jdjd

I was just wondering when others would call it quits? When is the passion over, and you are hit in the face with reality? I am a little older student so I have a bit more life experience of what I like and dislike, and I think that factors in with my decision and urgencies to start life. Here is the deal. I am extremely interested in political philosophy and political theory... Having took awhile off before finishing and concentrating my studies in Political Science and Philosophy in those subfields. I also read it leisurely. I sometimes think studying philosophy actually makes it way more difficult than necessary on what I should do, because it is always in the back of my mind. But in comes reality and the law of diminishing returns and things that I do not want in life, what makes me happy etc. I went to an elite school in a cold climate, I am from a tropical climate... This made me completely miserable there, although school was great. So anywhere with a cold climate is absolutely out of the question. I also want to live close enough to drive to my parents, which is in the Southeast, so I would want to live nowhere west of say, Austin, and nowhere farther north of DC. To do this, and still be in academia, would necessitate me to get into a top 20 or so program to have a considerable choice on where I want to teach, otherwise and even though I could get into programs say in the 20-below range, they would be limiting in the future. I suppose my own personal happiness outweighs my interests. I am also not particularly interested in practical applications. I suppose my other option is to go into politics themselves in an active sense and apply my knowledge, but I am in no way interested in some traditional corporate career. So something like law or public administration seems horrifying to me. Took a break and did that a few years and hated it. Does anybody else put these limitations on yourself, or are you all just starry eyed dreamers? Did anybody else have to give up their academic pursuits? I do not think I will ever give up my intellectual interests, but I am afraid my allure with a possible academic life might be over.