I just turned 30 this year and it is the very first time in my life I have actually regretted a birthday. I have white in my beard, which is said to be a sign of wisdom, I am losing my hair, which is said to be a sign of virility, and I sincerely believe that anyone between the ages of 15 and 25 simply does not understand how the world works. I say that because I am past it and I didn\'t know.
I too am \"Class of 92\" - as if when I graduated from high school mattered at all anymore - and I don\'t think
anybody understands how the world works. It\'s glaringly obvious to me that most older people hide this ignorance behind a jaded patronizing of youth, just as many youth hide it behind brazen cockiness or pretending not to care. Halfway between, I catch myself using both strategies from time to time.
And you know what? The fact that I actually believe what I just said scares the hell out of me! I have made a life out of not growing up. Then suddenly I turn around and I\'m married, I have 2 kids, 4 cats, a dog, a house, two cars, and a mountain of debt, and I think \"Holy sh*t, what happened?\"
At least you\'re two kids, two cats, a wife, a house and 2 cars up on me, buddy. Though, to be honest, 30 didn\'t really faze me. My life is the same now as it was when I was 29 (2 short weeks ago), and it is in fact just an arbitrary time point. I too try not to \"grow up\" too much, and I am heartened by the knowledge that there are 40, 50, and 60 year olds who refuse to take life too seriously, refuse to think fun time is wasted time, and aren\'t heart-set on becoming a dull middle-class drone.
What DOES make me feel old is that I was thinking earlier today \"Why are all these 9th-graders wandering around town in groups?\", and then I realized they were the new university freshpersons. Jeez.