Startng Over

What? The new 40? For that, I would have to know what 40 was like and the only experience I have with 40 is getting drunk at my mother’s 40’s birthday dinner and chanting to the older women “I’m 20 and you’re not, I’m 20 and you’re not……..” (Okay, Okay, perhaps not my smartest move). But seriously, what the hell are your 30’s supposed to be about? I know what I thought they were supposed to be about; Having a career you loved, or actively working towards one. Or at least having the slightest idea of what you want that career to be. By 30 you should be in a relationship, or know that you’re not the “relationship type.” If you want children you should have them (at least the first one right)? In short, you should have passed life 101 and be working on the more advanced courses. Unfortunately for me, I never was much of a student. George W. Bush said he was living proof that a “C” student could be president. Well, I am living proof that a “ C” student can also end up cramming their entire life into two suitcases and moving into their parent’s basement. Yup, that’s me; I gave up my cozy apartment in incredible, wonderfully wacky San Francisco to sleep on my sister’s old futon, be told to turn off the TV before bed, and sneak a drink with my friends. Like a friggin teenager! My first morning back in NY I sat on my parent’s couch (where I spent the night because my basement room wasn’t ready) and wondered “What the hell am I doing?” I sat there for a week and the most I figured out was that the house was in serious need of coffee (I’m the only coffee drinker in my family). By the following Monday I decided that, unless I indeed wanted to turn 40 in my parent’s living room (which would officially make me lamer than I was in high school) I had better get it together. So I did what I usually do: made a list. 1. Get a job!!! Easily the most important on the list; Getting a job was clearly the cornerstone of my “life makeover”. 2. Move out! (Again); this time, I’m thinking Philly. 3. Reinvention of self! (Mar-li 2.0?) There. I felt better already. Sort of. In any event, I attacked my list with gusto; On the job front I tweaked my resume and sent them out on the World Wide Web. Mostly, I applied for Home Health Care positions, which is what I did in California, but I also figured that now was as good a time as any to see if I could parlay my near obsession with the ID channel into an actual career, as I’ve always had a thing for forensic science. Instantly I pictured myself as a Crime Scene Tech; C.S.I windbreaker, pigtails tied with crime scene tape……yeah, I could defiantly live with that but how to start? Apparently this “fix my life” stuff wasn’t as easy as Dr.Phil made it look……