Being Adults and Such

A friend posted a link to the New York Times titled "What Is It About 20-Somethings?" the other day on his Facebook. Since when did Facebook become my news source?

It discussed the trend of 20-year-olds moving back home with their parents and jumping from job to job or internship to internship. It was a ten page article so I only skimmed part of it, but here is my take on why this happens:

IT'S FREAKIN' EXPENSIVE BEING AN "ADULT".

So you want to move out and live on your own? Here are the things you will be financially responsible for every month:

• rent/mortgage payments
• electricity bill
• gas bill (if applicable)
• water bill
• lawn maintenance
• cable/television bill
• internet bill
• cell phone bill (unless you piggyback on your parent's plan like we do)
• renter's/homeowner's insurance
• car insurance
• personal property insurance
• health insurance (thank you, Army, for free health insurance)
• gas for the car
• groceries
• vet bills if you have a dog (and hopefully you don't have one as messed one as Bella)
• clothing

And hope that your house or apartment comes with the following or else you'll need to buy these too: refrigerator, stove/oven, laundry machines, furniture, television, and dishwasher (if you're lucky).

It never hit me more that we were on our own until The Hubby had to buy a weed whacker and take care of the lawn for the first time in his life. Check out his protective eye wear and his bulging biceps and triceps .

Let's talk about home maintenance, shall we? There is no mommy/daddy/grandma/maid who comes in to do your chores. You are now accountable for the following:

• laundry
• cooking
• dishes
• sweeping
• vacuuming
• mopping
• yard work
• taking out the trash
• washing the car
• changing out the air filter and the refrigerator filter
• scrubbing down toilets, showers, tubs
• wiping down furniture, counters, mirrors, windows
• picking up dog shit
• feeding the dog
• bathing the dog

Good luck, kiddos! At least you can eat ice cream for breakfast, lunch and dinner whenever you'd like.