I am still feeling overwhelmed. Surprise, surprise!
My approach to blogging (and the internet) has been much the same as my approach to life. I have launched myself into it with great enthusiasm, sampling everything so I can decide what suits.
Unfortunately the fall out of this is that I have only so much energy, and inevitably I have to cull. Oh the dreaded culling...! :-/
After over a year of blogging, I now can say that I find the friendships I've made to be some of the nicest people around. I really want to stay in touch!
But to do that I will have to spread myself so thin, I won't exist in the real world. Even though I have ridiculously restricted my blog roll!
I feel sometimes like I'm standing in front of a room full of people(gorgeous people), and they are all shouting at me their latest news. It feels as stimulating to my sensitive nervous system as actually interacting with them in person.
Unfortunately these same gorgeous people are the ones who leave beautiful comments on my blog!
So there is an unspoken agreement that I will leave comments for you and you will leave them for me. A conversation! Very civilised and a lot of fun.
However because of my recent health issues I find I only have energy to write blog posts, not comment on them. What to do? I don't want to be selfish and never comment on others, and I want comments on mine!
But I'm now taking the awful step of doing just that. The alternative is stopping altogether, which would grieve me more!
So I will be posting, and hoping some people still enjoy my offerings. But there will be no guarantees of reciprocation :-(
This is the sad reality of living with and managing a disability.
Feel free to drop me if you feel annoyed. I will still be trying to keep up with your news, and occasionally commenting, but can't promise the level I've managed up until now (which was pretty bad)!
I'm hoping that by taking this step I will have more energy to do art in the real world.
Of course I will be reassessing this down the track.
Another solution will be that I will leave little smilies to say I'm thinking of you. Please feel free to do the same to me! :-D
I am also abandoning Disqus although in some ways it has been great. There have been too many people have had issues with it, and if I can't manage the commenting anymore there is no point.
As far as the rest of the internet goes, I have Facebook to keep in touch with people I know in real life, Google for those who have followed me in photography groups, Instagram for cute quick photos, and Pinterest for inspiration. These have also been pared back to the minimum interaction, but I find them useful so keep them around.
Anyway, on the fashion front...I offer a photo (at the top) of my elephant pants, aren't they great?! And here is a lovely scarf I received as a surprise from a friend. Doesn't it make a great hat?!
'Til next time, keep on creating!
Love always,
Jazzy Jack
Funny pants... oh yeah, I'm enjoing your posts and never wait for a "back comment", when I leave one. I do not understand this need: a comment should voluntarily and of the heart, not an obligation. I see in my feedjit-list, when you have visit my blog and than I think about you...
ReplyDeleteHave a nice and quiet weekend in real life
Glad, that Disqus is out... -
You are great, and your pants are great! I will miss your thoughtful and warm comments, but please do not feel bad about it. I'm not commenting as much as I used to. The truth is I also am a sensitive person who feels overwhelmed at times, and I need a personal space. I think I understand exactly what you are talking about. I think Mascha is right - it all is volunteer-y. If we feel like commenting and posting, we can do it daily and even three times a day - who is there to stop us? If we feel like resting and switching our energy to something else, then we do that, who is to judge? Do what feels right to you! Be happy with who you are! My blog is a huge part of my creative life, it makes my life fuller and happier - and yet I have other interests too, so of course there are and will be times when blogging (and/or commenting) will be less intense - it's OK! It's just life, all of it is "real" life, blogging too. Sometimes we do more of this, and other times more of that. Do not stress yourself out! Just have fun! Tons of love to you xxxxx
ReplyDelete:) No worries JJ. Do what feels right for you. I'm glad to have met you and look forward to hearing about your fashion adventures!
ReplyDeleteWe can only do what we can, you know? I'm losing interest in posting but not in reading other blogs. Sort of the opposite as you! ;)
ReplyDeleteI think blogging is supposed to be fun, or at least make you feel content. I have often stopped commenting on other people's blogs, because I didn't have the time or not in the mood for it, and I noticed a big drop in comments on my blog in return, which is bullshit and just says how much other people care. I think that if someone geniunely enjoys reading your posts, it wouldn't matter if you commented or not, and then there are all the lurkers who love your blog, but never comment. I have lots of lurkers it seems, because people keep telling me how all their friends read my posts,but I never see comments from them :D
ReplyDeleteWith that said, take your time, relax and screw this blogging pressure, do whatever you want!
Also, the fancy pants are looking so adorable, cozy yes? I can tell by the shape! :D
it is like it is - :-) - friends will stay with you even if you don´t visit regularly or just leave a smiley. take care of you! and maybe share some of your art here if you feel like doing so.....
ReplyDeletecool elephant pants and cute and versatile scarf :-)))
hugs!! xxxx
Ha … it makes a great hat … very versatile.
ReplyDeleteBlogging should be fun, not pressure, so just do what you can to cope.
xx
Not a problem. Polite of you to explain it expressly. I have several one-sided relationships 'cause I like certain people, don't mind if they don't reciprocate, and want to be near them despite that. I don't comment with any strings of expected reply. You're among my favorites and will keep following you even with silence. Good luck with finding balance in your life. We all struggle for that. Hug!
ReplyDeleteI love your elephant pants! I am envious of your elephant pants! I want some elephant pants!
ReplyDeleteHow can I be annoyed by this when it is so similar to my own experience. It is easier to post your own blog than to visit and comment on all the other blogs even if you love them. And then comes the guilt. I was born with an extra loyalty gene. I am not that easy to get rid of-you will have to be much much more annoying than this! So keep trying! Hah! xoxoxo Oh-discovered that the necklace you made for me also makes a great bracelet and wore it like that out to lunch with my parents a couple of days ago. It was much admired. xo
I think you do a brilliant job of keeping up with comments and posting interesting blog posts. Real life comes first.xxx
ReplyDeleteI'm in and out, off and on, all the time. That's life. Sometimes I can't think of a thing to say. Sometimes I don't think it matters. You've certainly kept up with me, more than I have with my own blog! I do love anything wearable with elephants, especially India elephants. Very, very nice. And your scarf as wig. mmmm.
ReplyDeleteI vacillate between commenting and almost never doing it... responding to comments or just reading them... it depends on how Real Life is going, so I totally think it doesn't really matter here in the Land of Blog... the Community has been wonderful with which ever way I'm connecting. So Glad to have Discovered your Blog Today during my 'It's All About Me' day of Ignoring the G-Kid Force's reminders that I've spent a lot of time here this Evening... ha ha ha... they so Hate it when it's not all about THEM for a change! *Winks* Dawn... The Bohemian
ReplyDelete