Oh where, oh where did the last decade go?

So I turned 39 last Saturday. I've been meaning t0 put this post up ever since, but - and this pretty much sums up the topic of this particular post - I've just plain been too busy. You can see my space filler of a post last week if you want the details*

But, as is the way with these things, I did get a little reflective over the weekend. Not least because I read this column here, by Aussie author and all-round-nice-person Bec Sparrow, hard upon the heels of having a long conversation with Min along the lines of 'what the hell happened to my 30's?'

Because, I'll be honest, I feel as though my 20's lasted about a decade, and my 30's roughly 5 minutes.

Still, when you do some comparative analysis** I think there's a pretty clear answer as to why.

During my 20's I:
Rowed BoatsDid TriathlonsTrained for rowing and triathlons.
TaughtHad relationships which lasted no longer than 6 months.Sailed on a tall ship twice a year.(Towards the end) wrote 1 book.
And that's about it, really. Now, let's look at the intervening 9(ish) years.

During my 30's I:
Wrote a bookChanged careerMoved interstateWrote another bookMoved back interstateGot engagedWrote another book
Started a PhDWrote another bookMaintained a touring schedule which kept me away from home roughly 3 months out of every year.Wrote another bookGot marriedBought an old run down houseRenovated old run down houseFinished PhDWent to AntarcticaWrote another bookMoved interstate.Wrote another book
Bought another houseSold renovated houseWrote another bookChanged career (again)Gave up touring scheduleBecame a fatherWrote another book.So, all things considered, I'm not overly surprised that I feel as though I missed a few years there. I've been - as has been mentioned on this blog a few times - rather busy.

It's really funny, though - I can remember being a teenager and wondering what my life would be like when I was 30. It's safe to say that I was pretty much incorrect on all counts. Now I'm 39, in the third year of my current career, and working incredibly hard to build up my research and academic profile. My writing career is ticking along nicely enough, even if I'm not getting nearly the writing time I'd like. And my family - both my immediate and extended family - continues to be the absolute joy of my life.***

Which is not a bad way to have spent a decade, in my opinion.

Even if I can't remember most of it...

* Nothing's changed...
** And let's face it, I'm a literary studies academic. Comparative analysis is what it's all about.
*** On that, I also became an uncle again last weekend. Birthday. Unclehood. A good weekend...