>Though I still don't know how to file taxes or
>buy a house, I've been through enough to know
>that I will figure it out when the time comes,
>and that it won't be such a big deal as I thought >it would be.

This here is really the essence of growing up, I think. Buying a house is pretty much the final stage in the long chain of things that signify "full adulthood", and yeah, let me confirm that it's not as big a deal as you probably think it will be before you do it. Usually by the time you get to this stage, though, you already know how to deal with new situations, which to me is really what you learn in the process of "growing up". "Growing up" isn't accumulating bits of knowledge about how to do specific new things such as changing a flat tire, entering into a rental agreement, buying a car, or figuring out how to file your taxes. It's learning how to deal with new situations, *whatever* they might be, and recognizing that you do indeed have the tools to do so.

Of course, there is one step beyond buying a house, and that's *selling* a house. I'm going to be going through that probably next spring, and I'm told it's even more of a hassle and a headache than just buying a house is. Can't wait. But, like I said, I know I have to tools to deal with it, so I'm sure it wont be as big a deal as it seems like it might be now.

-- Dave