Dear Diary,

I have been thinking about this for some time.

And I have decided to leave you.

I remember noticing around my birthday that I had started you up in 1999. September will mark our 5 year anniversary. I also noticed that I was creeping up on 500 entries. I thought it would be an interesting race to see which milestone I passed first. Race or no, I decided whichever happened first would signal the end.

My heart hasn't been in it for quite some time. In fact, I can pinpoint the exact entry where I quit caring and where this officially became more chore-like than fun-like.

I don't know why. I think it had something to do with my impending birthday and feeling old. I think it had something to do with being heartbroken about certain things that have happened this year that I haven't told you about.

I don't read too many other diaries anymore. Sadly, all the diaries I used to read and love aren't being updated much these days, and I think I'm suffering due to the lack of inspiration. So many of them have fizzled out without any explanation or goodbyes, and I didn't want to do you like that.

You've been a good little diary, but because you're out there for the world to see I have heavily censored real thoughts and events. I am really glad I have such an awesome chronicle of my life for the past few years (particularly all my traveling in Australia), but am saddened when I think of how much I left out.

I will greatly miss the part where I'll post about where I'm headed for a trip, and I'll get nice notes and emails saying, "Hey! I live in ______ and you should go to ________ while you're here." I will also miss all the random comments I receive from random people, like midgets. And Canadians.

You did make the internet less scary, so...thanks for that.

The internet is a strange, wonderful creature. It can lead you to meet awesome people from the far reaches of the earth that you otherwise never, ever would have known existed.

The internet is also an unconscionable bastard. It can lead you to meet people from the far reaches of the earth that you otherwise never would have known existed....and don't want to, but have to, live without.

I'm flattered (read: baffled) that a good number of people have continually come to read all my dumb notes, lists and stories for all these years. For whatever reason you ever read this (loyal reader, referred by a friend, saw me as someone else's favorite, did a Google search on "Patrick Swayze greeting card", etc.) .... thanks for reading. And for tolerating all those wrestling entries when you couldn't have cared less.

So...this is it, Diary. We�re through.

It's not you. It's me. Sorry.

halee

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