Thoughts on turning 30

Today is my birthday, faithful readers, and this year I turned 30. A few songs on the radio seemed appropriate -- John Lennon singing "I'm just sitting here watching the wheels go round and round," and Toby Keith observing, "I'm not as good as I once was, but I'm as good once as I ever was."

Some people see three decades as the confirmation of adulthood. Sixties-era protesters wouldn't trust anyone over 30, and twenty-first-century twentysomethings angst over leaving behind the Never-Never Land of their youth. There are even books of wisdom from people who've already passed the triple-decade milestone, stuffed with advice for those observing their 30th birthday.

My advice? Remember that there are plenty of reasons for 30-year-olds, including this one, to feel both old and young. After all, I'm still not old enough to be president. And as for any adulthood angst? Thanks to my Bar Mitzvah in 1991, I joined the ranks of adulthood long ago. Summing up my feelings on this day, I'll go with another country song I heard on the radio, this one from Jo Dee Messina: "I guess I'm doin' alright."