Ok, so I had to blog about my shock yesterday in my last post. People have been so kind with comments and email and sending me funny things. The bra was sent by Mickle from Mickle's Pickle and it was great of her and I had a laugh. Anyway thank you for all the support and kindness in comments on the post and email. It really means a lot.
I am now in fighting mood and getting myself into gear for whatever might be ahead.
This is the post that was supposed to go out this weekend, so here it is. Back to business.
Blogging Is Like A River...
Photo copyright: Maggie May
I have sensed that there has been a kind of apathy going round in Blogland lately. Everyone, myself included, has experienced a huge hole since David left.
Eddie Bluelights has made a great success of taking over his Sunday Roast and Hilary also with her Post Of The Week but there is still an unexplained void. Just makes you wonder how any one man could post so many photos and articles and keep the interest of hundreds of people, every day?
All this nostalgia has come to a head for me, after reading Saz's excellent post recently (Fat,Frumpy & Fifty) and she's none of the first two! It was entitled *What Is Your Sell By Date?*
It set me thinking. I wonder what my sell by date is? I don't mean that literally, thank you very much. I mean my blog shelf life.
I have lost several good blogging friends without warning and many others have tapered off writing altogether, only returning intermittently. Even sadder was when a couple of friends died.
Is it strange to think of people who I have never met, as friends? I think not. I feel that I have shared so much with other bloggers over the years and when they suddenly disappear, there is a feeling of sadness, bereavement even.
There is that saying, when one door closes another opens and there is much truth in that. There are many new and upcoming bloggers out there in cyberspace as well as all the established ones that I already know and value and those ones that I have yet to meet.
One of the comments in Saz's post was that (blog) life was like a river, flowing endlessly on........ I suppose gathering some new things and losing others as it swirls along, just like in real life. Another person said that she thought that a true friend thinks you are a good egg even if you are slightly cracked!
I liked both those replies!
In the end, we must decide who are we blogging for, other people or ourselves? It is good to have people appreciate our work, but as long as blogging gives us pleasure then that is the main thing.
I feel that my blog is therapy for me and combines my interest in photography with my love of writing. However, I think it is essential to visit others' blogs and leave comments. How can anyone have a one sided relationship? So please keep those comments coming in......... they are much appreciated and I will do my utmost to return to you.
36 comments:
Great to see you up and running, figuratively. I feel as you do. I write; I enjoy the comments; and I feel blessed to have good souls out there who care enough to stop and say something now and then. The rest, those who don't stop, are way too busy, I figured. I know better than complain. Having even one person read and comment is an unexpected pleasure indeed.
What a great post Miss Maggie May! A very wonderful post. Sometimes I wonder why I blog too. I mean, it is time consuming! Blogging has been such an inspiring and encouraging environment for me. When I feel like a Mommy failure, I pop over to my blog and I feel full of hope again : ) Because, in the end, we really all are just humans who are in this crazy thing called life together!
I love my blogging friends.
I can't imagine losing one.
It would be like losing a family member....and in some cases worse...because I hate to admit it, but I don't 'know' a lot of my cousins, etc...and I'm not nearly as close to them as I am to my blogging family. (An admission from Jackie.) If I lost a member of my blogging family because of death, I would be so crushed....and I haven't even met them..in person. That hasn't happened to me...but it probably has to some of you who have blogged longer than I have (I've only been here a little over 3 months. How does one deal with that? How can that be that one can feel that close to someone one has never them him or her. I believe it is through communicating...commenting...and learning about the person through his/her blog. And I do believe that commenting is a major key...the encouragement...the fact that someone cares enough to leave even a word...not necessarily every blog...or even on a certain day or week...but at least now or then. We have such a close blogging family...and I love each one of my friends.
Always,
Jackie
Funny you should mention David today dear Maggie. I just had his picture pop up in one of my downloads and I looked at it with great affection and yes - sadness.
I miss him very much. Called 'Den Mother' by many it seemed to really suit him. I hope he is writing madly and will return again to us one day.
