From the Trenches: Embrace Being 30

An interview with MFK - a former wild child turned domesticated 30-something.

Were you nervous about turning 30?

Actually, no. I was looking forward to it, to be honest. I felt that turning 30 meant people were now going to start taking me seriously in the work place. It just felt like a pretty cool right of passage. Turning 30 - it's huge!

But what about getting older? Were you scared about that?

What's an age? People tell me I look like I'm in my 20s all the time. I'm more afraid of 40, that's what scares me. But 30 is the new 20.

When you turned 30, did anything change?
I made it into a bigger deal than I needed it to be and spent my 30th in Miami. Until I hit 32 (wait, am I really 32?) it wasn't until then that I settled down a little bit.

What's better now that you're in your 30s?

I am wiser. I think I've had a lot of work experience, life experience. I've met all sorts of people. I'm definitely more settled and I"m more confident. I'm definitely in better shape at 30 then I was at 28. It's all mind over matter - it's all about how young you feel. My grandmother always told me, age does not matter; and that woman rocked it in her 70s... rocked it for a long while.

Is there anything you miss about being in your 20s?

I would say, to be brave, to take chances and risks because you are only going to be your 20something self for so long. I used to think I was too old to conquer something, but it's not true. You're never too old - and I'm sure I'll tell my 30something self the same thing when I'm 40something.

Any parting words for those of us turning 30?

Embrace it. You never know where you're going to be in a couple of years.

About MFK

Married: YES! (A newlywed of 2.5 months married to a hot 20something)

Music Lover: YES! (all-time fave band: The Beatles)

Sailor: YES! (just recently found her sea legs)

Home owner: ALMOST! (fingers crossed)

Living on the Dr. Seuss Farm

Cankles.

Muffin Top.

Bunions.

Crow's Feet.

Spider Veins.

It sounds like a I live on a Dr. Seuss farm.

Lately I feel like I've been inundated with stories about how to cure the above ailments.

The other day, as I daydreamed about a Baked & Wired cupcake and stared angrily at my boring lunch (Campbell's soup - again), the Today Show had a segment about "cankle lipo!"

On the plane last week, Self magazine informed me about how to rev up my metabolism. Turns out, you have nothing to worry about in your 20s, but once you hit 30 you better be hitting the gym. Hard. And counting calories. Often.

Good thing that Self magazine also had an article on the best way to pose in a picture to hide those pesky flaws. I studied that story and the accompanying image for about five minutes.

Because if I can't flaunt it, I better know how to fake it for the camera.

Guess who is turning 30?

Nary a wrinkle, and still eating like he's 21 years old, Pacman is celebrating his 30th birthday next year. In his honor, they've already created a zippo lighter and I'm sure we'll see a major PR blitz surrounding his foray into his third decade.

People - have you started planning for my big 3-0?? You've got a little less than two years to figure it out. I suggest you get started, lest I'm outshone by a yellow arcade icon.

Ticking Time Bomb

My mom has consistently told me, as I have gotten older, that the only children she really liked when we were growing up were her own. So you can imagine, with this warm, fuzzy influence, that I am far from what you would call a "baby person." Or a "kid person." I'm definitely more of a dog person. In fact, I already know what I'm going to name my first dog.

But lately I've been noticing that instead of cringing when I see babies, I actually (gasp!) smile. On the metro, I find myself staring at the (quiet) toddlers and stroller-bound bundles of joy and waving my hand at them. Instead of pushing myself closer to the window to steer clear of their germiness, I'm finding myself inching closer and trying to make them smile.

WHAT IS GOING ON?!?!

Trust me, I am nowhere near wanting kids. Friends who are pregnant have to suffer through my incredulous looks and (I'm sure inane) 20 questions. They are foreign creatures that I cannot relate to. I am so happy for them, and grateful that it is not yet me dealing with morning sickness and swollen ankles and the scariness of childbirth.

But I can feel my biological clock very slowly, ever quietly, gearing up toward movement. Maybe when I turn 30? I'm not sure when it is going to dentonate, but I know it's not yet. In fact, even thinking about possibly being pregnant is enough to make me reach hastily for my birth control pills.

In fact, writing this has freaked me out thoroughly. Which is actually sort of reassuring. I STILL don't want babies and my clock has not been activated. Thank god!

Until the ticking time bomb that is my biological clock goes off, I'll happily stare at these little creatures from a distance and "ohh" and "ahh" over my friends' beautiful children.

And do the "no baby dance" every month with glee and joy.