Living
You may have noticed I’ve been absent for a while now. Or perhaps not. But I feel like I’ve been absent from blogland lately. Somewhere along the way I just lost my window of time in which I normally blog, comment, respond to emails, etc. And then I got behind. And now I’m just sort of overwhelmed by it. When I sit down at the computer I don’t know where to begin. I have so many posts to write, so many posts to read, 5 email accounts to check, and I end up just staring at the screen not knowing what to do with my limited time, only to have it run out by the moment I’ve decided.
The thing is, I’ve just been kind of living, you know? And I’ve been pretty happy to do it. We’ve been preparing our garden bed, working on the house and the greenhouse (yes, we have this tiny little greenhouse attached to our garage that was in horrible condition when we moved in and is now ready to work as a cold frame for seeds!), reading, playing with the boys, cooking and trying new recipes, changing the way I shop for food and plan our meals. Hubby and I have been trying to get more sleep and go to bed earlier, which is a key part of me having less computer time. We try to be in bed and just talking or reading by 10:00 or 10:30 at the latest. No more tv after those hours, no more computers, because those things just don’t contribute to falling asleep easily. And it’s been really nice. He especially has been more rested and we’ve both been happier.
The other day, for the very first time ever, I considered stopping my blog. I quickly decided against that, but I did decide to let go of the blog guilt that I’ve been feeling. I’m not going to feel obligated to post anymore, and I’m not going to beat myself up if days go by without a new post and my stats go down or whatever. I’m going to try very hard to read all of your blogs and comment on them, but again, I’m not going to make myself feel terrible if I miss a few posts or if I just read them without commenting, which has been the case lately (yes, I am still reading your blogs, sometimes I just don’t know what to say, and by the time I think of it my time is up).
So I’m just going to keep on living, if that’s all right with you. I’m going to write when I feel like it and comment when I have something to say. I’m going to do whatever I feel I will enjoy most in the moment, and that might not involve the computer right now. Sometimes I just have to step away and do something before I can write about it. I need to step away from the table and look up from the screen, because that’s what making me happy right now.
Rock on, Beth!
That’s kinda how I approach my blog. When I have something to say… I tend to say it. Otherwise… well, I just waste my time on facebook, so it’s not exactly the same as you. lol
That’s what I love about feed readers…you can disappear and then days or weeks go by and an old favorite pops up with an update! Kudos for doing what works—the internet isn’t going anywhere!
And that’s exactly what you should be doing: living your life.
I’m working on learning those same lessons.
I think that’s an excellent idea! I am all for the living and playing! plus the more living you do, the more wonderful your post will be when you do blog! They may be fewer, but they will be exciting, fun and robust (love that word- remember I am a dork)
have fun Beth!!!
I’m right there with you. I took a long break from blogging and I’m glad to be back but I’m still not sure where blogging (writing, reading, commenting) fits in my life right now. It’s good to live life sometimes and just be. I’ll be here reading whenever you do write. I may not always comment but I’m here. Oh, and I am sooo doing a post for your latest theme - as soon as I find a few moments.
you go. i totally understand and i’m right there with you!!!!!!!!!!!!
Good for you. Do it for you, when you want to.
Jenn
That’s the great thing about having a blog–it’s yours. You can blog you much or little as you want! And nothing wrong with taking time off to “live.” That’s the way it should be, my dear!
I hope you will be more successful about that blog guilt thing than I am.
Go play with those cuties!
funny…i feel like i could have written the same post. minus the gardening stuff. it’s still too cold here! and my garden plot is tiny. but, i get what you are saying. there’s something about committing yourself to living and doing and taking care of yourself that can make blogging feel like a distraction from what is really needed.
i miss you but i’m glad you are actually living life for reals!
take your time, we aren’t going anywhere.
Me too.
I admire you for this–very wise!
I’m so glad for you-
You are a great blogger and mom
I went through blog guilt a couple of months ago, and then I remembered- it’s supposed to be fun; yeah, it takes me awhile
no one is going anywhere- enjoy today, hope it’s getting warmer up there, it’s a little chilly down here today but should be warming up by the end of the week.
I understand what you’re saying completely. When I made my switch from public to private blogging it let me let go of that guilt and let me live. I’ll always read you when ever you post, thats the beautiful thing about feed readers!
I enjoyed reading this! Thanks–it’s so easy to get computer-blog crazy, it seems, and I can see how it can interfere with living a normal life. . . and when computer time interrupts normal relationship time, that’s a problemo.
Enjoy and thanks for sharing–
Hey, we gotta live. That’s the idea behind the blogging anyway, right?
Enjoy your garden! I still read a lot, too. I just don’t comment as much!
yes yes. I agree too.
enjoy spring!
but most importantly: I AM SO JEALOUS OF YOUR COLD FRAME.
I get this. I so totally get this.
I am in the same place. Except without the readership
And I, too, am jealous of your cold frame.
I just found your blog through the big feed swap, but that sounds like a great plan to me!
I hear ya. I really need to step away from my computer and do a little more living. I don’t even have readers and daily postings and I still waste all this time! My new goal may be to blog faster unless I’m really giving myself designated surf time. My hubby would never agree to an early bedtime like that, but it sounds good to me - I always need more sleep!
I fell off the blogging map when I discovered that a certain someone was reading my blog; it made me deem certain topics off limits, which was a bit paralyzing. Consequently, I lost 90% of my commenters. That was discouraging for about one minute. Then, life swooped down on me and the only way to survive it is to write about it.
I’m glad you’re still writing….and I’ll be around to hear what you’re writing aobut!