On Turning the Big 3-0
Over spring break I turned 30. The big 3-0. It's not at all what I expected when I was looking forward from age 18, 21, or 25. It's a lot better. Some thoughts and realizations: Drop the notion that you're going to be the best 'this, that, or the other' and just be who you are. It's taken me a long time to let go of the fact that I'm never going to have some kind of worldwide success. I've always struggled with the knowledge that I'm generally "just good" at a whole lot of stuff instead of someone who is "the best" at something. Over time I've learned to appreciate that being well rounded and generally knowledgeable is actually pretty cool. It means that when a student wants to talk about John Adams the 2nd president and/or John Adams the modern composer I'm ready to go either way. And it means that I can plan a vacation, play an instrument, bake banana bread, go for a run, teach my classes, and spend time