My neighbour Matthew’s words keep going through my head… he told me several months ago that 28 is the year that you actually have to do the “When I was a child I spoke as a child I understood as a child I thought as a child; but when I became a man I put away childish things.” thing. Now, if I bought in to half the stuff Matt told me, I’d be spending my days drinking hot water in the sauna – but there may be some truth to it.
What age is it that we go, “oh… so this is it, I’m an adult.” I mean, I don’t feel like an adult, most the time I don’t act like an adult, I don’t really live like an adult… but what the hell is an “adult” anyway? Responsibility? A robot has more every-day responsibility than most 9 to 5ers… It’s routine, there’s no challenge… the only “responsibility” they have is to show up. Nothing to that really.
Meh.
Regardless, I can cross another year off the advent calendar of my life, and the chocolate this year was a bit more bitter than usual. Mandy getting on a train while I write this is no small part of it, but being away from the people that matter most on a day that I’m usually surrounded by them makes up a good portion too.
My feelings today are similar to my feelings when I spent Christmas in Belfast a year and a half ago, and I guess there’s little to be done about it but suck it up.
Having spent Thursday night roughly celebrating my birthday with my friends here, I’ve not got anything on the go tonight aside from hitting up a BBQ restaurant with Matthew and maybe breaking into the rye whiskey he bought me.
Oh, and if you’ve not scratched your head and asked, “what the fuc…” lately, check this out: www.republicofalberta.com/. I guess it’s really only amusing if you’re Canadian, but the next time a Chinese person brings up the Taiwan issue with me… I’ll just say, “Hey, listen… we’ve got problems of our own!”
And in case you think I’m too down about my birthday… here is something from a post for last year’s birthday (now with updates) that I just read and made me feel better about things:
So… some quick facts. Sure, I’m 28 – but what does it really mean?
A) I’m 10,220 days old
B) I’m 245,280 hours old
C) I’m 14,716,800 minutes old
D) I’m 883,008,000 seconds old (and letting more slip past doing these stupid calculations)
E) I’ve lived in 19 different houses in seven different cities (in two countries)
F) I’ve visited 10 different countries (+2 I don’t count because it was just a stop)
G) I’ve had 13 different jobs (not incl. freelance)
H) I’ve touched both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans – been to both the East and West coasts of Canada and the US.
I) I’ve gambled in Vegas, climbed the Eiffel Tower in Paris, ate haggis in Scotland, road the rollercoaster on the Santa Monica pier, stood atop the Empire State Building, partied in Daytona Beach (3 times), talked religion in Belfast, drank pints in Dublin, ate pasta in Rome, prayed to Buddha in Thailand and bought Mao souvenirs a stone’s throw away from the anti-Capitalist icon’s body.
J) I’ve been to every province in Canada, with the exception of Newfoundland.
K) I’m a paid published music, travel and general interest journalist.
L) I’ve loved.
M) I’ve hurt.
N) I’ve loved again.
O) I have a lot of friends – some whom I have the misfortune of living very far away from.
P) I can play an instrument.
Q) I can sing a tune.
R) I know how to competently play poker and blackjack – but am lost at Roulette
S) I’ve attended two post-secondary institutions.
T) I’ve seen the tunnel between the House of Commons and the Senate.
U) I’ve sat in the Prime Minister’s office and touched John A. MacDonald’s desk.
V) I regret not being more involved in high school.
W) I am proud I was more involved in college.
X) I’ve read big books, seen old movies, been to ballets, musicals, the opera and plays.
Y) I have friends and family I can depend on because they love me.
Z) I have enough contentment for happiness and enough discontentment to keep me searching.
