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25 years old and life is just beginning…

Today I turn 25. In the past when anybody I knew turned 25 I would laugh at them simply because they were now a quarter of century in age. That’s ridiculous in my mind because I am still a kid and I just have this association that 25 means no more kid stuff. Well we all know that isn’t true. The problem with getting older is that I get a bit more anxious when I find myself not accomplishing my goals in life.

This will come off as bragging, but I am trying to list the major events that have happened in my life:

  • 3 - First crush
  • 11 - First C in conduct of all things
  • 11 - First girlfriend
  • 12 - First kiss on lips and french kiss
  • 15 - First real steady girlfriend
  • 17 - Graduated with IB Diploma
  • 17 - Accepted into Harvard, Brown, Georgetown and Vanderbilt. Chose University of South Florida to stay close to my brother.
  • 18 - Start college with 60 credits (Junior)
  • 19 - Offered pro soccer contract that I turned down because all those stay in school commercials were starting to kick in.
  • 20 - Named captain of soccer team
  • 21 - Graduated with Bachelors in MIS
  • 23 - Graduated with Masters in MIS
  • 23 - Fired from job
  • 24 - CEO (just a title but still cool as hell) of 9rules, Inc.
  • 25 - Nothing.

Things I have yet to accomplish that I know most of the people my age have already:

  • Steady girlfriend, fiancee, or wife
  • Car they want to drive
  • House
  • Family

And if your mom is anything like my mom you know how it gets when she contstantly asks how your love life is…

So today I will celebrate and tomorrow will become just another day to achieve world dominance. Oh and to work on the presentation for the Blog Business Summit.

Published by Scrivs on August 14, 2005 in Personal • Did you like it? Subscribe! Or Submit it to Blogosphere News!

48 people says things!

  1. I had no idea you played soccer. Interesting!

    By Alex Miller on August 14, 2005 2:22 pm

  2. Happy Birthday, my friend.

    You only have 5 years until no one listens to you. Live them well. ;)

    By Matthew Oliphant on August 14, 2005 2:35 pm

  3. Damn that is bragging. Oh well. I think I just felt my approval rating drop :-) Of course it’s hard to drop below 0.

    Alex: Played since I was 5.

    By Scrivs on August 14, 2005 2:36 pm

  4. Happy Birthday, Scrivs. I hit my big life accomplishments when I was 26 (managing editor of Transworld Skateboaring magazine, bit part in a movie, etc.) and it was all downhill after that.

    I waited until my late 30s/early 40s to do the wife, house, baby thing. There really is no hurry. Enjoy and good luck at BBS. I wish I could be there.

    By Britt on August 14, 2005 2:43 pm

  5. Holy crap, someone else on the web that took I.B. in high school? Ha, I thought we were one of those crazy mixed up freakshows that no one has heard about… (shifts eyes)

    At any rate, happy birthday Paul! Hope the next 25 years reads even more successfully than your first 25.

    By Lea on August 14, 2005 3:06 pm

  6. So what do you want to be when you grow up? :)

    By Nollind Whachell on August 14, 2005 3:06 pm

  7. CEO of 37signals.

    By Scrivs on August 14, 2005 3:11 pm

  8. Scrivs, Happy Birthday! Don’t forget to find a little time to travel and see the world while you can. You’ll never have time to do it when you’re older, believe me!

    By Christian Watson on August 14, 2005 3:11 pm

  9. Wow, a pro soccer contract in the US. You must have been real good. ;)

    By Andy Hume on August 14, 2005 3:46 pm

  10. Happy Birthday man.

    By Jeremy Curry on August 14, 2005 3:48 pm

  11. hey! happy birthday :)
    my birthday is in a couple of hours as well.
    my love life aren’t very glorious, and further more are moms react the same.
    Everything will be alright though ;)
    Have a great year!

    By Sarit on August 14, 2005 4:03 pm

  12. Soccer? What’s that? You mean *football*, right? Dude, it’s my birthday tomorrow and I have 6 years, one wife, two kids and a house on you. But don’t worry… the kid stuff keeps on happening, always will - like tomorrow, I’m gonna be down the beach all day playing on the new skimboard that I get for my b’day. :) Have a good one…

    By Barry Bell on August 14, 2005 4:45 pm

  13. Happy birthday Scrivs, plenty of time for world domination yet. Stay fearless!

    By Maxine on August 14, 2005 5:44 pm

  14. ^0^ Happy Birthday.

