I'm Officially Old...

So, last Thursday night (April 23rd) Bryan and I went to Iowa City to the Iowa Memorial Union for a Dierks Bently concert. The IMU as most of you know is on the U of I campus, so, as expected there were lots of college kids at this concert, probably about 80% college aged kids.
So, walking up to the concert, I immediately felt old watching all the 19 year olds strutting around in their cute barely-there outfits since it was the first nice day in about a month and a half. However, I must say, I don't think I ever wore anything that skimpy.
So, there we are, standing in line with a bunch of kids, wearing basically what we wore to work because neither of really cared what we looked like. All of a sudden this cute little cupcake taps me on the shoulder and says "Ma'am, can you please take our picture?"
........
MA'AM!?!? Am I that old now that I am called Ma'am!? Until that point, I had always thought that I could still pass for someone in college. I think I look pretty young, I take pretty good care of myself, I don't fake bake in order to avoid wrinkles. Even though I was dressed in jeans, flip flops and a plain white tshirt, I thought I still looked half way cute, I mean, it was a nice white tshirt from Express. Not like Hanes or anything. Bryan at this point is just cracking up.
So, we get into the concert, which is a standing room only concert, and there are these two twenty-somthing year old boys in front of us, completely hammered. The one is trying to keep his friend from wandering off and in the process, they start wrestling around. I let them step on my feet a couple of times before I had had enough. I looked at the one who was trying to corral his friend and said "Look, I know you want your friend to stay here, but I don't appreciate my feet getting stomped on. So if you're going to wrestle, can you please take it outside?" He looked at his friend and said "Dude, you gotta calm down, this lady just yelled at me."
Fabulous. Now I am the lady that yells at the drunk kids. I used to be these kids!!!
In my defense, I think I would have said something to those boys had I been their age, no girl wants their toes stepped on.
By the time we left the concert, I have to say I was a little depressed. In recent months I have traded in my all weekend drinking binges for quiet weekends watching movies, working out and sleeping late. I no longer go out for a couple of drinks during the week because I don't like being tired at work the next day. I am now no longer concerned about having enough money to go out on the weekend, but more concerned about saving money to buy some new furniture. I could care less about looking cute on the weekends unless we have some where specific we're going. Make up and picking out clothes require far too much effort, I would rather stay in my comfy clothes all day and skip the make up. I am not quite sure when all of these changes took place, but after Thursday, I finally accepted that my early 20's have in fact been over for well over a year now and I am closer to being 30 than I am 20.

NKTOB Baby!

So, last night a childhood dream of mine came true when I saw New Kids on the Block in concert at the I-wireless center in Moline. :) Yes, I am a giant nerd who loves almost all boy bands, I don't know why I do, I just do. The concert was so much fun and was well worth the $35 we each paid for our tickets. The Kids definately catered to their audience which was compromised mainly of chicks my age re-living the 80-'s. They stuck mainly to their older songs (such as Hangin Tough, Step by Step, You've Got It (the Right Stuff)) but also played their hits off their new album. I must say, aging has agreed with them! I hope I can dance half as well as they can when I am in my 40's and look half as good! However, growing up, my favorite was always Jordan (even though he had a rat tail) but now I must say I definately favor Donnie... He was freakin sexy in his sparkly Boston hat. :)

Soapbox: Proud to be an Iowan Today

Well, actually, I am always proud to be an Iowan, but today is extra special... Just a little while ago, the Iowa Supreme court announced that banning same-sex marriages is unconstitutional and Iowa became the third state in the United States to allow same sex marriages! This is a huge step in equal rights for all, no matter who you love.
I know there are many out there that believe that homosexuality is a choice. (Personally, I do not believe it is a choice, they have proven that it is genetics, but that is a different debate.) However, regardless of if it is a choice or not, who is anyone to say how they should live their life? I am a straight, catholic girl and my church tells me that I should be against all homosexualtiy and condem all that practice it. But who is the church, the government or anyone else to tell anyone who they can and can't love and how they are suppose to live their lives? I think those "christains" who will be outside protesting this because of what they believe should step back and practice loving everyone for who they are, the way the bible is meant to be interpreted and stop forcing what they believe on others. If you believe it is wrong and that all of those who "are" gay will go to hell, good for you, that is your belief, just because you believe it, does not mean that everyone has to. Stop being so narrow minded and be open to other views and other beliefs. Being able to have differing views and beliefs is what makes this country great, it was what this country was founded on - FREEDOM!
I am so glad that gays in Iowa will now be able to visit their loved ones in the hospital and make tough decisions for them if they're not able to. I am glad that if they decide to give a child in a need a loving home, they will no longer be questioned and one of them will be able to stay at home with the child and still enjoy the insurance benefits of the spouse.
You know, it wasn't that long ago in this country when blacks were thought to be inferior to whites and now we have black president. Something I honestly did not think I would see in this lifetime. Now I hope that in my life time gay marriage and equal rights for gays will be common practice in all 50 states, not just in three.