As you all heard in the podcast I’m at a true crossroads with regard to The Pitt POV.  I am taking a step back to focus on other aspects of my life in retirement that quite frankly I believe impact others in a much more fundamental and important way than discussing a game that is being played. Even as much as I do enjoy Pitt football and discussing it with you.

As I said I’ll be spending a lot of time traveling and talking with our Veterans who are in end-of-life hospice care about their military careers and their lives afterward so that they know that they are appreciated beyond their immediate circle of family and friends, if they even have those.  I’ll still do my continuing work with the homeless and most of the other volunteer activities I take part in also.

Basically I find myself stretched thin so I’m taking time to triage my activities’ priorities as to their long term importance to myself and others.

Part of this internal debate I’m having is the very real wonder if what I do on here is worth the huge amount of time, effort, money and, perhaps most importantly, emotional expenditure I invest.  I’m beginning to have some doubts about every one of those issues after a full 13 months of The POV –  so I’m taking a sabbatical.

I found this bit in an article I wrote when the POV was less than one month old – a full year ago:

From July 17th, 2016:

I don’t really feel under attack all that much. I do find that some complaints, as such, are pretty funny considering the situation with writing the blogs (POV & Blather) and the effort put into it. Honestly, I learned a long time ago that when someone is doing you a favor you don’t nitpick it to death.

What I was trying to get across was that I do this for all of OUR enjoyment… and as such it is pretty damned informal, more like a conversation – at least with most articles. Honestly, I get great enjoyment doing it but it is kind of a favor – at least that’s how I feel reading others’ blogs – they are doing something for me to enjoy.

In honesty I think that a few of our readers forget that last part.  In that this blog has been a labor of love for me, but in it’s most basic form has been a favor offered from me to you.

So, I’ll take some needed time to concentrate on things that are also important, actually quality of life and death issues, that I’m involved with.  I’ll revisit the POV at the beginning of Pitt’s fall camp to see if it still fits in.  I hope it does.

Thanks all… and I’ll see you later.

Reed