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carolinian’s journal

Adding another ring to the tree

· · 🌡️ 47°F

On this day, I turn 31.

And thus I face the disturbing reality that I'm now closer to 40 than 20, and that I'm not allowed to have any more late nights out, fun, or sex until I divorce my first wife, buy an expensive sports car, and pick up the second trophy wife.

Of course, I've never been married, have never owned a minivan, and I'm generally the type of guy that trophy wives tend to avoid. I'm totally failing society's expectations of near-middle age mediocrity. And that's even more disturbing, because it puts me in a kind of limbo where I don't have any well-treaded paths to follow and no herd mentality to safely cling to and use to disavow any accusation of stagnation or complacency by saying "I was doing what everyone else was doing."

I've somehow ended up driving the bumper car out of the theme park. So now what?
151 words

💬 9 comments

  1. jason ·

    Oh hell, it's your birthday, stop sulking! Go have fun! Happy birthday!
  2. mrmike ·

    What Jason said. As somebody who's 40ish (shaddup) Society's expectations are worth worrying about. Make yourself happy on your schedule. Nobody else's merits consideration
  3. leetee ·

    Happy Birthday, @carolinian !!!

    Trophy wives only marry for money... so if that is what you're looking for, get working! lol

    I understand how you feel. I've felt the same kinda things you do, just my own version. Particularly around my birthday.

    I end up feeling like i am, well, since i am 37, let's use that year... 37 and everyone else my age has already figured out the career issues in life and got educated and degrees and here i am freaked out about a GED.

    But life doesn't work on this neat and tidy lil schedule. Imagine how boring life would be if it was! Everyone at a certain age would be doing exactly the same thing!

    Find the beat of your own drummer... and enjoy getting there!
  4. enknot ·

    I feel you buddy. Not freaking out never happens when someone gafauws your dismay and sugesst it. Actually typically the exact opposite occurs and you, well, you freak out.

    I have a lot of really young friends (by young I mean early 20's) and sometimes I look around and say to my self. What the hell am I doing here? I guess the only two things that keep me going is them looking back with expressions that imply 'enjoying good friends who really love you stupid', and this other little thing that keeps me inches above an age crisis every other day. I'll tell you what it is.

    Every day I work on something that will have a positive long term real world effect (so video games are right out, but I do enjoy them from time to time). Until I left school this was really easy, since school was the thing I worked on. Now it's a little tougher but as long as I keep it up I end up just happy enough with my self to keep going on with my wrists zipped shut, and I have something to show for my years of wonton oxygen consumption on this planet

    In defense of those I call friend, not all of them are younger than me, and all of them are awesome, special, and amazing. I like to think that they are border line geniuses, and since most of them graduated city honors there is some proof in that statement. still the 'that love you' part is really the only thing that matters since one day we'll all be older than me, or you.
  5. museumchick ·

    I do hope you'll go out and have a great day, irregardless. Happy Birthday!
  6. metalpeter ·

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    On the eve of Christmas Eve I will be 34 so I would say I'm worse of then you, but that most likely dosn't help you much. Just make sure You go out and do something fun for your birthday. It dosn't have to be to get trashed and crawling home from the local pub it can be anything fun that you usaly don't get a chance to do. Or you can allways go out to a bar and find a nice young thing to have sex with, or maybe try one of those Asain Accupressure places. As long as you do something you like. Try not to think about what you are supposed to do acording to society, if you do that to much you will wind up in a hospital.
  7. uncutsaniflush ·

    happy birthday.

    for what's worth when you live outside the box, you have freedom. The sucky thing about freedom is that you get to do what you want. You actually have to think about your life. Your life isn't pre=programmed for you.

    That's also that great thing about freedom.

    I'm going to be 48 in a couple of weeks and I still don't have any idea what I want to do with my life.

    I've tried multiple "career" paths and so far none have fit me.

    Good luck. I know it's not the Jewish New Year but may the best of your 30th year be the worst of your 31 year. I've loved that sentiment ever since I heard it living in NYC in the 80s working for Orthodox Jews. For some reason, I was their Goy Boy.
  8. ladycroft ·

    happy belated birthday! you're only as old as you feel, and fuck old society rules. it's 2006...things are way different now.
  9. jenks ·

    as I just learned from nip/tuck- 62 is the new 26, so you (we) are all good. ;)

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