The difficulties of the conservatory master's degree. Struggling as a penniless artist in the city. The difficulties of law school. Struggling as the American equivalent of the briefless barrister. (Not in the sense of living comfortably, and not having much to do, but in the sense of the most difficult life it is possible to have, economically speaking, in the first world.) Fighting an extremely corrupt and mediocre (and immense and politically powerful) state university. Then more of the briefless bit in the city for several years.
Twenty-five years. Difficulty, corruption, circumstances that would prove lethal for most folks. (Try sleeping through a blizzard on a parkbench with wind chills below -10F.)
The common mindset does not describe the reality of life in this country for those who don't play along with the corruption.
I will live deliberately, quite likely elsewhere. I will work, and read, and think.
And perhaps it will be given to me to think the thought that will free the time.