Y'know,

[beanside]

It's kinda sad when it takes Cracked of all things to make you realize how awesome things are. Gladstone (who also wrote some other amazing articles--seriously, look him up) wrote an awesome treatise on 5 Reasons Life is Better After Thirty.

Oh yes, it so is. So, without getting too sappy here's my favorite list of things that have happened since I hit thirty.

1. I put a wedding band on nilchance's hand at the ripe age of 31.

2. At 33, I finally found out what was causing the debilitating pain and headaches that I'd been having. I still have them, but it was a relief to put a name on them, and have something to fight.

3. After fifteen years of being in the same job, three years ago, I got laid off. That doesn't wound happy, I know. At the time it wasn't. But the job had been slowly going toxic for years, and I didn't realize it until I had a good year of distance. It had crept in until everything I loved about it slipped away, and took some of the best parts of me with it.

4. No matter how often I swear that my brain is broken, and my words have slipped away, they always come back. I'll never be the woman who can write 5k words a day again. There probably will never be another Bastard Saints or even an Everything-verse. But if I'm willing to fight, I'll get things written, one word at a time.

5. After all these years, I have the best support system ever. I have people I care about who understand me and my disabilities. They understand that every plan is subject to the pain level of the day. I have friends online who live with their own illnesses, pain and depression and let me be a part of their triumphs and heartbreaks.

So yeah. I think mostly what I got out of it was that maybe, just maybe, I should embrace the person I am now instead of searching for a magic bullet that will cure me and turn back time.

Comments

[embroiderama]

*hugs* I love this list.

[without-me.livejournal.com]

What a marvelous list.

[robanybody.livejournal.com]

On occasion, Cracked writes articles that make you really appreciate the good things in life, as small or as big as they are.

This is an excellent list, bibi. The person you are now is a strong, amazing woman with a gift for words, a beautiful wife, and people that love her. I'm glad to still be a part of your life. *hugs hard*

[katzb101.livejournal.com]

That's a brilliant list. *nods*

[lapillus]

Over the past year I've hit a number of Cracked articles that I thought were actually quite good. It's rather scary. (I will say, however, that they have a rather vanilla taste in sex toys. When I own or have seriously considered buying four of their ten "odd" ones, they've gotta be tame. My tastes for me, as opposed to characters, do not go particularly wild.)

[fufaraw]

This is a good list.

[realpestilence.livejournal.com]

I know what you mean about the long-held job being toxic for you. I was laid off a job I'd had for over 6 years in September, and at first, it was devastating. But the longer I'm out of it, the happier I've realized I am. I didn't like the changes the office had gone through, or the direction they were heading; I no longer liked very many of the people who worked there, and we had a lot of nasty new patients, thanks to their ceaseless (careless!) recruiting. I don't think I would have made the change without such a drastic measure, myself. Sometimes, security can be a blinder to our own good.

It definitely helps, knowing so many people on-line who have their own variety of conditions, and aches and pains. I don't feel so bad about complaining that I HURT, DAMN IT! because I know they know, and it IS serious, and I have the RIGHT to be upset. They can't do anything about it, and I can't help them; but we can share that understanding, and the taking of it seriously together. It means something!

I'm finding that, as I grow older, I do like myself, most of the time. I don't have such ridiculously high expectations, and I'm gentler on myself over what I can do. That isn't to say I don't have deep regrets over the past, but I know what I wouldn't do again...Self-knowledge and self-acceptance is a good thing.

I'm glad you've found some self-peace,too. ~hugs

[flinchflower.livejournal.com]

I loved reading this - I just re-read some of your RPS and am a whimpering pile of contented goo - I've had hiatus for myself of something like 18 months while I battle MY own body - so thank you beanside this was awesome to read.