The Accidental Adult. Essays and Advice for the Reluctantly Responsible and Marginally Mature

202 Pages·2010·0.82 MB·English

by  Colin Sokolowski

title page
The Accidental Adult
Essays and advice for the reluctantly responsible and
marginally mature
colin sokolowski
Avon, Massachusetts
copyright page
Copyright © 2010 by Colin Sokolowski All rights reserved.
This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher;
exceptions are made for brief excerpts used in published reviews.
Published by
Adams Media, a division of F+W Media, Inc.
57 Littlefield Street, Avon, MA 02322. U.S.A.
www.adamsmedia.com
ISBN 10: 1-60550-626-5
ISBN 13: 978-1-60550-626-5
eISBN 10: 1-4405-0717-1
eISBN 13: 978-1-4405-0717-5
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available from the publisher.
This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information with regard to the subject
matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal,
accounting, or other professional advice. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services
of a competent professional person should be sought.
—From a Declaration of Principles jointly adopted by a Committee of the American Bar Association and a
Committee of Publishers and Associations Many of the designations used by manufacturers and sellers to
distinguish their product are claimed as trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book and
Adams Media was aware of a trademark claim, the designations have been printed with initial capital
letters.
dedication page
Dedicated to two saints:
My father, the late Neil Sokolowski,
the greatest man I’ll ever know;
and Jude, the patron of the impossible.
contents
introduction
The Accidental Adult
1. guyhood
An Off-ramp on the Road to Adulthood
2. work
The Ultimate Role-playing Game
3. music
This Is What You Call a Mixtape
4. suburbia
Keeping Your Poise ’n the Hood
5. entertaining
WTF? (Why Three Forks?)
6. parenting
Do as I Say, Definitely Not as I Do
7. transportation
SUVs and Minivans—It’s How We Roll
8. home improvements
Feeling Like a Tool
9. civic duties
Caring So Little about So Much
10. athletics
Putting the Beer in Beer League
11. hobbies
“Adult” Entertainment (Not That Kind!)
12. nostalgia
Checking In with Your Inner Child
conclusion
Let’s Stick Together
acknowledgments
Adultlike gratitude goes to a triumvirate without whom this book might likely
remain forever imprisoned on my laptop: Kurt Anderson, Katrina Schroeder, and
über editor (and accidental adult apprentice) Brendan O’Neill. Your generosity
and support will forever be appreciated. A cadre of super-talented authors held
my hand along the way: Marya Hornbacher, Dan Zevin, Marc Parent, Kevin
Revolinski, Alden Carter, and Dan Verdick. For their creative support and
professional advice, appreciation goes to Katie Kelly Landberg, Jessica Hall
Burns, Greg Helgeson, Carol Guensburg, Gordon Sumner, Ross Bernstein,
Margo LaPanta, Pete Fabian, Sasha Aslanian, Lisa Gannaway, David Stillman,
Mykl Roventine, my friends at The Loft Literary Center, my Spanish Harlem
Mona Lisa, Wonder Dave, and Kieran’s Irish Pub. Thanks go to my earliest team
of reviewers: Mary and Eric Snustad, Kim and Mark Sacay, Donna and David
Vanneste, Yachiyo and Rick Erickson, Lynda and Tom Savard, Molly Cave, and
Emily Hawkins. For believing I could do this someday, I especially thank Brian
Louis, Keri Kalfahs Pollock, Chuck and Sandi Shanle, Stacie Cronberg Lewis,
Carlee Drummer, and Paula Kringle. Full-frontal hugs to my brothers James
Cave, Steve Crosby, Patrick Dempsey, Chuck Hawkins, Matt Potter, Chris Stohl,
Brian Strub, Tim Teuber, and the late, great Jeff Rhody. Special family love and
thanks to mom Carolyn Jo, sister Megan, and brother Ryan for helping your
baby boy kind of grow up and for always believing in me and humoring me; to
Shanley, Finnegan, and Maeve for assuming I know what I’m doing and for
teaching me that tranquility is overrated; and to Kelly for letting me turn around
your Claddagh ring back in college and for joining me on this journey ever
since. All my love.