There are times, sporadically, where things get shaken up. Nothing major. No outwardly perceptible upheaval. But subtle interior rumblings, of which I have no idea what outcomes may surface.

It might be the vacation, the mental and emotional break from the office routine. It might simply be the seasonal shift. But the past several days have left me spun with anxiety, excitement and everything in between. It passes from second to second, flitting between random thoughts. And I have no idea why.

From one side is the excitement of cooler weather, the impending holidays, making Christmas ales and cookies, and even decorating a new house. From the other is bitterness about lax exercise routines, misbehaving canines and expensive home repairs. A passing thought about the desire for a cool evening walk is erased by a reminder of how tired I am. The rush of glee from finishing an inspiring book is pile-driven into the ground by thoughts of work duties. Back and forth we go…

Almost as if being unchained from my desk somehow reinvigorated the other parts of my life, those which take a back seat during the other 51 weeks of the year, everything seems suspended in conflict inside. I’ve strayed from writing too much about abstract and likely common emotional topics over the years, so I apologize for this singular lapse in editorial judgment.