So I help maintain this blog. I have my personal blog, too. In fact I have a whole slew of blogs. Hold on, I'll go count. 9. I have 9 blogs. (though 2 belong to my daughters). I've started various blogs for various reasons, but I guess in all honesty none ever get any attention besides 2 of them. Anyway, you would think I'd be one stellar blogger, but I have developed this irrational fear of blogs.
Reading blogs and keeping up with cool people used to be one of my favorite past times. Instead of watching TV, I browse the Internet - much of it on the blogosphere. Well, a few months ago I started to get scared of getting sucked in to the blog vortex. Everyone blogs now. I found that once I started reading one I would feel compelled to read them all. As a single mother/full time employee I just don't have time to read the blogs of the 383 friends I have (I just checked my Facebook friend list. Yep 383. I didn't know I even knew that many people). So I've turned my back on all of the blogs I once read. Even my family members (except for a once or twice a month check in). I don't like this. I want to be part of the community. I know there is some really great stuff out there for my mental consumption, but I haven't been able to will myself to get back on track.
Since I get by with a little help from my friends, I beg of thee to help me get over this blogosfear that exists within me. How do you deal with blog time? Do you have the same issues with blogging? Is there hope for me? Should we propose a new diagnosis for the DSM (book that lists mental disorders)? Can this be legitimately pathologized?
-Dove
8 comments:
I did the same thing; it was overwhelming! I only get on the Internet now when I can't sleep (obviously-since it is 3am my time!) I feel out of touch yet liberated. And people seem to be doing fine without the details of my life. I do miss the journaling aspect of the blog, though. They make great memoirs for the family...
I can relate for sure. I blog a lot less now than I used to. It's weird that over the few years I have been blogging there have been a lot of my friends that have come and gone from the blogging scene... I can't seem to give it up, even though sometimes I think I will. I love the journaling aspect, like Kate said. I love to read back through my older posts and so do my kids. We found some old video treasures that they wanted me to post on their own blogs so they could watch them over and over again... I guess that gave me a little boost to want to keep going.
The way I see it, you don't do as much with your own blog because you spend a lot of time on We Chirp and that's great! A lot of the material you would have posted on your blog is the material that you now post here, for more of the world to see.
As for checking in on everyone elses, sheesh, 383 friends to keep up with is pretty overwhelming!! I think once or twice a month is plenty. Maybe you should do the blogroll again, that weeds out any unnecessary clicking!
I've always loved reading your posts. You have a beautiful mind and you inspire me... so wether you read other blogs or not... keep writting Dovie!!!
I just discovered the whole blog world last summer. Before that I had never even seen a blog much less contemplated having my own. I write and read when my little one sleeps. I have no advice for you unfortunately. I'm bone tired and going to nap now. I will say this - no offense taken if you never read my blog again, but please oh please keep up we chirp. It's part of my daily sustenance. One of my faves. Keep it alive!
I can't really relate to the over blogging since I can only handle so much blog reading. I just started and so I haven't really dived in yet. I don't want to spend too much time because I already spend too much time on farm town...so I use a kitchen timer. The timer hopefully will help with other online stuff. I appreciate good blogs though and consider it time well-spent to read those. I like your posts and hope you find a balance that you can live with!
Just like TV, eating, or anything else good in small doses, blogging can become addictive - and I mean reading as well as writing. I read blogs (and write my own) every day but I try to do so when my kids are asleep or in "quiet time" (nap time for kids done napping - basically watch-a-movie-time). One thing that I do is limit what I read. I am very discerning about who I read on a daily basis. Basically, I read the blogs on my sidebar each day, but I don't surf around or scope out other's sidebars because that leads into the swirling vortex of blogivion. I rarely add anyone new and only if I start to read him/her on a daily basis. When someone gets sporadic with the posting or I outgrow the blog, off they go.
Big bloggers say that to get big yourself you have to be "out there" in the community and commenting on a million blogs a day to garner attention. Personally, I can't do it. I know my own blog could be bigger if I did more PR, but fore me, that's not what I'm after.
That said, I love the blog world. I've gotten so much creative juice from it and from sources I'd never otherwise known about.
I'm always adding new blogs to my reader. It just keeps getting bigger and bigger and I don't have time to read them anymore. I delete a few here and there. But when I delete one I haven't read in a while, I find a new one to replace it so its a never ending cycle.
I wish I had advice or a 12 step program.
I agree that it's really easy to get wrapped up in blog and internet surfing. I find that if I stick to my few favorites the daily reading doesn't become quite so overwhelming. I really appreciate the creative outlet that comes from having a place to put thoughts and hear what others have to say. I really enjoy We Chirp, so thanks for your hard work. :)
I'm of no help. Your words were stolen right out of my mouth. :/
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