All of the works in Christopher Kent Schumaker's new book My Strangers were made during a time of great duress in the artist's life.

I recently stood in the middle of a madhouse. Kids in electric-orange socks, like a too-bright dystopian fantasy, sprinted past me in every direction. Adults in coordinating electric-orange T-shirts stood guard. All that was missing was the heavy arm of an unseen totalitarian regime. Only, it wasn't exactly missing.

We know that as many of us hit our 40's and head into our 50's, we hit that proverbial fork in the road when we question the life path we are on.

The 'midlife crisis' has served as fodder for many a Judd Apatow movie, but the reality of the experience is anything but funny.