Junkle All Alan

I'm spending some time this week in northern California with my sister, brother-in-law and nephew. For people who live in the techno-savvy world that is the San Francisco Bay Area, I was alarmed to find out that they do not have wireless internet in their house.

So, I'm going through a little internet withdrawal. I cannot check my email every five minutes like I normally do. I'm not hanging out online, chatting with friends, reading the news, googling every idea that pops into my head.

It's a little scary.

And a little liberating.

Please don't be offended if I don't respond to your emails promptly this week. I won't be online very often.

Instead, I've been hanging out with my four-year-old nephew. His name is Gabriel, and he is energy in a human body. He loves to run and jump and crash into things and take things apart. And he wants to share everything with me. I'm like his new toy this week.

The best part is that he calls me "Junkle All Alan" -- that's "Uncle John Alan" for those who don't understand kidspeak.