40
It’s just a number. The only reason it has any importance at all is because humans evolved with five digits on each hand. It doesn’t mean anything.
BUT
I turned 40 in September. It’s taken me almost three months to get over it. The worst part I think was being reallocated in surveys.
When discussing success, this age milestone is one that gets a good look in.
“I was ready to retire at 40.” “I owned my house outright by 40.” “I had a three-picture deal by the age of 40.”
As far as 40-year olds go, I am pretty happy with the things I’ve accomplished. What are the big ticket items? Check out my blog on success from the early days.
Back? How am I doing? From the list at the beginning of the post:
- I have kids (kid).
- I’m married.
- I have a house.
- I am known in my field.
- I have lived in over two countries (over two meaning three).
From my own musings, success meant married, house, kids, published. I’ve done all of those things. Luckily, there’s no end-point for success. I could end the book here and it would be satisfying for the reader, but I could also write a sequel (Finding Damo Too) where I raised the bar a bit.
So, where to from here? From 40?
Before I’m fifty, I’d like to:
- Be debt free
- Have a contract with a publishing house
- Publish a full-length play
- Be financially secure enough to be able to travel overseas for vacations with the family.
I’d still like to have biological offspring, but at 40 the fear of being sixty and having a teenage child is slowly outweighing the desire to pass on my genetic lineage.
The other tough part of turning 40 is the dreaded 40th. This should be the party to end all parties. Stuff your 21st, this is your FORTIETH! Let your hair down. You’re still alive. Well done.
I thought I managed quite well. I organised with Dymocks in the city to hold a book launch for Dwarves in Space. Dymocks 234 Collins Street, Melbourne is now the only store IN THE WORLD that stocks Dwarves in Space on the shelves. Go and say hi.
I read some excerpts from my novel. I read an excerpt from the first of many short stories that will make up the second book of Trimador. I signed a heap of books. There was wine, there was laughter… Basically, as it should be, my fortieth was about me, spending time with my friends and feeling special. I asked people not to buy me presents, but instead to buy Dwarves in Space for someone who doesn’t already have a copy. I even filmed it:
Forty so far has been very productive. I have been published again – this time in a book of 10-minute plays. I don’t know whether you can buy them online yet, but if you’re ever in Emerald…I spent three weeks as Seldom Bucket in Gemco’s production of Maskerade by Terry Pratchett. I’ve been asked to write for an educational publication on a few different subjects (more on that as I find out more – and when I can cut down the word count on my massively over-inflated first article) and I’m well into my third short story for Short Stuff – diminutive fiction from Trimador.
All in all, I’m a happy but tired 40 year old. Next goal: to exercise enough to keep me alive until I’m fifty.
Finding Damo 