GenQ - For the not so straight individual

Photo of Charles Winters by Rachel Watson

Today, I embrace 30! Much to the surprise of my friends and family, it doesn't look like I will have the mental breakdown that so many people expected on my 30th birthday.

I will never forget the day that my older cousin called my sister to cry because she was turning 30 years old. I was only a teenager, and thirty seemed so old. Now that I am 30 years old, I think it seems so young (of course!)

There were two things that my family basically expected my entire life. The first was that I would move from the south to New York City, and the second was that I would errupt and possible be committed on January 26, 2007 when I turned 30 years old. Boy do I have a shock for them! I am embracing 30!

I must say, I owe a lot to my amazing friend and colleague - Anthony Lago. Anthony is our Regional Producer for GenerationQ Europe, and he has been my close friend for many years now. He has really prepared me for this. He tells me to "embrace 30!" Yesterday, he decorated my office, my kitchen, my livingroom and my front door with motivational signs encouraging me to accept the fact that I'm turning 30. Today I woke up to the sweetest birthday card telling me how great I am. For someone who has dreaded the big 3-0 as much as I have, this was the perfect way to ring in my third decade.

I have spent my entire life worrying about life as a gay man after thirty, but now I have made a decision. I have decided to live my thirties as fabulously as I can. I am going to eat right, continue to take care of myself and have botox when I can't control the wrinkles anymore. Hopefully that can wait until my 40's.

Seriously, thirty doesn't seem so bad anymore. I am learning that age is more of a mentality as GenerationQ starts to take over. I may not want to be as young as I feel, but I definitely want to feel as young and I can! The key for me has been appreciating what I have such as friends and colleagues like Anthony. I appreciate my upbeat attitude, my strong work ethic and my ability to find a way to be the person I want to be in every situation.

To the thirties: Here I come. I am ready for a whole new decade and a whole new outlook on life!

I'll leave you with something Anthony told me just before the stroke of midnight on January 25th. He broke it down for me like this: Your 20's are for learning lessons, your 30's are for making your mark and your 40's are for planning for retirement. Get ready everyone, because I have a big mark to make this decade! Don't just embrace your thirties, embrace your life.