I’ve had a nice break from TTL. Like my last sabbatical, I think it came at a time when I needed to step back and reassess what I’m doing. When I back away from the daily-ness of blogging, it helps me gain a fresh perspective on why I’m doing what I’m doing, what I’m enjoying, what I’m definitely not enjoying about it, etc.
Some short items
Thank you for your prayers and encouraging notes.
David is adjusting to teaching. I think he plans on writing a guest column on walking a mile in the shoes of a teacher.
One of my blog readers sent me the most fascinating book. It is a Sanders New Series The New School Reader: Fourth Book from 1855. The subtitle says “Embracing a Comprehensive System of Instruction in the Principles of Elocution”. I had to force myself to not read the whole thing on Sunday afternoon. And just reading parts of it aloud to David was so peaceful. The writing is so beautiful. I plan on sharing some here in the future.
We’ve had no snow since Christmas. This makes me sad. We have snow coming tonight and this weekend. This makes me happy.
We’ve been working on a new project that has been on the backburner since last spring. I am hoping to “announce” it sometime this week. I have really enjoyed working on it.
And now the longer item
I am a homebody. I know I am a homebody and I’ve written here before that I am a homebody. But I now understand that not only am I a homebody in the physical sense, I’m a homebody in the blogging sense.
I am an introvert. I know I am an introvert and I’ve written here before that I am an introvert. But I now understand that not only am I an introvert in the physical sense, I’m an introvert in the blogging sense.
(I know these may not seem profound on first glance, but I am sure all the other homebody introverted bloggers are going to really get it when I explain this.)
I don’t like gadding about in the physical sense. I don’t like being on the go all the time although I do need to get out once in awhile. But even last winter when I was so sick and I was home for weeks and weeks on end except going to doctors and specialists, I was quite content to be home.
The problem is, the blogging world in many ways is built on gadding about. The way you increase traffic on your blog is by linking to other blogs. Then other people deem you worthy of linking to and you get more links which means you become a larger creature on the TTLB Ecosystem list. Truly – all of the “expert” advice out there says that links are the “key” to being a “successful” blogger.
And to link to other blogs you have to know what other people are saying. So someone created Bloglines that helps you keep track of your ten or twenty (or fifty or hundred) closest blogging buddies. (It also helps people keep up on the latest controversy, but that’s coming later.)
So there is a lot of gadding about in the blogosphere. And I have felt compelled to gad about as well, to be informed, leave comments, even though I have realized I would much rather be a homebody at my own little spot in cyberspace.
(These may seem like disjointed thoughts, but I really am heading somewhere with this.)
I know that I am not the only one thinking about these things. I know of several other bloggers, male and female, who in the past few weeks have either decided to permanently stop blogging or who have taken a lengthy break to reassess what they are doing online. Citing various reasons such as taking more time to pursue other goals that are more important, taking time for more prayer, spending more time in the “real world.” All of them very good reasons and I applaud them for making those choices.
Kim of Coffee and a Muffin has made the decision to leave the internet altogether. I admire her decision and her willingness to deal with the issue the way she needs to in her own life. I have not felt the same conviction, but I do understand a lot of what she is saying and can relate on many levels. Please do take the time to read what she wrote. I think a lot of people have had their joy and peace in God robbed by gadding about the blogosphere, discussions boards and the like. (Sallie waves hands here!)
There has also been talk lately at different blogs about why Christians blog and what they can hope to accomplish with their blogs. I’m too lazy to go look up the posts and provide links, but it has been interesting to observe how different people perceive the value of blogging for Christians, what is appropriate and what isn’t, etc. One blogger in particular questioned whether there was really any merit in continuing to endlessly discuss secondary theological issues and wouldn’t the Godblogs be better used to affect positive helping change in real people’s lives instead of continuing to discuss items that aren’t of primary importance (which then generated a lot of discussion about whether he should be questioning whether they should be discussing theological issues).
