apartment: a Rubiks cube, a magic 8 ball, a Lite Brite, and a lava lamp. I burn incense that smells of Hawaiian Plumeria, I keep the windows open wide, I have plants and books and candles tucked anywhere they’ll fit. I play music too loudly for my neighbors taste, music that is almost always tied to a very specific place, time and memory. When the mood strikes me I eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches stuffed with Doritos or cookies for dinner. I buy myself flowers on a regular basis and take no shame in dating myself. Some days, I don’t make my bed. It’s staggering how many new people I meet that confess they’re still 18 in their minds. Me too. I hope it lasts forever - for all of us.

It may not be dawning of The Age of Aquarius, but it’s MY TIME. I don’t have a second to spare, no time to waste on feeling anything other than joy. I have no room for heartache, for sadness, for people who bring anything but laughter, smiles, and some semblance of respect based friendship and love to my world. I can’t and won’t allow people in that have the potential make me feel badly (intentionally or unintentionally), and I freely and liberally celebrate those who have made the cut. Who have kind, generous souls and see the good. I do my best to reciprocate. Sometimes I fall short, but I try.

There’s no time for bullshit - no putting off the things you’ve always wanted to do but “didn’t have time” for. No hiding behind words you want to say, behind doing the brave thing instead of the easy thing. For waiting for life to happen.

The bottom line is this: you can never have enough cowbell, and a whoopee cushion will never NOT make me laugh.