Where is life taking me?

I'll warn you now. This post isn't really going anywhere at all. I'm just laying here, pondering my life these days, and thinking about how different it is from what I had imagined 10 years ago.

What was I doing 10 years ago? Working at Six Flags over Georgia, operating rides (still my favorite job ever.) Things were much simpler then, I miss it. All I had to do was go to school and work. On the surface, it sounds like life today. Work and school. The funny thing though, is that it's complete reversed. Back then, I loved work, and abhored school. Now, I hate my job passionately, and only wish I could quit, while I LOVE school. If there's one thing good that has come out of my tenure in the Air Force, it would be that I have a new appreciation for academia. I am an intelligent person, capable of thinking for myself, and doing great things with my mind. The military is only interested in exploiting the skills they need, and supressing the rest of me in order to keep me subserviant. That's why I'm so eager to get to school. There, I'm a thinker again.

How the hell did I end up in this situation? How did someone so anti-authority end up signing away his rights in the military (and then re-enlisting)?

Stupidity or desperation, I guess...