I also wonder about the whole social graces thing of the blogosphere. What is “socially appropriate” in the blogging world? In business it is “you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours”. In the blogging world it is “you link to me and I’ll link to you”. The problem is where do you draw the line? How many people would I hurt if I put up a daily reads section and listed only the blogs that are my very, very favorites? And sometimes I feel like a very rude blogger because people come here and comment on my blog but I never take the time to comment on theirs.
(This is another non-transition, but these thoughts do tie together.)
Just as there are phases in the year of a new teacher, I think there must be phases in the first year or two of bloggers. But blogging is so new, I don.t think anyone has any really solid ideas about the long-term emotional aspects of blogging, how it affects people who blog, etc. I wonder how blogging affects bloggers who blog about more substantial topics. Posting pictures of your children or pets doesn’t take a lot out of you emotionally. Posting about issues and topics of more weight, handling contentious comments, and the like I think can take a lot out of bloggers (depending on their personality).
Ever since the Blogs of Beauty Awards launched I have felt out of kilter. I attributed part of it to the bustle of the holidays and changes going on in our lives. While those might have contributed to it, I don’t think they are the only reasons. I think it is because I am an introverted, homebody blogger. And I’m proud of it! But I’ve been blogging like an on-the-go extrovert and it just isn’t working for me. Because of the Awards (and then the subsequent Carnival) my blogging world has gotten bigger than I am really comfortable with. In short, I don’t know what to do with all these new blogging relationships!
So what does this mean? It means that I’ve already deleted several blogs from my own Bloglines. They are all nice people and bloggers I have found to have good things to say. But bloggers who are more into issues and controversies and round-and-round discussions just aren’t going to be read by ME.
I’ve also deleted several blogs I would consider to be just a little too dogmatic for ME to be comfortable with. It isn’t that the bloggers are contentious.They just care a little too much about the things they write and it robs me of my peace and focus on God.
I’ve also deleted several blogs that are primarily about motherhood. I think they are great blogs, but for ME it just gadding about. While they do have good things to say, most of it doesn’t apply to me. And to read their blogs every day when only an occasional entry actually applies to me isn’t the best use of my time.
I’ve also deleted some blogs that get lots of comments that don’t seem to edify. For ME it is gadding about to try to keep up with the conversation.
I’ve also decided that I could really care less if I am an insignificant microbe or a flappy bird or a higher being so I’m removing the TTLB stuff from my blog.
And lest anyone take this the wrong way., I am NOT telling others to do what I have done. Notice how ME is in all caps in each circumstance. I’m doing what ***I*** need to do. If others can go to heated debates on blogs and be edified and not have it rob their joy or peace then the more power to them. I simply cannot and don’t want to either. And I’m not speaking negatively about bloggers who debate secondary issues and love to point out all the compromises and failures of the church. It is just that, like Kim of Coffee and a Muffin, I don’t need to go there.
I am also renewing my commitment to point people to God with my blog. That was my original goal and that has never changed. However, I feel like the entries I’ve done since Thanksgiving and the whole Blogs of Beauty thing have been much less than I want them to be. So I want to get back to quotes, Scriptures and things of beauty.
I will also definitely continue to write about simplicity and the other topics that I think go with it. I truly enjoy writing about those things so I will focus on them.
And I will continue to very ocassionally bring up “controversial” topics for mention or discussion. I have really enjoyed the few discussions we have had here about discernment and such. I don’t mind doing it once in awhile, but I don’t have any interest in increasing the frequency. There are so many other blogs where there are lively discussions that I truly don’t need to do it here very often.
So that’s what I’ve been thinking about. I’m sure I’ve forgotten some things, but that’s enough for now. I’ll be back sometime soon with news about my new project that is just about done. In the meantime, if you’ve read all this way.
ebooks
I would like to know about people’s experiences with ebooks. I am definitely considering entering the ebook marketplace. If you have downloaded ebooks, were you happy with them? Why or why not? What topics would you buy in ebook form? If you don’t purchase ebooks, why not? What is a good price for ebooks? How much is too much? I would appreciate any insights anyone wants to share either in a comment or an email.
Blessings to you!
