A New Stage of Life

I wrote a post about 10 years ago with the following thesis:

The stage of life that you’re in is the stage of life that you want to be in.

I don’t know what was going on in my life for me to make such a profound statement, but in the 10 years since writing that, my life has played out pretty much exactly as I had imagined. Here are my rough stages:

• Early 20s – Living with my friends in Manayunk and blacking out most weekends. Eating bananas with the peel on for money. Not wildly successful with the ladies but I also knew that relationships in your early 20s, like most things, usually don’t last forever.
• Late 20s – Living by myself in Philly. Still blacking out with friends on the weekends but less frequently and generally less full of myself. More serious about dating and very aware that finding a life partner was something I wanted.
• Covid / Early 30s – Covid oddly came at the right time in my life. I was ready to move on from going to a bar or club every weekend and I was ready to take on a few more responsibilities in life. Covid forced some of these. Most importantly, I found Meghan, someone that I plan on spending the rest of my life with.

The reason I’m writing all of this out is because, unsurprisingly, I’m entering a new stage of my life. I don’t love the stage name “Settling Down“, but for all intents and purposes, that is the upcoming stage.

Meghan and I have signed a lease for a new apartment in Doylestown, an hour outside of the city. We will be moving in April. Coincidentally but also wonderfully, Stortz Tools will be relocating as well. The Philadelphia era of my life is closing. Obviously I will still go to the city, but once I don’t live or work here, it will be drastically different.

The self conscious side of me expects people to say “Welp, that’s the last we’ll see of them!“, like a frowned upon end-of-fun move. But as I write that out, I actually don’t think many people will have that reaction. In fact, I expect some to say “Good, get out of the city I’m surprised you stayed there that long!“

As with all of the stages listed above, this transition feels right. I’ve lived in the city for 6 years and done mostly everything I wanted. I have awesome memories of my life here, but I’m ready to leave.

The Settling Down stage will probably come with everything I expect; more space, nicer people, less spontaneity, more driving, less walking around, etc. Basically everything you’d expect living life as a suburbanite. But this is what I want, what WE want.

That’s really all I wanted to say; An acknowledgement of another passing stage in life, and while I’m grateful for the previous stage, I’m happy to be leaving it.

Stay tuned for a burning-down-the-old-apartment party.