next if m/^\s*$/;     #skip/re-prompt for blank lines
#or
if (m/^\s*$/)  #very unlikely that I would write this
{              #but, it means the same as above
   next;
}
I would not write the below. This is obfuscated bad code.
Because it obscures the "if" nature of the statement.
m/^\s*$/ and next;