Sallie
DEAR Sallie–
I am right there on the same page with you. 🙂 Thank you for the refreshing perspective…all I can say (as another introvert/homebody) is that your insights have been a very timely, freeing reminder. You are such an example to me.
God bless–
Lanier
I’m glad you enjoyed your sabbatical.
I’m also an introvert. I have a web page, I don’t think I could keep up with a blog. I’d have to take a LOT of sabbaticals! (Or, be part of a group blog so someone could take up the slack when I didn’t feel up to it.)
I’ve found some of the same things with my website. I don’t link to a lot of folks and look for reciprical links. I link to a few sites I really like, and if people find me and link to me, that’s OK, if not, I generally don’t stress about it. For a while, I was wondering if I should try to raise my Google rankings. I turn out pretty well on Yahoo and MSN for some common search terms (my #1 search phrase is usually “free phonics lessons”), but not good at all on Google. However, I recently found out that another Christian phonics website that I get a lot of links from (run by an extrovert?) is the exact opposite of my website–high on Google, but not so high on the other two. His phonics lessons are also a good complement to mine. So, I decided that God was in charge, and I could focus on what I do well, and he would work out the details in his own way. (I always know in a big sense that God is in charge. Sometimes it’s harder to give him the little things and know that he’s in charge there, too.)
You may want to also consider posting less frequently and not feeling compelled to post something unless you really feel strongly that it’s something you need to write a post about. I read another blog fairly regularly, the blogger was feeling a bit burnt out and is now doing better after cutting down on the frequency of his posts. He was thinking about shutting down his blog, but is now happy with his new pace. I also enjoy it more–he was posting so often, you didn’t have time to comment in some cases. (While your pace seems fine, you shouldn’t feel you have to post just to keep up with the Jones’ posting rate.)
I’ve never purchased an e-book. I love real books. While I don’t mind reading short articles online, if I’m reading something lengthy, I like to curl up with it in a chair or on the couch. I downloaded “My Life As A Slave” by Frederick Douglass (free from Gutenburg.) I first read portions of it as a real book, but when I wanted to read it again, it was checked out, so I downloaded it, but I actually wasted a bunch of printer ink and paper to read it. (I did try to read it electronic first.)
Thank you, Sally, for your honesty. I, too, am a blogger, albeit an insignificant one in the blogosphere. I have felt compelled, primarily, to conduct/post on my blog in an effort to exhort and encourage. I don’t spend large amounts of time on it, as you can see, and I only post when the Spirit has put something on my heart. I just don’t have the time to report on my children’s antics (we have 4- small by Michigan standards, I know)on a daily basis, funny as I think they are!!
So thank you for encouraging me in this. Although I get a good laugh out of some of the more involved blogs, I- like yourself- am an introverted blogger at heart!
Sallie,
First about e-books. I cannot imagine a circumstance when I would download one, even if it was free. This is in part because I have a desktop instead of a laptop and would be pinned in one spot in order to read it. But it is mostly because I like real books too much: the smell of them, the feel of the pages, and their portability=)
Secondly, thanks for sharing your thoughts on blogging. Often I have felt compelled to post SOMETHING, even if it is silly, just so my very few readers don’t get bored and leave me. For me, blogging reveals things about my thinking that I might not otherwise have known.
Sallie, you’re a lot like my husband’s personality, so I know where you’re coming from….he is very careful not to offend people or be misunderstood. (I need more of that intuition thing.) It’s easy to get too many things going and like you said, so many ‘things’ in itself is not edifying cuz you get too distracted that you’re not doing what you should be doing. I don’t think people will be offended….you are so good at explaining what you’re going through. And we all understand that struggle!
I have thought about turning off my comments lately because I get distracted, wondering if people are reading, etc. But then I’ve enjoyed meeting some people that way too…so it’s a hard balance! It’s a good thing that I’ve been too busy to join in the carnival for a couple of weeks because I realize that it becomes (for ME) too much about me and not about encouragement and what God’s put on my heart. (Although it is a good thing, a great writing exercise and I am enjoying reading the carnival!)
