Lamentations On ... Being 'Grownup'

Is it just me, or does anyone else in the I-swear-I'm-too-young-for-this generation develop the occasional Peter Pan complex?

Monday night was a real bummer. And not just because the roads were bad. Well, that was part of it, or rather, part of what led into it. While it was fun tromping out in the ice-encrusted otherworld this place had become by Monday afternoon to do some on-scene reporting, the actual driving there and back put me behind on the schedule I was hoping to maintain.

Said schedule went something like this:
File storm story by 5:15 p.m.
Leave office by 5:17 p.m.
Arrive at local goodbye/good luck party at 5:30 p.m. Mingle, munch, wish well.
Depart party no later than 6:10 p.m.
Pick up friend by 6:20 p.m.
Drive at reasonable speed for the slick conditions to Henrietta cinema for "Iwo Jima" sneak peek. Arrive no later than 7:20 p.m. Pray hard seats truly had been "saved" by e-pen pal.
Enjoy flick from 7:30 p.m. - end. Meanwhile, pray hard freezing ice has not encased car beyond hope during that time.
Somewhere around 10ish? scrape off car and drive home. Carefully. Ensure friend and self make it back in one piece, safe and sound.

In reality, said schedule was shot to smithereens by about 5:31. However, I didn't fully grasp that concept until somewhere around 6, when I finally finished my work--realizing once again, I will never be able to write as quickly as I hope, no matter how "simple" details seem -- and could leave the office. By then, my friend had called to worry whether it was safe to drive, given all the nightmarish calamaties that could befall us coming or going. Naturally, the weather broadcasts provided zero help balancing fear of the unknown with facts. Therefore, as is wont to happen with females, fear won out. But just to be sure I wasn't about to make the wrong decision, I called the theater hoping they'd rescheduled due to weather. No such luck.

For two minutes I considered scrapping the party altogether, chancing the roads and driving up anyway. Just for the sheer determination of it. (I really wanted to see this movie. Plus it was free. Plus I'd be seeing it earlier than the rest of the general populace.) But then, the mental conversation started in my head. Y'all know how it goes:

You're asking for trouble to drive any further than 15 minutes away. If the roads are nothing but black ice, you could still miss the show anyway and then, what's the point? And driving alone in this weather would be really stupid. It's wiser not to. Better safe than dead. The party's still going, still time to catch the end of it. Plus, a ton of other folks ditched out, because they were scared of the roads so you can be one of the loyal few. Don't be selfish. Do the responsible thing here.

Of course, I caved. Hoped my e-pal would understand and not hold it against me. And of course, when my feet slipped on an icy sidewalk outside the party, it was duly noted as evidence to compliment myself for having done the right thing, the mature thing. But even inside my head, it was said with a sigh.

Ugh, somedays this whole grownup schtick just isn't much fun.

Revised schedule:
Before bed, pray hard Tim McGraw never rewrites the lyrics to "My Next Thirty Years."
Any more "grownup," and it would be devastating to all us dreamers.