About a month ago I prepped for a small trial which I thought would steal a couple of days, at most, from my normal routine. That small trial morphed into a month of hell from whence I only just escaped on Tuesday. As with all unnaturally heinous things, the spillover consumed not only my weekday days and nights, but my early morning hours, weekends and miscellaneous free time where I prepare and present the columns that usually appear on this site. I won't go into details, but it wasn't a pleasant time.
Deadlines have been missed. Friends have been ignored and friendships strained. Obligations put on standby and the things I care most about stored until it is safe to expose them to sunlight again. Only my wife, who is legally obligated to deal with me, has seen me outside the confines of my employment. And in all honesty, I haven't been all that much fun to be around.
The month from hell taught me a few things. First, it made me rethink my career path. It also reminded me just how much I enjoy writing about Michigan athletics and interacting with the people who feel the same way. Not just as a hobby, but as a pure release from the strictures of the things that pay the bills and devour my non-family moments of peace. This was the first time during the year and a half I've written here at Maize n Brew or Maizenbrew.blogspot.com that I've gone missing for this long. One day spilled into the next. There was always a billable hour or meeting to fill anytime I stored for myself. As a result, Maize n Brew had to be mothballed until I could get on the internet without it being Lexis Nexis.
I have no intention of letting this happen again.
So, to those of you who still check this site for updates and new content, thank you. Your patience will be rewarded. For those who have emailed, your in-boxes will be full shortly. For those who have called, your cell will ring (or at least should ring) The Victors.
More on Michigan shortly. But for now, it is good to be back.
Thanks to all and Go Blue!
Dave