You certainly got a lot of bloggers more involved with each other and spurred a lot of us on to good blogging. Maybe in Ecclesiastes fashion, there is a time to gad about and a time to pull back. =)
Be what God is encouraging you to be! We’ll all understand.
Christie
Sallie,
E-books can be very useful for people in foreign countries who want to find out certain information but don’t want to (or can’t) wait for weeks to have it shipped. Think of the pastor’s wife or missionary living in a remote village who has satellite internet. An e-book can be wonderful, timely encouragement.
One reason why The Purpose-Driven Life became such an instant success is that Rick Warren already had a worldwide ministry where pastors could download his sermons. This helped out thousands of ministers who could then devote more time to visitations and the myriad activities that pastors of small churches must do — especially in third-world countries where they don’t have huge libraries and such.
I’ve never written an e-book, but Alyice Edrich has made a very nice living from her books. She runs a Christian site for parents at http://www.thedabblingmum.com. She even has an e-book on how to make profit from writing e-books!
I wish you all the best and appreciate your sharing honestly with us about your blogging.
Ladies,
Thank you for your kind and encouraging words. I’m glad to know that someone else understands! I was pretty sure there were at least a few women out there who would feel some of the same things… And a few lovely ladies sent emails rather than leaving a public comment and those were so appreciated as well…
So many good comments you all left…
A time to gad about and a time to pull back… I like that!
Thank you, too, for the insights about ebooks. I never thought about people overseas who would really like to be able to download and not have to order through the mail…
Blessings to each of you!
Sallie
I understand the gadding about feeling. What you do with your blog is your business.
Sometimes I think people take their blog too seriously, and that’s too bad. But, I guess it depends on the purpose of their blog. Maybe they can’t get people in real life to take them seriously, and so they feel overimportant in the blogosphere. That’s where it gets controversial when someone may disagree with them in comments.
(I’m not talking about your blog in the above paragraph.)
I guess, what I want to say, in a kind and non-controversial manner, but in a challenging manner, is to not write off all the gadding about people and networking people. I guess I’m a networker in real life, I want to reach out to new people in real life, and so I do that online too. I counted, and I visit 28 blogs a couple of times a day. Gadding? Maybe. Better/more entertaining/more wholesome reading than a gossip column? Definitely. More challenging to me than many devotionals? Absolutely.
You don’t have to publish everyone’s links that you read, but by all means, break out of your blog box. Allow yourself to be challenged. Try not to get too comfortable so you don’t take yourself so seriously.
Sallie, Whew! This is good news! I was afraid you were headed out to the open seas, not that I think you need to be boxed in, but being authentic is critical to your sanity and ours: the readers. Pam
Sallie, In regards to e books: I have downloaded two; with both under $25 promising information I needed immediately. One saved me a trip to the emergency room, for a gall bladder attack, which I was sure I was going die over. I didn’t, and I have since learned from the ebook how I can most likely avoid that scene altogether. What I paid for was some some sensible information at midnight when I was by myself having a panic attack! Another was for an educational test preparation which I ended up not needing, but I didn’t loose a lot of money on it. Pam
Hi Pam! Good to hear from you! Thank you for the encouraging words and feedback. 🙂
Sallie
I share your reluctance to “gad about.” I did a lot of it when I first started my blog but simply could not keep it up. I started to become too interested in “traffic” and it took away the joy of simply sharing the ins and outs of living by faith.
I don’t keep up with my blog the way I should. I never want to post just to keep it new and it seems inspiration comes in a feast or famine fashion.
Anyway, I’m happy to have found your blog. (And you don’t need to feel guilty for not going to mine and commenting. lol)
Lisa
“I’ve also deleted several blogs that are primarily about motherhood. I think they are great blogs, but for ME it just gadding about. While they do have good things to say, most of it doesn’t apply to me. And to read their blogs every day when only an occasional entry actually applies to me isn’t the best use of my time.”
When I wrote this post, I was just pregnant with Caroline. I found out EIGHT DAYS LATER I was going to become a mother after NINE YEARS of trying.
That has always fascinated me.