Children Get Older...

So I turned 30 on Saturday. Birthdays, like New Years, are a natural time of reflection, so I pretty much spend every January on the philisophical tip. Real quick, a band update: Keith and I are still practicing pretty much every week. I have the $ for all the recording equipment we need and plan on making a purchase in the next 2 weeks. Then hopefully we can record over the next few months and have a record of our efforts. You all will be kept in the loop during this process.


Here's a thought I had: American generations are defined by the attitudes of their upper middle class. Poor people and rich people pretty much act the same from one gen to the next. But from decade to decade, the middle class is what changes and leaves their mark. The 50's kids were defined by their #'s (Baby Boomers), the 60's (The Hippies) by their drug use, the 70's (Disco) by their music, 80's (The Yuppies) by their ambition, the 90's (Generation X) by their lack thereof. I feel like my generation (which falls somewhere between Gen Y and whatever comes next) is defined by their unrealistic expectations of adult life. We went to college, got out, and realized that life from that point forward was nothing like we expected, in a bad way.

Advice from a dude who just turned 30, or things I would tell my 18 year old son if I had one:
-Putting yourself in the right situation is the most important factor in success. Set yourself up to succeed and the road will be much easier.
-Make good grades. Most likely, what you'll sacrifice to do so is just excess, whether it be excess laziness, partying, or work.
-Always give yourself something to look forward to.
-On women: if you find a good girl, marry her and treat her right. The older you get, the fewer there are. On the other hand, always know that the right girl is out there waiting for you to find her; don't let her down by settling with the wrong one. Never EVER get back together with a girl more than once. And don't waste time stewing over the ones that didn't work out. Move on quickly; don't ruminate.
-Learn how to save money. Debt can be crippling.
-Take risks. As much as you can, take your fear of failure out of the decision making process.
-Every time you type or upload something, go ahead and assume that everyone in the world is going to see it.
-Never ever ever be afraid to ask for help. You'll be surprised how much you can get just by asking for it.
-Give more than you take. You'll feel better that way.
-Never cheat on a girlfriend or spouse; it's just not worth it.
-Don't let positive things go unsaid. You never know how much other people appreciate it, and giving sincere compliments is an easy win win.
-Form good diet and exercise habits early.
-Don't buy a house unless you're absolutely certain you're going to be living there for at least 10 years.
-Anytime you are truly enjoying life, take a moment and let it burn into your memory so you can always know those times exist.
-Stay in touch with people from your past; the relationships you've maintained the longest are the ones that bear the most fruit.
-Try not to worry so much.

2010

Happy New Year!

I hate New Year's Eve. It never ends well for me. This year's New Year's Eve featured a 101 degree fever, an at-fault car accident (2nd one in less than a month), paying a $60 cover to get into a bar surrounded by douchebags, and being in bed by 11 pm.

I've figured out that I love to anticipate shit. So today I made a spreadsheet of what my weekends and weekdays look like for the entire calendar year. Here's the breakdown:

10 weekends will be spent in Port O'Connor.
10 weekends wlll be spent attending or revolve around watching a UT Football game.
5 weekends will be spent attending or revolve around watching a UT Basketball game.
5 weekends will be spent on Lake Austin or Lake Travis.
5 weekends will be spent as holidays (my birthday, Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's) around family (most likely in Victoria).
5 weekends will be spent working on my house.
5 weekends will be spent travelling (counting annual trip to Dallas, which doesn't count against 10 weekends of UT Football).
5 weekends will be spent attending Astros or Express baseball games.
2 weekends will be spent going back to Victoria to visit family.

I realize that it's impossible to plan out an entire year's worth of weekends like this, but I'd bet if you had a record of how last year went for me, it wouldn't look much different.

Between March and October, Mondays will be spent in my volleyball league. Thursdays (all year) are for music/band practice. By summer I expect to enroll in either an MBA program or an alternative Teacher Certification program, which will take up my Tuesday and Wednesdays.

I made a New Year's resolution to change my diet this year. I'm giving up all fried foods and sweets. It has not been easy this 1st week. I love chocolate. And Chic-Fil-A Chicken Sandwiches and Waffle Fries. But it's only been 10 days since I've implemented the restrictions and I've lost 2 lbs. I was amazed at how low most ideal weights are. I'm 5ft 9.5 in and I figured I was a good weight at 165. Not so. My range is from 125 to 170, but my ideal weight is about 150. It's amazing how once you start adding pounds, they come so quickly and unnoticeably.

I love anticipating shit. Life's more fun when you have something to look forward to.

Hope 2010 rocks y'all's socks.