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Monday, June 18, 2007

Run, blogger run...


As with most of my posts lately, the topic of this one is not necessarily new. The title was originally, "Where have all the bloggers gone?" But after doing a Google search for that phrase, I changed it, because apparently lots of bloggers have explored the phenomenon of bloggers missing in action and used that same title.
In my three years of blogging, I've watched many blogs come and go. Funny, but rarely do I see people simply delete their blogs and hightail it out of dodge. Most of the time they leave the derelict blog floating along like one of those ghost ships abandoned on the high seas with coffee still percolating on the stove. And you start to wonder what happened and whether it will happen to you.
One guy conjectured that one of the reasons bloggers stop for no apparent reason is that they are afraid their blog will be discovered by friends and family. So they bolt. That kills me. Most of us want to be discovered, want to be read, and these people are going south when they think they are getting too much attention?

Oh, I know that many people blog about a hidden life or personality that they are terrified co-workers or family will discover. But if you think about it, unless you give people your blog address and post a bunch of personal information, your blog is the proverbial blog needle in the Web haystack. There are so many blogs out there that the odds of anyone you know randomly discovering them are pretty darned astronomical.

Not all bloggers just vanish into the ether, either. Some leave the blogger's version of a suicide note explaining they can't take it anymore. The constant pressure of posting, reading, commenting and replying takes its toll and they snap. But at least by leaving a blog swan song, they take the wondering about where they went out of the equation. But they don't take away the real "why" of why they went.
I suppose we all teeter on edge of giving up our blogs when we dwell on the seeming futility of it all. If you rely on the waxing and waning comments, stat counters and blog rolls I think you are doomed to failure in the blog world. Once, early on in my blogging venture, I equated blogging to launching the Voyager 1 spacecraft three decades ago. You launch that puppy and hope eventually it will be discovered by intelligent life.
I guess the real question is, "Does it exist, and if so, do you think it will blog roll me?"

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Having been a little in and out lately, I think the time consuming nature of blogging is making people bolt. Then there is Miss Snark, who after 3 years just flat said "I've said everything I have to say"...you have reached the end of the internet.

Whitesnake said...

I only go missing when I am an sufferring the death of close family or personal problems....
Running 2 blogs makes it a tad more difficult cos ya tend to spend more time in one place than the other.........

But, "I'll be back!"

BlazngScarlet said...

I've been quite lax in my blogging because I honestly can't seem to focus long enough to write anything decent!
I have several started, but haven't been able to find my creativity to finish them.
Excuse? Maybe. Probably.
But that's where I'm at right now.
Not feeling it at the moment.

But, i'll be back! :)

Time said...

Kat,
If three years is the milepost for where we run out of things to say, then I'm rapidly approaching it. This would explain why I find myself repeating things. Of course that could be my age, too.

Whitesnake, Blazngfyre,
I wasn't referring to any current bloggers I know. I don't think taking a break constitutes running or disappearing. Most of you are like those Weeble toys. They weave and wobble, but they never fall down. :)

BlazngScarlet said...

I like being called a weeble-wobble!

Those things STILL rock! lol

Lights in the wake said...

I could and have said that I quit blogging for a variety of reasons; ran out of ideas, too much pressure, not getting enough out of it, etc... All these are true but the biggest reason is that I'm lazy.
At this point I regard my (undeleted and neglected) blog as I do a fire extinguisher. I like having it around but I don't use it unless I absolutely have to.

Time said...

Blaznfyre,
I sense a blog post from you on Weebles.

Lights,
There is nothing like a post about bloggers cutting and running to bring out the Catholic guilt in people. I seriously wasn't thinking of anyone in particular. Oh, maybe Mickey, Cherish and Gina, or perhaps Gunter, but not you. You have enough trouble in your life without me giving you grief about not blogging. I'm not pointing fingers because when you do that, you have three more pointing right back at you.

Hayden said...

A search for intelligent life...

good name for a whole blog.

(your movie award has finally been surrendered to the mail gods)

MissGuided said...

I can't make up my mind if I liked the title, the photo or the blog best!
I totally agree with you comment on people being randomly found by others who know them ........ the chances are so slim but aparently it does happen (well according to some)
Always enjoy reading your blog, keep it coming.

Time said...

Hayden, It's all yours. And should I be afraid to look in the mail box?

Missguided, Thanks. I've always tried to run, but I never know where to hide :)

Harmony said...

Hi Tim,

You may notice at some point that my blog has been deleted. It was unfortunate but necessary for my peace of mind. There are some real low lifes in this world, sad but true.

I would have liked to contact you personally but you don't have an email address and neither do R or K. You are very welcome to email me any time at karen.angelwithoutwings@gmail.com or karen.kath@bigpond.com as I would like to stay in touch if possible.

Harmony said...

Oh and it is possible for people to find you even if it was completely accidental. It has happened to me when my old friend BB found me through a mutual friend of ours who stumbled across my blog. The only reason he knew it was my blog was because my mug shot was on there or he would never have known. I think you might find that is who missguided was referring to.