Meh.

So tonight I mentioned elsewhere on the web that I was pretty much over this blogging thing, that 4+ years was enough, and that I was thinking of hanging it up.

Within minutes, three other bloggers essentially said "Noooo! Don't go!" Or maybe they said "Stay. Have some champagne."

Either way, it made me sit up. I think I go in blogging cycles, and this is a low point. Comments are down, and I haven't bothered to check my stats, because hello, DEPRESSING. I feel incapable of turning every day events into amusing stories, as I used to do. There's stuff happening that I don't feel much like talking about. Like, hey! I'm getting married again, and certain people who read this blog have no need to know anything about that!

And then there are the things I feel strongly about; my last two posts have been very short, but they deal with a matter that is close to my heart: downtown Lexington. The central block of our downtown is slated for demolition so that a hotel complex can be built. The design does look quite like male genitals, but if you look at it the right way, it could also be perceived as a middle finger, as if the developers were waving theirs at the citizens of Lexington. Edit: My friend Joe, aka Media Czech, just posted this blog entry about yesterday's council meeting about the fate of the block. While some of his references are clearly local (the "Heavy Hitter" is a cheesy ambulance-chaser of a lawyer; Don Jacobs is a car dealer), you can get a sense of how the meeting went down. Yes, Joe's a blogger, which means he injects a lot of his personal views into what he writes. But in this case, I agree with him. Lexington is losing a bit of its soul.

On the other hand, right now there's just banal stuff going on. Washing the cat hair off the kids' bedding in anticipation of their arrival for their month here. Taking delivery of a new bed for my son, since he and his sister jumped a little too hard on the old one at Christmastime. Planning a few outings with the kids, and a few 'innings' too. Arranging to meet a fellow blogger or two in Paris while I am there next week.

And then there's The Thing Hanging Over My Head: the review of Petite Anglaise that I must write. I got a free book. I read it. I liked it. Now I have to translate that into a coherent review. I've got part of it written in my head, but I must sit down and hammer it out. And revise. And revise again.

So there you go. I don't really feel like blogging. I've got a ton of photos to process and post to Flickr, and I don't feel like doing that, either. Meh.

Comments

[Emil]

I feel ya, Ali. I've been having bursts of activity on my blog, on Flickr, and elsewhere, but mostly I've been, well, not blogging or Flickr-ing. I've got plenty of photos, but I've reached that saturation point of having so many to process and upload that I just don't feel like doing it. And that only makes it worse for the next time I stop to consider dealing with them!

So take a break. Enjoy your kids and the Summer. Then come back and lay down the funk!

[coldbear]

Je te lis toujours.
Il est difficile de dire pourquoi
Quelque chose de magnétique, de sincère, même si tu caches l'essentiel.
Tu as un point de vue qui n'appartient qu'a toi. Jusqu'à tes silences sont signifiants.
Je te jalouse

[rel]

Ali,
It's nice to see you're as normal as the rest of us!
Quixotic and beautiful too.
rel

[Catheroo]

Me too.

Well, except for the part about getting married soon, going to Paris, buying a new bed, planning the kids' visit, and having a book review to write.

But the part about the sad demolition of part of downtown Lexington, and not wanting to blog...yeah. Me too.

I even canceled my hotel at BlogHer. Because meh.

[Karsten]

Hey Ali - Hey! Stay cool! Norway loves your pictures, blog posts and twits. No worry if they come in waves. Life is like that.

I wish you a safe trip to Paris, too bad I can't be there to talk over a crêpe (sp?).

K

[Beth]

I, too, suffer from blogger ennui.

I try to be a good blogger, a good blog host, and have something new and interesting up every day for those people who – inexplicably – stop by every day and who seem to be interested in my blathering.

But some days, wow, there just isn't anything in my brain that's worth transferring to the virtual page.

