A little philosophy from a really good speller

I awoke with my head fuzzy this morning due to the night out last night, drinking with pretty much everyone I know in the state of North Carolina, and being forced to take a shot called a "red-headed slut" more than once, which goes against all I believe in (specifically, that shots shouldn't have more than one word in their name and shouldn't contain more than one type of liquor and shouldn't be served in glasses bigger than, well, a shot glass). In addition to the physical strain I felt annoyed that I am now officially 29, and there's no party tonight to celebrate like there was yesterday, and then I realized that I have two full days of local government meetings to cover next week and I've really got to get on this whole doing something great with my life, and that that's going to be tough because really the only things I want to do are become the next David Sedaris or maybe have my own party-planning firm. And, you know, I'm not quite sure how to make those things happen just yet.

Needless to say, the below email made me feel much, much better.

From: Fred Rotondaro To: Cara McDonough Date: Jan 6, 2007 Subject: Becoming 29

Is not just a big thing. You are still a kid. A year away from the line at the beginning og adulthood. 11 years from full entry into the human race. Is it true the church says everybody who dies before 40 stays in limbo on the theory they could not, because of immaturity, be responsible for their sin? Malkes sens to me. But 29 is not totally meaningless. You start worrying about your future, aboutfamily and contributing to mankind to make the world better because you lived But the lure of the next party comes and then , what the hell, next time I will do it. But 29 can be a forhing of relationships. A time when yu hone skills in a job you love. You gotta love it not just like or need for the money. It has to be fun. Important to you. What do you hae the most fun doing, dennis wholley asks. Yeah. 29 is more of the same but blended with deeper ties, more commitment to doing well at a work that,s fin, and realization that human beinness is only 11 ywars awat Dad

Fare thee well, 28

Tomorrow is my birthday, and I'll be turning 29. 29, as in the year before 30. Despite this, I'm pretty excited. This year my birthday is on a Friday, which is nice, and as always, my birthday is a mere five days after the first day of the new year, making it easy to talk about each year and my current age in a nice, neat package. For instance, In 2000, when I was 22 for almost the entire year, I graduated college and moved to North Carolina. Pretty big year, 2000 and 22-years-old. In 2006, when I was 28, some major, if perhaps less major than graduating and starting a new life, things happened. Some were annoying and made me feel old and that my health was failing. Like when I noticed a burst capillary on the end of my nose. Or when I hurt my hip, like a grandma. Or, you know, when I became convinced I had cancer allowed myself to fall into a downward spiral of self-indulgent insanity.

Mostly, of course, a lot of great things happened in 2006. Some, good but sad, like making the decision to leave my job at The Chatham News, and some simply mind-blowingly awesome and relaxing, like spending a month in Maine with some of my best friends, my little brother and his rock band.

I think the most notable thing about this age, not just for me, but probably for many people, was all the contrast. Being willing, and able, to leave a job just because I wanted to do something crazy, but also seriously concerned about the consequences. Wanting to stay out late drinking with all my friends but being honestly angry at myself in the morning if I felt even the trace of a hangover. Starting to think very hard, and get excited, about having a family, but loving me and J's alone time as a married couple, just the two of us. Enjoying the uncertainty, not knowing where we'll move when J is done with grad school, but also wanting it set it stone so I can be ready to move on, or settle. Perfectly content that I'm in limbo, career-wise, but starting to worry that I'm getting too old to be without a definite plan.

But besides all the philosophy regarding the yearly changing of ages, I'm looking forward to 29. And 2007. It just might be the year I figure it all out. And if not, it will, by definition, be my last year as a twenty-something, and I'm pretty sure that's going to come in handy as an excuse for any number of situations.