How This All Came About

When exactly did I decide I wanted to move out? Well maybe when I realized I had the opportunity; Mother had offered me the studio a while back. It wasn't like I hadn't considered her offer, weighed the pro's and con's; I had. But when I finally decided that I had to move out was after the big fight I had with my dad.

Let me clear things up, first. My dad and I don't fight. Like, ever. We don't even argue for real. We understand each other completely, on a level that is never seen with teenagers and their parents. But a fight was bound to happen. The way I see it, nineteen years of not fighting was really going to have to come to a stop at some point in time. Sooner was better than later.

So we argued, and fought, and it ended with my dad, who never gets mad, screaming at me to "pack up your fucking shit and get the fuck out of my house!" I decided that going to my mom's must be the best route. I mean if one fight, even one of epic proportions, ended this badly, who knew what would happen during the next fight. I mean one fight precipitates more fighting in the future.

So while I went upstairs to leave, my dad cooled down.

He then told me about a half hour later that he didn't mean it, that I could stay at his house for as long as I wanted.

Well I didn't want to for very long.

Which brings me to now: I am making the big move to leave the nest.

What leaving the nest means, I am not totally sure. On one hand, I get freedom from both of my parents. I can do what I want when I want. But that also means I won't be coming home to my dad's grilling, or my mom's candles. Or the million other things that make both of their houses my homes.

There are a million things that are going to make this whole thing very fun. And also very stressful. I mean, I don't have towels. Or pots and pans. Or a blow dryer! I don't even know how much those things cost.

Mom suggested I watch my spending for a whole month, to see if I can really afford to live by myself. I already know I can though. I pay two hundred dollars on my car, and it'll be paid off in October. It's really the perfect time to make a move. My car will be paid off, which means those funds can just be made for rent instead.

So I know I can pay for the studio, but the question is really about all those other things. Things I don't always pay for. Like food, and shampoo, and toilet paper. How much of that stuff do I even need? I am only one person. I don't even eat that much. I probably won't need to buy copious amounts of food like my parents do. Feeding four people is way more expensive than just me!

I really have just decided that it is really going to be like one big adventure. Everyone has to be on their own at some point in time. I figure I should make the big move before my dad really gets mad and kicks me out a second time.