On 30

Tonight is the last night of my 20's. I feel I must right the obligatory "I'm 30" post. I do it while enjoying a cigar and a glass of Blue Label.

I tend to look at my life in 5 year markers. I remember a lot about 5 years ago at 25. I remember impressions of me at 20. I have only the vaguest sense of me at 15.

I know that all of those different versions of me would not have expected me to be where I am. That's not a lament. It's just further proof that life is really hard to plot out past 5 years.

At 15:

I was painfully single, but somehow
I thought I would be married at 25
I thought I would be a Psychologist
I thought I would move away from the Philadelphia area forever
I didn't think life was that great
I thought High school was pretty pointless
I figured college would be more of the same, but at least I'd be out of my parents' house

At 20:

I was painfully single, but
I hoped I would be married at 25
I feared I wouldn't be able to get a real job
I didn't care where I lived as long as I had a job
Life was okay, but would be better once I started making real money
That high school was pointless was a confirmed fact
College was more of the same, but at least I was out of my parent's house.

At 25

I was painfully single, and
I accepted that I would always be this way (thanks to my ex's for that )
I was a relatively successful computer geek.
I felt like I might just accept Philadelphia as a home
Life was better than before, but the real fun started when I made more money
I couldn't remember almost anything about high school; except a vague suspicion that it had been uncomfortable.
College was the best time in my life, and I wished I had lived it up a little more.

Now we come to 30

I'm happily married
I hope for a long, long time
I'm still a geek.
Hey, assface, you didn't just say something bad about Philly? Did you?
Life is pretty great, but you know what would be greater? More money.
I assume I went to a high school at some point
College was the best time in my life until now. (Thanks to Janice)

I have no idea what 35 and 40 will hold. I hope I hold on to my wife, I hope I have some kids, I hope health is in there too. Past that, not much you can really plan on.

Except that more money would be nice too.

December 18, 2006 Posted by Terrence Ryan at 9:39 PM

Personal, Random,