the last day of my 20s

Can't believe I have to be 30 tomorrow. What kind of a label is this?

And, how the dickens does one sum-up the most turbulent, somnabulant, dramatic, learning curvant, wrinkle-free, inconsequential, free, decade of their lives?

I've spent the last month trying to reflect on my last formative ten years. This doesn't really do it justice.

Jayzuz. I always envisioned having this long (yawn!) blog post ready for the day prior to my 30th birthday. But who needs the boredom of detail?

I'll try sum up my Twenties, and bid them adieu with a tear in my eye crow's foot, in less than 20 15 bullet points. Sound fair?

Applied wisdom
Sometimes you do have to make the same mistakes, more or less, in order to make the right decisions. In your twenties, you have the pink card to do it. Over and over again. So no, I won't be buying turquoise suede platform shoes again.

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't completely freaking out
Given I cried when I turned 19, as it meant I wasn't going to be 18 till I died, I go through the occasional hot flush of 'Fuck. FUCK. I'm going to be 30.' However, I think I have it under control.

Why?
Because I'm the happiest and most content I've been in years. I love London. I have an incredible boyfriend. I have a great job. I consider myself to be extremely lucky, but I've also worked fucking hard to get where I am now.

If I were to die tomorrow (here's hoping not), would I be happy with what's happened in my twenties?
I would be. Save the fact I haven't been to Tokyo yet. But I got my book deal at 26, and my general aim was to do this before I was 30. I've travelled a lot, loved and lost repeated times, and experienced the angst that any 20 year old has, and mostly, have learnt a fuckload.

Being 30 means I don't care about stupid things anymore apparently
Like getting into a bikini and being all self-conscious about it. Apparently I'm about to hit my sexual peak as well. Which is very nice indeed.

Grey hair and wrinkles
That's why hair dye and anti-wrinkle serum is available at Boots.

Do I need to buy a property now and start sprogging?
Is there an official 'rule book' for this? Or can I enjoy my life at my own pace and tell everyone out there who says I have to do things this way to fuck off? My life might not be the same as your average Joburg-bound 30 year old. And thank God for that. I'm as happy as a pig in it's own by-product.

During my 20s, I owned three cars
And until now, two couches, lived in seven different houses, had four minor career changes (copywriter, journalist, strategist and now public relations), written 3 personal ongoing columns (one of which is still going after 3.5 years - yeehah!), had four hair-colours, and visited around 20 new countries.

I missed the tsunami by one year
I would've been on Phi Phi island, had I gone to Thailand in 2004 as opposed to 2003.

I bought a piano by mistake
If you want all the details, you can read it in my archives----->

I marked my 20th birthday with a long-student-weekend in Sedgefield.
I marked my mid-twenties 25th birthday with a debaucherous and crazily naked Greek-styled jacuzzi party. I marked my 30th (this weekend) by going ten pin bowling, getting cocktailed and hitting the clubs in Brick Lane.
I've never been ten pin bowling before.
Which means there's still stuff to do for the first time when you're 30.

That said, I have never eaten crocodile
Or been white river rafting. On ridden a camel. Or dyed my hair blue. So realtively speaking, I'm still young. I won't skydive or bungee though.

Up till now, I have broken one bone in my body
My pinkie finger was mauled by a frentic and highly-competitive netball player when I played at school. Bitch.

I was born at 11:30pm at night
Thirty years ago I was extracted, through emergency caesarean from my mother's uterus. Sounded like she had a great time. That aside, I won't be 30 first thing tomorrow morning. Strictly speaking.

I have no debt
But that reminds me. I put 60 pounds on my card over the weekend.

Thirty is the new 20
That's what everyone's been saying anyway.