29 Is the Best Age
Hairpin pal and pie-maker Ann Friedman has a great piece in The Cut this morning, The Power of 29: An Ode to Being Almost 30. Garfunkel and Oates have already covered the joys of being 29 (“I’m at the top of my game, possibilities are endless, and I just feel really pretty!”), and Friedman goes on to explain the freeing power of coming into one’s own, and caring way less what others think:
My 29th year was when things started to click for me, personally and professionally. I finally found the courage to quit a job I’d long hated and leave a city I liked even less. I was still working really hard, but felt like I was finally gaining some traction. It was around age 29 that the number of fucks I gave about other people’s opinions dipped to critically low levels. Which freed up all kinds of mental and emotional space for the stuff I was really passionate about.
I don’t think I’m the only one. The late 20s and early 30s seem to be a turning point in many modern women’s lives. For a while I’ve been taking note of creative women I admire who come into their own and start producing amazing work on the cusp of 30.
What do you guys think? I loved being 29, and only spent roughly 70% of that year obsessing about turning 30.