"So... what have you been up to lately?"

My genius coiffeur has been a friend of mine since 8th grade, and she informed me that our HS Alma Matter has planned the 10-year reunion. The same people that brought you embarrassment, disillusionment, insecurity, and a general feeling of loathing toward your formative teen years will now present the adult version of High School that is guaranteed to bring up all those dusty feelings of hatred and jealousy toward your fellow school chum. Not to sound cliche cynical, but I really don't want to spend $50 on an evening rehashing the major points of my last 10 years to people who just don't give a shit. (Funny, because I'll do that right here in a minute...) I'm no where near my weight 10 years (hell, even 5 years ago), still don't have my BA, no kids, I'm not in any kind of career, and the things I'm taking steps to do sound like rainbow and unicorn fantasies.

I'm definitely NOT going -- but it's got me thinking about:

1. Why have I been doing the last decade?

and

2. Why don't I have an answer when someone asks me what I've been doing, lately?

I was recently at a good friend's grad party and realized I had very little to say when people I've known for years asked me what I've been doing lately. I just have no answers.

I mean, I graduated in 2000. I immediately enrolled in Community College and shortly thereafter started working for an optometrist -- where I stayed in both places for 4 years. I earned 3 AA's that mean a lot to my sense of accomplishment, but not a whole lot to the world at large. I had already changed my major from Engineering (yeah... no surprise there, right) to French and was itching to live abroad. So, I quit both the Dr. and CC and worked as a cocktail waitress at a casino where I made $$BANK$$! Paid off my debt, save a little, met my future husband, and applied for an assistant-ship program through the French Ministry of Education. I got accepted, went to France where I lived and traveled for 10+ months. My man came over after 2 months, proposed, went home, came back 2 months later and stayed and traveled with me for the next six months. We bought a car on eBay for 300 euros, drove 14,000 miles through 11 different countries, and ultimately our lives were changed. (I'll have to post sometime about my experiences there -- it was pretty amazing, and I highly recommend it.) It was the summer of 2006. Everything thus far in my life is divided "before" or "after" France.

Coming home, I decided to go something "practical" so I joined back up at the CC to study accounting while getting a temp-perm position as a receptionist for a sales office. After completing all the pre-business requirements, I transferred back to CSU (I'd gone previously, withdrawn, gone back... nothing really accomplished) and started the business program. With two+ years left to finish, I changed my major again to English. It only took 9 years, but I finally figured out where my educational passion lays. Teaching, editing, writing... whatever. I have a passion for literature and writing and now film. Not very "practical" but if it's the path I'm supposed to be on, then it will work out - so I'm told.

On the personal side, my fiance and I were engaged for over two years because we were both converting to Catholicism. Yup, people actually DO join the Catholic church, not just fall away from it. I was very zealous for the first couple years. I lost friends, estranged family, and probably gave the world a very bad taste of Christians - as most zealous hypocrites do. I had to really learn to curb what I say and change how I view the world. Not everything can be categorized right/wrong. I'm a firm believer that binary opposition leaves out a world of possibility. I'm still a traditional Vatican-Catholic, but I haven't been to Mass since Easter and know I'm in a deep need of confession. What stops me is that I'm not particularly spiritual as logical about my faith (doesn't that sound contradictory). Logically, the Catholic church has been presented to me in a way that IF there is God - then Catholicism is the fullness of that Truth. Miracles, acts of faith, prayer -- these have all been "proof" to me that God exists and the Church is Truth. Faith, however, is low. Maybe I've hit a spiritual desert. Maybe I just need to start praying more.

For two years, I planned my big Catholic wedding (which was awesome and a HUGE blast!), went to school full-time, worked full-time, and my fiance and I lived with my parents. Our honeymoon was a Euro cruise and 4 nights in Rome. In 2008, after the wedding, we bought a house, settled into home-ownership. Bought a dog -- a GORGEOUS Irish Setter named Lady. Both of us changed majors to English. We joined a couple wine clubs. And have spent the last two years going to and being in all the weddings of our other friends. We're just at that age. Kids are next, but we're waiting until after graduation when we come back from our 3rd Euro trip for Oktoberfest 2011.

But what have I been doing lately??

Well, got on the Paleo kick and started Intermittent Fasting. Went into therapy to iron out past wrinkles. I'm in a film class for the summer. I'm 6 classes from finally getting my BA. We "adopted" Chess -- a wonderful long-haired Chihuahua from my Aunt. I'm over the love-affair with my job but feel obligated to stay.

Basically, I'm "waiting" for the next phase of my life to happen. In the mean time, I'm enjoying my Adult Beverages, cursing my gardening/home-maintenance attempts, loving and fighting with my husband, and visiting family and friends every chance I get. I'm also practicing for my American Idol audition every morning in the shower. Maybe I'll memorize that last sentence and tell people that. Or maybe I'll just keep answering, "Oh nothing much. Just work and school, as usual."