I began this blog six years ago yesterday. I just checked the date.
In that time I changed this blog’s format four times, joined three different blogging communities, tweeted and shared and RSS’ed my posts, and mingled with many other bloggers, visiting sites and leaving comments. And for a few months, I attempted to write a post a day. Other times I dug deep to find some inner muse, and endeavored to sculpt my posts with all the love and care and creativity as would any artist in any other medium.
I paid rapt attention to my numbers: how many people visited my site? How long did they stay? What did they read? Where did they visit from?
And then after a while, things started to relax a little. The blogs I visited weren’t updated as frequently. Some went on lengthy “blog vacations.” And I went through a few bleak, desolate times where the words just weren’t there, and where the subject matter I had just didn’t seem relevant to anything. I just didn’t have the motivation to write at all. I yanked the widgets for the social media buttons and removed the bits of code that provided statistical and demographic reports on visitors. I truly stopped being concerned whether anyone at all visited here.
Only recently have I really poked my head back up to write, to capture my life as a man, a father, a husband.
I’ve noticed that there are a lot of holes in the bloggy landscape. A number of my friends have vanished from the blog scene, either pulling their sites down completely or simply abandoning them.
Is it just me or does it seem like blogging just isn’t as “in” as it used to be? Is the party over? Everyone has a life to lead, and for some, I know they’ve found that blogging began to consume more of it than they were comfortable giving. I know that life as a parent, particularly when serious adversity strikes, is stressful and busy and doesn’t leave a lot of time for side ventures like blogging.
It’s understandable. Life goes on and we all need to focus on what’s most important. Mostly I hope my friends are doing okay and are enjoying time with their kids while they have the opportunity.
Thought I’d pull the covers off this lurker/blogger. Ya, my blog. It’s been idle a while. I miss writing, a lot, I just haven’t had the time to devote to it. I still try to read everyone’s blog that still updates. Thank goodness for Reader. Life is good and busy.
BTW – Hi!
(MD) Howdy, OhCaptain! I know what you mean about not having time. There’s just never enough any more. I wonder where it all goes. Glad to see you still lurking though!
Although reading blogs takes more time than reading tweets and Facebook updates, there’s no replacement for the depth of personal posts on the one hand, and for the SEO advantage of blog posts (when it comes to brands who get in touch with bloggers) on the other. So I’m not sure blogs in general will go away soon.
People leave all the time, because there’s a limit to what people can say, I guess (I quit my old blog, but then started the current one, because I enjoyed it too much, and just needed to write more about specific things instead of random stuff), but new people start blogs all the time as well.
(MD) You are correct about the turnover factor; that is something I hadn’t considered. In the overall landscape things are probably about the same, it’s just the ones I’m familiar with that have undergone a culling. The other point about reading tweets and Facebook pages is probably a larger factor though. Reading tweets and status updates is a lot easier than wading through a lengthy blog post, like mine tend to be.
Blogging has indeed changed, but I think like anything else, everyone who blogs isn’t meant to do it indefinitely (or can’t, or doesn’t feel like it). I do miss the comments, because those sure aren’t there anymore. I like to connect with my readers and although I know who some of my readers are, I have no idea who the majority are.
I miss the olden days.
(But I’m not stopping.)
(MD) I will take the fault for not commenting elsewhere. I haven’t been visiting and commenting as much as I used to. I will strive to do better – and I very much appreciate your stopping by!
What is the difference from blogging and keeping a daily journal of your life and happenings? It does not have to be specifically about Michael, although he is a large part of your life. I think that is because you are a pioneer Daddy, not having your own to reflect on when you were small. It is also cathartic to write about stuff and in writing you can solve some issues that may not have been clear at first.
It is a good thing to do so keep it up my good son, Love, mom
(MD) Mother dear, I think you’ve missed the point of my article. I’m wondering where the majority of the other bloggers are. I’m not making any concerned statements about my own blog. Also, this blog isn’t about Michael specifically, even though his name is in the title.