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December 4, 2006
Blogging as Habit, Blogging as Confession
OK, I admit it: my dismal blogging lately is due only partly to the fact that I've been really busy; there's also the more troubling fact that I've gotten out of the habit.
There was a message my mother communicated to me early on: it's important to develop good habits, because good habits support your ability to do everything else you want or need or like to do, and generally make your life easier. She didn't phrase it that way; she just made me do things every single day, like make my bed very shortly after getting out of it so that it looked neat and tidy all day and the sheets felt "rested" and smooth when I got it in at night, or brush my teeth before I go to bed so that I didn't have to spend lots of time in a dentist's chair having cavities filled (unfortunately I ate too much candy as a child for that to work as well as desired), or hang my clothes up neatly so that they looked good when I took them out of the clothes, or do my homework as soon as I got home so that I could enjoy a leisurely evening. I learned this lesson so well as a small child that when it came time to go to college I already had impeccable study habits, and my money-managing habits are pretty irreproachable as well.
For over a year I blogged three to five times a week, and it was a habit that helped me feel like I was keeping my writing skills honed, staying in touch with friends, reserving a few hours every week for something that entertained and informed me.
And then my life got really hectic and something had to give, and blogging was what I decided to let go.
For a little while I felt kind of triumphant. I have a couple of friends who gave up blogging, "released themselves from the tyranny," as one of them put it. "I can give it up, too!" I crowed to myself. "I'm not an addict."
But now I feel empty and sad when I think about how I used to blog, and overwhelmed and hesitant when I think about blogging again, because I've let it go for so long, neglecting not only my own blog, but the blogs of my favorite fellow bloggers, and it seems like I'll have to work very hard to reestablish my habit, and get caught up on all that has transpired in my absence.
Still, I'm going to try.
Posted by Holly at December 4, 2006 10:54 AM
Comments
Welcome back! You may count on loyal readers whenever you decide to blog, and I'd bet I'm not the only one who checks in regularly to see if you are back.
And no reproaches for you, either; my own blogging habits have been reproachable, reprehensible even. My blog is like my former houseplants, yearning for light and water, and not like my cat, who will remind me that it's time to scratch his chin whenever he needs it, saving me the trouble of cultivating a good habit.
Posted by: spike at December 4, 2006 12:27 PM
What's wrong with blogging? Plus, yours is one of the few that I feel is REALLY worth reading, so I'd miss it if you quit (and HAVE missed it, by the way). I'm watching "Quantum Leap" on TV right now, and I'm going to count that as a productive morning.
Posted by: rebecca at December 4, 2006 12:42 PM
I'm in the same boat as far as updating my own blog, but my favorite solution to keeping up with others is to either subscribe to their RSS feed and get new posts e-mailed to me (if you haven't tried that, it's simple to do at http://www.rssfwd.com/rssfwd), or I stole the idea of creating folders in my favorites for Monday thru Friday and sticking URLs into one day of the week, so I check certain sites each M, T, W or so on.
Posted by: Chris Bigelow at December 4, 2006 4:04 PM
I check for you fairly regularly Holly and when you want to write, I'll read. When you want to comment, I'll be happy and when you want to hang out with your stones, there you be!
It's all a bit of a grind sometimes and I've been letting go a little of the pressure to post so often and it's liberating. Until the panic sets in.
Posted by: Dale at December 5, 2006 6:30 PM
I have missed your blog too, I do hope you find the resources to blog as often and as well as before - your infrequent blogging broke one of my own good habits - reading your blog every morning with my toast and coffee...
Posted by: Matt at December 6, 2006 3:17 AM
What's wrong with blogging?
Well, you know, NOTHING, really, except that it takes a lot of time and dedication, time and dedication I could maybe use to maybe write stuff that I'd actually maybe send out for publication....
But I'm glad to know someone missed me while I was gone.
Posted by: Holly at December 6, 2006 1:32 PM
Please continue to post, Holly. I like your long posts, but if it's just a picture of your roses, that's fine too.
Posted by: Hattie at December 6, 2006 10:56 PM