The Big Four-Oh!

I really didn’t want to write another one of those cliché-ridden blog posts about turning 40. 

You know the kind I’m talking about. The ones that claim how “40 is the new 30,” or that 40 really isn’t that old after all. 

No, it’s not. And, yes, it is. 

Honestly, turning 40 doesn’t bother me. I mean, we’re all on the same sinking ship anyway. Why worry about it? Even though, from what I’ve been told, just a few days from now…

• My sight will suddenly start to get worse…
• I won’t be able to drink like I used to…
• I won’t be able to keep the weight off anymore…
• My memory will begin to fail me…
• I’ll start saying things like “Back in my day…”
• I’ll neither like nor recognize any current music, and…
• I’ll begin to find myself napping more and more.

But like I said, I’m not worried. Heck, most of those things started years ago.
(Everything except the eyesight stuff. So far.)

In case you didn’t notice, though, I am a writer. (No, really.) And, being a writer, I have a tendency to, well…write about things like this. But rather than waste your time with more of the same old same old, I decided instead to waste your time by taking a look back at the decade that was and comparing it with my 20s. Doing so would enable me to understand in what ways I’ve grown, as well as in what ways I’ve remained as immature as ever.

So here goes…

Drink of choice
In my 20s:      Milwaukee’s Best Light, aka “Beast”
In my 30s:      Cabernet

Number of jobs
In my 20s:      13 (yes, thirteen!)
In my 30s:      2

Number of offspring
In my 20s:      Zero
In my 30s:      Two

Hobbies
In my 20s:      Drinking; collecting vintage Star Wars toys (not joking)
In my 30s:      Drinking; collecting vintage typewriters

Physical accomplishments
In my 20s:      Sometimes went entire months without getting off the couch
In my 30s:      Rode a bike from Pittsburgh to D.C.; ran three marathons; didn’t pass out while my wife gave birth (twice)

Favorite place to celebrate my birthday
In my 20s:      Las Vegas
In my 30s:      El Paso Restaurant, Chippewa, Pa.

Average books read/year
In my 20s:      Five
In my 30s:      Fifty

Ideal day
In my 20s:      Riding quads and drinking cheap beer 
In my 30s:      Going to the Children’s Museum with my wife and kids (and then drinking cheap Cabernet)

Ideal evening
In my 20s:      Tequila Club followed by Beer Pong
In my 30s:      A bottle of wine and a good book

Go-to karaoke jam
In my 20s:      “Sweet Child O’ Mine” – Guns ’n’ Roses
In my 30s:      “Piano Man” – Billy Joel

Thing I looked forward to the most
In my 20s:      My next beer
In my 30s:      My next nap

After reviewing the above list, I think it’s safe to say that the past decade was definitely a time of personal growth and maturation. It was also clearly a time when I became extremely boring. 

So with this I bid adieu to my 30s. We had some good times together. Thanks for the memories.

As for the gray hairs and frequent urination….those I could do without.

_____

Copyright © 2015 Valentine J. Brkich