Blog stopping

Quote of the Day:

Without the buzz and energy and cross-talk of the earlier period, it's hard to get very involved with this medium any more. Tom Shugart

The subject has come up again. The question has re-arisen:

To blog or not to blog ...

Yesterday, I thought to write about my trip to New York on Friday when I visited the Dadaists and Bethesda Fountain; and when LeAnn and I stumbled upon E.E. Cummings' house in a quaint little side-street/place in the Village. Hmm ... what a day! Full of sunshine and New Yorkers.

As my good friend, Uncle M., back in Buffalo would say: "Memories are moments that refuse to be ordinary."

But then, I said to myself, "Well, honestly. Who would care? Who pays attention?"

Ah, those synchronicity-type moments! For just as I thought that, I happened upon Tom Shugart, thinking and asking a similar question ...

Yes, Tom, I think attention does matter. And while I get so much out of and enjoy writing for myself, I could do that without the feeling of responsibility and commitment that I have developed for my blog. Plus, I always remember Ronni saying that the really good bloggers are the ones who receive the attention - because they are good. So, perhaps my blog just is not good enough for attention any longer. I had an edge there for awhile and the flame has gone out. Just not passionate, humorous, or intelligent enough. The honeymoon is over and out ...

Now, please let me be clear. This post is not about asking for attention. It is for me to see in black and white the reality of my personal blogging future. I am looking at that eternal/internal blogging question:

Why do I blog? Why do I blog? Why do I blog? Why do I blog?

Comments

[tamarika]

Gee, Tom, interesting tid-bit on Golby there ...

"It's that I consider my struggle with the question, "why do I blog?" to be some sort of private and personal issue--a unique burden thrust upon me by my own shortcomings" ... there! I identify *again* with what you say!

But I don't think it is foolishness. I think it is much like anything else in life. Philosophers have been wondering about what life is all about forever, no? So, mulling over whether to blog or not is merely one piece of that!

Thank you for getting us all thinking about this. I certainly have benefited from it!

[Tom Shugart]

My God, Tamar, have I not been paying attention or what? If it hadn't been for your kind email, I probably would not have chanced upon this post and this amazing string of comments.

Pretty ironic for a guy who was mulling over the dynamic of attention and putting up a post about it. A bit embarrasing as well, I'm afraid.

My embarassment is not about being an attention-laggard. That's just a phase into which one falls from time to time. It's that I consider my struggle with the question, "why do I blog?" to be some sort of private and personal issue--a unique burden thrust upon me by my own shortcomings

Your post and the great comments it has elicited have shown me what nonsensical thinking this is. Thanks, Tamar, for helping me get my head back into a straighter alignment.

P.S. It was nice to see Golby--an old blogging friend out of the past-- among your commenters. If he's following your blog, apparently he's retained a modicum of sanity, which some bloggers (not this one) have been known to question.

[tamarika]

Hurrah! Tom sent me an e-mail and says I had better share it because until he gets to it it might be too late for his comment here ...

I wrote: "Hello Tom, We are all beginning to become concerned about you. Could you give me a heads up as to how you are? I also left you a comment on yours but it did not become published.

Both Mike Golby and Frank Paynter are are also expressing concern as to your whereabouts.

With care and concern,
A blogger friend,
Tamar"

He replied: "Tamar:
I cannot thank you enough for your thoughfulness and caring. I'm accepting it as a loving kick in the butt to WAKE UP and get back in here. I'm robbing myself of a lot of pleasure by not staying current with you guys.

I submitted a comment to your wonderful string of comments. Too bad it's so tardy. I checked my comment function to see if it's OK, and it seems to be. Thanks again, Tamar--Tom S"

Wow! Good to hear from you, Tom. Waiting to read more here and there ...

[fp]

(Should be in your inbox now...)

[tamarika]

Frank, I probably should seeing as I "expanded" on his post! Do you have his e-mail address or should I look on his blog-site for that?

Winston,
I know. The comments have been amazing. I am so thrilled to see everyone participating in this manner. Thank you so much for yours as well.