Life Begins at 30
One of my new colleagues turns the big 3 0 at the weekend and is viewing the experience with some trepidation. This may have had something to do with the fact that her flatmate told her that the best time of her life had been that from 20 – 30 and after that it had gone downhill rapidly. To be fair there are a number of downsides that I have encountered since hitting 30 which I shall painfully relate:-
1. You develop an unhealthy obsession with “what the weather’s going to do tomorrow” and buy a sensible raincoat.
2. You dash home in time to see “Location Location Location” and know that your home must be “decorated in soft neutrals.”
3. You turn up to a nightclub only to have the bouncer ask you respectfully whose mum you are.
4. Your hairdresser has stopped asking you if you are “going anywhere nice tonight”.
5. All your friends are getting married and you haven’t met any single men of your own age for at least 10 years.
6. Your friends have stopped asking you if you are seeing anyone.
7. You meet your mum whilst admiring that lovely cable knit cardy in Marks and Spencers.
8. You realise that the 1980’s only seem like a few years ago.
9. You have colleagues who weren’t even born in the 1980’s.
10. And the worst? You find yourself quite enjoying that nice chap Terry Wogan on R2 of a morning.
I think that I convinced her however that things actually do get better after the age of 30. Actually hitting 30 itself was a bit painful for me but here’s why the subsequent years have been more than kind:-
1. Being cool and fashionable no longer matters and in fact it is quite acceptable to be a little eccentric.
2. You can economise by borrowing your mum’s clothes and shoes without fear of embarrassment or ridicule from your peers who are by now doing the same thing.
3. You now have friends who are older than you, thereby passing the important age milestones before you, making the process less painful when you reach them. (Thanks here must go particularly to R. and J.)
4. You start to mentally prepare for and look forward to the challenges of the mid life crisis.
5. You can criticise younger people for their taste in music and clothes sense and in fact it now becomes a new fun hobby.
6. Your boss doesn’t laugh when you mention that great new idea you have had. OK he also doesn’t take it much further but there is a sense of progress no matter how small.
7. You get to experiment with hair dye as a “gradual lightening” of your hair takes place.
8. Your auntie stops asking you what you are going to be when you grow up despite the fact that neither of you know yourselves yet.
9. When you buy far too many sweeties and the shop assistant gives you a funny look you can say “it’s for the kids”.
10. You can indulge in a relaxing snooze after lunch without anyone thinking anything untoward
See it’s not so bad it it? Now...... Roll on 40. (Gulp)
1. You develop an unhealthy obsession with “what the weather’s going to do tomorrow” and buy a sensible raincoat.
2. You dash home in time to see “Location Location Location” and know that your home must be “decorated in soft neutrals.”
3. You turn up to a nightclub only to have the bouncer ask you respectfully whose mum you are.
4. Your hairdresser has stopped asking you if you are “going anywhere nice tonight”.
5. All your friends are getting married and you haven’t met any single men of your own age for at least 10 years.
6. Your friends have stopped asking you if you are seeing anyone.
7. You meet your mum whilst admiring that lovely cable knit cardy in Marks and Spencers.
8. You realise that the 1980’s only seem like a few years ago.
9. You have colleagues who weren’t even born in the 1980’s.
10. And the worst? You find yourself quite enjoying that nice chap Terry Wogan on R2 of a morning.
I think that I convinced her however that things actually do get better after the age of 30. Actually hitting 30 itself was a bit painful for me but here’s why the subsequent years have been more than kind:-
1. Being cool and fashionable no longer matters and in fact it is quite acceptable to be a little eccentric.
2. You can economise by borrowing your mum’s clothes and shoes without fear of embarrassment or ridicule from your peers who are by now doing the same thing.
3. You now have friends who are older than you, thereby passing the important age milestones before you, making the process less painful when you reach them. (Thanks here must go particularly to R. and J.)
4. You start to mentally prepare for and look forward to the challenges of the mid life crisis.
5. You can criticise younger people for their taste in music and clothes sense and in fact it now becomes a new fun hobby.
6. Your boss doesn’t laugh when you mention that great new idea you have had. OK he also doesn’t take it much further but there is a sense of progress no matter how small.
7. You get to experiment with hair dye as a “gradual lightening” of your hair takes place.
8. Your auntie stops asking you what you are going to be when you grow up despite the fact that neither of you know yourselves yet.
9. When you buy far too many sweeties and the shop assistant gives you a funny look you can say “it’s for the kids”.
10. You can indulge in a relaxing snooze after lunch without anyone thinking anything untoward
See it’s not so bad it it? Now...... Roll on 40. (Gulp)