    By Zelnox on August 14, 2005 5:52 pm

  15. Happy birthday, Scrivs!
    In my head, you’ve already achieved plenty!

    By Mikkel Malmberg on August 14, 2005 5:56 pm

  16. Thanks everyone.

    By Scrivs on August 14, 2005 6:28 pm

  17. Happy Birthday Scrivs

    In 5 years, you’ll look back and be amazed at how fast it all went. I’m about to celebrate my 5th anniversary, and it seems like yesterday.

    My best friend’s kid is growing up so fast, “Uncle Dabe” can hardly carry her around any more…

    By Dave Simon on August 14, 2005 7:58 pm

  18. Great post…we knew you were smart, we knew.

    My mom is like your mom.

    By Daniel Nicolas on August 14, 2005 9:02 pm

  19. Happy birthday homie. It’s an honor to be associated with a guy as brilliant as yourself.

    Can’t wait to drink a bottle of Patron with ya in a few days to celebrate :)

    By Mike on August 14, 2005 9:29 pm

  20. Steady girlfriend? With your computing habits? And nose?! Not likely!

    Eh, just kidding. Happy birthday.

    (By the way, do you ever regret the soccer deal?)

    By Glen C. on August 14, 2005 10:49 pm

  21. Heh, it’s not the nose that chases them away, it’s my arrogant assholism.

    I never regret the soccer deal because I was getting burnt out on soccer and it’s really no fun when it’s your job. Fortunately I had other passions that I wanted to pursue.

    By Scrivs on August 14, 2005 10:57 pm

  22. Happy birthday. Congratulations on kissing that girl at the age of 12…feel sorry for that girl though. She could have had a chance of finding a decent guy and you ended up turning her into a lesbian.

    Joking aside, well going into more joking. Realize that those accomplishments listed that you know people your age have can only be completed a little at a time.

    If you want a car you want to drive you’re going to have to get rid of the fiance/wife and family; vice versa. Unless you can find yourself a sugar mama.

    Best of luck in the next year. As for me I just put my down payment on my Bentley. And by down payment I meant stole and by Bentley I meant Geo Metro.

    By Ryan Latham on August 15, 2005 12:46 am

  23. Happy Birthday To Scrivs, Happy Birthday to Scivs, Happy birthday dear SCRIIIIIIVVS, happy birthday to you.

    Many more birthdays to Scrivs, many more…ah fuck it.

    Happy birthday bud.

    People get too hung up on age when they see a number. It’s just a number, that’s how I think of it.

    By Bryan on August 15, 2005 1:22 am

  24. Happy birthday! Thanks for sharing your big day with us!

    By Phil Gerbyshak on August 15, 2005 8:14 am

  25. My 25th birthday is coming up soon, and the main thing I am looking forward to is the price break in my insurance.

    Happy Birthday!

    By Kyle Posey on August 15, 2005 9:47 am

  26. I hear ya on that one Kyle.

    By Scrivs on August 15, 2005 9:52 am

  27. I’ve never commented on here but I read occasionally. Out of curiosity, what highschool did you go to. I turn 25 in November, grew up in Tampa Florida (now live in Philly) and graduated from Hillsborough High School’s IB program. Went to Penn and graduated ‘03. Picked up this web stuff in ‘02 and am trying to run with it now. If you went to Hillsborough I may actually know you.

    By Ben Otero on August 15, 2005 10:09 am

  28. Hey Ben,

    I went to King, the cooler IB school. ;-)

    You were probably in the same class as my boy Andre aka Dre (he played on their soccer team).

    By Scrivs on August 15, 2005 10:14 am

  29. Hi. I just came across your site via Mike Davidson’s blog site. Just wanted to say “Happy b-day” and congrats on your success.

    By the way, your mom is like my mom. Constantly asking me about “meet any girls?” and stuff like that.

