My previous avatar was Thomas Young... a measure of the arrogance I enjoy in my inner self.
Something about an excellent liberal arts background builds in a thirst to know more about everything and anything. The structured learning of a semester or two of art, religion, astronomy, psychology, physics, chemistry, literature, languages, history and the 12 other disciplines that were part of the process... establishes a frame for building on any new interest. Even ROTC provided a base for understanding strategy and tactics.
snip...
Much more on my plate than Thomas Young ever had. He had to build knowledge from scratch, to grow from seed. I, (we) have only to stroll through the garden and pick and choose the fruits of what has been provided by those who have gone before.
Retirement and age... the best of all times. Philosophy guided by John Milton in his sonnet-- "On His Blindness".