September 24, 2018: The last time I posted a blog. I'd say a lot has happened since then...For instance, I turned 30 on Friday. My co-workers will tell you I spent the majority of February asking those who have already made the monumental birthday what it's like. Does it feel any different? Do you care?d Do you ever start feeling joint pain while waiting in line for coffee? The bear essentials for figuring out what it's like to turn 30 years old. Outside of work I watched the old Full House episode 'The Big Three-Oh' at least 10 times simply to find solace in the fact Danny Tanner couldn't admit to turning 30 either. One of the funniest episodes of the whole series shows Danny unable to actually mouth the word "thirty", while Uncle Jesse and Joey were very eager to help him with his loss of breath.
To celebrate this monumental coming of age, I spent the last weekend visiting my cousin in Los Angeles, my first visit to the city of lovable losers. I mean what a world it is to visit the city we beat in back to back professional championships over the previous four months. Oddly enough the people of LA didn't seem too frazzled about it. There were no billboards, no signs showing hate for one Tom Brady. If I'd been in LA for the actual playing of the Super Bowl, I'm convinced it'd be just another Sunday night. Had the Grammy's been the same night (yes I know they'd never plan it like this but you get it) it'd be laughable how much more attention be paid to music than to the LA Rams, but anyways. I hiked Malibu, I did 10 pull ups on Muscle Beach in Venice and spent my birthday dinner in Beverly Hills. Three things I never thought I'd do in my lifetime had I not made a decision four months ago that has already made me a new and better person.
February 15th is my birthday, and October 15th was the day I packed my car and made the drive across the country to my new home of Denver, CO. The last four months has seen me visit Wyoming, Florida, Utah, Ohio and California (not including those drive-through states), sat third row at a Jerry Seinfeld show, attended the homecoming game in Boulder, watched two Boston championships, saw the Bruins beat the Kings at Staples Center, skied more times than in the past three years combined, met Jordan Spieth, so on and so forth. Having given the cross-country move a chance three years ago I was hesitant to how I would receive Denver. I'm not sure what why there was such a difference to handling this type of move at 26 compared to 29, but whatever happened in San Diego in 2016 was the exact opposite of Denver in 2018. Everyone can say they've seen a lot in 30 years, and I am no different. I took a page out of the Justin Thomas playbook over the last few weeks and wrote down not necessarily a list of goals I wanted to achieve as a 30 year old, but more a list of guidelines or wishes to which I will hold myself accountable. Depending on who you are, where you are professionally or personally, maybe some of these will resonate. As follows:
-Be devoted to your work and your coworkers-Take yourself in and out of uncomfortable situations
-Be available to your family
-Be reliable
-Offer advice whenever the chance presents itself
-Enjoy being where you are
-Keep exploring
-Be opinionated
-Read and react to life-changing stories
-Celebrate moments that don't call for celebration
