By Brendan Ulmer
Ulmer Uninterrupted
One thing that has been consistently true for me, probably from about eighth grade on, is that I’ve always fancied myself to be a bit more mature than I realistically am.
When I tell Maddie that when I met her, I was convinced that I was very mature, she breaks into laughter, and deservedly so.
The reason for this, I think, is that the bar for maturity with men, not to get into gender politics here, is very low.
When I compared myself to my all-male roommates, you know, I wasn’t leaving half-eaten plates of food on the coffee table, or leaving raw chicken uncovered in the fridge, or leaving an inch-deep puddle of water in the bathroom after I took a shower.
One time, a roommate of mine left garlic confit on our kitchen counter for two weeks until it started to rot. Somehow, I was noseblind to it, but Maddie sure wasn’t.
She said it smelled like doo-doo, death, and garlic.
She didn’t visit very often after that.
If history is any indication, I’m almost certainly not as mature as I think I am right now, but Maddie assures me I’ve come a long way.
I think being thrust into the real world will do that to you.
I was thinking about this the other day when I was watching a video essay analyzing the final season of Twin Peaks.
I will not get too deep into what Twin Peaks is, because it’s one of those things where if you don’t know what it is, you probably won’t be interested in it, but it was the last show Maddie and I binge-watched.
After watching the show and its accompanying movie, I was certainly filled with feelings, but very little in the way of in-depth interpretation and analysis. It felt like my thoughts on the show were right on the tip of my tongue, but also just out of reach, hidden behind a dense fog.
After watching the video essays made by YouTuber Maggie Mae Fish, I gained a whole new appreciation for the show.
It made me think of college student Brendan, part-time employee of Yello Sub Brendan.
I would consume television and movies voraciously, for hours, and still have it in me to pen an essay right after.
Now, a full-time employee of The Hutchinson Tribune, I go home after a long day of work and watch SpongeBob.
I can’t lie, I miss that part about being young and having an abundance of free time. When it was a joy to get those gears turning, and not a relief when you get them to stop.
I’m not cynical on this issue yet, I still think it’s possible to have a productive work life and a stimulating private life, but it requires routine and healthy habits.
Frankly, I ought to take up reading in my free time, if I still remember how to do that.
Brendan Ulmer is a reporter at The Hutchinson Tribune. He can be reached at brendan@hutchtribune.com.