Life in progress

Priorities

82 Comments

Today has once again proven the theory that impermanence is something we can count on. In case you missed it, Doobster–he of proper grammar, eloquent blogging, Oxford comma insisting, and badge-maker extraordinaire–has gone private. His final post said pretty much nothing except that he’s taking a break and that he may or may not be back. He also said that there are things in his life that need his undivided attention.

I have to say his words hit close to home. I spend an awful lot of time here in front of my screen. The fact that real life demands more of my time on a daily basis is evident in that I have only just enough time to post. I’m behind on my comments, and I have little opportunity to visit the posts that are pinged back to my prompts, let alone all of the other blogs I really want to visit.

And so after the April A-Z challenge is finished I’m considering doing the same, perhaps just for a month. I need to get my novel finished – I haven’t touched it in weeks and before that it was weeks and before that… If I ever want to get it finished, if I ever want to sell my mother’s condo which has been sitting empty for over a year (and I’m still paying the mortgage on it), if I ever want to move forward I need to stop stagnating here. Yes, I realize that I’m keeping in practice – I’ll probably keep my fiction blog going for that purpose. It takes up minutes of my day rather than hours.

I sincerely hope that Doobster returns, but I can understand fully where he’s coming from. WordPress isn’t the be-all and end-all of life. At least it shouldn’t be.

I’ll keep you up to date with my decision. I promise not to just disappear.

Author: Linda G. Hill

There's a writer in here, clawing her way out.

82 thoughts on “Priorities

  1. Recently, I had a moment of revelation about the cost of blogging for me: I teach piano to my son, and I discovered that the date of his last lesson matched up with the day that I plunged into Blogging 101. So, from September to March, no piano lessons. I have sort of disappeared, but it was necessary. Balance, as you say, is key, but, boy, it is elusuve.

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  2. I so understand taking a break from blogging. I myself have struggled to keep up with it after moving and starting a new job. like you, Linda, I plan to return and have been enjoying getting caught up in other areas of my life. I enjoy reading the blogs I follow whenever I can, and I’m glad to see you post about this here because I had gone to Doobster’s blog and was surprised that I couldn’t access it. I too hope he’s ok and will be back soon, and the same for you. Good luck with everything! 🙂

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  3. Pingback: K is for Key | lindaghill

  4. It amazes me how people can blog every day and deal with all this life stuff too. I did it for 8 days and it was quite a challenge. So now I’m back to about twice a week, but still don’t have time to read and comment as much as I’d like to. The most important thing is to put your own oxygen mask on first. I have greatly appreciated your SOC prompts and will continue the SOC Saturday one way or another. Be well, Linda.

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    • “Put your own oxygen mask on first…” great way to think of it, JoAnne. Thanks very much for your support. I’ll continue SoCS when I get back – hopefully we’ll only miss a few weeks of it. 🙂

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  5. Do what you need to do, Linda.

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  6. Like everyone is saying take you time, you do alot of stuff for other people on this blog maybe sometimes you just need to some help. Guest posts and guests to do SoCS is a good idea in my opinion that could help out somewhat.

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  7. Blogging challenges such as A to Z are great and all, but there is a lot of pressure in them and it seems overwhelming. You should only blog when you want to. I participate in a blogging project that is really only once a month. The 1000 Voices Speak For Compassion is every 20th of the month.
    I will miss your SoCS because I’ve just recently discovered it and have loved the prompts you pick.
    Good luck with whatever you do. I’ve enjoyed your blog since finding it.

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  8. Take your time Linda, find yourself and your priorities, do what you need to do and most of all, be honest to yourself.
    You will be missed, and if you deside to stop, please keep in contact by email.
    I hope you will return with new energy and a vision about, what will be healthy and right for you in your future 😀

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  9. I’m just out of one of my breaks and have to say it is good to do so. Your gut tells you exactly what you need to and even if I’d miss you terribly I know how important these breaks are. Life goes in circles. You never know where it leads you and in my experience: Once you started blogging you will come back one way or the other :-). Take good care for yourself and I’ll light a candle for you.

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  10. I hear ya, Linda! I am exhausted with the A to Z challenge. I may consider a break as well. I am holding on just to finish this challenge. But I completely understand where you are coming from. It hasn’t been easy playing catch up. It’s almost 1:30 am here and I am reading as many blogs as I can. I wish you all the best. You are a wonderful blogger and writer. So thanks!

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    • Thanks so much, Veronica. 🙂 I’m usually good with this stuff, but it’s what’s going on offline that’s really killing me. Hope you’re able to get some rest too!

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      • As the school year nears the end, I may consider taking the summer off. I’m still mulling that over. Maybe I would log in to read up on blogs but not posting anything myself. Thanks, Linda! 😄

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  11. I think you do what is good for you Linda. If a break is important for you then go take one. We will still be here when you return. Best wishes…

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  12. I’m glad you’re taking care of yourself, Linda, and I’m rooting for Doobster wherever he is. I, too, am making some changes regarding my social media time. Adjustments help keep me sane.

    If for some reason you ever choose to go private, I really need you to know how grateful I was, and still am, for your warm welcome and awesome presence. I would miss you. Thanks for everything.

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  13. i’m an expert in disappearance and reappearance. in case you need advise 😉

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  14. I can understand that too. It’s part of why my posts have been fewer and farther between lately. If you do decide to go private, please keep in touch over email!

