9.3 Alone in the Dark

From as long as I can remember, I always enjoyed going to the movies. All during my 20s, I saw a movie almost every week, most of time by myself. I loved sitting alone, waiting for the lights to dim. Once the movie started, we were all equal in the dark - it didn’t matter if you came with your significant other, friends or by yourself. I loved watching the trailers for upcoming movies. Not that long ago before the internet, the trailers were the only way to find out what was coming soon. I never felt lonely watching movies in the theatre, on the contrary, I felt a strong sense of community. All of us strangers, yet communally taking part in the same activity.

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Paul DoreJanuary 30, 2018

9.2 The Influencer

I’ve been 40 years old for just over two weeks, so I am now officially an expert. No, 40s are not the new 20s, don’t say this to anyone who just turned 40. Besides, who wants to revisit their 20s? Not me, I am unusually comfortable being in my 40s. Twenty years ago I thought I had everything figured out, but really was just a complete mess. But now? Now I have everything figured out. Completely. There is no way that I will feel differently in another twenty years when I’m 60.

I’m not only an expert on being 40, I’m what the kids refer to as an ‘influencer’. A person who holds a certain amount of expertise on a very specific subject and who can influence the opinion or behaviour of others. That’s me, the world’s first influencer on being 40. In an attempt to sway you into appreciating my newly crowned stance as an influencer, I present to you the following curated list of things I’ve noticed about myself since turning 40.

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Paul DoreJanuary 17, 2018

9.1 Better Than Grisham

People kept asking me what I was planning on doing for my 40th birthday. Birthdays have never been that big of a deal to me. When you’re born around Christmas, your birthday just sort of gets folded into the rest of the holidays. Fine with me. I’m not someone who has to have any big celebration - it’s just another day, right?

But I seemed to owe myself some kind of recognition for staying alive for 40 years. I went through a few scenarios in my head but came up with nothing. I’m not good at planning my own parties. Then it popped into my head: why not put on a show and invite all of my friends?

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