This Sunday the 25th I say goodbye to my 20's. Most of the friends I know who have been hitting the same milestone have been bummed about their impending decade shift. Not me. I'm strangely looking forward to it, and though really just a number (R.I.P Aaliyah/Baby Girl), it's been a chance to take a look back to see what it was I did with my time...if anything.Hmmmm...the obvious things that jump out at me are the adventures in music and art that I've been lucky enough to have. Laymans Terms took me from age 13 to age 24, so quarter-life crisis set in early with the former ending. That was a big milestone and a delayed partial end of youth. I took a break from music but was fortunate enough to get back into it with encouragement from family/friends. To them I am grateful. I had wonderful opportunities to travel that I never had dreamed of...many parts of Canada, Arkansas, Mexico, New York. Maybe not life-changing to others, but I didn't think such travels would come my way, many of which have been a result of my work in the past year with Kirby Krackle. I had great family and friends who exposed me early in my 20's to the power of positive thought, meditation, and manifestation which I know created opportunities that otherwise I wouldn't have had. I learned empathy. I never earned a college degree but like to think I have an A.A. in Rock n Roll...and bullshitting. I made nine albums in my 20's, some of which may not stand the test of time but all of which have led me to make the next one better, and the next better after that. I learned what it was to love an animal more than you ever thought you could. I learned to cook. I was married.
Maybe more important than what I feel I "did", was what I thought I knew 10 years ago...and really that wasn't much of anything; certainly much less that I thought I did. If Doc Brown flew up to me today and said I had the chance to help my 20 year-old self out, I would like to think I would say the following...Well, first I'd say, "That is a dope Dolorean!", but then I hope the following non-sagey advice would spill out......The one time you don't take a 2nd guitar to a show is the one time you'll break a string and be screwed. EVERY TIME. I know it's a pain...JUST DO IT...
...DO NOT sell your action figures from the 80's. The cycle will return...
...It is better to go big and fail than do nothing at all...
...learn how to shut your mouth...
...learn how to open it...
...Take more poop bags on the walk than you think you'll need...
...It's never wrong to try to develop super-powers, but maybe take a break when your nose starts to bleed, and neighbors start to stare...
...Musicians are crazy, but then so are you. Embrace the craziness of others, just know when to tell it and them to leave...
...Work hard and love hard, even if the end result is unknown...
...Keep wearing your retainer...retainers are sexy...
...Just because you see the best potential in people doesn't mean it will ever come out. Don't take it personally...
...DON'T TAKE IT PERSONALLY!
...If your gut is telling you something, you better learn to pay attention. Equally related, you may want to stop eating red meat...
...Don't pick at it...
...there is no end to any kind of relationship. It just changes but nothing ever ends...
...Who cares if you can't solo all that well? People want songs they can relate to and hum, not shreddy 32-second notes...
...If she has an Adam's apple...(just kidding)...
...Spend more time with your grandparents. What homemade cookies and canned peaches seem like normal now will one day be more prized than you could ever imagine...
...Trust yourself more...
...make sure your amp is grounded. Bzzz. OW....
...You probably wont listen to me...that's fine. Have fun...DUMBASS.
Thankful to be here,
KS
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2 comments:
Great post! The big 30 came last month for me and I felt...optimistic.
Happy Birthday!
Nice one, Kyle. We need to celebrate with a screening of Free Enterprise, the ultimate geeks-turning-30 film.
Just say when. :)
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