Unintentional Sabbatical.

I have been on a kind of Unintentional Blogging Sabbatical, I'd say.  For months, now, I've faded into the background, losing touch with my friends in the blogosphere (are we still calling it that?) and watching my own blog slowly exsanguinate readers.  I've had mixed feelings about it.

About three and a half years ago, I started this blog.  I'd been reading my BFF's blog for a while and I literally woke up one morning with an idea for a blog.  The name and the tag line. I started blogging that morning, excited and giddy with the potential of it.  I would be, of course, anonymous--for the sake of any patients (or parents) who might Google my name.  Who wants to know about the friends, extended families, birth stories and broken assholes of their therapists, really? No one, that's who.  And so, I would stay anonymous and blog about my life and my perspective as a mother and a therapist and a human being from there.

A lot has changed in a little over three years.  Three years is, how long in internet time, do you think? (Remember memes?  Blog awards? Half-Nekkid Thursdays? Blogrolls?)

I swear, when I started, there were lots of other anonymous bloggers. LOTS!  Most of them have come out of the closet, I think.  There used to be debate about ads. ADS! And now, for many, blogging has become a business.  Or a launch pad.  Or a marketing tool.

Not that I mind.  I really don't.  I'm not Making a Statement or Giving Critique to the business of blogging.  None of it matters or influences the reason I write a blog or read blogs.  For me, it always, always comes down to content.  If I can relate to the content, if I am amused or moved or inspired by the content, then I read it.

But who cares about any of that, really?

The point is that I have slowly been Ebbing more than Flowing in the content department here at The New Girl.  I'm not sure why that is, really, given that I have lots to talk about and am never at a loss for words.  As I've written before, I think it might be time-energy related.  Having an almost walking, cute-as-hell-but-curious-as-in-into-every-fucking-thing baby puts a damper on my creativity.  I have some time when the kids nap but I find myself kicking back to read or scrambling around the house to get it [just passable] neat enough. 

So, instead of telling you about how my almost one-year-old's first word was, so help me, CHEESE, or how my big girl started preschool, or how my dad is settled in and doing better than I am, I just...don't.  I've dropped out, into the background, taken up my long-lost penchant to lurk.  I've become a mute observer. 

And, while I don't have the urge/compulsion to write to keep me sane, I have to say that I notice its absence.  Even though I wonder, sometimes, what this blogging is, I've never wanted to quit.  Even in these quiet times, I miss the connection, the opportunity to stretch the muscles required to write a post that has legs.  I miss the exercise itself. 

I miss you guys.

 

 

 

Comments

[Emily]

So ummmmm... I'm commenting on a post that's almost a month old which I think just goes to show that I agree with everything you wrote.

And I miss you too when you don't write, I get it but I do love your voice cutting through all the tinterweb noise.

[Alias Mother]

My posting has slowed tremendously since kid #2. It's just harder, you know? Even if I had the time, I have so little energy left over for writing or even thinking about what to write.

S'alright. You write when you write and we'll still be here.

[Sam]

I miss you, too. Come back! Amuse me! Dance monkey, dance!

[amy]

And I've missed you. I'm guilty of lurking more than commenting as well, but I always check. I can't believe it's been that long since you started!

[marty]

Yup. I get this.

[bea]

Me too. Me too. I'm still here reading, though - haven't posted since February, but still happy whenever an old friend shows up for a bit of a chat.

[lora]

I miss you too. In real life and here.

Also, sparse posting isn't a terrible thing. Who has time to read every day? I actually drop subscriptions that have too much content.

[Issa]

I miss you when you don't write. I really hope you don't quit.

I am still pretty anonymous. At least in a way. I don't do it as a business. Blogging for me, is a hobby. It's a way to connect to people. I've been doing it a long time. Almost as long as Kristen. It's changed. Yet, in some ways, it's still the same. We come, we read, we say what we want, we are quiet when we need too be. As long as you do it all your way, I don't see anything wrong with it.

[Alexis]

I definitely miss you when you don't write! After almost three years of reading your blog, and blogs in general, I still click here first!

[a]

I think it's something in the water...a lot of the blogs I read seem to have gone on hiatus. That's OK - because forced writing is probably painful for everyone.

Cheese? Really? Maybe he's related to my husband.

[Tessie]

Uh, yeah, ME TOO. I know blogging at some interval is important to my happiness, but I've been fading lately too. Dunno.

[Kader]

I miss you, too. I LOVE your writing.

[Carmen]

What Swistle said.

[-R-]

Yeah, it's hard. But I miss you too!

[tara]

Still here. Miss you too.

[Mama Bub]

You were the very first blog I ever read, and for a long time you were the only blog I read. I had no idea what a feed reader was, and just clicked through via my bookmarks every day or so, happy whenever there was a new post. Now you live in my reader and if there's a new post from you it's one of the first that I read. Plus our oldest kids have just about the same birthday.

[Lindsey]

I miss you too. I check every day. Have since you were pg with TLNG. We'll be glad if/when you are ready to come back.

You make me laugh, more than any other blogger I read, hands down.

[Lora]

I miss you, too, but I understand the pull of Life. I will read whatever you have to say, whenever you say it.

[Kate]

You're missed too but I think we all understand. I'll keep checking back and wishing you well.

[Beth from South Jersey]

Huge fan. Love all your stories and your humor and your f-bombs!

[jodifur]

Please come back. You will always be a favorite.

[Kayla]

WORD.. I will check it out.. The other night I made this dish.. OMG it was so good and I thought of you.. I will break it down for you and if you want you can give me your email and I will scan in the recipe and send it your way..

It was isreali coucous, black beans, corn, cilantro, mushroom, lime juice and slices of avocado on top.. Seriously it looked like barf BUT it was out of this world..

[annettek]

I miss you too! You've written some incredibly funny things here, and I would love to read more, but I definitely understand losing the urge to blog.

[anne nahm]

Miss you too! I think it is going around, like a flu bug. Which means you'll totally get over it and write stronger than ever. Or, you know, puke.

[mimi]

Yup. All true.

Did you know bloglines is officially getting tuned off in October. God, I feel SO OLD. My ebbing blog is four years old, which is decrepit in Internet years, right?

I'm still anonymous. For the reasons you mention. And still no ads. Because I'm a crotchety old Internet lady. Hey you kids! Get out of my yard!

Uphill both ways,
Mimi :-)

[The New Girl]

Kayla: Thanks! I know you've been reading forEVAH. I am writing about my sorta bentos and my recipes, etc. on Balancing the Scales, if you are so inclined. There's a link at the top/right of this page. xo

[Kayla]

I forgot to add I also miss your food reviews and your book reviews and little sister stories..

[Kayla]

AND we miss you... I still check at least once a week and feel disappointed when I don't have the fun fact friday, a crazy manson story, or pictures of your cute ass kids.. BUT coming from someone that prays every single night for just two more hours a day - I get it!!!

I love your writing so I will stick around until you come back:)

Hugs
K

[Swistle]

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