    By Sensei on August 15, 2005 10:55 am

  30. King?!?!?! Cooler than Hillsborough!?!?! Ahh, you’re killing me. Well, the rivalry and football game each year was always good. Yeah, I was cool with Dre and his brother (Deshon?). Haven’t talked to heads from highschool in years. In any case, hope you had a happy birthday and if you ever do see Dre around anymore tell him to hit me up.

    By Ben Otero on August 15, 2005 11:01 am

  31. Tell your Mom since she really wants you to crank up the love life, that you plan to have at least three kids in the next 12 months. She’ll quit bugging you so much unless twins and triplets run in the family. Take your time, you’ll know it when you see it.

    By Don on August 15, 2005 11:35 am

  32. Only five years left before Carousel. Enjoy them!

    By Jough Dempsey on August 15, 2005 11:39 am

  33. Happy birthday, Paul.

    Glad my mother has never once asked me about my love life… wise woman.

    By JC on August 15, 2005 11:51 am

  34. I’m not sure a wife is something to “accomplish”…let it come naturally out of the other things you do.

    By Bob on August 15, 2005 12:12 pm

  35. I can assure you, “most” people do *not* have a house by age 25.

    By Joe Grossberg on August 15, 2005 12:24 pm

  36. HB, I bought and sold my first house by the age of 23. But the entire process sucked really badly. I will do better next time. Live and learn.

    By Colin D. Devroe on August 15, 2005 12:44 pm

  37. Welcome. I hit quarter-century about 3 months ago. So far it’s been pretty blah - other than the cheaper insurance, and I just bought a new car that I finally enjoy driving (Miata), and I’ve got a new lady in the life, and a new job coming soon.

    Hmm, yah scratch that - so far 25 has been awesome!

    By Jesse J. Anderson on August 15, 2005 3:02 pm

  38. A belated Happy Birday Paul!

    By Mike P. on August 15, 2005 3:06 pm

  39. Wow, that’s more than a typo..

    A belated Happy Birthday Paul!

    By Mike P. on August 15, 2005 3:07 pm

  40. Hey, happy birthday!

    Let me know how it goes so I can decide if I really want to turn 25 (in about 5 months).

    By Nicole on August 15, 2005 4:51 pm

  41. Funny you wanna have kids + fam at 25. Things like that didn’t kick in till the big 30, when I was a birthday boy on a boat crossing Lake Victoria in Africa. Then I started to say I was 29 again, until my friends shamed me out of it.

    Still, life without the pleasure of a woman, grilfriend or not? Ouch. Not saying you need to get all married & such, I’m happily divorced, but women are a treat not to be missed.

    Kids on the other hand… tell your Mom if she wants grandkids, she should adopt.

    By wayan on August 15, 2005 7:05 pm

  42. CEO of 37signals.

    Wait, you mean you’re not? So who’s that arrogant SOB with the afro?

    By Ted N. on August 16, 2005 1:22 pm

  43. Hmmmm…sometimes I wish I hadn’t gone to Jesuit. At least we probably beat you in soccer, lol :)

    By Joe Clay on August 16, 2005 6:45 pm

  44. Happy Birthday.
    Now as far as the growing up stuff; I am 31, I still skateboard, I still run through the park just because the mood strikes me, I have a successful design business, and I have no intention of allowing the icy hand of aging to diminish my love for life and all things childish.

    Live every day for all it is worth.

    Enjoy growing old because it gives you memories so that when you can’t play quite so hard you know that you lived you life and played as hard as you could.

    By JamesZ on August 17, 2005 9:47 am

  45. Where are the wedding proposal posts?

    too bad about the pro soccer contract…what position did/do you play?
    happy 25th

    By Tim Hill on August 21, 2005 8:20 pm

  46. Happy belated birthday…

    By Shawn on September 16, 2005 12:05 am

  47. Happy Birthday i remember 25 most established age that is more set on what you are doing life if i had a celluar phone number to call iw ould wish you happy birthday in person so since not here it is Happy Birthday.

    By cellular on February 4, 2006 4:44 am

  48. This is one of my favorite entries.

    By Tyme White on April 2, 2007 12:55 pm

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