Thursday, October 25, 2007

Life Cycle of Blogging

I wonder if there is a life-cycle to blogging. In the beginning there's excitement because people (mostly family and friends) are reading your compositions. Then there's intrigue because total strangers and now reading your platitudes. Soon you're cruising the blog-world, leaving comments and those bloggers visit your blog. We begin a 21st century relationship - never meeting, never talking face-to-face, but communicating.

Sometimes your blog gets listed on other's blogrolls. That's exciting. It begins to feel like a popularity contest - the blogs you read, you compare how many commentors are on theirs to yours. Some depression then sets in, so you think, "I'll become controversial," or "I'll join these carnivals and get more total strangers reading about homeschooling or join give-aways."

You get a routine and begin your day viewing your list of bloggers, commenting when something hits you, still in the back of your mind, wondering why they get so many comments and I (even when trying to be controversial) stay below ten.

Then something tragic happens like your power cord goes kaput and you have to order one and it's a week and a half before you can get back on your computer. During that week you're not blogging, reading or writing. The first two days are agony. You pace the halls wondering when your husband will be home with his laptop so you can catch up on what others have written, but because it's his laptop you don't have time to write for your own blog (except you can post something you've had in your draft-file for the past two months!). Then three or four days past and the anxiety level is subdued. Husband brings his laptop home and, hmmm, you're busy with the kids (who you've neglected for 1 1/2 years because of blogging) or you finally have time to color out the gray roots on my head, vacuum under the bed or clean the floor boards.

Then day 10 comes around and guess what's in the mail -- your power cord. Immediately you plug it in to ensure it works with your laptop. Ahh, a green light.

Anxiously you begin to read the blogs on your blog-tab. Of course your blog is listed among them but you pass over because you haven't posted so you know there are no new comments. Other bloggers, your friends, have written five or six times. That's a lot of reading. So you spend the next few mornings catching up on their lives. Occasionally you click on yours just to view the site meter. Hmm, visits are down, probably because I'm not writing, duh!

So you sit down to compose. Okay, what's on your mind.... And then it hits you..."I'm boring"..."I have nothing to tell, question or ask." You ask, "Why do I do this? Am I wasting my time, other's time?" You begin to question whether to continue, you question your purpose.

That is where I am today (but hey, I got a blog out of it!). I know a book blog is due today (Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen) but I have nothing in me to give, except this blog about blogging.

Seriously, the book blogging is going to be late this month (by a couple days, look on the 28th).

15 comments:

Tina Puntigam said...

I just got back into town from a conference, it appears that things have been in a God induced void for a week. I recently wrote about comments and wonder if we really write in hopes that someone else will read what we have to say or because we have a deep need to express something, even if it's just a blog about blogging. I think a century or so ago all of us bloggers would have been writing the local paper and given Benjamin Franklin a run for his money :)

justagirl said...

Auntie Barb, I love your blog and know what you mean. Here I am writing this comment wondering if it will make a difference, if someone will reply, if they'll laugh or think it's weird or just judge me. We're so looking for other people's views about ourselves. If I'm thinking the whole time "what if they don't like me?" and they're not even thinking about me that just shows we're pretty self-centered. I don't know. But it's pretty sad the things that I think about. Keep blogging! Love, Hannah from Malaysia

Barb said...

Hannah, I am so happy you commented. That makes my heart smile. And you're right. We look for affirmation in the oddest places.

Christina Dawn - it is fascinating to me the role blogging has played in relationships and communication today. We do have a deep need to express and this is an available outlet. Is that because something is lacking in our everyday, flesh-to-flesh world?

Marti said...

Always glad to see you in the blogosphere, Barb!

Not sure why some people get dozens of comments when the postings I most want a reply to, come up dry.

Was hoping to see something pithy about Northanger Abbey (which may be my favorite Austen book), but hey, whenever you are ready.

Anonymous said...

Keep blogging Barbie!!!But what does it say when there are more comments about blogging than about worship?...I was just thinking???

paulmerrill said...

