For the past month, I have been in the process of making some significant changes in my business life. My business partner has retired and that has necessitated many other changes. The partnership had to be dissolved, the name changed, and a new office space  located. E-mail addresses and domain names had to be changes and procured. The furniture, equipment, and even the pictures on the walls had to be divided. This had all the sad ingredients of a divorce and a death in the family, while still having the excitement (and headaches) of  buying a new house.

We found a wonderful space in an historic building in our town, but it needed to be re-worked, adding walls, new wiring, light fixtures, computer and telephone connections, etc, etc., etc., until my head hurts. While others were planning and enjoying their 4th of July festivities, we were putting together furniture, and dodging painters, electricians, and other workmen. It is, of course, not ready. Nonetheless, we must try to conduct business today, using the few spaces that are ready enough to put furniture into and the promise of am internet connection. ~ Michael S. Pauley

Aside from the book coming out in October, I still have my other obligations in life.  For example, I’m still a Husband, Dad, Son, and a “grand pa,” and with those positions comes a certain level of daily consternation and reflection.  Then there is the day job as a lawyer, which requires patience, and tolerance.  (Mostly tolerance, since I’m exposed to some pretty extreme stupid on any given day.)  Combine all of this together, and you begin to realize that there just aren’t enough hours in any given day to get all these things accomplished.  Especially if you toss in things like writing a book, or watching world events as part of your doing research.  For example, a lot happened while the first chapter took center stage on this blog.  We’ve lost a comedic genius, a stellar actress, and even Mr. Spock lost the T’Ping of his life.  The Ukraine is as dicey/sporty as ever, while in Iraq things have wavered from bad to worse and back to just bad.  I have chosen not to interrupt things on the blog with any commentary on these topics, not because I don’t care or that my book was more important, but simply because of the time limitations.  I will attempt to bring things back to a more normal pace, but hell, who are we kidding.  Right now, like billions of others on this planet, we do what we can with what we’ve got, and so within my time constraints, I will do my best. ~ Michael S. Pauley

The bright spot to this Friday is that it is the culmination of what could best be described as the week from “Hoboken.”  (Hoboken is my euphemism for Hell!)  I have to admit that my creative side has taken a beating, and very little substantive writing has taken place.  Do I have writer’s block?  Not really, since I’ve got a ton of ideas, and I am well on the way to getting the third book done.  Instead, my problem appears to be remaining focused.  Somewhere out there is a gnat with ADHD that can focus better than I can right now.  I’ve had this problem before, and it happens every few years.  Unfortunately, this just happens to be my week for it.  In my misspent youth, I was afforded several opportunities to have a few all expense paid trips to some pretty dismal locations.  In one of them it seems that I picked up a minor case of malaria, which makes a reappearance from time to time.  Right now, as a matter of fact, I am shaking from the freezing cold 92 degree weather.  Trust me, it makes for a miserable week, with the only saving grace of it being a great excuse to focus on drinking lots of Gin and Tonic as a cure.  Sadly, I hate Gin, but not to worry, since I will persevere by adding a little lime to it.  Now on that note, I’m out until next week, when hopefully I will have a slightly better handle on things.  In the meantime, have one for me. ~ Michael S. Pauley

First, let me apologize for my hiatus from personally posting to my blog.  It goes without saying that sometimes life will get in the way of things you would rather be doing, and this was no exception.  Fortunately, in my absence, I was lucky enough to have my lovely bride (and webmaster) fill in for me.  She did a stellar job, and did much to allow me to focus on the more serious issues facing me at work, both in my day and night jobs.  The practice of law can be demanding, and then there are the geopolitical issues facing the globe.  While not quite as swept up in the Olympic Games as my bride, there were those rare moments of high drama that accompany such things that also had my attention.  None of this excuses my taking a break, but then again it might explain why I haven’t been on in several weeks.  The long and short of it all is that I am now back.  I will posting more this week, and while they may be shorter posts, they will be mine again. ~ Michael S. Pauley