Daily Update: Spiffing

Like a prudent young lich, I have in many ways managed to put off growing up for a tolerably long while. Let me give you a frame of reference, here.

This year, for the first time, I've:
—Made enough money to present as a "person with a job"
—Paid taxes (although that was all Chloe really, in her cherubic splendor)
—Traveled out of state with friends instead of family
—Paid for my own gas at length (a symptom of the following)
—Had places to travel on the daily career-related purposes
—Held important business meetings with other important business peoples with their own important and businessy businesses

All of these things I have taken in tow. Celebrated, even.

Today, however, something happened that struck a chord in me. Something occurred that made my soul say to me "you are not just your mother's child anymore; you have developed into an individual."

Today, I acquired my own three-piece suit and dress shirt.

This may not seem like an important thing at face, but to me these are symbols. They mean early Sunday mornings on pews, sharp comb teeth in my scalp, the smell of de-wrinkling chemicals. To a middle-class suburban child, these are the tools of oppression. These represent to me everything that fun and freedom and joy are not. And now I am electing to purchase them for myself.

I'd call me melodramatic if I were reading this, but that doesn't keep it from being true. It's these little things that make the struts, the bolts, and the anchors for the bridges that arc the years of our lives. You're lucky to realize you're crossing before you're on the other side. However bitter some of that may have sounded, this is me reflecting with joy upon the fact that I'm becoming aware of my slow transition into bonafide adulthood. 

Anyway, this whole thing's come about because of the coming weekend and all our plans for it. Chloe and I are going to a grown-up "prom" tomorrow night with some friends. That's what the suit is for, and it's the beginning of a "relaxing" weekend which will no doubt stress the hell out of me for the massive amount of work I will not be able to do while I'm away.

Thankfully, I managed to complete the visual aggregation process in its fullness today. I'll give a couple of the images their final edits tomorrow and pull together what music I can, but then it's off to prom and then off to the convention.

There's the joy of being an adult. You grow up so that you can spend your time and money on a weekend acting like a child. 

I'll be sure to keep you guys updated while we're away. 

Be well, and take care in the building of your bridges.

—Benji