1. I have retired! It came early due to health reasons, but it happened. I now have time to pursue my interests and a little money coming in, so technically I'm good. More in a bit.

2. I am fortunate to live near a major city with prestigious colleges and universities. In fact, I live five miles from a school with a music program which includes theory, composition, and arranging. As a newly minted alter kacker I should be able to audit these courses for little or nothing other than the cost of books. I have wanted to pick this up since I left a small private school in New Orleans 40 years ago. Huzzah!

3. Unfortunately, the same issues that kept me from working get in the way of doing anything else, either. I am in treatment for all of my medical and psych issues, but one—major depression—just won't leave me alone. I have a great wife, my needs are taken care of, and I have my time to myself, but I have no energy or motivation—and I'm frankly angry about it.

There is hope. Emory University has a clinic that specializes in refractory depression that I am going to investigate. I know what I'm capable of; I had a brief, glorious breakthrough once when a particular course of therapy worked. It didn't last, though. A lot of progress has been made since then. If this works, it'll be like trading a horse-drawn buggy for a starship. God, I hope it does.

"My primary musical instrument is the personal computer."