33 sure seemed old when I was 20

            And Thursday night, it felt as old as it seemed back then.  Two of my college friends and I decided to go out to dinner at new Italian wine bar/restaurant, Osteria.  The meat and cheese plate was to die for.  The wine was sublime.  The stories were hilarious.  And the entrees knocked our socks off.  After devouring everything on the table, we opted out of dessert and instead decided to head over to a new bar, The Cocktail Club, on Upper King.

            As we ascended the stairs, greeted by a handsome guy in a super-trendy vest and hat, I thought, “Wow, it’s nice to be out in a cool new place.  Especially after dark.”  That last part should have tipped me off to my oldness.  I usually don’t make it out after dark anymore.  I put the kids to bed when the sun’s still up and then retreat to my couch to read or watch mindless entertainment like Swamp People.  For the most part, being “out” is now reserved for daytime. 

            So after we secured a high-top table and took a look at the extensive cocktail menu, my friends and I started noticing something: We were definitely the oldest people in this bar.  By a lot.  Like probably by ten years.  And it was ten o’clock and people were just starting to arrive.  It really made us laugh.

            We joked about the days when we didn’t go out until at least eleven and I mused that eleven is now about an hour (sometimes an hour and half depending on how many places the boys and I went that day) past my bedtime.  We admired the girls' cute dresses and discussed who wasn’t old enough to be there.  We ordered dessert and split it three it ways.  I’m pretty sure we were the only people eating in the entire establishment.  I watched a sloppy drunk almost take a header down the stairs.  And after an hour of reliving tales of our lives together over ten years ago, we packed it in and I was at home in bed by eleven.

            In three weeks I’ll be 33 and believe me, I get it.  In the grand scheme of things, 33 is NOT old.  I’m happy with where I am and what I’ve accomplished so far and being this age is in no way terrible.  But there’s nothing like living in a college town to remind you how fast life is moving.  Thankfully, I have my friends right there with me reminding me that it’s ok and we’re facing it together.  Cheers to the next ten years.