I have been very MIA lately, and actually was thinking of not returning to blogging but I think I have changed my mind. Let me explain my thougths a bit (sorry male readers, it is all way over- analyzed in the typical female fashion).
I got overwhelmed and so I totally backed off. I have the blogs that I read and love, and you guys read mine and we comment on each other and just in general have a good bloglationship (made that one up). But for some reason I felt compelled to keep adding more and more blogs to my reader, everytime someone would reference or link to another blogger I would add them. I was reading way too many, leaving lots of unreciprocated comments and got burned out on it all. When logging onto the reader became more of a chore than a joy, I realized something wasn't working...the last think anyone needs is another thing to check of the To Do list. I was reading some fav blogs yesterday and ran across a post by my fellow blogging Charlestonian Kristin that really got me thinking about why my blogthusiasm was waning. Even though for the most part i haven't been commenting, I HAVE been reading you guys and I realized that I missed commenting and posting. So a big general Congrats, Woo Hoo, Way to Go, You Guys Rock to everyone who has raced, tri'd, vacationed, etc. in the last several weeks.
I was also having a blogdentity crisis: is this a running blog or a Morris family life blog? I worried my non-running readers would be bored out of their gourds by all the running posts, and I worried that my running readers would not want to read about my new shoes and lipstick or how many margaritas we had last night (2 if you were curious).
Here are my realizations: this blog is MY blog so it can be whatever the heck I want it to be, if you don't feel like reading, don't read (but of course I hope you do!). I have significantly pared down the Google Reader to the blogs that I actually look forward to and enjoy reading, to the people that I miss when I don't read for a few days.
See, I warned you....waaaaay overthinking something that should not be over-thought. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!
24 comments:
Blogging can be overwhelming especially when you post regularly and comment. Sometimes you do need a break from one or both. I have cut down the amount of posts to usally once a week now.
Glad you are leaving us.
I think as this whole blogging world settles into itself, a lot of people will find that they can't keep up with it as a daily commitment. I totally understand where you're coming from (both in terms of the overwhelmedness and the overanalysis!)
I've had these same thoughts!
Welcome back! :)
I agree that it can get overwhelming at times and unreciprocated comments make me batty sometimes.
BUT there are many of us who love reading your blog - wether about running, the dogs, your life in general or anything else!
So please stick around. :)
it is totally your blog and you can certainly write about whatever you want! i enjoy reading non-running things too so it can provide a little break from the 'norm'.
i've been overwhelmed with my reader too before. i did the same - realized i needed to just worry about the ones i enjoy/am in a "bloglationship" with (great word btw). i also no longer worry about posting everyday or trying to read everyone's posts in a hurry. if i am a few days late to read/comment i don't think people mind.
so find your balance, this is definitely not supposed to be something stressful!!
Glad you are sticking around. Personally, while most of the blogs I read now are running related in some way, I still enjoy hearing about more than just running on those blogs that I do read.
What works for me is to try to comment regularly on those blogs who comment on me and comment only when I actually have something to say ;o) on the others I read.
I'm glad to see I made the cut (at least for now ;) Of course your blog can be about whatever you want it to be. I am a runner, but I also love shoes, lipstick, and maragaritas - so YES I want to hear about it!!
Please don't feel pressure to comment on my blog and I wont feel prssure to comment on yours. Deal? Deal. I'm glad you didn't leave the blogosphere forever. There are some blogs I find myslef skipping over in the google reader, so I have been thinking about pearing down myself.
I completely understand your 'blog crisis' - And I think your conclusions ate absolutely perfect. It's so easy to go overboard and become overwhelmed.
I'm glad you're sticking around, and as a running reader, I like all if the normal life stuff thrown in! It makes your blog exciting and personal - something I'm trying to work on for my blog - and you've got it down!
After Memorial Day weekend I had over 1000+ unread messages, so I reogranized reader into "daily" folders of the blogs I want to read every day. And I left the other ones in their regular folders so I wouldn't feel overwhelmed and get to them when I can.
