by Jake Espinoza. Photography by William Bragg.
Adult : fully developed and mature : GROWN-UP
Adulting : to be in the act of being fully developed and mature
Kelly Williams Brown understands that being an adult is especially hard for our generation.
“We want to be grown up. But we didn’t have things like home economics and shop class like previous generations did.” She continued, “I had a friend who felt dumb because she didn’t know how to sew a button, but if you haven’t been told how to do something don’t beat yourself up for not knowing.”
Kelly recently turned 27, went to high school in Lake Oswego and college in New Orleans. She worked for newspapers in Mississippi and New Orleans for a year each before moving back to Oregon in 2008–where she got a job writing for the Statesman Journal in Salem and has become a “D-List Celebrity” (her words) in the city.
Her column “Not So Lame” (Possibly having a name based off lyrics from my song Oregon Homeboy) is a personal favorite in the paper, and is well received throughout the city. But she did say the paper did publish a complaint letter once from an angry citizen referring to her as a “stupid, self absorbed desolate.”
Fortunately, I do not share that opinion of her.
She is currently working on a blog/book project called “Adulting: How to Become a Grown Up in 387(ish) Steps”–stay in touch with the progress at www.adulting.tumblr.com.
Becoming an adult is not something that just suddenly happens when we become a certain age or get a good credit rating. It is something that happens gradually through the small decisions we make. Each of her steps showcases a different small decision that can help us become proper adults.
For example:
Step 11: Buying Toilet Paper in Bulk
I always feel vaguely embarrassed when buying toilet paper, especially if I buy a bunch, because what does that say about me as a person?
But this is something I need to get over. One, running out of toilet paper sucks, and it will happen less often if you buy in bulk. Two, it’s not like you aren’t going to use it eventually.
Let’s look at a graph that illustrates toilet paper need: at every point between infancy and death, the answer to the question, ‘Do I need toilet paper?’ will always be ‘Yes.’Just go ahead and buy in bulk.
-K Brown
Step 2 is not posting about your break up on Facebook.
Kelly is not at all claiming to be an expert on being an adult. Some of the most entertaining aspects of her project are her comments on “Non-Adulting” decisions. Things such as buying clothing with anything written on the butt–“If you are legally allowed in bars, this is a big fat no.”–and having a Coke and Corn Nuts for lunch are prime examples of “Non-Adulting” decisions.
Here are a few of my own Unofficial Adulting Steps.
Unofficial Adulting Step 35: Don’t Wear Flip Flops, Basketball Shorts and a Hoodie in Public.
I’m terrible about this, and I was already out of the house when Kelly and I moved our interview from Wednesday to Tuesday, but I was definitely wearing flip flops, basketball shorts and a hoodie as we sat down and ate grilled cheese sandwiches and soup outside of La Capitale in downtown Salem.
Kelly was killing the adult game, wearing a black dress, heels and complementary accessories. The contrast between our outfits further enhanced my desire to invest in a new wardrobe.
Dress like you want to be taken seriously.
Unofficial Adulting Step 45: Keep it Friendly With Your Ex.
Turns out she actually dated the owner of La Capitale, David Rosales, for an extended period of time. As our waitress approached our table Kelly asked her to “let David know I’m here.” She insured me I would not have to worry about him tampering with our food.
We actually ended up getting a percent off the check, thanks David!
After lunch, she went inside and said hello.
The very adult thing to do.
Unofficial Adulting Step 20: Don’t Drive Around Interrupting People’s Lunch With Your Loud Music.
I was happy that she understood the humor in watching a white 1989 Acura Legend driving around downtown Salem bumping Still D.R.E off Dr. Dre’s “The Chronic 2001” at noon on a Tuesday.
“Still D.R.E. Still repping it for ’01,” she said referencing the song as the speakers blasted and engine rattled past us.
That is definitely something that goes on the Non-Adulting list.
Save the money you just spent on your speakers because you are going to need to work on your engine soon buddy…
Kelly actually did a story on a me, and my local music career, once (maybe thrice) for the Statesman Journal. She also named me the 81st most popular person in Salem–a title I wear proud as I walk into bars throughout the town and demand free drinks.
We’ve maintained a casual friendship, usually through e-mails and social media, and I enjoy her writing in the Statesman, but she really seems to be in her element with her Adulting project. Her honest, humble and self aware nature allows her to keep her work informative and entertaining.
She said that a lot of what she posts are things that are things she is learning also.
“That’s my job. I take it in, make it entertaining and I give it back.”
We Out Here