Thirty-Nine

Another year down, and I’m now officially 39. My birthday, on the 1st of November, has always been a natural checkpoint—a time to reflect, recalibrate, and take stock of where I am. It’s a habit now. Ten months out of twelve are already gone, and looking back, thirty-eight was anything but dull.

Let’s start with the big one: my MBA. I’m now in my second year, and things are heating up. Balancing work, family, and studies is no small feat, so earlier this year, I took a well-timed, two-month academic break. I have to say, it was exactly what I needed. I used that time to recharge—physically and mentally—and took Vinnie to visit my hometown Bari for the first time. Seeing her experience the city I grew up in was surreal, almost like watching my past and future intersect. That trip felt like a full-circle moment.

The MBA programme itself has been a ride. One highlight was attending the symposium, which broke the isolation of remote learning and gave me the chance to connect with fellow students and alumni. There’s something powerful about stepping out from behind the screen and seeing the faces of people on a similar journey. It was a reminder that, while the grind is personal, I’m not doing this alone.

On the family front, Vinnie started school this year. It’s one of those moments that hits you harder than expected. You spend years watching them grow up, and then one day, they’re walking into a classroom. It’s a proud moment, but also a sobering one—time moves fast, and there’s no hitting pause. Stef and I are doing our best to embrace each stage, but those milestones seem to fly by before we can fully appreciate them.

Speaking of Stef, we caught Dream Theater live in October. We originally met for the first time at one of their gigs back in 2005, and hadn’t seen them live together since 2007, so it was a bit of a throwback for us. Even more special was the fact that Mike Portnoy, their original drummer, rejoined the band for this tour, and this was the first show with him, so we had no idea about the setlist—which at the end was a great celebration of their classics. There’s a strange poetry in that—returning to something that feels familiar, yet evolved. It was one of those nights where everything just clicked.

As for work, I’m currently on a mini-sabbatical. In October, we successfully sold The Bot Platform to Flip, and then I left the organisation. Since then, I’ve been selectively applying to a few exciting opportunities that have come up, with plans to ramp up my search more actively in Q1 2025 if I haven’t found the right fit this side of the holiday season. I haven’t posted the usual “Open to work” update on LinkedIn yet, so this might be news to you, but if you know of any roles or opportunities that might align with my background, feel free to reach out!

This year, I’ve also leaned into a couple of personal projects. I’ve been slowly building two Instagram accounts—@franz.wears, which is all about style and menswear, and @franz.eats.sardines, where I indulge my love for tinned fish (yes, it’s a thing). Neither is taking over my life, but I enjoy having these outlets where I can share my passions and connect with niche communities. It’s less about the numbers and more about the conversation—sometimes you just need a space to geek out.

Looking at the bigger picture, life’s good. I’ve been busy—maybe too busy at times—but I’m learning to embrace the chaos. Balancing all the things that I do is a constant challenge, and sure, some things had to take a backseat. Music, for one. I haven’t picked up my bass nearly as much as I’d like, and the idea of that 30-minute solo bass set I’ve been dreaming about is still just that: a dream. But that’s okay. We can’t do it all, all the time. I’ll get there eventually.

Even despite the current situation with work, as I head towards 40, I’m feeling more settled. Not in the sense of slowing down, but more in terms of understanding where I am and where I want to go. There’s a lot of gratitude in that. Life isn’t about perfection, but it’s about growth, and right now, I’m surrounded by the people I love, doing things that matter to me, and trying my best to keep evolving.

If you’ve made it this far, thanks for sticking around. Whether you’re a friend, a colleague, or just someone who stumbled across this post, I appreciate you being part of the journey. Here’s to another year of new challenges, small victories, and—hopefully—a bit of music.

Cheers to 39. Let’s see what comes next.

Quote in the featured image: “Never let the future disturb you. You will meet it, if you have to, with the same weapons of reason which today arm you against the present.” —Marcus Aurelius

Previous birthday / yearly posts: Thirty-Eight, Thirty-Seven, Thirty-Six, Thirty-Five, 2018: My Timeline, My 2017 Resolutions, My social media wishlist for 2016, 7 things that improved my life in 2014.