A Month till 30.

I am trained as an Engineer, and I suppose we thrive on solutions (after all we are the problem solvers). Think of this as a problem.

If time is just an artificial structure like a state line or a country line; a means to quantify the length of our existence, or the passing of day. Age would be just a number on a ruler. Why does the number matter so much to us?

I'm turning 30 in a month's time. I have heard my share of nightmarish stories concerning the next decade of life. I've read this crazy article of why women depreciate so much after they've passed the 30 mark. Apparently, if you are alone (single/divorced/widowed), when you have come pass that mark, suddenly the men who you would usually date (say slightly older than you or the same age), would rather date anyone who is in their 20s rather than you. In short, our market shrinks and for men, it just keeps increasing. Unfair you might say, but to most, it is true.

I, on the other hand, think of turning 30 as a new volume in life. Whether you might be single, newly married, a new mum or re-singled, there is so much to look forward to. I have always seen myself in my 30s as a strong, self-confident and independent individual. Now that I am about to be 30, am I there yet? Maybe, maybe not.

There is just so much to learn about yourself, to further develop your career or to challenge yourself. This decade, I intend to read more economic articles (hated them for the longest time), set myself free from the life that I knew, allow people to know me (apparently, I have been terribly ambiguous to everyone) and live a lot more. Refocus my energies on things that I've always wanted to do. I think many of you will agree with me that in your 20s, you've probably spent quite some bit of it on relationships, relationships that may not have winded up anywhere. Maybe it's time to review them or yourself. Relationships are not everything. Yes, we all have the inert want to love and be loved by someone in particular. I've learned that we have needs that might be fulfilled by people or you want fulfilled by a certain someone, but the minute we need the person, we are in trouble. We must recognise our needs, not the need of a certain person. One more important thing to think about, it is unfair to expect so much from one person.

Having said all that, do I look forward to my 30s? Yes I do. I think the perfect way to celebrate it would be with a bottle of Bollinger Grand Annee, one or two Cohiba Siglo 2 in the company of close friends.

Meanwhile, I intend to breathe in everything that is left of me being 29, until I cross that invisible "state" line.