Goodbye 20s Part I

Yep, it's tomorrow. The day that I turn 30. I'm just not sure how I feel about that. I won't be in my 20s anymore. I won't be the envy of everyone around me because I'm no longer young and hip with wide eyes and far-out aspirations. I'm kinda, well, old. Yeah, it's a little depressing. Where has the time gone...

I think back to when I was 20 years old and try to remember what I was doing at the time. I was still in college, I know that for sure. Ah, Otterbein, with it's quaint aura and liberal ideals. How I miss thee. I miss those drawn out choir practices in the afternoons. I miss the Thursday night parties at Pi Sig. Heck, I even miss those silly Phys Ed classes we were required to take. I miss getting up early to go to class during the crisp and beautiful Fall on campus. I miss Schneiders bakery and late night Big Bear alcohol runs. I miss choir tours and going to rehearsal for a show after spending a full day in class. I miss the teachers. I miss my friends.

I remember my 21st birthday. The night I turned 21 I went out with Carl Cain. I was with him at 12am when it became official: I could drink...legally! We were at Union Station. It was just the two of us. It was pretty laid back but Carl was mighty upset that his ex boyfriend Jim wasn't there to celebrate with us. Jim wanted nothing to do with Carl anymore. Carl just hadn't moved on. Ah, the drama of a 20 something.

My friends, Jim Cooney and Miguel Ortiz, threw me a surprise birthday party the next night at Miguel's apartment over at the Continent. When I went up to his apartment it was a little obvious that something was going on due to the party streamers hanging out of the cracks of the door. I was a little disappointed in the turnout. I don't remember there being an awful lot of people there but it was fun regardless. I was emotional I'm sure, after having a few drinks I always seemed to express myself a little too much. Being 21 and depressed just seems so silly in retrospect. What did I have to be depressed about? It is, to this day, the only surprise party anyone has ever thrown me...thank God.

I graduated when I turned 22. Even though I had big dreams for the future, I was never quite sure what I wanted to do. I knew that I wanted to be very successful. I wanted to prove myself to everyone including myself. That's what I needed. I remember my parents at graduation. They were so proud. Their son was the first one in their family to actually graduate with a Bachelors degree from college. I was planning on going to Indiana University shortly thereafter to pursue my masters, but things changed. Shortly after graduation I quit my job at Bravo! to move to Carrollton, OH to be an outdoor education at FFA Camp Muskingum for 3 months. Those were some of the best months of my life. I worked like a dog for very little money, but it was well worth it.

Next my life took me to Bearcreek Farms Country Resort in Bryant, IN, a place that would inevitably consume me for a good 3 years of my life. But my first time there I was only there for 3 months. I turned 23 at Bearcreek Farms. Afterwards, I moved back to Columbus. Sadly, I watched my best friend for 18 years pass away that summer. May Pepsi rest in peace. He's in doggie heaven now I'm sure. September of that year, instead of grad school, I decided to move to NYC. That's where dreams come true. Or so I thought.

To Be Continued...