When I take a vacation, I do my best to distance myself from my normal habits. That means no email checking, no cellphone carrying, and certainly no blogging

I’ve always, since I started the policy about four years ago, found this surprisingly easy. I say that it is surprising because when I think about doing this same thing indefinitely, it scares me. But then perhaps it is easy because I know that the break will soon end.

Now this checking out from my everyday life doesn’t prevent me from learning any news about the world, but it certainly creates an enormous filter through which only a few things make it.

For example, I did hear about the Minneapolis bridge collapse. But I had no idea that Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen both became Celtics. The notable difference in importance of the events is probable the cause of my knowledge of one and ignorance of the other.

Aside from this metaphorically isolation from the world, I did see a few family members, see a few sights, and even get called a “commie treehugger” by an uncle.

I was reminded primarily that my life is not the same as family members is different places, of different ages, and with different parents. And that even though there are superficial difference between us, the fact that we are related by blood is absolutely meaningless (not where you thought I’d go, huh?).

It was a strange experience. Exactly as it was every other time it happened and yet remarkably different.