"That's the problem with bipolar: highly intelligent, but so totally screwed up in the head that I don't know where I want to go, or which way is up."

^^^^This.

I too was on the president's list in college as well, who's who in high school...I didn't finish, but instead got a wild hair to join the Air Force, and I loved every second, until a disgusting tech seargeant decided that talking about all the things he wanted to do to me wasn't enough for him so he decided he wanted to start touching me. This is what triggered my first manic episode and then I was diagnosed and swiftly booted out on my ***. Since then I have never been the same, never been able to get it together. I am still just as smart as I was, but I can't ever put it all together so it makes any sense.
Sorry I am ranting. My point was that I agree, people have such a marred view of what kind of life is "appropriate," that for the rest of us, we are seen as failures.
The sad part is, most of us here are probably way more intelligent than those regular shmoes out there anyway, but at least in my case it will never come out because all people see is that something isn't right about me.