Welcome to Middle Age.

No, not the Middle Ages. (There will be no treatise on the Battle of Hastings.) Middle age: I turn 50 this year. And while I hate to be reduced to a cliche, I'm finishing up my mid-life crises. I've already dealt with a lot it: I had the sports car (which I traded in on a station wagon). I got divorced, dated again for the first time in 25 years, and met a wonderful woman. I've sent one child off to college, and I'm preparing for the empty nest when the second leaves in a few years. I've gone through a period of emotional turmoil, only to find myself on the other side, feeling healthy and happy for the first time in many, many years.

So what's left? My crappy career. It's long past time that I get out of my soul-sapping job (the latest in a series) and start something that will actually be soul-filling: Within a few years I plan to begin a new career as a therapist.

I've taken the first step by applying to a local graduate program. I hope to begin studies towards a Masters in Family Therapy in September, and in a couple of years, begin working as a therapist.

And that's what this blog is really about: what's it like for a middle-aged man, with a family to support, to start a new career? I intend to share everything from the simple logistical challenges, beginning with "how do I pay for this?," to the emotions and stresses the process evokes.

Oh, and the name of this blog? It's the name of a favorite song from my favorite musician, Bob Dylan. The chorus:

Only one thing

I did wrong
Stayed in Mississippi
A day too long

For me, Mississippi is all the things I should have done long ago. This blog is about me getting out, and starting over.

Better late than never.