As soon as I turned twenty-one, I felt a sense of ripeness. The world which surrounded me appeared unlimited. I had marriage, children, a career and traveling to exotic places to look forward to. Being young warps the senses, though. Being twenty-something gave me a false sense of reality which led me to be an irresponsible person, eventually leading to bad credit, reckless driving, and self-indulgence.
             First, it all began when I moved out of the house to my own apartment. There were things to be bought: a bed to sleep on, a table to eat at, a couch to sit on and most importantly a television to watch. An example of a false sense of reality would be for me to think that I could afford all these things. Where would I get the money to purchase all these necessities? It occurred to me that I could purchase everything on credit. At that age, the concept of credit felt like instant gratification. Of course, bills started to pile up. Soon I realized I could not afford to pay them because I simply did not make enough money. I had no other choice but to avoid creditors and pay them when I could. Not paying bills on time, or simply not paying them at all, has adversely affected my credit. After applying for credit several times, I have been denied each time. I know having bad credit will affect my chances of getting a home loan some day, so that is why I have been working hard to pay bills on time. Automated deductions from my checking account on the days bills are due has been helpful for me. If I continue to show good faith, perhaps someone will forgive me for being twenty-something and irresponsible.
             Then, I finally found a better-paying job to help pay the bills that were never ending. But, of course, most better-paying jobs are in Downtown, Los Angeles. I lived thirty-five miles from there. Taking the bus was such a hassle, so it was time to purchase a car. When I purchased my first car, I was a reckless, irrespo...