Our combined strength as a blogging family is strong and it does flow like your river. Somedays it is like a waterfall or even whitewater - dashing madly amongst the rocks - throwing spray and eroding everything in its way.
Other days it's a slow gentle glide touching here and there - leaving little more than a glistening behind it.
What is it doing today do you think?
Its really enriching to know that my words impact on others and not in a negative way!! Thanks good to know...love the way your post has embellished and stretched my thoughts much further.....a great read...
As an R.N. for over forty years, losing my forensic nursing job of 21 years in massive budget cuts to San Francisco's Dept of Public Health nearly did me in. At 65, with a mobiity handicap, I retired, unhappily. I had always written poetry and loved writing and a friend STRONGLY encouraged me to try my hand at blogging. It has helped me stay sane ( though some debate that! )and, while I am very much a novice, I am encouraged by the warmth and support of those I have met here. I can't imagine not continuing.
Great post, Maggie May. I've so much that I want to say in reply, but foremost is that I'm so happy to see your title.. you go girl, and we're all behind you, rooting for you.
Funny you should mention David Mc Mahon, and I totally agree that Eddie and Hilary have done a fab job. Suzyhaze at Tales of Extraordinary Ordinariness also does posts of the week called "Weekend Winners". And they're good.
But I agree that in spite of all of this, there is a void in blogland, at least I feel it. Today I clicked on authorblog just to be sure that my post alert wasn't fooling me, but no, it was right. Then I went to Red Bubble to look at some of David's photos. I wonder does he have any idea how much we miss him?
And finally, I agree that I blog first for myself, but it's such a thrill to get comments, to link up with other people, to make new friends,even though I find it difficult to keep up with the friends I already had. It's difficult to keep all the balls in the air, but i can;t give up blogging!
You are so right Maggie. Wise head on those shoulders. As you know, I recently started to question who I was blogging for and consequently I have become one of the fizzled out ones who posts intermittently.
But when I do post, I enjoy it and I no longer feel a guilt for not posting.
But I do love my blog friends, and I love to visit them too.
I love this post and am off to read what Saz said. Very nice image - here's a thought. All of us who like this post should put up a photo, drawing or other graphic showing what kind of river we think it is. Yours is deep and beautiful. Like you.
Notice I am not asking you to post a shot of yourself in the bra.
Laughing.
YOu are one cool lady.
That's it Maggie! Fighting Spirit! and great you have it for you and your family.
Agree with your comments about Saz's excellent post.
And loved the bra which I would call "The Wild Western Bra" - it rounds up everything that's likely to go astray!! Got that from a joke I heard once many moons ago ~ Eddie
You go girl! We're right behind you!! Love that bra cartoon!
I have made so many blogging friends, it's incredible. I never thought I'd be so close to people I haven't met.
I love your pic of the river. It's so peaceful looking. Thinking of you.
I think it is hard when bloggers disappear suddenly. It is a real loss. I appreciate the folks who post saying they are needing some time away but will be back. I guess it's normal some folks just find something else that takes priority. For myself, the regular connection with bloggers who share some interest in writing and photography and the beauty of life is very, very important. I can't see me walking away.
I agree that blogging has to be for ourselves--or really, why bother? But without the interaction, it really IS one-sided. I'm always behind responding to comments and visiting. Always. WAY behind. I try to not put up more than minimal posts until I catch up. I have lots to say, but it takes time to say it, and that is time I can't visit. I don't blog daily or even read blogs daily. I only get more than a few minutes at it a couple of times a week. I have a whole lot of "other life." But even at that,I love my blog friends. I think there is a way of connecting through writing and reading that just isn't possible in "real life." I think a lot of my blogging friends understand me better than many of my "real friends." Maybe because we can't see each other all the time (and therefore disappoint each other), but I think it's because it is easier to find people in blogland with whom we really connect.
But the bottom line is, I DO have a "real life," and it's very active. And I think about totally quitting all the time because I can't give blogging the justice I think it deserves due to my real life. But then I like it, so I continue.
I read your previous post, too. Though I don't know you, I've been here a few times before, and I see your name all over the place, so I feel like you're definitely a friend of a friend. I will pray for you and hope it turns out all fine or at least easily fixable. Yes, the family suffers, but so do you, if nothing else from the worrying about them.
