21
Last year or the year before, I learned that a ton of people I know (or am aware of) via MUSHing have birthdays the same week I do. This year we have Powerglide, Foxfire, and Inquisitra. I have a cousin who as a birthday on the 8th. I know a gal who has a birthday on the 7th. I don't know what it is, but this is a popular week for birthdays.
I had an interesting snippet of conversation with Powerglide when she turned 18 the other day. She was speculating on what she could do to celebrate her passage into adulthood. One option was buying her first legal pack of cigarettes. I went out on a limb and suggested she quit smoking! Celebrate becoming an adult by accepting adult responsibilty toward herself! She seemed to mull it over seriously. It would be cool if she did it.
It made me start thinking, though. When you turn 21 the law says, 'Okay, you're well into adulthood. We trust you to drink responsibly.' When many people turn 21, they think, 'Woo-hoo! I'm 21! I can drink irresponsibly and nobody can stop me, now!' Adulthood isn't seen as a passage into maturity and responsibility, but rather as a casting off of the shackles of restraint and limitations. (I think the excess pressure of college doesn't help, here.)
When I turned 21, suffice to say I didn't go out and do anything stupid. There was plenty of peer pressure, but I shrugged it off, as always.
An actual conversation (paraphrased), wherein I am playing Castlevania and my mom is behind me talking to my aunt (who is closer to my age than hers) regarding my 21st Birthday:
Mom: 'You want to take him out barhopping?'
Me: *doubtful sound*
Mom: 'You want to give him a blowjob?'
Me: ... (I knew it was a drink, but I really didn't need to hear that.)
Anyways, being mature and doing the right thing (even as regards yourself) isn't something that's easy for people to do. To be specific, here, I'm talking about drinking yourself stupid, not just getting a little drunk or tipsy! Nothing wrong with a little drunken-ness, so long as I don't have to see it. ;)
I had an interesting snippet of conversation with Powerglide when she turned 18 the other day. She was speculating on what she could do to celebrate her passage into adulthood. One option was buying her first legal pack of cigarettes. I went out on a limb and suggested she quit smoking! Celebrate becoming an adult by accepting adult responsibilty toward herself! She seemed to mull it over seriously. It would be cool if she did it.
It made me start thinking, though. When you turn 21 the law says, 'Okay, you're well into adulthood. We trust you to drink responsibly.' When many people turn 21, they think, 'Woo-hoo! I'm 21! I can drink irresponsibly and nobody can stop me, now!' Adulthood isn't seen as a passage into maturity and responsibility, but rather as a casting off of the shackles of restraint and limitations. (I think the excess pressure of college doesn't help, here.)
When I turned 21, suffice to say I didn't go out and do anything stupid. There was plenty of peer pressure, but I shrugged it off, as always.
An actual conversation (paraphrased), wherein I am playing Castlevania and my mom is behind me talking to my aunt (who is closer to my age than hers) regarding my 21st Birthday:
Mom: 'You want to take him out barhopping?'
Me: *doubtful sound*
Mom: 'You want to give him a blowjob?'
Me: ... (I knew it was a drink, but I really didn't need to hear that.)
Anyways, being mature and doing the right thing (even as regards yourself) isn't something that's easy for people to do. To be specific, here, I'm talking about drinking yourself stupid, not just getting a little drunk or tipsy! Nothing wrong with a little drunken-ness, so long as I don't have to see it. ;)