I should make a rule of never rereading my superb university papers. (My usual debilitating modesty doesn't prevent me from saying this--they were well-written, well-researched, and well-argued.) I doubt that level of eloquence is still within my grasp, in an academic context, and the thought is extremely depressing.

I was once asked whether I look back at previous work and think, "that was brilliant." When I answered no, I was told that I wasn't old enough, yet, to do so...