Great thoughts on all that, Barb.

I too am more into how many comments I get than I should be. And on how many visits I get to my site. I am frustrated that my old site, which I haven't posted to since June, gets more visits still than my current site.

But it's great to put our voices out there, even if just a few people read & view what we do. It's part of the creativity thing that God built into us. He enjoys our blogging! (At least as long as we're not sinning in the process.)

Have fun at the Leopard launch.

Anonymous said...

Here's some Jane Austen quotes to enjoy until you post your book club entry.

I do not want people to be agreeable, as it saves me the trouble of liking them.
Jane Austen

Where so many hours have been spent in convincing myself that I am right, is there not some reason to fear I may be wrong?
Jane Austen

Silly things do cease to be silly if they are done by sensible people in an impudent way.

One cannot fix one's eyes on the commonest natural production without finding food for a rambling fancy.
Jane Austen, Mansfield Park

There will be little rubs and disappointments everywhere, and we are all apt to expect too much; but then, if one scheme of happiness fails, human nature turns to another; if the first calculation is wrong, we make a second better: we find comfort somewhere.
Jane Austen, Mansfield Park

Where any one body of educated men, of whatever denomination, are condemned indiscriminately, there must be a deficiency of information, or...of something else.
Jane Austen, Mansfield Park

But when a young lady is to be a heroine, the perverseness of forty surrounding families cannot prevent her. Something must and will happen to throw a hero in her way.
Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey

Friendship is certainly the finest balm for the pangs of disappointed love.
Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey

For what do we live, but to make sport for our neighbours, and laugh at them in our turn?
Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, 1811

Happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance. If the dispositions of the parties are ever so well known to each other or ever so similar beforehand, it does not advance their felicity in the least. They always continue to grow sufficiently unlike afterwards to have their share of vexation; and it is better to know as little as possible of the defects of the person with whom you are to pass your life.
Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, 1811

How little of permanent happiness could belong to a couple who were only brought together because their passions were stronger than their virtue.
Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, 1811

I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of anything than of a book! When I have a house of my own, I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library.
Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, 1811

Loss of virtue in a female is irretrievable; that one false step involves her in endless ruin; that her reputation is no less brittle than it is beautiful; and that she cannot be too much guarded in her behaviour towards the undeserving of the other sex.
Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, 1811

Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonymously.... Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves, vanity to what we would have others think of us.
Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, 1811

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.
Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, first line

Anonymous said...

P.S.

Hey, Suzanne, the pizza blog got the most comments thus far. What does that say about us? I was just thinking . . . what pizza is on for tonight, Barbie? It is Friday!!!

Marcie said...

Funny you should mention power cords - ours went crazy this week! It feels kinda sticky - I'm thinking apple juice was involved in it's pending demise. My husband has our power adapter perched on a roll of duct tape, attempting to keep a connection until the box from Mac Mall arrives!
In the midst of technical difficulties, I am thankful for your blog and check in every day. Whether it be theology, family or pizza - I often find myself reflecting on your posts.
Hang in there!

Anonymous said...

Valorie....it says alot....and I love being with Barbie on Fridays...really anytime for that matter.

Barb said...

Dave and I had a date! Can you believe it! We went up to the Apple store at the West County mall for the OS X premiere - romantic, I know. We looked, touched expensive Apple toys and received free t-shirts. Then we drove down to Macaroni Grill and I enjoyed steak/arugala salad and Dave, vodka rustica.
The kids were good, stayed home (even Ian) and had barbecue chicken and cheese pizza.

Anonymous said...

You're a great mom....to be going out and still cook for the kids!!!If I had it to do over???I hope I'd do some things differenly.

Courtney O. said...

well, you beat your 10 comments per post! :)

Marcie said...

Hello from Sacramento!

We are here for a conference - but it doesn't stop me from checking in each day! Hope you are enjoying Northanger Abbey!

Anonymous said...

OK Barb....15! It's time for a new inspiration.