twenty-three.

"Amazing still it seems/I'll be 23/I won't always love what I'll never have/I won't always live in my regrets. . ." -Jimmy Eat World, 23

I had been 16 for about 5 days when the album Futures by Jimmy Eat World was released. Of course - being as angst-y as I was & still am - I could relate to the album, but could I really understand it?
23 is the last song on the album. Now 8 years later & newly 23 I think I can fully understand most of the songs lyrics. They relate to my life more than my 16 year old self could have known.
In the past 8 years I've done a lot of loving what "I'll never have", and I have more regrets than I like to admit.

I am nowhere near where I thought 23 year old Rudine would be. I don't know if its because I dream too big, because I have these almost fantasmical visions of how the life of a twenty something in New York City should be or if its simply because I have no "follow through".

23 - I don't think many people give that age much thought.
18, 21, 25 = early majors
22-24 are those in between ages.
I think I can equate age 22 most to that "post grad limbo" I often refer to, and I think that's why I'm so looking forward to 23.
I think I will spend 23 fixing things and if all goes according to plan I will spend 24 living the life I only dreamed of living at 22, and then I'll spend 25 curled up in the fetal position and crying because I am now a quarter of a century old - eek!

Happy Birthday to Me! [& my twin brother! - present in the picture that accompanies this post!]

I expect only the best & thats because I am going to take an active role in making it "the best"