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  15. I shall miss Doobster too, I shall miss you too! 😦

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  16. Like you, I also fully understand why his decision. However, he will be missed and I do hope that he drops in at least every now and then. But like many others have said, blogging can take over your life if you’re not careful. I know that there have been times in my own life where it has. If you do go, please know that you will also be missed but that your decision will be understood as well. There are many priorities in life that need our attention, and what happens (or doesn’t happen) in the real world is far more important than what happens here.

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    • Thanks for your support. 🙂 I’m not sure if I agree that WordPress is far less important than what goes on outside of it though. I’ve made some very real connections here – actual people who, in some cases, live thousands of miles away. And yes, I communicate with them outside of this platform now, but meeting them has shown me that the relationships I have here are no less real than “real life.” But even our friends, if they’re really our friends, understand that they can’t always come first in our lives. My priorities just happen to be things that don’t involve being online.
      WordPress has become a huge part of my real life. Not because of the blog but because of the people. I have two friends in “real life” that I see on a regular basis. Here there are many.
      There is only one thing that’s more important than my friends and that must be my family. Having said that, my friends keep me sane enough to look after them. 😛 🙂

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      • I agree with you. Although I believe that the people in our ‘real life’ should come first, that certainly doesn’t mean that the people here are any less important. Like you, I have made many friends here, and more than blogging I come here for them. If I were to just vanish from the blogging world, I would feel like I was leaving my friends behind, and always wonder about them….similar to the way that I feel when they leave. It’s hard when your friends go, no matter where those friendships were made. I love the community here.

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  17. I’ve been feeling it too. Maybe because blogging was encroaching a little too much on my life and then the craziness of A to Z started, which has just exacerbated the problem.

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  18. Sometimes you just have to take some time in order to figure out where you’re going.

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  19. I just came back from about a month break and do not plan to blog every day after this month. I also cut back a lot on what I read, which some understand and others never will. But I had to, for me.

    So I totally get it.

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  20. Part of me is still holding out hope that J is for “Just Kidding.” I hope he is doing okay. And I hope that you are able to take care of whatever you need to take care of. Don’t be a stranger. You can still do the One-Liners.

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    • I was hoping he was joking as well, but that went out the window when I saw that his blog had indeed gone private. I’m not positive yet but I do think this blog will go private as well – keeping it open even for one-liners will be too tempting. A month should be enough though… maybe less but certainly not more.
      Thanks muchly for your well-wishes. 🙂

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  21. I fear Doobster may have taken my Blogoholic’s Anonymous post to heart.

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  22. From one who just arrived back from a 3 month hiatus, I can fully report – amazing community and wonderful to be here, but very supportive and understanding – We’ll wave and shout, “Bon Voyage” and throw a “Welcome Home” party when you return – 🙂

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  23. Blogging can really take over one’s life. It is easy to get so into it when you enjoy it and probably want to avoid some of those not so enjoyable tasks. I know I am good at avoiding the things I do not like to do but probably need to pay more attention to. I want to get over to your fiction blog to read more. So I am glad you are not leaving completely. You have been so great to host the bi-weekly community events. Especially SOCS. I am still assessing how much I want to blog. I want my life to be balanced with my energy and temperament.

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    • Ah yes… balance is something I struggle with constantly. Which is why I think I need to balance this ALL blogging period with a NO blogging period. Hopefully when I come back I’ll be able to see the benefits of staying away. 🙂 Thanks for your support, Deborah.

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  24. Take your time Linda… we will be here waiting. I didn’t get a chance to catch Doobster’s post – sad. I always enjoyed his wry takes and his BATZAP! I hope he comes back soon. And I hope you try to take a midway instead of going quite.
    I still consider myself a newbie (8 months into this blogging thing). I realized very quickly how addictive it can be and made a rule not to post daily. Maximum ten posts a month. Even this makes me feel like it is too much.

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    • I found blogging very addictive right from the start as well. I certainly won’t leave for good – I have a couple of weeks still to figure out exactly what I’ll do. Thanks very much for your support, Prajakta. 🙂

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  25. Linda, make time for yourself. That is all that matters. I finally had to take Friday and Saturday to work on my book. Stay in touch. ❤

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  26. I think it’s wise to consider your priorities.
    One addiction ( if you’re doing something to the exclusion of other priorities) is the same as another. You have to consider what is and what’s not. And be honest with yourself. It appears you are going to be doing just that and you are smart enough to do it and make the best decision for you! I will be thinking ( and praying) about your time of consideration. And, you’re right, it doesn’t have to be forever. There’s a season for everything.

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    • You’re right about that – and I’m coming up to the season where I need to get stuff done! Call it spring cleaning I suppose. Once it’s done I’ll be able to relax and go back to the things I enjoy, like blogging.
      Thanks so much for your support and good wishes, Leigh. 🙂

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  27. It is a shame that you will be taking a break, but I totally understand that life has to be given priority! It is so easy to become wrapped up in blogging to the exclusion of almost everything else! I will miss your post though 🙂

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  28. Why do good bloggers always contemplate leaving..
    Thanks for sharing this post.

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  29. Doobster’s post hit me hard, especially on the heels of Oliver Damon’s announcement a short time ago that he was shutting down his blog for personal reasons. It seems like all my new friends are disappearing. I will miss them both.

    While I understand your need to take a break, too, I hope it won’t be a forever break.

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  30. Sad but true

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  31. I was shocked by Doobster’s announcement. I hope he’s okay. We became friends and commented regularly.

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