Thursday, February 16, 2012

Thanks for the unfollow, jackass. It's all your fault

Whew.

We’re coming up on the five year anniversary of Frogs in my formula. I find that somewhat astounding, if I do say so myself.

Five years worth of writing.

Five busy, crazy, joyful, tearful years. It seems like everything under the sun has happened. I had pimples. I had children. I had a job, then I didn’t have a job, then I did. My husband Chuck had a job, then he didn’t, then he did. He chased ghosts. We moved. We had fleas. We had a hurricane. My parents moved. My cat died. I burned dinner. I hated my birthday. I drank too much. The list goes on and on.

I’ll never forget the first time I hit “publish” on this blog. For someone who’d just graduated from grad school with a degree in writing, hitting that button was akin to flipping all the big publishing houses the bird. I didn’t need them to put myself out there. I didn't need anyone but Blogger.

I was free to let it all hang out.

As I quickly discovered, there’s a downside to letting it all hang out, especially when your husband gushes openly about your blog. Way too many people (both friends and acquaintances) found out who I was. It made blogging really damn hard—still does. Even more pressing than “If I make up a name for him/her will he/she still know I am talking about him/her?” is “Do I want him/her to know that about me?”

Way too often the answer is "Hell no."

Blogging come back to life for me last year, after the birth of my second son. I had all new material. Spit-up. Breastfeeding. Sleep deprivation. Hot stuff.

But—shocker—managing two children is a huge time suck, even with things like TV, naps and babysitters. Children have a second sense about time: They know when you want to do something for yourself, and they choose that moment to vomit or poop or catch their finger in the door.

If there's one thing I've learned, to parent is to constantly swim against the current.

I'm not sure what I'm saying exactly about this blog. The mere thought of breaking up with it is enough to give me a panic attack. I love the bloggers I've met because of this blog. Love. But let's be honest, lately the posts have been strung together like a chicken running around with its head cut off.

And what the fuck? Could Follower #296 quit following me then unfollowing? Quit dicking me around.

Sigh.

Life is a little out of sync right now, and until it comes back into focus I need to take a little vacation from blogging. Who knows, it might just mean posting once a week. I do know that I'd hate for this blog to become a wasteland. Not after five years.

We can make it, baby!

We can.

Goodnight.

8 comments:

Keely said...

No..........NO.

Unacceptable, sorry.

brokenteepee said...

I know I would miss you but I do understand the need for life to take precedence over blogging.

We'll be here.

Goat hugs

VandyJ said...

Life happens. Sometimes you can blog it sometimes you can't. I'll be around to catch what ever you share. I think we all will.

LazyBones said...

A little vacay can be a much needed thing. As long as you come home in the end. And by "home" you know I mean the internet, right?

tootertotz said...

Hope the break brings you the time you need and allows you to pop back in when you want with good laughs for us all. Take care!

Bella said...

Take a break and come back when you're ready. This place should be a place you want to be not a place you "have" to be. We'll be here when you're ready.

Leanne said...

Oh, dear. And although I understand I will miss you. Come back soon.

JoAnna said...

I only came on the scene right before you have Diddlydoo, so I don't know what it was like before, but I love this blog. Your wit has me rolling on the floor. You may not stop. It's just not an option. You must pass go and you may not collect $200.

And I know exactly what oyu mean about having to censor your blog now that too many people that you know are reading it. My mother's friends are all groupies and now I have to be careful. I don't know that I want them to know about some of the things I have thought it would be funny to say in my blog. Brilliant move, promoting my blog among people I know. Brilliant.

I'll wait for your once a week posts, really I will.

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