Top 5 Ways Atlanta is Making Me More of an Adult

When I decided to move to Atlanta from New York, I knew my life was going to change. I knew I'd start driving regularly for the first time in many years, and I knew I'd have a bigger apartment. However, one of the things I didn't expect was that living in Atlanta would turn me in to just a little bit more of a real adult. How do I mean, you ask? Well, I'll tell you.

1. I actually shop at a grocery store now.
          Yes, it's true. When I lived in New York, it made a lot more sense to me to do my grocery shopping at the corner drug store than at a grocery store. For one thing, Rite Aid was just much closer to my apartment and my stop on the subway than any of the grocery stores in my part of town. For another, it was open 24 hours. Now that I live in Atlanta, however, I shop at real grocery stores, like Publix and Whole Foods. With a car, it's actually more convenient to shop at a grocery store, and when I do shop, I can take more things home since I'm not carrying them fifteen blocks with my own two hands. And, oh! The variety! There is so much to choose from in a real grocery store! And gluten free options! Which brings me to my second point:

2. I eat salads
         It's not that I particularly like or dislike salads. I have to say I am fairly neutral on the subject of salads. However, since moving to Atlanta, I've had to go gluten free, and salad is often the best option. In fact, I ate a salad for lunch yesterday.

3. I do my laundry more than twice a month
          Now, when I was in New York, I did like to make a day of going to the laundromat and hanging out. This is true. However, now that I have my own washer and dryer in my apartment, I'm able to do all sorts of things while my laundry is being cleaned. For instance, I can knock out a good two or three episodes of Law and Order: Criminal Intent (I finished Law and Order Regular, as you may recall), or I can even go to Target! This is a vast improvement over my former laundry life.

4. I change my sheets more often
          One of life's greatest luxuries to me is clean sheets. Now that I have a washer and dryer and a bunch of new sheets, I can change my sheets whenever I want to, and just snuggle up for a little nap, some blogging, or some netflix. the possibilities are clearly endless.

5. I've stopped using paper plates
          Now, before you start wondering if you're reading the same blog you were a year ago, please don't be alarmed. I'm still a huge fan of the ol' pop tart on a paper towel. However, I can't really eat pop tarts any more (silently sheds a tear). In any case, pop tarts or no, now that I have a fully functioning dishwasher, there's no need to skimp on the dishes. I can use as many as I want, and I don't have to stay awake while the dishwasher is running to make sure it doesn't flood my apartment. Ah, the small things.

So, though I'm still living the female version of a bachelor's life (as I write this on wednesday night, I'm waiting for a gluten-free pizza to cook in the oven), I am making baby steps toward becoming a real adult. So, be proud of me, dear readers. The south is agreeing with me and my journey toward full adulthood. Who knows? Perhaps by the time I'm forty, I'll be ready for a pet that isn't taxidermy.