Quarter Life Crisis

Yep this is my ​Quarter Life Crisis

I'm three months from my 26th birthday (yikes). There's a mix of thank God that I, a black girl from the country/hood, has made it to see 25 so far and f*** I'm tired. Yea, this year has been all about ups and down. Actually let's just say my past three years have been a roller coaster in HD.

Wait, what is a quarter life crisis you ask? Oh well it's where life as you know it becomes a balance beam of adulting. Do you quit the job, grab a one-way ticket to anywhere in the world, and forget it all? Or do you hunker down and settle into a life regime that is suiting for an adult? I chose something between the two.

At 24 I "quit" my well paying cubicle job and went rouge. Which led to me getting evicted from my first apartment, breaking off a toxic/abusive relationship, and being homeless. Getting fired is the best thing I've ever done, not smart, but great. (Aside from the other great things) While couch surfing for a bit, sleeping on the streets of St. Louis, and going to homeless shelters I found a fulfilling job that I could do even though my degree said I was over qualified. Shoot at that point I would've just taken a paycheck short of working in a cubicle or stripping (not knocking it, it's just not my thing). What job did I find? Teacher's Aide/Assistant. Yep that meant lesson planning and having fun with kids all day, that beats a cubicle or pole any day. I also found that instead of having one boring, unfulfilling job you can have multiple fun jobs that all pay you for that set of skills. PLUS that passion that's lingering in your bag, that you never had time to work on, can now be fine tuned and put to good use.

Which leads me to 25. 25 is the age I was determined to turn it all around. I started off great. I had my first one-night stand. (okay so not so great) I self-published a collection of plays & poetry. (Better.) I started this website. (Much better.) I got into a great activist CO-OP (complete strangers living together what could go wrong?) I got my first official boyfriend. (He was great and short lived. 2 months) I kept my one woman show alive and started a tour. How to start a tour or not start one should be a blog. (Note to self ) I rotate jobs like a old rotary phone. It's been brilliant and stressful and brilliant again. So then I get this idea to just stop everything to travel and write. Not new for those in a quarter life crisis.

That brings me back to how my life is right now. I'm prepping to travel to Iowa with my One woman show: The Family Cookbook to my alma mater, Buena Vista University. I'll be going to a gender studies class to talk, performing my show, doing a talk back, and having a great time. Not to mention I get to see my college best friend and her new hubby (he's also my college best friend ha!) I married her first, more on that in it's own blog post. Anywho. I'm excited. A new job came up. A new apartment that will be my own space is in talks. Boss is giving me a laptop. God is funny. I literally thought three weeks ago I was going to have to move back to TN with my tail between my legs, but now I can wait out for the Peace Corps here in STL or this fellowship. If the Peace Corps doesn't happen in 2017-2018 A LOT of traveling will. If this is my quarter life crisis, I'm sooo not mad about it. Life is all about taking risk and going for it. "Just do it." is the best advice I can give you if you're in a quarter life crisis or anywhere feeling stuck in life. And if you don't know what to do. Don't panic. Get in a quiet space with yourself. It might not make sense for awhile, but that's okay. I'm right here with you. My problems just look different, but they do exist.

My story is just beginning. And dare I say this blog is getting better?

​Laters!