Happy May Day

Had a super deep conversation with one of the closest homies I grew up with last night. It made me question a lot of what I know. Mostly, around what makes us happy. The quote he said that really sparked me was "Jon B, if I can just make like $30k a year, I'd be straight". I didn't laugh, but I asked, "how could you possibly live off that"? He thought I was nuts. I mean, how COULDN'T I live off that?
Our perceptions were just very different. With 30k, he could afford a used car for his girlfriend and pay rent at his current place. He would also be able to take her out on dates, buy some shoes, and enjoy things that brought him happiness. My perception was that I wouldn't be able to afford the mortgage, my every-4-week-haircuts, and tailored clothes.
But it really wasn't that long ago that I could have actually been in the same mind set as him. For a long while, I wanted to teach and was prepared to make $28k starting out. I was going to teach, live in a studio on the south side, bike to work and buy used clothes. And that would have made me happy.
But as I grew, promotions came, life shifted direction and slightly spun out of control. If I could, I would still be content living in a small loft, biking to work and spending time at a library,

But other questions started to come out in our conversation last night. Like, how did I make it out? Almost all of my friends followed the same paths: jail, no college, moved to a different city or passed away. But I'm the only one who followed the "normal" path: Graduated college, got a great job in corporate america, got married, bought a house in the burbs, had a kid. The only thing I'm missing is a mini van.
I had the exact same environment as my friends, yet turned out very different. The strange thing is, I only feel different on the outside. I will still hit a train yard every once in a while. I will still get random and find myself in questionable situations. It's like a part of me never grew up....

I really had no idea where this blog was going. I guess I sort of rambled on and on. I guess the bottom line is that I somehow turned into a successful yuppy. And a yuppy that is going to jump on his fixed gear and bike down to Powderhorn Park for May Day to hang out with a ton of like minded folks.