Thomas,

"The young man knows the rules, but the old man knows the exceptions." - Oliver Wendell Holmes (Sr., I guess) :)
Of course, "old" is just an euphemism. :)

I like your post, "it brings balance to the Force". :)
Interestingly enough, I too changed carriers, about 15 years ago, from ocean-going-deck-officer to ... programming. So far, I can tell you that both have been great experiences worth living. Obviously, today I get to enjoy one a lot more than the other :)

Good luck,

Sorin