Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Life Begins at 22

Hello, all! I had a total blog fail yesterday owing to someone pinning me down on the sofa and forcing me to watch the Federer Wimbledon match. What can I say, it was difficult but I toughed it out. 

So today, I'm taking part in the Life Begins at 22 'blorgy' (a Gemma Burgess word; I didn't make it up!)  to celebrate the launch of Gemma's Brooklyn Girls. Find out more about the book here and read more Life Begins at 22 entries here. I'm posting a bit early but there will be plenty of other entries to peruse soon!

For me, this post should probably be entitled Life Begins at 24, because that is the age I finally finished my Masters and went out into the big wide world of work. And thus began the disillusionment with corporate life, because although I loved having my own flat, making money, and living in a great city, I detested the nine to five grind of doing something (in this case, editing a medical journal) which was guaranteed to put me to sleep within five minutes. 

In fact, my colleagues and I would often indulge in a cheeky little snooze while looking suitably engrossed in an article on DREs (don't ask - you really don't want to know, believe me). 

But the brilliant group of people I worked with more than made up for the rather lacklustre material. All young, most just a few years out of university and living away from their hometowns, we became a close circle. Outside of the beige office, we took on Montreal: going to bars, eating eating eating, and hanging out on the terraces during the lovely hot summers. 

I still remember the heady excitement of exploring a fantastic new city, the freedom of returning home to my own apartment, and knowing that if I wanted something, I had the money to buy it. Life after 24 was all about freedom and fun, and although there was the inevitable heartbreak and confusion, that's what I remember most.

What do you remember about your twenties?

24 comments:

  1. I was 28 when I had my first baby! Went from being dynamic work/party/organised person to a numb shell - where I've pretty much stayed, actually. I like it here...

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  2. What a lovely post!!Good for you Talli!

    My twenties for me are best forgotten! LOL!!

    And so off I go to google DREs....! :-) Take care
    x

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  3. Not much! Although that's when I met and married my wife. Best decision ever.

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  4. I'm at that stage right now, Talli, and loving it! But, like for you, the 9-to-5 (sometimes 9-to-7... eep) is wearing me down. Maybe one day I'll be able to determine my work hours on my own!

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  5. Hi Talli .. great remembrances of your 20s .. I hit London had some interesting jobs and generally enjoyed life ... learnt squash - which took me through til my return from SA in my xxxxxx decade!!!!!

    Enjoy the week .. and the tennis has been good ... I keep switching it off! Cheers Hilary

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  6. Hi, Talli,

    LOVED my twenties.... At 22 I was on the second rung of my modeling career. A Senior in college. My days started at 6:00 am and ended by 2:am.... So much excitement. Fashion, art, AMAZING people. INSANE photographers, dodging pervs, and six hour classes dominated my day. Never ONE DULL SECOND... LOL

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  7. My goodness, twenties seem a long way away...finishing uni, starting a job as a Librarian in Brent....having my own money to spend....mainly on rent as I recall..then marrying Martyn at 24. And now I'm watching my own lovely DD enjoying her twenties......

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  8. Sounds like your twenties were exciting. At 24 I was giving up work to have my first baby and become a stay at home mum.I don't regret a single thing.

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  9. In my twenties I worked full time between Manchester and London for an international company. It was the materialistic 1980's and my dh and I were 'DINKYs'(duel income no kids yet). All that changed when I was 30 and had my first child. I never thought about having kids throughout my 20's - then was so taken with the magic of motherhood that I had 3 kids in 5 years - all boys. My 20's were exciting but I've certainly had lots more fun since!

    Janice xx

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  10. Being whistled at and hating it. All the things I didn't know ...

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  11. Let's see, classes, regular trips to rock faces, more classes... looks rather like what it is right now, actually...

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  12. Sounds like 24 was the start of many wonderful things for you! I also have great memories from my twenties, and now I'm living vicariously through my almost 25 year old son.

    Julie

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  13. Loved reading your life after 24. NOW I know where some of the stuff in your books come from, lol!

    In my 20's, huh. At 22 I had been on my own for over 4 years and taking care of me. Learned a lot about writing, marketing, and promotion The summer of 22 I took a summer break from corporate--not my cuppa, though I learned alot--and playing beach bum in Virginia Beach. Playing on the beach and exploring the area by day, traded in presentations and clients along with my heels for sneakers working at a seafood restaurant--fabulous tips, gads. At 23 I got married and was finishing college for a different degree. Some fun years of travel and adventure. Wouldn't want those years back but they were fun.

    Sia McKye OVER COFFEE

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  14. That is definitely an exciting time in life - the first job and the heady thrill of making your own money. Scary but exciting!

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  15. I just think until you hit your 30s, you don't realize how much you're still like a teenager in your early twenties

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  16. Ah the 20's. There was lots of studying, lots of partying, not much cash. :)

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  17. Yay for the Montreal shout out :-)
    I'd say about the same age for me, because that's when I finished school (though not forever!) and DH-to-be and I moved to Turkey!

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  18. I was newly hitched and travelling with my newbie husband. Fun, fun, fun. PS, still together.

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  20. Sounds like good times Talli, but I don't remember much about my 20s except my first beat up old Geo. What a piece of junk.

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  21. I spent my twenties travelling, temping as a PA and going to parties. It was great fun and I met some great friends along the way.

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  22. I'll just say that I'm lucky to have made it out of my twenties! It was a crazy and wild decade for me. I'm sure you remember many of my stories from that time.

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  23. Certain things came easier then. However, I can say that about my present age too! So, this was an interesting question. My answer is that I nearly became a co-host of a weeknight television magazine--in of all places--Waterloo, Iowa. I only know one pop song with the word "Waterloo" in it! ;)

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Coffee and wine for all!