this is what growing up is, maybe (i think)

I dig this town. Really, I do. I still don't have even an inkling as to whether I'll actually settle here for good (or even what that means exactly), but this place is good for me. It might be turning me into somewhat of an adult, even.

Some evidence:

I am suddenly not just interested in, but motivated to paint my walls. (Contrast this nesting behavior with that of two months ago, when I was freaked out over the prospect of committing to a one-year lease.)

I am looking into purchasing foliage for my home, in hopes that I'll soon learn how to not kill things that are growing in buckets of dirt.

I opened an IRA and am now saving for retirement. (Although, this still makes me laugh a little bit, since I have barely begun paying my student loans.)

I am learning how to do things like make homemade bread and chicken stock.

When people call me "doctor" now, I almost believe them.

I enjoy dancing without a load of booze in my system, as per college days. And not just alone in my apartment in my underwear, but in public (with other people in the vicinity, who may see me moving around).

Personal growth is a wonderful thing. Fun, too.
...

On the other hand, I still giggle at places called "Honey Hole," overreact about stickers not peeling easily off of newly purchased goods, get self-conscious when I'm meeting people for the first time, and blush and look away whenever a boy smiles at me. Maybe some things will never change.