You know you're in mid life when; both your parents and your children tell you they know what's best for you.

Anonymous

May 2, 2000

Hi Mike. Thanks for a wonderful site. I cannot fully identify with your list, but that may depend on the kind of person you are. On the whole, you're right of course. Here's my list of how I recognized my having entered midlife. For me, it's a period of renewed creativity.

1. - You start reliving the glorious '70s (or '60s).
2. - You start believing in Bryan Adams' '18 Till I Die'.
3. - You find yourself singing Mary Hopkins' 'Those Were The Days'.
4. - You start watching MTV again, but hating most of it.
5. - You're shocked when young people call Mick Jagger a grandpa.
6. - You don't know what you want anymore.
7. - You get restless and start searching for answers everywhere.
8. - You get anxiety attacks at the thought of becoming a grandmother/grandfather.
9. - You refuse to let your son drive you around because it makes you feel so old.
10.- You feel so OLD.
11.- You feel stuck, and start wondering whether that's all there is.
12.- You don't understand yourself anymore.
13.- You feel the need to make changes but don't know where to start.
14.- You make the BIG MISTAKE of thinking that it takes a new love to make things alright again.

Patricia.

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