grown-up

So I've talked in the past about how shitty high school and, more generally, my childhood was for me. Luckily things changed as soon as I started college (university if you speak Canadian). I have to say my early twenties were pretty fun. I hung out mostly with two guys, J and A, who are still my best friends to this day. I mostly hung out with them separately because I went to different types of parties with each of them, but now they live a few blocks apart and we all hang out a lot even though they're up in Vancouver. So today we were lamenting how bad it sucks to be grown up and all the responsibilities we have tying us down now. And I thought about how much our conversations have changed.

Back then a conversation with A on a Friday would have gone like this (on the phone of course because even ICQ wasn't out yet):

A: hey skip your last class and come down to UBC. Science department is having a beer garden. beer tickets are only a buck fifty
me: awesome
A: after they run out of beer we can get some free pizza at pi r squared from my friends, then we can hit the Pit Pub or Gallery
me: ok. I have a blanket to lay out on the field to sober up after. I'll page you [hehehe] when I get there
A: hurry up, I'm going to start drinking now

And a conversation with J.

J: hey which rave you wanna go to tonight? do you want to go to the free outdoor one in Chilliwack or you wanna try and sneak into that one that might be in Surrey?
me: let's try jumping the fence at the one in Surrey and then hit the after party in the morning by the terminal street train station
J: good call, let's go down to Madison's for a bit first though

12 years later and our conversations sound more like this

me: hey how is your wife's second trimester going?
A: awesome, it's bringing out the best in her. We got the ultrasound back and it's a boy!
me: congrats!
me: did you guys find a good rocking chair for her yet?
A: no we're going to spend the weekend shopping for one

and with J:

me: so did you do your test for life and disability insurance yet?
J: not not yet. how's school?
me: fucking sucks right now. no time to do anything
J: yeah me too. I had so much work I wasn't getting enough sleep and then I got sick.

Man, 30s suck. I want to be 20 again. Those of you in your 20s, enjoy them, travel, do crazy shit, be irresponsible, be impulsive, go out all night. Don't act like a grown up and have board game nights and shit like that. You've got the rest of your life to be lame.

You don't get to be in your 20s ever again. Too old to get grounded, old enough to have a job and some money to spend, too young to be expected to be responsible.