State of the Union
My birthday has come and gone, which means 24 is officially setting in. 24, an age I never really thought about being or thought about wanting to be or thought about where I'd be when I got there...but here I am. My line of the moment re:24 is I now have a year...make that 364 days...to accomplish every goal I have for my quarter century mark. But I'm not sure, short of international fame and being a Tony winner, what those goals might be.
Some thoughts, though, before it is too quickly forgotten on . 23, despite starting under pretty dismal circumstances (excluding the excellent 23rd birthday party and acceptance letter from NYU), turned out pretty well. It was the year of Epic Road Trip '08, certain to go down in history as one of my most shining moments. Also, I not only produced a really good version of my favorite play, I received lots of positive feedback on my acting in said play, which was a much desired first. 23 started in Michigan, and just barely ended in New York (a few hours shy of ending in Los Angeles) and encompassed Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Idaho, Washington (state), Oregon, California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania (many times over), New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Florida. I had moments of being really, really, miserable, and moments of being happy as I've ever been. There were deaths I felt acutely, but not personally, there were some hot guys (one extremely so in particular, but actually maybe a record high in attractiveness level overall), the White Sox made the playoffs, always indicative of a good year. There was reconnecting with old friends, some I hadn't seen since high school. There was reuniting (in proximity, mostly) with close friends, which generally lifted my spirits. There has been, by far, the most Broadway shows of any year, and perhaps the most theatre seen in general. There have been the addition of new friends, who likely will continue to be friends for a long time. My first semester and a half at school, which counts for something. Moving to New York City, which definitely counts for something. There was basking in much anticipated glory, in regards to my prominence as a CMT alum. The chickens coming home to roost, if you will. And, not least important at all, the election of Obama, which made 23 historic in addition to everything else - and my participation in that event was certainly life-changing. There was the absence of Circle Pines in a concrete physical way, which is a change, but the continued presence of it in my life through the people it has made a part of me who I now share a city with, and shared the beginning of 24 with quite gleefully - something that hasn't happened since 19 and which was relished with equal delight and in New York City on that night now 5 years past. The tradition of Dee Flower alive and well not only in our hearts, but also in our drunken Brooklyn evenings. I don't know what else to remember about 23, but I'm sure I'm forgetting tons, as always. And, also, as always, I am left with the question of what does it mean to get older? Because it doesn't really happen in these yearly increments, but rather in the moments when you look at who you are and realize that is different than who you were - and maybe it is at the annual mark, because that's when you stop and look.
Some thoughts, though, before it is too quickly forgotten on . 23, despite starting under pretty dismal circumstances (excluding the excellent 23rd birthday party and acceptance letter from NYU), turned out pretty well. It was the year of Epic Road Trip '08, certain to go down in history as one of my most shining moments. Also, I not only produced a really good version of my favorite play, I received lots of positive feedback on my acting in said play, which was a much desired first. 23 started in Michigan, and just barely ended in New York (a few hours shy of ending in Los Angeles) and encompassed Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Idaho, Washington (state), Oregon, California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania (many times over), New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Florida. I had moments of being really, really, miserable, and moments of being happy as I've ever been. There were deaths I felt acutely, but not personally, there were some hot guys (one extremely so in particular, but actually maybe a record high in attractiveness level overall), the White Sox made the playoffs, always indicative of a good year. There was reconnecting with old friends, some I hadn't seen since high school. There was reuniting (in proximity, mostly) with close friends, which generally lifted my spirits. There has been, by far, the most Broadway shows of any year, and perhaps the most theatre seen in general. There have been the addition of new friends, who likely will continue to be friends for a long time. My first semester and a half at school, which counts for something. Moving to New York City, which definitely counts for something. There was basking in much anticipated glory, in regards to my prominence as a CMT alum. The chickens coming home to roost, if you will. And, not least important at all, the election of Obama, which made 23 historic in addition to everything else - and my participation in that event was certainly life-changing. There was the absence of Circle Pines in a concrete physical way, which is a change, but the continued presence of it in my life through the people it has made a part of me who I now share a city with, and shared the beginning of 24 with quite gleefully - something that hasn't happened since 19 and which was relished with equal delight and in New York City on that night now 5 years past. The tradition of Dee Flower alive and well not only in our hearts, but also in our drunken Brooklyn evenings. I don't know what else to remember about 23, but I'm sure I'm forgetting tons, as always. And, also, as always, I am left with the question of what does it mean to get older? Because it doesn't really happen in these yearly increments, but rather in the moments when you look at who you are and realize that is different than who you were - and maybe it is at the annual mark, because that's when you stop and look.