What I Know Now That I'm 29.
I've been 29 for about 24 hours now which makes me an expert. So this is one of those educational posts, because you should learn from my experiences thus far.
In all seriousness, I had the most amazing birthday so if that's an indication of the year to come, I am so ready for this.
So what have I learned in my tenure as a 29 year old? Well...
... I know that I still love birthdays! I remember some older friends of mine (they were turning 37 and 50 that year) telling me that one day I would care about aging, that I'd worry about how my face looked and that age would matter and I'd dread my birthdays like them. So far not true. And I still feel sorry they feel that way. I LOVE my birthday.
I know (now) that there's just no age or reality where I won't spill food on myself. I had bits of my birthday supper hanging from my hair which I can only assume is super attractive. You would think that after feeding myself for approximately 28 years I'd have the hang of it, but no.
I know what I don't want. About so many things: jobs, boys, eating habits, all kinds of things. What I do want regarding all those things and more is much less clear, but I definitely know what I don't. That's pretty huge! There were so many years between 18 and 28 of trial and error, and all that trying and getting it wrong or getting it right but hating it anyway has given me a pretty good idea of who I am not and what I don't want.
I know that people take me seriously. I'm not a kid anymore. When I say things, when I give people advice they listen because they know I've lived it. It's simultaneously unnerving and also amazing! Your whole life you want people to listen to you and now they finally do. It's empowering. And frightening.
I know that I'm totally hot. Seriously. I have an insane level of confidence, even when things suck I still believe in myself somehow (thanks Mom and Dad!) and I am pretty satisfied with who I am right now. I love my hair, I think my eyes are amazing, my body is working for me, I don't know, I just think I'm doing ok in this department. And I look great in all the shoes which really is all I could ask for. I see older women teetering on high heels and when that's me, 1) I probably won't care and B) I'll be so depressed that I finally have to abandon the Steve Maddens for orthopedics. Ugh, I can't talk about it anymore.
I know about life. Not all of it, not even close, but I can look back over the last 10 years and say I've lived. I can't say it's just getting started because in spite of the current popular belief that life doesn't start until your 30s, I just don't think that's true. It's been happening all this time whether I was aware of it or not. One of the most profound moments I ever had was at lunch with a dear friend and his father and stepmother. They asked us about our high school experience and we both agreed that while we loved it while we were there, there was no way we would want to do it again and she looked at me and said, "You know what that is right? That's your life." And I've never thought about past experiences the same since. Because that's my life. All the things, the good and the bad, the things I'd love to relive or never want anyone to know about, it's all my life. My 20s have been rough, but it's my life.
It's incredible how much things can change in a year.
When I turned 28, I didn't have a job, I have one now. Two really. One that pays my bills and one that fuels some kind of passion in me I didn't realize was there.
When I turned 28, my best friend and I weren't talking so I spent my birthday alone. She was the only person I trusted to let in to my life at the time so it's my fault that happened. In comparison, yesterday was surreal. I've met so many new people this year, and had a group of amazing friends spend part of their Valentine's Day playing arcade games and laser tag, then stand around in a parking lot until 2 a.m. eating a giant cookie.
So here's to 29! Teach me something new, world. I'm ready.
In all seriousness, I had the most amazing birthday so if that's an indication of the year to come, I am so ready for this.
So what have I learned in my tenure as a 29 year old? Well...
... I know that I still love birthdays! I remember some older friends of mine (they were turning 37 and 50 that year) telling me that one day I would care about aging, that I'd worry about how my face looked and that age would matter and I'd dread my birthdays like them. So far not true. And I still feel sorry they feel that way. I LOVE my birthday.
I know (now) that there's just no age or reality where I won't spill food on myself. I had bits of my birthday supper hanging from my hair which I can only assume is super attractive. You would think that after feeding myself for approximately 28 years I'd have the hang of it, but no.
I know what I don't want. About so many things: jobs, boys, eating habits, all kinds of things. What I do want regarding all those things and more is much less clear, but I definitely know what I don't. That's pretty huge! There were so many years between 18 and 28 of trial and error, and all that trying and getting it wrong or getting it right but hating it anyway has given me a pretty good idea of who I am not and what I don't want.
I know that people take me seriously. I'm not a kid anymore. When I say things, when I give people advice they listen because they know I've lived it. It's simultaneously unnerving and also amazing! Your whole life you want people to listen to you and now they finally do. It's empowering. And frightening.I know that I'm totally hot. Seriously. I have an insane level of confidence, even when things suck I still believe in myself somehow (thanks Mom and Dad!) and I am pretty satisfied with who I am right now. I love my hair, I think my eyes are amazing, my body is working for me, I don't know, I just think I'm doing ok in this department. And I look great in all the shoes which really is all I could ask for. I see older women teetering on high heels and when that's me, 1) I probably won't care and B) I'll be so depressed that I finally have to abandon the Steve Maddens for orthopedics. Ugh, I can't talk about it anymore.
I know about life. Not all of it, not even close, but I can look back over the last 10 years and say I've lived. I can't say it's just getting started because in spite of the current popular belief that life doesn't start until your 30s, I just don't think that's true. It's been happening all this time whether I was aware of it or not. One of the most profound moments I ever had was at lunch with a dear friend and his father and stepmother. They asked us about our high school experience and we both agreed that while we loved it while we were there, there was no way we would want to do it again and she looked at me and said, "You know what that is right? That's your life." And I've never thought about past experiences the same since. Because that's my life. All the things, the good and the bad, the things I'd love to relive or never want anyone to know about, it's all my life. My 20s have been rough, but it's my life.
It's incredible how much things can change in a year.When I turned 28, I didn't have a job, I have one now. Two really. One that pays my bills and one that fuels some kind of passion in me I didn't realize was there.
When I turned 28, my best friend and I weren't talking so I spent my birthday alone. She was the only person I trusted to let in to my life at the time so it's my fault that happened. In comparison, yesterday was surreal. I've met so many new people this year, and had a group of amazing friends spend part of their Valentine's Day playing arcade games and laser tag, then stand around in a parking lot until 2 a.m. eating a giant cookie.
So here's to 29! Teach me something new, world. I'm ready.
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