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The Roaring 20s.

2011 January 20
by WWGD

As I sit here feeling accomplished on a Tuesday morning* because I actually showered AND had a coffee before noon, I can’t help reflecting a little on my pre married with kids days, when just waking up before the clock struck 12 felt like an accomplishment.

Life seemed so stressful back then — worrying about finding the right man (he DOES exist), the right career (may not be the one you imagined), the right colorist (there isn’t one, au natural is best). But now that I am bogged down with the real worries that come along with your 30s – a mortgage to pay with that right man, a career that needs to keep progressing to feed two kids, and no time to see a colorist even if I wanted to – I like to look back and appreciate the elements of life in my carefree 20s that I, of course, failed to appreciate back then:

Sleep. I had the freedom to do it whenever, and wherever, I wanted. These days, I have to beg, borrow and steal it. And the queen bed that seemed like ample space in the late 90s has suddenly taken on the proportions of a cheap cot with all the extra fingers and toes crammed under its duvet.

Friendships. I used to have hours to talk my girlfriends through crises over the phone, coffee, wine, whatever. These days, I only get on the phone with a handful of lucky friends and the conversation usually goes like this: “And then, I was thinking….oh, wait, hang on one quick sec. (yell across the house at Little D) Ok, where was I? Oh, right, then he said…oh crap, hang on. What do you need, Little D??” My not-so-lucky friends? They have been relegated to a friendship via IM.

Tube tops. I know, seemingly superficial…but I wore them well. I had the shoulders to run around town in a Carrie Bradshaw-esque wardrobe that has since been replaced with chunky knits (albeit from Vince) and loose tees that I glam up with J. Crew costume jewelry. Shoulders are officially under wraps.

Vacations. We used to pull last-minute road trips to anywhere – Toronto, NYC, Boston. Now, I book ahead…far ahead. And I plan – and pay – for four. Ouch.

Lastly, brunch. It was my favorite time of day. We brunch’d like it was a religion – spending endless hours with girlfriends sipping overpriced lattes, munching on bagels and lox, and topping it all off with a very important trip…to the magazine stand. Now, the bakery display at Starbucks is a treat, and when darling husband and I do brave a restaurant, especially now that Kai is on-board, one of us sits and eats while the other strolls around the block trying to keep him quiet. Ya, for some reason, my girlfriends are nowhere in sight.

So, if I knew then what I know now, what would I do differently?

I wouldn’t feel as guilty as I did for staying in my queen-sized bed until noon.

I would have paired those tube tops with more mini-skirts.

And I would have been nicer to that mom who brought her sticky, screaming toddler to brunch — she was clearly lacking some sleep.

*I said Tuesday up above when it’s actually Thursday. But I am leaving it as is. Sign of the sleepless times.

One Response
  1. February 5, 2011

    You’re inspiring me to stay in bed until noon more often… thanks for the heads up 😉 x

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