30

30?  Are you serious?

                Today is my 30th birthday. It seems impossible, but it's true. I double-checked and everything. 

                At 30 years old, I just realized that there's 1 phrase that will never get to say again: “When I grow up…” Well, actually, there are probably tons of things I’ll never say again, stuff like, “gosh, math is hard,” and, “I can eat whatever I want.” But the phrase to focus on right now is “When I grow up.”

                It’s just so odd.  When we talk about baseball players, we talk about the downside of their career after 30, and it worries me a little bit.  Joe Mauer is 11 days younger than me, and about 184 million dollars richer.   Heck I remember turning 19, starting a softball team, and joking that we could whip up on those 30 and 40 year old.  Now I am one of them.  It just seems so far ago!

                When I graduated college and started teaching at 23, I got a lot of that, you are just a kid stuff from co-workers.  I guess I never quite advanced past that "you're just a kid" mindset.  I always felt like one of the fun, younger teachers who would be more in touch with the younger crowd and make learning fun.  I really felt like I never grew up past age 25.   I mean sure I have a kid and a wife now, but I still have operated on that, I can do what I want mindset.  Today, I suddenly aged about 5 years. 

                Who knows, maybe humans are like Cherry RC cola -- that we get better with age. Ten years ago I was a person who thought he knew it all, and now I’m just kind of an idiot who is learning as he goes. By the time I’m 40, I may very well be smart.  Well, Doubtful.  I just want to age like Jamie Moyer did.

                I think the most important thing is to never let your best days get behind you. That’s called giving up.  If you go and play 2 softball games in a night, take an Advil before the game and keep playing.  I plan to live to 2076 to see the tri-centennial and there’s no reason to give up when the ride isn't even halfway over. I really like what I saw in the last baseball season of life, but I’m also pretty darn psyched about where this season is headed.

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