Mike Ridgeman

I'm gonna get to be around that my whole life. And then you gotta flip the switch and find something else to do.

When I went to go work for my current employer, I was picking orders for bicycles in the warehouse for $11.50 an hour. I'm like, what the am I doing here? How did I end up here, right? I have a doctorate degree in education. And I don't mean to say that like I, because I have friends who work at that warehouse and that's their career and they love it.

When I went to go work for my current employer, I was picking orders for bicycles in the warehouse for $11.50 an hour. I'm like, what the am I doing here? How did I end up here, right? I have a doctorate degree in education. And I don't mean to say that like I, because I have friends who work at that warehouse and that's their career and they love it.

When I went to go work for my current employer, I was picking orders for bicycles in the warehouse for $11.50 an hour. I'm like, what the am I doing here? How did I end up here, right? I have a doctorate degree in education. And I don't mean to say that like I, because I have friends who work at that warehouse and that's their career and they love it.

So I don't want that to come off in a wrong way, but that was professionally, that was rock bottom right there. No doubt. I've somehow failed myself by not being able to get to whatever place it was that I had envisioned for myself. But more than that, I feel like I sold my wife a false bill of goods.

So I don't want that to come off in a wrong way, but that was professionally, that was rock bottom right there. No doubt. I've somehow failed myself by not being able to get to whatever place it was that I had envisioned for myself. But more than that, I feel like I sold my wife a false bill of goods.

So I don't want that to come off in a wrong way, but that was professionally, that was rock bottom right there. No doubt. I've somehow failed myself by not being able to get to whatever place it was that I had envisioned for myself. But more than that, I feel like I sold my wife a false bill of goods.

One of the benefits of being a faculty member at a university is a free or reduced education tuition for dependents, you know, to help the kids. And then all of a sudden I feel like I have fallen short of how I advertised myself to her. And I feel like I let the kids down too. I still feel like I'm a positive influence on them in many ways. academically, they're both doing incredible things.

One of the benefits of being a faculty member at a university is a free or reduced education tuition for dependents, you know, to help the kids. And then all of a sudden I feel like I have fallen short of how I advertised myself to her. And I feel like I let the kids down too. I still feel like I'm a positive influence on them in many ways. academically, they're both doing incredible things.

One of the benefits of being a faculty member at a university is a free or reduced education tuition for dependents, you know, to help the kids. And then all of a sudden I feel like I have fallen short of how I advertised myself to her. And I feel like I let the kids down too. I still feel like I'm a positive influence on them in many ways. academically, they're both doing incredible things.

One's in high school now and one is in college. But yeah, I just, I feel like I've let them down in some way too, and that I wasn't able to do more for them. I need to be honest with myself here too, right? I mean, I have a wonderful home. I have a wonderful family. I have a job. I don't have to worry about where I'm going to eat or sleep. I'm sure that I still look like

One's in high school now and one is in college. But yeah, I just, I feel like I've let them down in some way too, and that I wasn't able to do more for them. I need to be honest with myself here too, right? I mean, I have a wonderful home. I have a wonderful family. I have a job. I don't have to worry about where I'm going to eat or sleep. I'm sure that I still look like

One's in high school now and one is in college. But yeah, I just, I feel like I've let them down in some way too, and that I wasn't able to do more for them. I need to be honest with myself here too, right? I mean, I have a wonderful home. I have a wonderful family. I have a job. I don't have to worry about where I'm going to eat or sleep. I'm sure that I still look like

like my life turned out great, but that's not how it feels. As far as blame goes, I'm certainly culpable. I should have, I think, done more to learn about what I was getting into. Part of my problem was I did not ask enough questions. And I don't think I knew the right questions to ask, But I think had I just started down that road of asking questions, I would have found the right questions.

like my life turned out great, but that's not how it feels. As far as blame goes, I'm certainly culpable. I should have, I think, done more to learn about what I was getting into. Part of my problem was I did not ask enough questions. And I don't think I knew the right questions to ask, But I think had I just started down that road of asking questions, I would have found the right questions.

like my life turned out great, but that's not how it feels. As far as blame goes, I'm certainly culpable. I should have, I think, done more to learn about what I was getting into. Part of my problem was I did not ask enough questions. And I don't think I knew the right questions to ask, But I think had I just started down that road of asking questions, I would have found the right questions.

I miss teaching every day. I miss those relationships. I miss, you know, I still get emails from some of the undergraduates that I taught. That's what I miss, you know, getting a kid to run through that brick wall for the very first time and seeing the look on their face when they're like, oh my God, I just did that. And you're like, yes, man, you did. You just did that.

I miss teaching every day. I miss those relationships. I miss, you know, I still get emails from some of the undergraduates that I taught. That's what I miss, you know, getting a kid to run through that brick wall for the very first time and seeing the look on their face when they're like, oh my God, I just did that. And you're like, yes, man, you did. You just did that.

I miss teaching every day. I miss those relationships. I miss, you know, I still get emails from some of the undergraduates that I taught. That's what I miss, you know, getting a kid to run through that brick wall for the very first time and seeing the look on their face when they're like, oh my God, I just did that. And you're like, yes, man, you did. You just did that.

There's nothing that replaces that feeling. And I miss that. I miss that tremendously.