XXIX

Continuing a brief tradition of naming, I am naming this post after my brand-new age. 

Damn, so now I'm just one year away from the big 3-0.  Too bad that doesn't freak me out at all.  Which is kinda surprising, considering the fact that I never thought I'd be where I'm at right now at 29.  I certainly didn't think I'd be back in D.C. yet, thought I always felt that I'd end up back here someday.  I think I assumed that by 29...never mind.  To be honest, I hadn't really assumed anything about this age.  I think I figured I'd be further along in my career, and have a more stable home life.  But otherwise, all bets were off.  Which is a good thing, because my life has been as tumultuous over the past year as it has ever been. 

A lot has happened since the last time a birthday passed.  Last year at this time, I was in the throes of a soul-crushingly fruitless job search.  I had no money, I was living at home, and I was still readjusting to being back in the United States.  This year?  Well...I am in the midst of a much less depressing job search.  I am gainfully employed, yet somehow I ended up living at home again.  I have completely recovered from my move, and I am happy in the city I'm in. 

While I was 27, I went through two traumatic events: the return to my home country, and the soul-crushing demise of what I thought would be my dream job.  I also planned and executed my 10-year high school reunion, made new friends (like Myra, Doc, Viva, Mike, Austin, Megan, Jaime, Amy, Sandro, Penelope, Zeynep, and your mom), briefly lived in Miami, hated it, re-established old ties, and went to a conference which restored my faith in my professional being.  I wandered in the wilderness for a while, adrift in a sea of self-doubt and uncertainty.  But the fog recently lifted, and I became myself again...only a bit changed somehow.

Now I am back at square...three.  I've had several interviews since May, I've been employed since the beginning of the year after 3 months off, I've taken classes in project management and HR, I had a spectacular trip to England to see Kelly (and George and Clarrie), I've had a great vacation in the outer banks...and I saw Kim, Steve, Tommy, Laura, Noah, Maya, Kate and Jared get married.  Shit, I even witnessed Farmer end up in a long-term relationship.  I don't really have much to complain about; the only thing missing is my residential independence, which will come soon enough (Lord willin') with a position in the right place. 

I've already gotten a Happy Birthday wish from Regina, whose wedding I will be standing and singing in this August.  I also have several e-mails to return and calls to make that have accumulated over the past few weeks.  I will be having dinner with my brother tonight, who I haven't seen in weeks (not this brother, obviously).  And even though my life is a lot less certain -- at least in material ways -- than I thought it would be by now, I am a lot more stable in mind, body and spirit.  Everything I went through in the past year has only made me stronger.  Which leaves only one thing to say, thanks again to Jay-Z:

I.  WILL.  NOT....oh, whatever.  You know the rest!

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