[jeorg]

ok, so i understand the whole not wanting to blog and such, and the sadness over the block downtown, and i know allan will totally disagree with me... but being from lexington, i am ok with that block going. i love mia's and busters is awesome, and yeah, the dame is cool... but these places can go somewhere else because i do see the economic need for that kind of hotel downtown to bring more businesses and for the help of revitalizing the downtown. not to mention, there are tons of new places opening up in victorian square. and that block, as a whole is a major eyesore. now... i agree that the hommage to the penis is not necessary, but still... lexington isn't losing its soul because of three businesses... things change, things grow, things come to pass... like continuing or not continuing to blog.

[ɹǝƃƃolquǝʞoʇ]

You can't stop blogging forEVER. Then you wouldn't be out there taking up the opportunity to meet such fascinating other bloggers, you know...like me!

Because never forget, this whole blogging thing? It's all about ME!

[ɹǝƃƃolquǝʞoʇ]

P.S. I only look at my stats to see where people came from. It's so cool to know someone from Malaysia happened upon my blog --- even if the were doing a search for naked ladies!

[anica]

I know where you are coming from. So if you really want to take a break. Do it. I will miss your posts. But, don't quit cold turkey. I read your blog whenever I can.

[Teresa]

You know, Ali, I think you just may have answered your own "question". Perhaps blogging about your "life" isn't what you need to do right now. What about blogging exclusively about downtown Lexington? Restaurant reviews, local commentary, the cut and thrust of the political scene.... Hello, "The Lexington Blog" is born.

[AndreAnna]

I'm glad you're still gonna keep writing, but you shouldn't feel forced.

I may suck at commenting lately, but I am still here reading!

[Kelliqua]

During one of my low blogging points, feeling some pressure to "just write something, anything" when I wasn't feeling it just to retain readers I contemplated just closing up shop, too. But then I thought about why I started in the first place. I began a blog because sometimes I want to write. Readers and comments are a bonus prize.

In the end I kept it for ME - my release, my writing exercise, posting (or not) totally guilt free.

[winter]

You gotta do what you gotta do for you.

But I'd miss reading your blog if it went away.

[The CEO]

You are one of the major reasons I blog. Take as much time as you want. And for the record, I really, really, REALLY like the guy you are marrying. And I don't care who reads it. I'm arrogant that way.

Did I miss anything? Oh, I like you too. Take care of yourself, I'll be waiting for you.

[rebecca]

i understand completely.

and, i've lost interest in blogging, but my blog was never as interesting as yours. i just feel like, meh, i don't have much to say for myself these days, and if i'm not interested in it, i'm damn sure no one who reads it will be, either.

plus, you've got some real life stress. while it could be said that blogging could be a great procrastination from dealing with other things you don't want to deal with...it's still meh sometimes.

i, too, started blogging because of you. and i, too, really like that guy you're marrying.

i'd really miss your blogs if you stopped.

[rebecca]

and i forgot those words by The Cosmopolitan...

"No, no, don't go, STAYYYYY. have some champange!"

[Margaret]

I have blogger burnout a bit too, but just took a week break. I know I would miss it a lot if I quit. As I always told my kids,"Don't do anything rash that you'll regret later. Take some time to think about it. Take a break from the activity" That is sad about the downtown; ours is getting a new hotel too, but not in the middle of the antiques district. (which is deader than a doornail and needs some revitalization)

[Beanie]

I think that blogging, like anything else, undergoes high tides and low ones. I'm having trouble blogging lately, too. (Actually I'm having trouble with interacting online at all.) No need to give up. Just take a break until you find your "voice" again. We'll still be here.

**hug**

[Joolie]

It seems like a lot of people are sort of feeling blog mehness these days. I am in a down cycle too, but every once in a while I still have something that I really want to write about, illustrate, and, yes, get comments on, and then I'm glad I kept going. I hope you do too.

[Jack]

I share your blah feeling. Lately it has taken more of an effort to make the blogging monster appear.

[Kathryn]

I attribute it to the season. Enjoy your summer, check in when you want to--it's all good. I'm glad your Paris blog-connections have seemed re-energizing.

[steph]

im right there with you. i dropped off the blogosphere a while back and i just cant seem to get any motivation to return. i dont really know what that is. other things just took priority i suppose. maybe you just need a blogging vacation (or staycation).