Today is my birthday. I turned 30 today. It's weird. Whenever you gain a year to your life it never feels that way until several days afterward. I was going type a little speech long before this day but I got lazy about. I'll do one now I guess.

Yesterday was my last day of being in the 20's, although late 29 is sort of merged with 30. It's been a long decade. I've done a lot, seen a lot, and experienced a lot. I have to say that to me being in your twenties is the "fun" decade in your life. Or your wild time. Yes, people (my self included) may still do all the things they did in their twenties when they hit 30 and may still live that same lifestyle, but for the rest that time is when you when you should do all sorts of things- parties, drinking (if that's your thing), clubbing staying up until 8 in the morning playing games, have posters of hot women (or men) on your wall, you experiment with stuff (not necessarily drugs and alcohol. At least for your early twenties. The other half of your twenties may be a bit more mature and sophisticated, getting your life together for the future, but you're still having fun with different women/men. You gotta have fun. I like to view the 30's decade as a time when one settles down. When you get married and start a family. In way that pretty much ends the previous lifestyle, but you're moving on to something more important. It's a completely different time in your life.

When I look back, I start to remember all the things I did. I was always a late bloomer. I didn't really get into my current social life meeting all sorts of people and doing things until I hit 25. Before that, I didn't even really know that many girls. Only a select few and over the course of years. It was pretty dull, in a way. I still had my fun though. During that time I went to house parties/social gatherings and such (started going at 19) but it was usually at places where I didn't know people that well. I played football every Saturday in the beginning of the 2000's with a group of people that went to the same high school with me and two of my best friends and I went to a bunch of parties at their places, so I at least knew all of them. Man, I dig further back in my memories and start remembering what parties and such I've been too and the different places. Some of seems like it happened only a short time ago when it happened about 9 years ago. I never talked a whole lot (well, when I didn't have anything in me ) so I sat around, listened to people's convos and play whatever games were going on. I'm out of that phase now and am more sociable. And I like that. Ever since I went to Active Army 3 years ago I've met more people in 6 months than I've met in 6 years and did and went to way more things and places with them.

I can sort of break down this past decade into different time periods and the certain people with whom I hung out with. Almost like chapters. Maybe that's what it will be like in these next 10 years. My main theme for my life is "experience". I want to experience a lot. I want to do a lot. I love to create memories, good ones. I don't do it because of the whole, "...you never know when you'll die", thing and I don't really do it much because of the, "you live only once" motto. I do it because I like to look back on it. To be able to play the memories in my head over and over. I like to have stories that I can tell people, so I can share and interest them with. Sometimes even brag a little about them. It feels good to have done something, especially when nobody else has done it. Like skydiving. I went about a month before I came here to Afghanistan. I think I've read only one other post here from an active member who's said he went skydiving as well. It was a very strange and at the same time euphoric experience. Who here can say they rode in a Blackhawk helicopter with 5 blindfolded terrorists/insurgents sitting directly across from them on Thanksgiving? Or being at Ft. Hood when the massacre took place? I've done that and been there, and now I have those interesting memories that I very few others have. It almost makes me feel special in way. Unique. Even if you already have a family in your 20's or you've done something completely stupid at least you did. You did SOMETHING in your life. Some of the videos I see on Break.com with people doing insane things like trying to pole vault over a pool of angry piranhas only experience an epic fail? Hey, at least you can say you did it (although I don't think I would try that out). So now what do the next ten years have in store? What will my lifestyle be like? I would love to get married and start my own family, but we'll see if my social skills have gotten better enough to charm a good woman.

So as a message to everyone here, Live your life. And unless it's a felony, don't regret it.

Woah... now THAT is a speech. You are a very good writer. It's obvious you mean every word in that, as it all seems true to what you believe. There is a very good message embodied in that.

Well, I'm glad that you're looking at getting older as something POSTITIVE... usually people start to freak out. But you're right: now that you're getting to that time, there are different things that will usher in. It's all supposed to work out. I wish you good luck, and I hope this decade will be your best yet.

Congratulations happy birthday man you should be proud of yourself you live a good and interesting life you have the right attitude about it all as well i'm sure you will find the right girl you have a good head on your shoulders

Happy birthday Cyro! Nice post, and have a great day!

Wow, your 30
That speech of yours was Excellent Btw, you should become a writer or something.

Happy Birthday
I hope your wish for the future to come true

happy birthday anyways alot of people besides my mom say that years between 30 and 39 are great and the 40's are better well happy birthday once again

This is belated, but I'm still wishing you a happy birthday. That was a nice speech of a post.

Thank you all. It's never to later to wish someone a happy birthday. I would also like to add that you don't want to get stuck with one thing for most of your life. By that I mean doing the same thing. Like games for example. When you reach a certain age are you still going to be sitting at home playing games for hours on end? Doing that is fine once in a while. Hell, I've sat and gamed for 12 hours straight on more than one occasion, but it isn't something I want know my life as.

I've been in the Army with a total service time of 13 years. 13 (Yes, 10 of it was Army Reserves). 4 more years and I'll have been in for exactly half my life. That's a hell of a long time to be in the Army. And I'm a little tired of it. I'm bored of having formations, tired of having to wake up at 5-5:30 am every weekday to do sometimes intense exercise. I'm annoyed at all the yelling about stupid s*** that went wrong. I barely remember a life of having freedom from all that. I don't know. Maybe it's just active army I'm tired of. A lot of the s*** I've gone through in my last unit was really ridiculous. I've thought about getting out for quite sometime. I've met a hell of a lot or people and had some good times, bu I need to move on. If any of you have been "stuck" in a phase you might also want to have a change in your life soon as well, trying something new for a while. Don't live a life you'll wish you hadn't when you get older.

Happy Birthday! That post was really good. I read every word. You've done some awesome things! I envy that

Happy birthday! Sorry I didn't post here earlier. I've been away from this forum for a little while and as a result did not see this!

*Claps* That was an epic speech, Cyro. Happy belated birthday!

I kinda know what you mean about being stuck in a phase. I kinda felt that way back in California, hopefully the move will jump-start something new.