Sly Bald Guys Forum
Discussions About Being Bald => General Discussion => Topic started by: BigKen on May 02, 2017, 03:31:52 PM
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To my fellow SBG Members,
I’m hitting a milestone, as I turn 30 later this month. Even though, I have a mostly positive outlook about my upcoming age, I still feel a lot of uncertainty about the 30’s in general and what to expect. I guess I’m just a little nervous.
Sometimes I wish I could turn back time or slow it down so I could accomplish or change certain things such as career goals, love life, the type of stuff people are typically expected to experience in their 20’s.
What I’d like to know from you guys is as follows: How were your thirties? Were they a lot different than your 20’s? If so, in what way(s)? What was the best thing that happened to you in your 30’s? What advice do you have for me on how to approach/live my 30’s? Any feedback is much appreciated by me; thanks fellas!
Big Ken
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Happy birthday in advance, Ken!
One of the worst things in life that we can do (in my opinion) is to play the "what if" or the "what might have been game". Unfortunately, life doesn't have a reset or rewind button, but there's always a reason for things happening in our lives whether it's good or bad.
Luckily for you, 30 is still fairly young and you can still accomplish many of the goals stated in your post. Time has taught me that one of the biggest keys to your happiness is to not compare yourself to others. Our lives are just that, our lives. There is no shame in being somewhat envious of another friend's/family member's success, as long as it doesn't become an obsession.
As far as my time in my 30's I think that the best thing to happen to me was the two trips I made to Iraq was the best thing to happen to me. It made me appreciate the things that I had at home and it made me realize that when you have it bad, someone else always has it worse. Thanks to my service, I also was able to land my current job which I celebrated my 10th anniversary there last month. When comparing my 30's to my 20's, my 30's were better on the grounds that I was able to purchase my own house, and after leaving the active Army for the National Guard I was able to find a steady job instead of working multiple low paying jobs.
My advice to you, Ken, is if there something you want to do in life, and it doesn't cause any emotional or physical harm to you or someone else, go for it...And remember, YOLO (You Only Live Once) is a good motto but be careful when you follow that motto.
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Really 30 is just a number. Nothing is going to change over night after you birthday. Maturity is a process that begins at birth and never really ends.
For me, 30's was the time when I had children. My oldest was born when I was 32. That changed things for me much more than my age.
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Thank you so much, Harry!! I really admire the time you take to thoughtfully respond to other member's concerns and questions like mine; I also appreciate the birthday greeting! You hit the nail with your quote "Our lives are just that, our lives". That pretty much sums it up. I also love your advice about going for things. I'm a big believer in "carpe diem (seize the day)", as I mentioned when I first joined this group. It's time I start practicing more of what I believe in!
Happy birthday in advance, Ken!
One of the worst things in life that we can do (in my opinion) is to play the "what if" or the "what might have been game". Unfortunately, life doesn't have a reset or rewind button, but there's always a reason for things happening in our lives whether it's good or bad.
Luckily for you, 30 is still fairly young and you can still accomplish many of the goals stated in your post. Time has taught me that one of the biggest keys to your happiness is to not compare yourself to others. Our lives are just that, our lives. There is no shame in being somewhat envious of another friend's/family member's success, as long as it doesn't become an obsession.
As far as my time in my 30's I think that the best thing to happen to me was the two trips I made to Iraq was the best thing to happen to me. It made me appreciate the things that I had at home and it made me realize that when you have it bad, someone else always has it worse. Thanks to my service, I also was able to land my current job which I celebrated my 10th anniversary there last month. When comparing my 30's to my 20's, my 30's were better on the grounds that I was able to purchase my own house, and after leaving the active Army for the National Guard I was able to find a steady job instead of working multiple low paying jobs.
My advice to you, Ken, is if there something you want to do in life, and it doesn't cause any emotional or physical harm to you or someone else, go for it...And remember, YOLO (You Only Live Once) is a good motto but be careful when you follow that motto.
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I had a blast in my 20's and had even more fun in my 30's. I actually hit the big 4-0 at the beginning of June. In my 30's I started to appreciate the things that really matter in life which made life even more fun. I worried less about what other people thought and more about what I wanted to have in life. As SlyBeard mentioned above, it's just a number, but I think your positive outlook with added maturity will bring you another happy decade and more.
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I had a blast in my 20's and had even more fun in my 30's. I actually hit the big 4-0 at the beginning of June.
I hate that you're almost 40!
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Age is just a number! It's all about attitude and frame of mind!
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Age is just a number! It's all about attitude and frame of mind!
O0
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I had a blast in my 20's and had even more fun in my 30's. I actually hit the big 4-0 at the beginning of June.
I hate that you're almost 40!
LOL!
