Well, I am turning 30 next week. Next Thursday, October 19, to be exact (this isn't a plea for presents or cards or phone calls- just a statement).
I have mixed feelings about this monumental event. On one hand, when I look back at the last decade, my twenties, I can honestly say I have done a lot:
- I got married
-I gave birth to three wonderful children
- I graduated college and graduate school with pretty decent grades if I may say so myself (note to SZT: shut up about your 4.0- I actually took classes)
-I bought a house (and refinanced a couple of times!)
-I have successfully (more or less- I didn't kill anyone) worked as a geriatric speech-language pathologist
- I am actually working at a job which I actually like
- I have started a blog which has been up and running and basically consistantly updated for 3 years (take that you blogging noobs!)
-I have read all 6 H@rry Potter Books many many many times
-I have gotten into reality TV and I have gotten sick of reality TV
-I went to Florida for the first time and 3 subsequent times
-I went to California two times
-I finally got to go to a hotel for pesach
- I have made pesach (3 times!!!)
-I have learned to recognize the beauty of old friends and the specialness of new friends (to quote DW: Make new friends, but keep the old: one is silver and the other is gold)
- I have started to drink coffee (and I love it!!!)
-I can successfully make two shabbos meals in under 3 hours
-I have a H@rry Potter Podcast
-I tried out for Jeopardy
-I started to eat Sushi (and I have even made it a few times!)
-I started to sleep with my mouth closed (thanks to surgery)
-I started doing things to benefit my own mental health
-Off the top of my head I can list 15 pokemon without pausing
-I haven't ever gotten drunk, tried drugs, or smoked anything
On the other hand, sometimes I feel like I don't know where this decade went and I feel like a huge loser:
-I drive a freakin minivan (and hate every minute of it)
-I am no longer the size 2 chickadee I used to be (nor will I ever be again)
-I don't have nice hair anymore
-I haven't been to Israel in almost nine years
-I haven't been to Europe
-I am still a slob and probably will be until the day I die.
-I am really not cool anymore (asssuming that I ever was cool)
- I have a H@rry Potter Podcast
-I haven't written the great American Novel (I never really wanted to, but I still haven't done it)- heck I haven't even read the great American Novel
-I never lived in New York
-I waste way too much time (especially on the stupid computer)
-I haven't made any major contributions to society
-I had to quit the shul welcoming committee because I didnt give out any welcome wagon bags
-I have done next to nothing for my spirituality (heck, I don't even know where I am religiously)
-I am as cynical and as sarcastic as ever
-I don't flinch when I hear people cursing
-I have a list of people who I avoid seeing around town because I never returned their phone calls
-I am horrible at inviting people back for meals
-I sat through Star Wars, Episode 1 in the theatre (and regretfully, I will never get those two hours back)
-I have no idea how to pay bills and I know next to nothing about taxes
-I (along with my mother and sister) made my 12 year old niece cry by telling her that we put a chip in her brain so we can monitor her at all times
-I barely exercise
-I haven't ever gotten drunk, tried drugs, or smoked anything
-I have lost some crucial hair cells in my ears thanks to listening to my iPod with earbuds
-I haven't ever gotten drunk, tried drugs, or smoked anything
When I look at these lists, I do realize that the top one is more qualitatively significant than the bottom one. But, I am turning 30 and I think I have the right to be negative about my life and accomplishments. It is my gift to myself.
Uh, yeah, come to mention it, we never received our welcome bag from the shul.
Posted by: Lanie at October 11, 2006 11:48 AMI carpool with you and failed to get that welcoming bag from you...someone else had to deliver it!
Posted by: AlanLaz at October 11, 2006 11:57 AMThis is why I consider myself a failure.
Posted by: peninah at October 11, 2006 12:17 PMI remember 30- it is a blur, but I remember. Time just keeps moving faster and faster.
Posted by: Jack at October 11, 2006 12:41 PMUh oh...does this mean I have to make the same kind of list in a few months?
Yeah, I am your friend and I never got one of those welcome bags either.
I gave birth to three wonderful children.
I drive a freakin minivan
Those are usually corollaries.
I never lived in New York
Fun, but don't think that is a major loss.
I (along with my mother and sister) made my 12 year old niece cry by telling her that we put a chip in her brain so we can monitor her at all times
She believed you?
Episode 1 was three hours long, just so you know.
Posted by: Greg at October 11, 2006 01:00 PMSara-
She did believe us. We had her going for a while too. I feel really bad about it.
Greg- There goes another hour of my life.
Posted by: peninah at October 11, 2006 01:02 PMCongratulations! "Ad 120"!
Posted by: Yoel Ben-Avraham at October 11, 2006 11:22 PMWhen I turned 30, I cried. My mother asked me how I felt and I just started to bawl. I realized that I was an adult and no longer had any excuse to be young and iresponsible. Sometimes it still hurts to think about it.
Posted by: yehupitz at October 13, 2006 02:56 PMYehup-Gives me a lot of hope.
Posted by: peninah at October 13, 2006 05:26 PMpenny = why do you think rachi and i made a party for ourselves? it was kinda a pity party/ we dont care that we're old (even though we do care)anyway, happy birthday. i'm with you on most of those "never did" list so we can not call each other back to talk about that. love, one of the "old friends"
Posted by: devorah at October 15, 2006 10:22 PMjust wanted to ad that i hope you are having fun in NYC it was really funny to watch your dad do carpool yesterday. quite entertaining. (sorry Mr. T) anyway, a happy birthday!
Posted by: devorah at October 19, 2006 02:55 PM