Thinking About Time
Sometimes I wonder how was able to juggle so many things when I was working full time, raising children, heading up the neighborhood swim team, dealing with a myriad of pets, and sometimes even taking piano lessons.
Some answers are I was a lot younger, I had a lot more energy, I slept less, and I drank more coffee.
But perhaps another important answer is I wasn’t sitting at my computer other than to do real work I got paid for (and furthermore when I was sitting at my work computer, it was always to do the work I was being paid for.)
It’s not that I sit at my home computer all day long, but I tend to check for e-mail, comments, look at stats, and read Blogs several times a day. And then there is usually a few minutes devoted to posting something.
Many of the people who were Blogging when I first started have quit or are posting very infrequently. And I don’t seem to be looking for people to take their places on my link list. Occasionally when someone finds my Blog and we realize we have common interests, I add that person -- like Terry and Mary Tabor. But I’m no longer out there beating the bushes for new Blogs to read.
I have enough trouble getting around to my old favorites on a regular basis, sometimes arriving to find I have missed 3 posts!
I am beginning to think the majority of my readers are either non-Bloggers or at least non-commenting Bloggers. I’m always a little surprised when someone says “I read about that on your Blog” and I remember this is a sometimes reader.
I start to wonder if what I’m writing is losing its pizazz (if it ever had such a thing) as my comment numbers decline. Maybe that says something about the quality of my current life -- that it is sometimes bordering on BORING.
I will probably continue to write just because it’s a good daily exercise, it puts my favorite recipes in easy reach, and I enjoy the interaction with friends in the Blogosphere. But there are times when I ponder what I would do with my reclaimed hours if I put my home computer in hibernation.
Do such thoughts ever cross your mind?
posted by Barbara at 12:37 PM
17 Comments:
Yep, all the time. I often worry that I'm not putting all of my time to good use, but at the same time, I really enjoy the quiet times.
I think blog readers have evolved. I regularly read almost zero personal blogs (yours being an exception), mostly because I find the content to be too personal to be useful to me. The novelty has worn off. I'm sure some others feel that way about my blog, but I don't care, that's not why I write it. The blogs I do read regularly are large, commercial blogs that are content-rich, fact-rich, link-containing substitutes for newspapers and magazines, which I don't read.
In the last sentence, I meant to write that I don't read paper newspapers or mags. I do read such publications online, which is usually the same content as on paper, but also includes links to facts and sources.
Kevin -- Welcome! My sentiments exactly. I'm still enjoying the dates and cheese.
MC -- Wow! I feel special. I promise to try to include more links and to make the content a little richer...
Barbara, no need to change a thing on my account. I read yours anyway!
Just put SOME of those computer hours to another use and see what you fill them with. That will answer your question and still allow you time at the computer. It's not that our lives and posts are boring, it's what we do to change things if we think they are.
I know that I'm spending less time reading these days. That it's harder to write. I still read through some of my favorites but I seldom leave comments.
I don't know how I have enough hours in the day.
MC -- I always need to be a little more journalistic in my approach to Blogging. A look at your Blog is a reminder to me!
Pauline -- You are always so wise.
Kristin -- You still have the excuse of working a million hours every week that I no longer have. I do believe when I was working way more than 40 hours a week, I used my time more wisely.
I am blogging less and less myself. 2 posts a month at most.
I need to drag myself away from the computer (although I do work on one all day)and try to do more constructive things (at least get more housework done and take more walks)
Besides, my life is boring (to most people) and I doubt anyone wants to read about it anyway.
Barbara, I don't find your posts boring at all (or your life, for that matter). I'm not a blogger and probably never will be (despite your encouragement to the contrary), but I think and feel deeply and am a lover of language and thoughtful dialogue. And so, I very much appreciate the range of topics you write about, from the personal (physical injury, post-road-rage incident, concerns re life path) to the moving (kids at the shelter) to the informational (local farming/food co-op) and musical and on & on....My world would be smaller and less rich without your blog. As long as you write it, I'll be here!
F.
Gewels -- I miss hearing about your horseriding experiences. And there must be a million stories coming out of the wine store. What you might think is boring really isn't.
Anon -- You are too kind. My purpose in writing this wasn't so much to get affirmation from readers, but rather to convince myself to keep writing. There have been far too many times recently when it seemed like I had nothing to say. I have to convince myself to just shut up when that happens and take a day or a week or a month off until something comes along.
I find blogging to be good therapy for me.
Hi Barbara, I always have, and still do love your blog! When people post frequently, I find that I come along and find a few posts out there, which I enjoy catching up on...
I don't have time to post more than once a week,as a rule, because I can hardly bear to look at a PC by the time I get home in the evenings these days... so therefore, I prefer to spend more blog time on reading rather than writing blogposts! I do love to leave comments whenever I can, and even refer back to older posts too whenever possible..blog on Barbara! :)
Yes, blog on, Barbara! I find myself spending less time on the computer, too, but I still love to read my favourite blogs (yours is still one of them even if I don`t manage to read each one) and sometimes comment. I also wonder sometimes if my posts aren`t boring to others, but on my map I find many readers who have never ever commented and who seem to enjoy my thoughts anyway. So as long as I HAVE some, why not continue? What is the word you used - jizazz?
Yeah, I find myself a bit on empty , looking for a little inspiration to find something to write. And for a whilre there, I was riting just to write, and thats OK too.
Yeah, Barb, you have put up some pretty boring stuff, but so have I.
I thought your Road Rage series was very intersting, and I suggest that you don't let the truth get in the way of a story Barbara!
I'd have liked to hear that you and the driver got into some kind of tussle, and they booked you at the DC Jail, especially if it weren't true!
BH -- OK, nice guy, just because I refuse to fabricate. I was never any good at make-believe, so all you get is the boring truth here... :)
I've been without internet for over a week now and it was horrible at first, but then I started enjoying all of the extra time I had.
I think a lot of people admire bloggers like you who are able to write every day. It may be boring for you, but it is not boring at all for your readers.
Write on!
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