2024.5

Up to speed

What has this year brought me? New experiences, new habits and new hobbies?

or...

The same old same old....

Here I am, well over halfway through the year, and just over two years from my last post. I know it's cliché, but the older I get, the more time really does seem to fly. So, in the last two years there has been some changes, mostly here recently. 

I have reached the age of 40, and to be honest, it really reset me in a way I didn't expect. What I mean is, I have never really put a lot of thought into age, or more specifically, age related milestones/goals. 16, 18, 20, 25, 30... all those age milestones came and went, and I really never thought twice about them. Age is a construct invented by the Jedi.

Then 40 approached... then came and went. 

At first, four decades (14,610 days btw) hit me like any other day, but the more I thought about it, the more it... something... weighed on me. I think I am finding 40 significant because I remember my Dad turning 40. (For reference, that would have made me 9-10). Not that I compare where I am to where he was, or at least my child like thought of where he was, but I guess because now I am where he was then. What I mean to say is, 40 has felt like a transition from adolescence/young adult hood to actual adulthood. The in the moment, or "live for today" mentality that many young adults naturally have is starting to be replaced with a "what if?", "do I have enough time?, or a "what about tomorrow?", thought process. I have moved from a "what do I need to do to survive?", to a "what do I need to do for my family to survive... today... tomorrow... for future generations?" It has just been an odd process, as I didn't actively or knowingly realize this thought process was changing until it did.

Ok, enough of that.

So... what's been going on?

Changes

I'll go into detail about some of the following a little more in future posts

• Job Change - After 15 years of working on the Service Crew and almost 21 years in the Distribution & Collection Department, I have altered my career path and taken a job as a Water Plant Operator (Trainee, currently). Still with the same company, just a different department. Later this October will be 21 years at CCUA. I honestly should have made the jump years ago. I took a hard pay cut, but should break even in a few months, and be on a path to make a little more in the long run.
• Finances - I have altered the way I view money. I used to be (and still kind of am...) a bury your money in a mason jar kind of person. I have branched out into investing, and even a little bit into crypto. Nothing crazy, just an semi-idle way to increase our long term finances. The biggest change however, is the move from using debit cards to 100% credit card transactions. I refuse to spend money for free (debit) if there is an option to get cash/rewards back.
• Health - No more Red Bull. I was a pretty avid 20 oz a day Red Bull drinker. Not because I necessarily needed the "energy", but because I truly enjoyed the taste. Well, I transitioned from the regular Red Bull to a smaller size of their sugar free cans. Then I just stopped. Additionally, I have been on the regular with vitamins and supplements. I take a well rounded multivitamin, Zinc, and Ashwagandha on the daily. All from Garden of Life (your source is important.) I'm trying to get back to the gym, but no luck so far. A general awareness of what I put in my body has been worked on as well.
• Family - Not to get into too much detail, but since 2022, I have lost a Grandma and an Uncle. I have watched/felt a transition in the family line that I can't quite put to words, but may have contributed to my mental change and way of thinking mentioned previously. My boys are getting older, and starting to form there own little social worlds. We are all in good health, but the family dynamic is changing (in a growing and good way).

Well, I guess that about wraps it up for now. I think I have put all I wanted to down in writing. I plan on being more active (he said, again for the 15th time) through the end of the year, and into 2025...

So here to that! :)