I have a list of things I wanted to be as a kid.

1. (very briefly) a ballerina
2. Veterinarian
3. Detective (Sherlock Holmes specifically)
4. Writer
5. Fencer/Duellist (Zorro specifically)
6. Writer
7. Singer
8. Actor
9. Writer
10. Physical Therapist
11. Reporter

Yeah, there’s a recurring theme in there.  I have never not wanted to be a writer, but for a long time because of how I was raised, I did not know that was a thing you could do for your whole, entire job.

Granted, it’s tough and takes an incredible amount of work and luck.  But it is possible.

But that is not where this post is going.

What do you do when you realize as an adult that one of the things that you always wanted to be but didn’t know that it was a real thing actually exists?

I’ve talked about my upbringing regarding supernatural and paranormal subjects.

I just found out you can get a PhD in Parapsychology.

For real.

From an honest to gods actual University.  The University of Edinburgh as a matter of fact, and a couple of others in the UK.  There are some schools in the US with parapsychology “friendly” programs with names like Transformational Psychology or Anomalous Psychology.

I feel like so much of my adult life has been a lie right now.

Ok granted, on the scale of “useful” from CS to History to Philosophy degrees, I’m pretty sure Parapsychology tilts a little closer toward Philosophy than Computer Science.  And by that, I mean, if you come from money you can probably pursue that and be ok.  But if you come from the working class, dream on, sucker.

It’s hard not to resent this world where so much of what you can do in your life is predicated on money.  How much money your family has, how much you can make, how much you can save, how much easier it is too save money if you have money to begin with.

Sometimes I wonder what kind of world we’d have if people could just do what they want, try things and succeed or fail based solely on interest rather than having to constantly worry about money.  How many more works of art, literature, music and other media that we would have access to because people wouldn’t be bound by the limits of trying to survive before anything else? If we had a culture that supported the arts rather than wasting money on military technology while allowing our veterans to die homeless in the street?

Yeah, before you come at me, maybe take a look at the mote in your own eye, assholes.

Anyway, the various parapsychology degrees and programs sound fascinating and it is a thing that I would still like to investigate at some point when I have (ha ha ha) free time and money.

First I need to finish paying off the unfinished graduate degree in Russian History, because I found out that as a Secretary at a university, I made twice what I would have as an adjunct professor teaching.

Man, the real world sucks.

If you like what you read here, or want to help fund my continued eduction as a parapsychology expert, please consider donating using the link at the top right of the page:  Keep Us Geeking, or checking out my Patreon.  Thank you!

Also, if you’d like to see what sort of fiction I write when left to my own devices, please feel free to check out my fiction Patreon, Nothing Nice Comes Out of My Head.