Well this is essentially post #1 so it might as well be an introduction. My birthday is in 19 days. According my my mum it should only be 5 but things are weird. What is especially weird is that this is my 26th birthday.

When I was young, not sure how young but I’ll say “10” and be done with it, I thought 26 was going to be some magical year in my life. I held this in my head for quite some time, especially long for a young boy headed blindly in puberty.  I had a list of things I thought I should or would do before hitting 26 and luckily I’ve remembered a good chunk of it. So let me tally my score card here.

#1 – I’d live in Australia. Okay, to be fair, what kid wouldn’t want to live in Australia? I mean snakes and shit. And sharks and a bunch of other shit that would probably make me cry. Plus it is far away and they still speak English. Score: 0/7

#2 – I’d have had sex once. I was ten. I was ten in a time when making it past 2012 was uncertain to say the least. Plus I was a loser. Needless to say… Score: 1/7

#3 – I’d be in a relationship with a significant other or have met my future wife. Yeah! Score another one for Nick. Bonus point, I correctly predicted she’d have brown hair. Score: 2/7 + 1

#4 – I’d work on airplanes. Now this is where life goes all wonky. All my life I wanted to work on airplanes. I studied aeronautical engineering, I followed that pretty far. But as a student I became more and more fascinated with using computers to predict and influence design and the door into the automotive industry was open a smidge wider for those of us who barely scraped together a 3.0. At first I thought I’d be a temp. Work a few years and leave. But I’ve found working at Ford very rewarding and so I’ve bounced between suppliers and finally got my Blue Badge, signifying that I am a direct employee of Ford. That is something I am proud of. I’m giving myself the point. 10-year-old-Nick would too. Score: 3/7 + 1

#5 – I’d own a house. Check. I live waaaaaaaaay out in the boonies in a town called “Howell” known primarily for having once been the HQ for the KKK. Didn’t know that at the time of purchase. I love the location but it means I drive a long way each day. It also means I cannot hang out with friends as much. Which does suck. Score: 4/7 + 1

#6 – I’d have cool adult friends and we’d do cool adult shit. In the last few years I’ve met a slew of amazing people, both in college and in Detroit. I consider my friends to be family, especially with my actual family far away. People like Zak, Garrett, Schade, Brigid and others from Purdue and my friends in the Northern Guard: Drew, Pat, Novak, Josh, Puck, Pomp and many others. I am very lucky. Score: 5/7 + 1

#7 – I’d have grown up. Lol. Loooooool. Looooooooooooooool. Score: 5/7 + Eleventy Billion

Seriously though, fuck growing up.