# File lib/asciidoctor/reader.rb, line 101
  def skip_blank_lines
    skipped = 0
    # optimized code for shortest execution path
    while !(next_line = get_line).nil?
      if next_line.chomp.empty?
        skipped += 1
      else
        unshift_line next_line
        break
      end
    end 

    skipped
  end