I actually feel better, surprisingly.
I love blogs that talk about a multitude of things! Don't worry about the readers who won't identify. They'll probably come back when they see something that calls out to them!
I like reading about your marg consumption AND your running. Glad you're back, you were missed!
All good realizations. I've given up on having focused content for my blog because it is MINE and "I do what I want!"
Just make sure it's making you happy 'coz that's how it should be.
TOTALLY, it's YOUR blog! I always write what I feel. I use it as a workout diary primarily but also a life diary--you peeps probably know more about what's going on in my life than my parents =).
I definitely love to give and receive comments but I too, get overwhelmed sometimes and end up just reading and doing less commenting. While I love comments, I also feel like I would write on my blog even if I didn't receive any comments =).
You're exactly right in re-claiming it as YOUR blog. That should always be your priority with writing it. And as far as reading and commenting on other blogs, read what you want, comment on what you want. There are no rules to this.
welcome back, and hope you keep posting about what YOU want, because as you mentioned, it's YOURS. hope those 2 margaritas were good, :) have a wonderful weekend.
Thanks for the shout out!
I think we all go through blog lows and highs. It would be hard for me to keep up with a blog that got more than 50 comments a day, that just seems overwhelming! But as Alisa said, I keep it as a workout diary first and foremost and everything else is just commentary. I don't think I would have stuck with the marathon training without it!
I like keeping it small and simple and no fuss.
I also like hearing about everything regardless of topic so keep it coming!
We need to have another running date too :)
Clearly we can all relate... You said it all so perfectly. I find I drop by the blogs I enjoy, read quickly, comment occasionally, and mostly I write for me!
I'm glad you're still blogging. I like reading about your funny farm. It makes me smile because so much of it reminds me of mine :-)
I can totally relate. I currently have 348 unread posts to read in my Google Reader.
I find myself going back to the blogs of people who I am starting to consider "friends" or people who I can see myself being friends with. The running info is nice, but I like to learn about a person and some of the things going on in their lives. I don't always comment (especially if I don't really have much to say), but I like to be a fly on their wall of life. Does that make sense?
I don't think anyone ever takes it personally when you don't comment. I think we all go through commenting (or posting) ruts.
It is nice to see you back, though...
it can definitely be overwhelming. sometimes you just have to mark all as read and start clean :) I think its all about your own preference on quantity of posts and comments and everything else just works itself out. It should definitely not feel like a chore, but I know sometimes I get overwhelmed when I open my reader. Anyways I am SO glad you are sticking around :)
I needed this post. I have been overwhelemed aswell. I keep my reader full and I didnt know how to make time for it. Its all about balance. Start fresh and forget the blogs you missed, you write awesome things, regardless of topic.
The way I look at my blogs is like a journal. I hope people read, they dont have to comment, but at the end of the day its for my benefit and memory. Hope that helps :)
I'm 100% with you, hence my own sporadic blogging too :)
I think many can understand that overwhelming feeling, so we all understand that not every single post can get a comment.
With 20 comments already, it seems a lot of people relate to exactly what you've said, me included.
Keep doing what your doing and when you want to do it. This should be fun, not work!
I think we have all felt exactly what you stated so well and at times it's too much and at times you can't get enough, but the important part is that it some how makes your life better..at least for me!
first, 2 margharitas is not nearly enough. second, i always think the blog is about you, and only people who are interested in you will keep reading it no matter what you put up. i think you are an interesting person, so i don't care if it's shoes or whatever. i know not too many runners love gardening the way I do, but i still put tons of pics up of the garden. that's what makes it fun for me.
and yes, it can get quite overwhelming. i struggle with that too. time and all that.
Hi:) I've been out of town/MIA for awhile too but I am just catching up on blogs and wanted to tell you that I have felt the same way too. It's easy to feel overwhelmed by the blog world. I'm glad you are going to keep up because like you, I read but don't always comment and I always enjoy reading yours!
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