28. Unemployed. No health insurance. Once again, I am living out my dreams. If I could have only engineered a way to collect unemployment checks for the next couple of weeks, then I would be sitting pretty. But, at least I got to reach the top of that mountain last summer. It's a grand thing.

In preparation for starting grad school at the end of the month, I went over to the department to turn in some paperwork. Turns out that this week is first-year orientation for undergrads, and my oh my, do they look young. Remember when you were a big senior in undergrad (first, or second senior year), and you thought the first years looked young? Well, they really are young this time. Most were born in 1985 or 1986. And I'm sure that you'll soon get the forwarded email listing all of the various fads and events from 1986. Like Bill Buckner, "Top Gun," the Challenger explosion, Iran-Contra, Maradona's "Hand of God" goal, and Dionne Warwick & Friends "That's What Friends are For."

When I entered grad school for the first go-round six years ago, I was frequently mistaken as being a freshman. At the time, I found this slightly annoying. But should that ever happen this time, I will smile and gladly thank the person for being so kind before saying, "No, I'm a sophomore." But, I doubt that it will happen. Too many gray hairs, or "natural blond highlights" as I like to call them.