Newsome.Org

Kent Newsome on technology, music and life

Here

Home

Elsewhere

My Twitter Page

My Pownce Page

Via RSS

Via Phone or PDA

News River View

Via Email

Listen

Pandora

Last.fm

Shop

Newsome.Org Store

(@ Amazon.Com)

Others

Blogs that Link Here (Technorati)

Blogs that Link Here (Google)

My Blogroll

Search

DISCLOSURE:

Please note that links on this site to items at Amazon are generally associated with my Amazon Associates account, and I get a small commission on purchases made via that account.

11/05/2006

The Joy of (Not) Blogging

I got busy at work a couple of weeks ago and was too worn out to write anything when I got home. A few days became a week, and then another.

In the meantime, I realized something. I didn't really miss it much. The easy decision became to not blog. After all, it will be there tomorrow.

I scanned, but did not read, my RSS feeds. Everybody was talking about the same thing. Most of it was boring from the first post. All of it seemed very repetitive.

All of this caused me to reexamine my motives for blogging. As I've said before, for me it's about conversation and learning. I did get some great tips Photoshop tips from Richard, Steve and Thomas. Many thanks guys. That part of the blogging experience still works for me.

But blogging as a conversational medium is feeling extremely inefficient. Real conversations are conducted in real time. Blogging, on the other hand, often seems like a bunch of people independently throwing rocks into the air. Sometime those rocks collide and the resulting sparks look like conversation.

The question becomes, do the occasional sparks make up for the millions of other rocks that thud to the ground untouched?

I don't know.

I suspect blogging like many things is cyclical. Lately I am bored with it. Next week or next month I may be excited again by the blogosphere.

I bet there are a lot of other people who run hot and cold on blogging. All of this makes me really admire those whose zeal for posting never seems to ebb.

I hope I get zealous again.

Only time will tell.

Technorati tags: blogging, blog building

Posted by Kent @ 11/05/2006 04:42:00 PM | Permalink

7 Comment(s):

Just recently I went through the same process. My situation was coupled with illness and personal setbacks. Nevertheless, if writing is on your blood the zeal will return. I've always enjoyed your thoughtful posts so when the fire returns I will be listening.

By Blog Bloke, at 11/06/2006 1:10 AM
**************************

I have to say I have the same thoughts as you. I guess at the end of the day, what was the initial motivation for blogging? Is it still there and if not, maybe it's time to do something different!

By martin, at 11/06/2006 8:24 AM
**************************

Welcome back, Kent, sorry to have been among those who bored you :)

By TD, at 11/06/2006 10:11 AM
**************************

Welcome back, Kent, sorry to have been among those who bored you :)

By TD, at 11/06/2006 10:12 AM
**************************

Nice to see you back.

By Steve Newson, at 11/06/2006 4:37 PM
**************************

Wow. I can so identify with this post.

I've blogged and vlogged off and on for a couple of years...mostly off.

Is it a conversation? Are comments conversation? Are we having one now?

I don't know.

I do know that forcing myself to blog when I have nothing I feel compelled to say is as uncomfortable as stiff dinner conversation. My heart's just not in it.

By Anne Walk, at 11/14/2006 10:55 PM
**************************

I enjoy your posts, but lately am burned out by even the so-called "Top 100" bloggers. Seems repetitive and the in-group writing about what each other is writing about. Very Boring. I'm putting my time to better use from now on...will still check once in a while. And when bloggers quote and blog about magazine articles in magazines I already read...well, enough...

By sophie, at 12/03/2006 7:25 AM
**************************