Thirty By Thirty - Mission Statement

As I approached my 29th birthday, I made a decision of how I would celebrate the last year of my twenties.

A lot of people approach their thirties in a mournful state. I should know as, in the last few years, my peers have increasingly become people approaching thirty. They think of it as the dying of their youth and the end of their best years. I take the opposite tack. I would much rather be 30 than 20. When I was 20 I had no money, had no girlfriend and didn't know who the fonk I was or who I wanted to be. Well, those three things are still true but I'm much further along the journey. I wouldn't peel back my twenties in any kind of redo because what I did and what happened made me into who I am today.

Thus I will celebrate my twenties as this great time I did, went and saw everything I could and enjoyed myself while doing, going and seeing. In much the same way we congregate together on New Years Eve to celebrate the passing of time instead of mourning it, my turning thirty will not be the dying of one era but the commencement of another. They will be the years when I find my way in the world, discover those people who will be my life companions and enjoy all of the perks of being an adult instead of being an over-inflated kid.

As a part of this year long celebration I'm going to do thirty things which I have never done before and then come back here and write about the experience. My brother calls it my "busted list" as in I have to do these things before I'm old and busted. Some of the tasks will be small and easily completed. Others will require planning and assistance. It is not my intent to have a list of thirty items and only accomplish twenty-something. There is a list which is already greater than thirty items and your suggestions are appreciated to expand upon it further. As I said, the intent is to share in this celebration both in the actual commission of the thirty things and also in writing about it in this space.

To that extent I have written the following as a declaration of purpose:

Between his 29th and 30th birthdays, Michael Herman will celebrate his transition into his third decade by completing thirty tasks he has never previously experienced and embracing the idea you can always find new experiences no matter how old you are thanks to the wonder, beauty and timeliness of Life.