Hi, everyone.  It's been a while, so this feels a little - I don't know - awkward??  Why, you ask? Well.  I don't know how to put it into words - and I suppose that's what makes it a little awkward.

A few theories regarding my recent malaise:

1.  Unplug technology
2.  Didn't 'need' it
3.  Obsess much?
4.  I'm on vacation
5.  I had nothing to say...

Now, let's tackle theorem #5 first:

As a blogger, or someone with designs on writing regularly, the biggest fear we face (IMHO) is that we will run out of things to say.  (The second fear is that no one will read one word of it - not even our self-ordained masterpiece!)  I suppose this means that having an audience - heck, having a conversation with anyone - takes effort and attention if it is to be done properly....  I suppose I could have posted daily travelogues in 5 minute cell-phone dispatches, but that format doesn't seem to suit my writing style.   So, no, I didn't.  I supposed I'd write ravenously as soon as I espied my 'home' keyboard, but, no I didn't.  I supposed that after I'd rested up a day, meditated, reflected, hiked, did my taxes, submitted college grades, etc. that I'd be chomping at the bit to share something with you.  Something of substance...  Um, no?

So, let's hope it's not number 5.

Let's segue to nombre trois...  I was getting to the point where every post became a sort of wrestling match in my own head - ideas were fighting other ideas, stories were trumping each other, every word was trying to be, well - the last word...  I've been complimented often for choosing 'just the right word' but it does take time. On any given day, if I knew I wouldn't be home to blog, I fretted about perhaps squeezing one in at UOP or trying to bang out a quick one over breakfast...

No, I just can't write these posts in a 'confined space' like that...  Holy crap - I'm a hippie!  Confined space, indeed!  I was just sitting under a canopy of stars that would make Cleopatra blush...  (Hippie!)

This leads me directly without further ado right immediately and without passing go and collecting 200 dollars back to Numero Uno...  Okay, maybe not so directly, but c'mon, people, I mean, I'm not trying to talk myself out of a blog audience, I'm just kinda sorta saying that I think I might need to really unplug for a while.  I have found myself obsessing over Facebook posts, updating statuses, checking in, saying Happy Birthday, or sharing some deep or pithy memes (or perhaps the ubiquitous cat video).

No, I am really sensing it's time to retrench, to reclaim my own life.

That leaves my two more likely candidates - after all, as my friend the Duker would say, "I'm on vacation!"  Sorry, that's a Petronis family inside joke...  I am enjoying the slower pace of my vacation; although I did enjoy the 5 days on the road, too.  Along with that enjoyment and relaxation, I didn't do a whole lot of deep thinking.  Not consciously, at least... No deep thinking equals not much to say in blog - returning us, I suppose back to number 5 once again.

Sigh...  Oh, well.

I want to give a special shout-out to all my friends who shared their time and energy with me last week: Charlene, my Monday night stats class, 'Little Davy' Lagerson, Shelly King, Big Jim Hertel, the Party Oak in Santiago Canyon, Tom and Dee Hemingway, Dawn Smith, Shaala Brown, Lily, Tina Ustation,  Isa Mercado, Julian Bueno, Emily Belaguer, Oscar at CBTL, and countless friends from Santa Monica High School (Veronica, Coach Hecht, Berkely Blatz, John Harris, Stephanie Dew, Lois Thrower, Nate Hodges, Dana Bart-Bell, Ms. Bates, Ms. Springer, Karen the copier queen, etc...  Excluding my Monday night stats class, I probably saw - and hugged - over two dozen of the finest people in the world last week.  [P.S. The list is in chronological order as best as I can remember...]

How lucky am I?

Here's a few words from Mariah:

"Aye Yo P!

It's been so great having you as a teacher this year. You caught me on my last year and I'm so glad you did. I can honestly say that I looked forward to your class every day. You're the super homie and you did a really good job your first year. I'm definitely looking forward to visiting you next year. (Keep in mind that I'm not going to visit a lot my teachers, probably only like 5 out of all 4 years, so that means you're cool :)

<3 U Bunches"

It's cool being 'cool'.

Good night, friends.

Carpe Diem.