25 is the new 20

whatever that means.
i turned 25 yesterday. it was an awesome day. minimal work load+trick or treating+a nice dinner from my wife=me like. i don't know why but 25 feels so much older than 24. not like i actually feel the age. just the sound of 25. 25 feels like adult. 24 felt like young adult. maybe it's because i lost my young adult discount at the gym, but my age is catching up to me. i'm very happy. this isn't a complaint. just an observation.

when i was 24, it felt normal to stay up until 3 in the morning to watch movies once in a while. now, i feel like my ulcer will explode if i'm up past midnight. when i was 24, i felt like i could drive all night to go to a concert and turn around and come back the next morning. now, that sounds like crazy talk, as i'm trying to plan trips to see MEANS on their last tour, i am getting tired just thinking about it. i realized that no matter what, i can't sleep past 9. so going to bed early is becoming increasingly valuable to me. anybody notice anything in common with those three observations? they all have to do with sleep. and every year, i have slowly cut back on the amount i've stayed up late or out all night. 25 years old feels like sleep has become more valuable. maybe it's as simple as that. i'm a cranky old coot now, so you better watch it if i miss my afternoon nap. i suppose i'm not like most 25 year olds. married with 2 kids. most of my friends think i'm nuts, except the ones in the same boat as me. i am nuts. i'm nuts about my beautiful kids. and i'm nuts about my beautiful wife. i love regina, and i'm crazy about my job. i've never been happier when i think about it. i complain too much. is it true that the older you get, the more you ponder? because i've been pondering since yesterday, and i realize i need to be happy. i have no reason not to be. in the midst of all the pain and suffering of the world, my life is fitting together beautifully. so why complain? because i'm spoiled. that's the only reason i do it. so i'm going to try and stop. if you read this, and the next time i see you, i'm complaining, slap me right across the mouth. be careful, though, because my beard is bristly. life is good. it's nice to be 25. i think part of getting older is being honest with yourself. i'll never be in the nba. i'll never beat expert on guitar hero. and i'll never win the lottery. and that's okay. i'm happy. genuinely happy. being an old fart is better than i used to make it out to be.