Birthday Madness! (Post 2)

(Obviously I'm still not over the birthday thing yet.)

Every year on my birthday my Grandma would call me and ask me if I felt any different today. The answer was usually no. When I turned 24, I felt different. I felt like an "adult." It was truly a physical feeling. I haven't experienced it since until a week from my 30th birthday. I got really excited about being 30. Most women I know who've been through it cry. I'm pretty jazzed.

Psychologically, it means two things to me. First, it means that people have to listen to me. Stop laughing! I can't be written off as a kid with no life experience anymore. Even though I've had way more life experience than I would normally have chosen, 30 means something to other people that "late twenties" doesn't. So take me seriously now, dammit. I may even follow up what I say with an announcement of my age. "You shouldn't vote for him. I'm 30 years old." To give it extra weight, maybe. Second, it means that I've entered the era of health maintenance. In my mind, 30 is the age that shit starts happening to women. So I'm in the process of scheduling checkups for things that I should've been doing all along. It just got more serious to me this past week.

I'm not scared about growing older. I'm doing well at this stage in my life. I'm finally going in the direction I want to go. I've got a good nuclear family. I'm pleased with my education (if a bit done with it already). I'm pleased with my work. All the accumulated experiences of my life have coalesced to give me one hell of a backbone. I know what I stand for. I'm comfortable enough to change if I need to.

If I could give one piece of advice to the "youngsters" out there (you know, those people who aren't yet 30), it would be to get into the practice of asking why something is the way it is. You can't sit there? Why? They won't raise your salary? Why? And make sure you get a good answer. If the person claims they don't know, ask the follow up questions: who does know, and how can I talk to that person? Many of your troubles will be solved right there.

The second piece of advice? No one is bothering to pay attention to how you look. They're too busy worrying about how they look. So go out and live your life.

It's been a good life, in spite of everything. Many happy returns. What's your birthday advice?

-- Virgil