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Thirty is still very young. As others have mentioned, you still have time to do plenty of things you wished you would have done sooner. I remember my thirties well, because I used to be morbidly obese (260 plus pounds) and lost 115 pounds in the span of seven months. At 34 my hair had completely thinned out and two years later I spent the next 15 years going to Hair Club as I helplessly drowned in the sea of hair loss denial. I am now in my fifties and having the time of my life. No, I'm not having a midlife crisis, because crisis implies conflict. I'm having a midlife clarity. I'm enjoying my 50s more than my 30s or even my 40s. My point is not to worry about turning thirty. Make choices that you feel good about and at the end of the day your age is irrelevant. Enjoy, endure, and embrace your life!
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I had a blast in my 20's and had even more fun in my 30's. I actually hit the big 4-0 at the beginning of June. In my 30's I started to appreciate the things that really matter in life which made life even more fun. I worried less about what other people thought and more about what I wanted to have in life. As SlyBeard mentioned above, it's just a number, but I think your positive outlook with added maturity will bring you another happy decade and more.
Good words of encouragement & wisdom from the King of SBG, thank you Ty!! That's great you are also hitting a milestone very soon! How do you feel about turning 40?
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Thirty is still very young. As others have mentioned, you still have time to do plenty of things you wished you would have done sooner. I remember my thirties well, because I used to be morbidly obese (260 plus pounds) and lost 115 pounds in the span of seven months. At 34 my hair had completely thinned out and two years later I spent the next 15 years going to Hair Club as I helplessly drowned in the sea of hair loss denial. I am now in my fifties and having the time of my life. No, I'm not having a midlife crisis, because crisis implies conflict. I'm having a midlife clarity. I'm enjoying my 50s more than my 30s or even my 40s. My point is not to worry about turning thirty. Make choices that you feel good about and at the end of the day your age is irrelevant. Enjoy, endure, and embrace your life!
Well you definitely don't look like you are in your 50's, Lew! Living a happy and honest life must be some of the reasons you have aged well. "Enjoy, endure, and embrace your life!", I love it! I appreciate the words of wisdom!
Oh yeah, how did you loose 115 pounds in seven months?? That's amazing!
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I enjoy life. Turning 60 was fun, too! now I get reduced prices at many places!
I got married in my 30's
Fathered three girls.
Moved to a new city, same job.
Discovered what 'seasonal affective order' is/was and that explained why I feel crappy in the winters when the light is low.
Still full of energy for whatever life throws at me in my 30's.
I'm a bit slower in my 60's but I enjoy that too. I don't have to be fast and do everything. Time to enjoy life and choose the best activities.
May is a good month to be born in (not that you have much choice). I move up a year in a few weeks. Not quite 65 yet.
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This thread really made me think. I’ve had a quiet life, so my 20’s to 30’s to 40’s all look pretty constant. I’ve been fortunate enough to have the same job since after college. And due to my combination of low self-esteem and obesity, I’ve never dated, so a spouse and children were never in the cards for me. I’m in my mid-40’s (or extremely late 30’s, as I like to say) and what have I done?
But then again, I’ve traveled across the US and to a bunch of different countries, worked weekends at a radio station for a few years, had a play I wrote produced… so it hasn’t all been one big blur. It’s how you look at it; instead of regretting not having something or having done something, look at what you have or have done.
So the first advice I’d give is that time is an illusion. We are living in one big NOW, so don’t “wait for the right time” to do something. Make like Nike and “just do it.” Unless health issues prevent it, it’s never too late to try a new experience or walk a new path.
Which leads to a warning: with age, you do slow down. Aches and pain crop up, you don’t bounce back from injuries as fast, you get exhausted. I thought I’d never give up volunteering backstage at my local theatre, but the grind of six shows a year, three weekend each show… I cut back to just ushering for a few seasons, and then, after about 25 years, gave it up altogether. And as much as I loved it, never for a moment regretted leaving it. You don’t get too old, but you do get too tired.
Oh, and another thing you notice: everyone starts dying. First my brother, then ten years later my mother, and another ten years later (just a few weeks ago) my father. I’ve no family left, which is something I never really anticipated, though it would seem obvious as the youngest I would be the last man standing.
And it’s harder to make friends, because by your 30’s, most people are starting families and have no time for new friends. In fact, they start weeding away old friends who just aren’t that close. I’ve never had any friends, due to my social anxiety. I belonged to a bunch of clubs, volunteered all over, yet didn’t know how to talk to people. So I saw a therapist, worked on exercises to “put myself out there” more, and discovered that most people my age or older are at a different place in life, and most people younger are from a different world. (Cell phones? Social media? I want nothing to do with any of that!) So I still can’t connect with people.
Anyway, maybe I’m the least qualified to voice an opinion, since I’ve always been intellectually older and emotionally younger than my chronologic age, but thanks for letting me babble.
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StillLurking, we all have our own experiences and thank you for sharing yours! By being open and sharing your experiences it will help others connect with you and could lead to friendships.
