2011.

  2011 was a pretty exciting year, I must say.  A lot of big things happened in my life and the lives of people I associate with.  The biggest thing though, is the hard and fast realization that my friends and I are balls deep in adulthood.  People that read this who are in their 30's or 40's are going to roll their eyes and say shit like; "Ohhhh you're so young, you have no idea blah, blah, blah..."  Which is true, to a certain extent.  But there are occurrences in your mid to late 20's that only happen once, and will more than likely never happen again.
  First thing I would have to say that is a real eye opener, is that everyone you know (well, the majority) has a "real" job.  There's no more college style summers where you work three days a week at a golf course and call in sick one of those days because you're too hung over.  This really started happening before 2011, but I only feel like now EVERYONE is in full swing with their careers. 
  This means several things; first, everyone is more tired. After a 40+ hour work week, Friday nights have now been relegated to a night where you get dinner and a few beers, then call it by 12am.  The two or three night party weekends are few and far between.  Second, there's way less general "hanging out".  When I get home from work, there's three things that I'm likely to do, and here they are from most likely, to least:  1) absofuckingloutley nothing, 2) order food and pass out, 3) go to the gym (add fishing to number 1 in the months that weather permits).  I just don't have the energy to go out and drink on a Tuesday night anymore (unless it's summer, than I will strongly consider it).  The last thing that friend wide employment means, is that most everyone has money.  This is most definitely a positive aspect, as when we do decide we have the energy to do stuff, it's not a problem.  Going on actual vacations was once a far off dream, but now something that is discussed on a regular basis. 
  The next thing that happens, which really did all kind of happen this year, is your group of friends you see on a regular basis shrinks rapidly.  I'm still friends with all my close buddies, they just don't live down the street from me any more.  There was a brief moment in 2010 where everyone was at home, working, and it was sort of awesome.  There was someone to hang out with at any given time.  Now, there's five of us.  I have no complaints on who the regular five is, it's just different.  My mom always told me that; "when you're an adult, if you can count the number of friends you have on one hand, you're lucky".  I used to think she was crazy, but now I'm starting to think that she's right. 
  The final thing that happens, people start getting married (and having kids on purpose and shit).  It's great because that means I get to go to weddings and drink my face off at an open bar. Weddings are pretty fun in general.  But there's no two ways about it, when people are married and/or engaged, you see less of them.  Which makes total sense, as the person they are choosing to spend their life with should take priority.  But it most definitely contributes to the friend shrinkage I mentioned earlier.
  These are all things that happen throughout your life, until the day you die.  But they only happen for the first time once.  It's all exciting, and new, but sometimes it's kind of a bummer.  For the first time in your life, you're introduced to stress.  Not college exam stress, but bills and work stress.  I think about the days where I still had no real responsibility and get all nostalgic.  But I have to stop myself, there's no time to dwell on how cool shit used to be.  Things are the way they are now, and for me, that's pretty awesome.
  Taking all these things into consideration, they're shaping the way I'm making decisions.  For instance, I'm looking for a house.  Where I buy a house has been determined by where my other friends bought houses.  I don't want to have to make new friends, so I'll just stay close.  There's also the whole being close to work thing.  As far as the marriage stuff goes, that's another story for another day.