Twenties Vs. Thirties

•In my 20s, I could spend hours looking at clothes online that I wished to own, and fantasizing how I would look in them. Now I can spend hours on Zillow, thinking how I would improve a room, and shamelessly judging people for their paint color choices.

•In my 20s I drank cheap beer. Now I am much more refined, and drink cheap wine.

•In my 20s, being healthy was not eating cake. In my 30s being healthy is still not eating cake, but also keeping stress at a minimum (which would be easier, say, with cake).

•In my 20s I cared about having a job that was good for the present. Now I care about having a job that will be good for the future.

•20s = sunburns. 30s = sunscreen.

•In my 20s I thought it was better to have lots of friends. In my 30s I have realized this is definitely one of those times where quality > quantity.

•In my 20s I was jealous of my friends' nicer cars or nicer clothes or better hair. Now I'm just jealous of their babies.

•In my 20s I imagined the Perfect Guy would have movie-star looks, be full of romantic surprises, and always say the right things. Now I know he is drop-dead adorable and will make good-looking children, that movie romance is basically bullshit, and he says the right thing when I really need him to (and it means much more).

•20s ~ "Does this moisturizer fight pimples?" 30s ~ "Does this moisturizer fight wrinkles?"

•In my 20s I could stay up until 3am and think nothing of it. Now, if I'm up at 3am it's only to pee or because the cat is being an asshole.

•In my 20s I would shower and put makeup on before even a quick trip to the grocery store. Now I'm lucky if I put a bra on, much less fresh clothes and makeup.

•In my 20s I went to several concerts and got smashed at all of them. A friend and I are going to see Lana Del Rey tonight, and will be damned if I spend $10 on a plastic cup of warm Bud Light (football and baseball games are different, the beers are cold and large and it's part of the experience). I imagine singing along is much easier also, when you can remember the words.

•In my 20s I didn't really worry about my future because I honestly couldn't picture having one. Find the perfect guy for me and have a house and a family and all of that stuff? It just wasn't meant for me and I pretty much accepted it that way. It was easier that way. No big deal. Then I met Nick. It took a while to change how I thought and to believe in it for me, and that maybe I could Have It All too. And when I lost my brother last year I made a promise that I would do my best to have that life, not only for me but for him too. Now, it's all I think about and am very much looking forward to every bit.

So at 32 (and-a-half) I may still be just starting my thirties, but for the most part so far, and with what should be to come, they're putting my twenties to shame.