A letter from May 7th, 2018

Dear FutureMe, Happy 30th Birthday, you wacky ***********! It's been just over 6 years since I wrote this to you. Right now, you're sitting at your desk at Tandem, whiling away the hours until the end of the day has come and you can go to Undergrounds for a cappuccino, relax for a bit, and go your *** back to your room at your mom's for a nap. Right now, you don't want to have to be at your mom's house, but it's going to save you money to travel and pay-off Penn State and your federal loans so you can get yourself back in school. You weren't so sure how Autumn and your mother would get along, but you got to see how that played out--I haven't yet. Right now, present day, May 7th, 2018, you're actually worried for the first time that you'll lose your new job. It's a risk that you decided you would take a few months ago. You dragged Autumn into it, and you're not sure if she'll ever forgive you if you fail. Should you, though, you're not sure what you'll do, but you've always got restaurants. What did you hope to accomplish by 30? -Get married -Obtain Baccalaureate degree -Be secure in a career field (writing-related, music-related, documentary/research-related, criminal justice- or human behavior-related) -Buy a newer car (within a few model years) -Buy a house -Father a child or have one on the way -See Iceland, Germany, Vietnam, the UK, Canada, road-trip the USA -Release a few albums of music -Go on at least a regional U.S. music tour -Publish a book of poetry and/or prose -Get teeth fixed nicely -Teach High School (Social Sciences and/or English/Journalism; substituting not included) What about a few dreams? -Front a touring band -Write award-winning research material -Earn Master's and/or Doctoral degree. -Play baseball professionally -Get featured in the New Yorker or highly acclaimed magazine/review -Lead a major research project -Establish and make successful a literary and arts magazine/review -Own a boat (a sleeper) So, if you're alive and have made it to 30, where are you? What have you gotten done? Stay hopeful, stay hungry for more, and keep going, no matter what. And from here on out, best of luck to you...me. Whatever. Love, 2018 You.