Depleted, Replenished
past tense : depleted ; past participle : depleted 2/5/2026 One of the things I love about this format is that I can add on thoughts as time goes by and perspective expands. I was lucky to work at such extraordinary places. Yet the real pressure on students and faculty still needs to be unpacked. I'm back on a campus working with Lifelong Learners and couldn't be more content. I'm so grateful for the incredible students and colleagues Ive worked with (and work with). Original Post: One summer in the 2010s, after two visiting professorships at prestigious colleges where high achievement living was the norm, I was dripping into the ground like a melting candle. I had given 110% to my teaching and service alongside research and writing. Whether or not it was true, I felt I didn't know how to play the game. I felt my cards folding in on me. It felt a little like dying. The candle burning for love of what I do was going out. ...