Twenty Nine

That's right. That's my age now. Freaking twenty nine years old. |

I don't really understand how this happened but somewhere along the way the years just piled up and I now only have one year till I'm no longer eligible for so many things. I better apply for those scholarships for people under thirty right now.

Thirty

This time next year , according to my plan as an seventeen year old with a bad case of not only acne but too much time on my hands, I should own my own business and have a certain amount save din the bank so i can go on holiday to Hawaii. wife and kids optional.


Well part of those things are true. I do have my own business and the reality is far different from what I thought it would be. My life on paper is something the president would be proud to hold up as a shining beacon. I am gainfully employed, have a master's degree and have no criminal record. I won property and help support some people that would otherwise be in lack.

I can't help but feel like I'm very fortunate. There's still way more I need to do, to give to this life. But just being alive is fantastic.

Louis C.K in one of his most profound bits talks about what you get with a basic life. Not even a particularly great life

"Think about what you get with a basic life. Not even a particularly lucky or healthy life...You get to be on earth. First of all, "Oh my God!what a location". There's earth and then for trillions of miles in every direction it sucks soooo bad. You get to be on earth and look at stuff. You get to eat. I mean when you have bacon in your mouth , it doesn't matter who is president or anything. Every time I have bacon in my mouth I think to myself, "I could die now" and I mean it. You get to fuck.That's free if you're smart. Than comes with....You get to read a mocking bird. It's pretty good.  "

But I feel less and ;less the desire to be remarkably noticed by others. The need to be famous and make it-whatever making it means. I think to be yourself and to do what it is you want to do is the best success of them all.

And for the most part. I'm right there. I'm designing my life bit by bit to make it what I want it to be.

I'm not the man I thought I would be. I am not a Christian and I'm not married to the girl I loved at the time. I don't have kids and I am not an engineer.

I've had 5 different jobs one of which included being a server at a restaurant, I was in a band, I have turned down sex on principle-This is a huge achievement for a red blooded man in his 20's, I been mentored and I have been a mentor.

This all reads like some sort of pat on the back because it is. I think it's good to do that once in a while, especially if you kick your own ass a lot for what you've failed to do and what you're not good at.

So at 3 am tomorrow. I will be 29 and I'm glad.

Not dreading it or feeling like I missed my youth. I've lived . I started living to the fullest late  in life but I'm fortunate enough to have met the most amazing people who've taught me in their own way that living is about using up all your ideas both the silly and the profound.

And more than that.


The best is yet to come.

Bring on the cake!!!

And now the obligatory list of things learnt

1. Eye brows will eventually grow back

2. Most people don't know what the hell they are talking about. They just talk loudly to sound confident.

3. Parents are human beings. They mess up too.

4. You will mess up many many things.

5. Growing older forces you to know than just being young and cute. You have to develop a personality.

6. A night in is actually quite fun.

7. There's no such thing as guilty pleasures. Like whatever the hell you like *Cues Cher-Believe-Chuuuuunnnneeee*

8. Eventually you will be handed responsibility at work. You will be afraid. Do it afraid.

9. Networking is a necessary evil.

10.Owning more than one suit should be a law.

11. When you sit down to eat or talk with someone..place your smartphone on it's face in the middle of the table. That way when you reach to check a notification or message, you will feel like a proper jerk.

12. Buy some property.

13. Know more about your car than how to use it to pull girls

14. It's okay to have Neil Young and Kendrick Lamar on the same playlist-It just requires ninja moves to make sure it works at a party

15. Define success for yourself. Not this vague shit of \I'll know it when I get there. " No set targets. You can always set new ones after achieving those

16. Time will indeed heal all wounds. It's the scars that really last forever

17. Talk to your father. Call your mother. It may be hard , but they will tell you more about yourself than anyone could.

18. Don't ever date a girl that is rude to the waiter.

19. Or a girl that waves her hands in front of her face to stop herself from crying.

20. Have people in your life of different religions, political views and even sexual orientation than yours. The temptation to rid your life of difference of opinion will ensure that you grow up to be a close minded person.

21. Do something that scares you each month. Don't worry so much: the bad things that happen to you in life are really the ones you're thinking about.

22. Travel around Uganda. Familiarity does breed contempt but people are paying thousands of dollars to see your banana republic. Why wouldn't you spend a few thousand shillings to do the same?

23. Listen to people that are older than you are. They may be completely wrong but 'their wrongness is rooted in more experience and knowledge than you have'.

24. Read philosophy. It will make your head hurt for awhile and then you'll notice a change in the way you think..for the better.

25. Do a good deed and never tell anyone about it.

26. Exercise. Sweat. Life is conspiring to make you look like a planet. A planet made of cheese and laziness.

27. <<<The age at which you will probably first realize your dreams may not come true. Or when you will say fuck that and go for it or re-adjust.

28. Stop glorifying busy. What are you busy doing? The ant is busy. So is a badger. You better have something to show for it if you're going to be a workaholic.

29. Never show your face in those pictures you send at midnight. Never