What kind of radio station did you work for?
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Thirty is still very young. As others have mentioned, you still have time to do plenty of things you wished you would have done sooner. I remember my thirties well, because I used to be morbidly obese (260 plus pounds) and lost 115 pounds in the span of seven months. At 34 my hair had completely thinned out and two years later I spent the next 15 years going to Hair Club as I helplessly drowned in the sea of hair loss denial. I am now in my fifties and having the time of my life. No, I'm not having a midlife crisis, because crisis implies conflict. I'm having a midlife clarity. I'm enjoying my 50s more than my 30s or even my 40s. My point is not to worry about turning thirty. Make choices that you feel good about and at the end of the day your age is irrelevant. Enjoy, endure, and embrace your life!
Well you definitely don't look like you are in your 50's, Lew! Living a happy and honest life must be some of the reasons you have aged well. "Enjoy, endure, and embrace your life!", I love it! I appreciate the words of wisdom!
Oh yeah, how did you loose 115 pounds in seven months?? That's amazing!
You are my new best friend. Thank you. You know you made my day when you said that I don't look like I'm in my 50s; it has been a great decade for me so far.
I lost 115 pounds by eating roughly 500 calories a day and exercising between 3.5 to 4 hours daily as well. I wouldn't recommend it, but I've kept most of my weight off for 18 years!
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Thirty is still very young. As others have mentioned, you still have time to do plenty of things you wished you would have done sooner. I remember my thirties well, because I used to be morbidly obese (260 plus pounds) and lost 115 pounds in the span of seven months. At 34 my hair had completely thinned out and two years later I spent the next 15 years going to Hair Club as I helplessly drowned in the sea of hair loss denial. I am now in my fifties and having the time of my life. No, I'm not having a midlife crisis, because crisis implies conflict. I'm having a midlife clarity. I'm enjoying my 50s more than my 30s or even my 40s. My point is not to worry about turning thirty. Make choices that you feel good about and at the end of the day your age is irrelevant. Enjoy, endure, and embrace your life!
Well you definitely don't look like you are in your 50's, Lew! Living a happy and honest life must be some of the reasons you have aged well. "Enjoy, endure, and embrace your life!", I love it! I appreciate the words of wisdom!
Oh yeah, how did you loose 115 pounds in seven months?? That's amazing!
You are my new best friend. Thank you. You know you made my day when you said that I don't look like I'm in my 50s; it has been a great decade for me so far.
I lost 115 pounds by eating roughly 500 calories a day and exercising between 3.5 to 4 hours daily as well. I wouldn't recommend it, but I've kept most of my weight off for 18 years!
Of course man, just stating the truth. I'm sure you're also a great guy. I'm glad you're enjoying your 50's. The 50's is still young anyways and leaves a lot of time to live life.
Regarding your weight loss routine, you're a beast! O0
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StillLurking, we all have our own experiences and thank you for sharing yours! By being open and sharing your experiences it will help others connect with you and could lead to friendships.
What kind of radio station did you work for?
Thank you for asking! I don't want to hi-jack this thread, but there is an (I hope interesting) story behind that:
I worked as an engineer for an old-time radio show on WNIB 97.1 FM. The call letters stood for “Northern Illinois Broadcasting,” but we fans say it means “We Need It Back.”
It was a classical music station built, owned, and operated from 1955 to 2001 by Bill and Sonia Florian, who were cool to work for. (Mr. Florian had a huge beard and rode a BMW motorcycle - not the type you’d associate with classical music.) They loved animals, and there were a few dogs and a bunch of cats that wandered around the station. Occasionally you’d hear a meow or bark in the background over the air as the announcer spoke!
Anyway, they also played a few nostalgia shows, including “Those Were the Days,” four hours of old radio drama and comedy hosted by Chuck Schaden (another great guy to work for) every weekend. I met him while interning at the Museum of Broadcast Communications archives, which is where his show was broadcast from, live in an open studio where all were welcome to visit and watch. I started by answering phones and taking merchandise orders, then learned the board to be a substitute engineer. When his old engineer left for college, I was offered the job. I was there from 1996 to 2002.
Eventually, the Florians retired and sold the station to Bonneville Broadcasting, and of course the new owners out in Utah knew what Chicago wanted better than us who live here, so they immediately changed the format to “classic rock” and the call letters to WDRV, the Drive (said in low, growly voice, like you’re imitating Batman). “Those Were the Days” and I moved to WDCB, the College of DuPage radio station. The new station was too far, so I had to bow out after about a year. But it was so much fun while it lasted!
I promise I won’t always be this long-winded. But I thought it was a good story, so I told the whole thing. Thank you for your patience.
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What we all need is another all rock station. I found your story interesting, liked the bit about hearing the animals.
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What we all need is another all rock station. I found your story interesting, liked the bit about hearing the animals.
Thank you!