Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Wednesday Factoid: Rites of Passage

Today's Wednesday Factoid is: What rites of passage have you participated in?

Hmmmmmmmmm rites of passage. I'm not 100% sure what counts. I guess I'll operate according to this definition:

"A rite of passage is a celebration of the passage which occurs when an individual leaves one group to enter another. It involves a significant change of status in society."

So here are experiences that could be framed that way, though not all of them involved a "celebration" and not all of them resulted in me being categorized differently as a person.

January 1978: Well, obviously I transitioned from unborn to born.

May 1979: I became a big sister. 


September 1980: I transitioned from being a resident of New Jersey to being a resident of Kernersville, North Carolina.

February 1982: I transitioned to being a resident of Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

March 1983: I got a second little sister.


July 1983: Lost my first teeth.
 
August 1983: I became an attendee of elementary school.


January 1984: Had one of those gigantic entire-class birthday parties when I turned six.


December 1984: I transitioned to being a resident of Wilmington, North Carolina.

Sometime in 1985: I was accepted into a gifted program, and also became a Hebrew school student.

September 1986: I became a Brownie Girl Scout.

Summer 1987: Had my first sleep-away camp at Girl Scouts.

July 1989: I transitioned to being a resident of Sarasota, Florida.


August 1989: I became a middle school student.

Sometime in early 1991: Uhhhhh first visit from Aunt Flo so to speak.

February 1992: I wrote my first complete novel.

August 1992: I became a high school student.

September 1992: I dated a boy for the first time.

October 1992: I became an All-State Chorus member (and got in all four years of high school).

Sometime in 1993: Got my first kiss, but I don't even remember when.

June 1993: I got dumped by my boyfriend for the first time.

June 1993: Got my learner's driving license.

August 1993: I transitioned to being a resident of Tampa, Florida.

January 1994: I had a sweet sixteen birthday party.


February 1995: Went to a rock concert with my friends for the first time.

May 1995: Went to my boyfriend's senior prom with him. (I did not go to my own senior prom the next year.)


September 1995: Got my first real job (as a pasta server at a restaurant).

September 1995: Lost a family member for the first time (my mom's brother).

January 1996: Turned 18 and transitioned into being a legal adult.

June 1996: Graduated from high school.


June 1996: Got my wisdom teeth out.

July 1996: Quit my first job.

July 1996: Transitioned to being a resident of Gainesville, Florida. Moved out of my parents' home and lived with roommates in an apartment for the first time.

August 1996: Started college as a music major at the University of Florida.

January 1997: Became a vegetarian.

Summer 1997: Traveled on an airplane alone for the first time.

November 1998: Lost a grandparent for the first time (my mom's father).

January 1999: Turned 21 while on a trip to Las Vegas, Nevada.


June 2000: Graduated from college with a BA in Elementary Education.


July 2000: Became a bookstore worker.

 
August 2000: Got my own apartment and lived alone for the first time.

November 2003: Took my first international trip (Japan).


November 2004: Voted in my first national election.

May 2005: Parents were divorced.

May 2005: My first major interview was published.

June 2006: Transitioned to being a resident of Tampa, Florida (again).

July 2006: Became an administrative assistant.

 
January 2008: Turned 30.

October 2008: Was maid of honor in Meghan's wedding.

 
June 2009: Attended a funeral for the first time (my friend Mike from Sarasota).

August 2009: Maid of honor for my sister's wedding.


October 2009: First on-camera interview (for a documentary).

January 2011: Placed an article I wrote in a publication for the first time.

August 2012: Signed a novel with a literary agent.


January 2013: Went to my first conference (to speak on an asexuality panel).

May 2013: Signed a nonfiction book with a literary agent.

September 2013: First radio interview.

November 2013: Sold my first book.

December 2013: Became an aunt (my nephew was born).


February 2014: Gave my first solo speech at a conference (IvyQ at Princeton).

February 2014: Got an advance check for the first time.

May 2014: Sold my first short story ("Your Terms").

May 2014: Participated as a bridesmaid in my other sister's wedding.


June 2014: Traveled internationally (to Canada) alone for the first time.

June 2014: Appeared on live television for the first time.

September 2014: Became a published author of a book (The Invisible Orientation).


February 2015: First trip to the emergency room.

May and June 2015: Received four different book-related awards or nominations at various ceremonies. Attended the Lambda Awards in New York City.

1 comment:

  1. You forgot "Sometime in 1998, met a REALLY COOL girl named Ronni on AOL" ;)

    I'm kidding. This was fun to read!

    ReplyDelete