A belief that micro-specialization was a requirement for further study was one of the main things that made me stop after getting a BA in my twenties. I thought I needed a blinding flash, a burning bush and the conviction that I could cleave to one tiny focused topic till death do us part. Lacking that, I was paralyzed. Since then I've learned that there are niches for polymaths. The early years of the web were a pretty good time for someone who knew a little about a lot of things, for instance. What I haven't seen for myself but suspect must be true is that even in the oxygen-deprived heights of academia there must be opportunities to be a whole person. Some subjects -- the history of technology, say -- can't even be attempted without a curiosity that cuts across disciplines. Now, how to turn this insight into a few decisions about what I want to be when I grow up -- given that that should have happened about 20 years ago...