hot mama

I wish that this post could be about the wonderful and beautiful Laura Davis, but alas, it can't. It's about MY mom... and as wonderful and as beautiful as she is, that isn't what this is about either.

My mom was HOT yesterday when I told her about my plans not to move back home. Yes... hot as in upset. I want to make it plain and clear that she is not upset because she wants me home... or at least that's what she said. Honestly, I believe her. I believe that she doesn't want me home so she can rule my life, although, knowing my mother and the stipulations that would be put on me by moving home, I can't help but think that a little part of her does want me home for that reason. Anyway, she says that I will be making "the biggest mistake of my life." She is SO against renting it isn't even funny. And I mean, I understand that it isn't what she wants me to do, but I really don't see why she is getting so upset about it. People do things that other people don't agree with all the time... and it's not like I'm breaking the law or doing anything unmoral. Wait... I'm getting ahead of myself...

So, she kept going to say that she knows that it isn't a wise idea and that she has no clue how to make me see that I shouldn't do it (frankly because I think there isn't any terrible reason in the first place). She kept saying that I would never get a running start if I rented and that living at home would allow me to save money in order to buy something of my own later... and so on and so on... and I got this from my aunt, her sister about 5 minutes after I got it from her.

Okay, so now I'm ready to reason ('cause my parents say that I reason too much) about why I think this isn't such a bad idea. First of all... like I said earlier, I'm not doing anything wrong. By renting an apartment, I am doing what millions of people do. I mean, if it wasn't an okay thing, why would there be SO many apartments? And even if millions of people do it and it is "wrong", it isn't wrong in the eyes of the law or God... so, frankly, that should be the end of the conversation... but it's not.

Secondly, I don't want to live at home. It's that simple. I am almost 22... I have a college degree and a job. Why do I need to be under the watchful eye of my parents anymore? For this reason alone, I am okay with doing this, which they don't agree with. It's time that I made some decisions for myself. As Ben Folds says, "Don't Change Your Plans For Anyone."

Thirdly, the apartment is really not going to be that expensive... I haven't posted anything about this because I've been collecting my thoughts and thinking to myself about it since the proposal came up on Sunday night... Kate decided NOT to go to Memphis, but instead move to Greenville to work and go to school part time. So, she asked me if I would live with her. I thought about it at first, and about what my parents would say... and then I thought about it... Kate needs a roommate. I REALLY can't afford an apartment by myself. I don't want to live at home. Kate's my best friend. I knew it would be a good situation. So, for the past few days, my away message has been the words from the theme to the early 90's show Perfect Strangers:

Sometimes the world looks perfect
Nothing can be arranged
Sometimes you just get a feeling
Like you need some kind of change

No matter what the odds are this time
Nothing's gonna stand in my way

This flame in my heart
And a long lost friend
Gives every dark street
A light at the end

Standing tall
On the wings of my dream
Rise and fall
On the wings of my dream

Through rain and thunder
Wind and haze
I'm bound for better days

It's my life
It's my dream
Nothing's gonna stop me now

Anyway, like I said, it's not going to be expensive at all. We went and looked at apartments yesterday. The one that we really liked was Brighton Park. They are really nice apartments in a great location and they are SO affordable... on top of that, because I am employed by the Greenville County School District, I get perks. It honestly is a very good situation... but there is NO way that I can convey that to my parents. I have pretty much decided that this is the first time that I am going to have to go my own direction. I really hate to disappoint them, but I really can't see anything wrong with what I'm doing. And seriously, I REALLY don't want them to be mad at me forever. This is the type of thing that could set them off for an eternity. Ugh.

Basically, I want to be a grown up... I don't want to throw my family away. I worked for 4 years to be at a place where I could support myself and carry on as a responsible adult. Plenty of responsible adults don't live with parents. Plenty of responsible adults rent. They had 22 years... I think they did a good job. It's time to give me a shot.