Hard as it is for me to believe, I’ve been blogging for over five years straight, since I started my first blogspot blog back in July 2004. (All the archives from that have since been imported over here.) That’s three cities, two jobs, a handful of churches, various political mutations, and heaven knows how many heavy metal videos ago.
Lately, though, it’s tough to shake the feeling that I’m phoning it in and/or writing things I’ve written before. I had only the vaguest idea of what I hoped to get out of blogging in the first place (organizing my thoughts? connecting with other people?), but I’m starting to think that the the experience has been sucked dry. Or maybe it’s just a temporary drought. Who knows?
Either way, I think I’ve earned a little time off, especially since no one’s paying me to do this. It’s surprising it took this long for it to happen, but lately the blog feels more like an obligation than a hobby. Not sure how much time off, but at least until I feel like I have something to say beyond chiming in on the latest political dust-up or re-hashing the same arguments about theology or animal rights or whatever for the umpteenth time.
Regardless, I hope you, dear reader, have gotten some enjoyment out of this blog. Thanks, as ever, for stopping by, and thanks to all the folks who have linked, commented, or otherwise supported this blog over the years.
–The Management
I will truly miss this blog for however long it is dormant. Seriously, you’ve been a real influence on me. I can only say that for two or three of the many bloggers I’ve read over the past five years. You’ve even got me listening to metal now.
I understand what you mean about it becoming a chore rather than a hobby – but that never came through in your content.
So clearly it’s been a bad influence.
Thanks for the kind words!
Sorry to see you go, Lee – but I do understand.
Enjoy the time away, and I hope you’ll come back feeling refreshed and ready to start anew…..
You’ve certainly been a big influence on my thinking on animal rights and the real complexities of food production in the modern world. You definitely deserve a break! (But I hope you come back, too…)
“And death shall have no dominion…” (for ever)
I’ll miss the rehashings, as they can sometimes appear at just the right time to connect with some other idea I’m working on.
I pray that you find some new subjects or approaches that give you a passion for doing this again soon. I’ve really enjoyed it.
Will miss you too. You have also made a direct impact on my life through your blogging about animal rights and food production, so thank you!
I hope the break will be a relaxing and productive one for you. I’ve enjoyed reading what you have to write.
Whoa.
I certainly understand the decision, and you’ve earned a rest, so I won’t complain … but I do hope you’ll find a satisfactory way to return, and sooner rather than later.
This is the third time I have tried to leave a comment saying goodbye.
Hmm.
Looks like they ended up in the spam filter. I think very short, one-word comments might be a red flag for it.
I have always enjoyed your blog. May it rest in peace and (maybe one day) rise in glory.
Enjoy your time away, but I hope it is only a break. I’ve found that several years of blogging, plus Facebook, has had an impact on my blogging.
Peace.
I keep checking in over here hoping you’ve changed your mind…
I was testing the WP “post by e-mail” function, which may have caused a couple of phantom posts to show up in RSS feeds.