Thanks for you visit and kind words a few days ago at my blog. (Yes, always behind!)
Maggie, you and I are on the same thought line today as I was thinking exactly what you have posted about these past few days. When someone drops out of sight or quits commenting or even changing their attitude it causes me concern. Why is this? I do enjoy blogging and it helps me greatly to journal about my day....I love my little village and they have come to be "family" to me, oh I would be crushed to loose any of them......you have been and will be in my thoughts and prayers...Hugs
Oh Maggie, I'm so pleased you're laughing again.
I really enjoy your posts and photography. You give me a chance to see a part of England. Sending huggles, Michelle
There are ups and downs in everything, blogging included. We just have to keep on towards what we love.
Ghost, Goblins, Ghouls, Oh, My
I too was inspired by Sazzie's post to write one of my own on the same subject and the fact that the loss of David had had a huge and seemingly irrational impact on me. And I have also noticed that things have 'slowed' down, posts are fewer, more introspective.
The variety and excellence of David's postings created a buzz of inspiration...I still miss him.
I realized one day that I had many in the bottom part of my blogroll (mine sorts according to latest post) who haven't posted in months. I realize that people lose interest or find they no longer have time for blogging, but I do worry about some of them when they suddenly seem to disappear. You do form friendships with people and worry when you haven't heard from them in a long time. I think we have a common friend, MMMM, who is one of those I've been concerned about.
Glad to see you have a fighting attitude right now, Maggie! Everything I read says that a positive attitude is so important in overcoming illness. I'll be thinking of you on Monday and hoping the news is good.
I think that sometimes we get so involved with things that we lose our perspective. Blogging, for most of us, is a hobby that do in our spare time. Sometimes life gets in the way and the hobby has to take a back seat.
Pleased to see your fighting spirit. I wish you all the best for next week.
I write many posts whenever I'm in the mood for it and I don't know how many people actually read those. I write them for my own sake, but it is nice if you're not writing in a void. Regardless, write I must, I'm compelled to and you are one of my most loyal commenters and that I'm grateful for.
Just catching up with your news Maggie and I am thinking about you. I had a bit of a scare last week too, which came to nothing, but the 20 minutes in the little room by myself was almost vomit-inducing.
Make sure you let other people take care of you during whatever it is that's in your future.
Keep us posted - everyone cares.
Lovely post Maggie. Like you I blog for myself, therapy indeed, but I get so much out of visiting, especially when I feel lonely.
Can't imagine not blogging,but I guess life moves on.
PS. We did visit Court Farm back in the summer, but this half term we were at Old Down, near Thornbury. It's not huge, but entertaining and cheaper than others.
I have lost a couple of bloggie friends .. people with whom I thought I had forged a close relationship but who simply disappeared from blogging.. suddenly. In one particular instance, I felt certain something dire had happened because we were in regular email contact. I wrote several times expressing my concern and it was close to a year later when I heard from her. There had been problems though all had been fine again for a long time. She simply hadn't bothered to read mail or blog comments. The changes she went through initially, took her away from that habit and she stayed away from online life for several months after that. I felt angry and hurt. Had we not been in regular contact, it wouldn't have bothered me but I felt that she had to consider that others would be concerned about her sudden disappearance. Anyway, I do understand people losing the desire to blog, finding another part of their life too overwhelming to find the time to blog or simply blogging with less frequency. As long as it's for the enjoyment of the blogger, I'm willing to read and be entertained as well.
Keeping you in my thoughts, dear friend.
Dearest Maggie!!! Love the support!!! And I pray that you are showered with it!!!! We love you very much...And I am praying continually!!! What a wonderful way to envision the blogging journey!!! Like a river...we do not blog for the praise of others...but for the journey and the opportunity of making our voices and thoughts known to others with whom we share friendship, camaraderie and love. And that is what I send you today, my dear friend!!! Much, much love~Janine XO
You're SO right, Maggie ... we have to define who we write for and why we write.
