I've spent most of my life in Midland. Roughly 75% has been spent in this West Texas desert - among the mesquite trees and the heat.

I've also been around the same people for most of that time. Walking into Starbucks on the average day, it's more likely than not that I'll run into someone I've known since childhood. If not them, then maybe their parents. They know me as "AP", or that funny guy, or as the Presley's kid. Sometimes as the Computer Guy and, more recently, as Jeff's brother-in-law. They know me and they know my family. Some people call this phenomenon "having roots," and I've never really considered this abnormal. It was just how things were.

Coming back to this world has shown me just how few people I really knew during my time in Portland. I was more anonymous than not, and I really loved it. I had plenty of friends to call up and be with, but it was really easy to be on my own when I wanted to be.

I love being back around my family - I even love most of the people I've been running into around town. It's just a drastic change, and honestly a bit overwhelming, to not be able to deploy my Anonymous Bubble at any moment.

For now I'm trying to take it all in stride. I'll once-again be removing myself from any semblance of roots, and heading off to a new adventure any day now. I want to be able to say I took advantage of being known while I had the chance.