And that, in a nutshell, made it such a difficult decision for me when I stopped blogging, because you know just how much I enjoyed the interaction and the ability to promote great work by other people.
But walking away from blogging was on my mind for a long time. Back until I changed roles last May, I worked on an afternoon newspaper, working 5am-1.30pm. I used to be home early and so I had time to visit blogs and reply to each comment that people left.
Then, when I took on a 9-5 role in the same company, I had virtually no time to reply to the many comments I was getting .....
As the interaction (that I find so vital in blogging) began to dwindle on my part alone, I realised that I simply expected others to visit me, even though I did not have the time to visit them .....
Hence the very touch call on 25 September to call it quits.
Little did I know I was about to take on yet another new role at work ....
So yes, I do not blog any more, but my close blog friends all have my email address, so I am still here for everyone.
And I still try and visit a few blogs each week.
God bless
David
Maggie - you are always one of the most supportive of blog friends to many. Your commenst are thoughtful and insightful and always lovely to have. Your blog provides so much pleasure to so many and is a great read. I think it may just provide a great support for you too as so many of us out here care about what happens to you. A great post!
I could not have said it better myself. Your comments mean so much to me. Finding a comment in your comment box brings so much pleasure, I need to make sure I remember to do that more, even when I am rushing. Thank you for this enlightening and thought provoking post.
XOXOXO
Maggie - a wonderful post!
Maggie -I don't remember now when I first "met" you via blogging -a year, maybe two years ago now -but it's been a great time for me to get acquainted with you and to share experiences of family, friends and life in general. As to bloggers, friendships and losses - two years ago this November, a gentleman I had become acquainted with via blogging died quite suddenly. His sister and wife hacked into his blog and tried to notify those of us with whom he communicated fairly regularly as to his passing. I had never met this man, never even spoke to him on the phone but I felt as though I knew him quite well and he was a close to me as my next-door neighbor -all from reading his blogs! I felt like the wind had been knocked out of me when he passed away and still miss his communiques very much two years later. So I most certainly do believe strong friendships can be and are formed from blogging. As I read many of the blogs on my reader, I nod in agreement, laugh heartily, smile, and yes, often I weep too at the posts many log in here. For me, blogging is a way to record various things in my life -mainly sharing the sometimes slightly insane happenings that is my life with my two little grandkids -but it is also a way for me to communicate with others, world-wide and travel around the globe too with those folks. For one who is a bit of a recluse -happy to stay in my home and rarely venture out that much these days, blogging gives me a way to do all that and then some!
So glad to hear you have donned your fighting apparel now too -that's the spirit that is absolutely a necessity to conquer this foe.
Hi Maggie, I have awards for you over at my place, please come and get them.
Good to see you in fighting spirit and blogging on regardless!
An amazing post, dear Maggie. I forgot to tell you that in almost 33 years of bra wearing I have never yet owned or worn a pink bra!
Caring snuggles, Michelle and a lovable Zebbycat, xxx
Maggie: I'm one of those people who stopped blogging and (by some obscure logic) stopped reading blogs. Now I have returned, just in time to read your chilling post. So I send prayers and best wishes. And maybe that's a good reason for blogging—to be part of a caring community. Keep us posted.
Maggie, just a note to say I am thinking of you today and am praying that your surgery and treatment go well and you will be back with us very soon.....always in my prayers my friend......:-) Hugs
Dear Maggie,
Blogging friends are truly wonderful, for different reasons to 'normal' friends, and it's my thinking that in this crazy world we need all the friends we can get. I think of you as a blogging friend - even though I sometimes disappear for ages and then pop back unannounced and expect everyone to welcome me with open arms. I'm looking forward to catching up with everything I've missed on your blog! p.s. I've been so out of touch I didn't even know David wasn't blogging anymore ...
I also find blogging very therapeutic. It's true I think that primarily we should blog for ourselves. But isn't it a wonderful feeling when someone new discovers our blog and leaves a comment. It's so encouraging. And I get very excited when someone presents me with an award. And I love it when I discover another new blog to add to my list...although I wish I had more hours in the day to follow them all.
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