Spring Blog Fever, Or: To Blog Or Not To Blog, That Is The Question.
by sweetney

Contributing Editor Tracey Gaughran-Perez also blogs at sweetney.com

Is it just me, or has the greater mommyblogosphere been feeling a little, well, off lately? In the past few weeks I've noticed great lulls in blogging for some, outright ditching of blogs altogether for others. It seems Spring indeed is, as the cliche goes, a time of rebirth (or, in the matter of blogging, a time of reconsideration).

Jody of Raising WEG puts it thusly:

I think a lot of people get spring blog fever. This seems to be a time when people reconsider the whole blog enterprise. I base that on two entire springs' worth of data. But I can't be the only person out there wondering whether to chuck the whole thing.

Contemplating Jody's words, Anne of The Barely Attentive Mother concludes that her blog will self destruct in 7 days:

I lay in bed last night thinking about this blog and about personal blogging and all the blogging I do and have done. I decided I don't want to have a personal blog anymore, at least not this one.

Whether its blog burn-out or the siren's song of other projects elsewhere, it does seem that Spring presses many to rethink their relationship to and with the online world. Julia of Ticky Tacky recently bid adieu to all that:

...I am having a little love affair with my town. I am determined to really enjoy my life here... and have done a lot of fun things locally, spending the beautiful spring days outdoors.

Part of what is allowing me to do this cavorting around is all the extra time I suddenly have. While in Australia, and since returning, I've been a lot more engaged in life.

And it's mainly because I've stopped spending so much time on line.

I too have felt some of this so-called Spring Fever, manifested mostly as the dreaded I Have Nothing To Say mutation of classic writer's block, and I've noticed that others -- like Alice of Finslippy -- have also grappled with this lately.

So what is it exactly about Spring that does this to us? And how do we get through the Fever, if we do get through at all? Take a "blogging break"? Chuck the whole thing? Keep writing straight through it, even if it means writing about how you have nothing to write about? How have you gotten through your own existential blogging crises?

Submitted by sweetney (view blog) on Fri, 04/21/2006 - 11:01
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Momcat & Spring

My children are all elderly cats, but from where I sit, it's finally stopped snowing and raining and I NEED to get outside rather than play here inside with a fascinating and imaginary (?!) world. And when one gets little feedback, it gets very discouraging on any channel.

Plus I feel as if it's hard to really 'break in the BlogHer club' here and feel included as a newbie; do any of you? I've also been wondering whether to just chuck it and spend more time volunteering at the local Humane Society.

Maybe I'll keep trying; maybe I won't. There are plenty of real live connections I could be nurturing this spring, but for me, finding intelligent women to talk and laugh and think with promised a real treat...I think I need to change something or work harder, or...? Let's keep discussing!

This topic is very interesting to me & I don't want to feel like a whiner or loser, so will prob. keep it up, in between the greenhouse and life chores. We all must feel we get something special from this, for all the hours we "mine" for gems....maybe I should hang in there.

Funny how these electronic mechanisms mirrow our own diverse needs and interests. I want to learn blogging, have some fun, and share my specialities, but it can feel lonely. That's the biggest depressor to trying harder, irnonically, for me...et vous? ~Kathi

~Kathi
i.e. An Intercultural Educational
Resource Network

Submitted by kathiwilliams on Fri, 04/21/2006 - 11:51
 

Hi, Kathi

As far as breaking into the BlogHer (or blogging) club, you've just made the crucial first step: commenting! Bloggers love comments; keep them coming and you'll get more traffic to your own site. It's the comments on each others sites that make us feel we *are* part of a community, even though we haven't met most of our blogging friends face to face.

Except at BlogHer! Which is one reason why it's such a great conference.

Another tip is to include in both your posts (after your name) as well as in your BlogHer profile, a link to your own blog. Otherwise, we don't know where to look for you, to let you know that we want you to come out and play!

P.S. If you're not yet blogging, check with BlogHer co-founder Elisa Camahort about being a part of the newbie blogging session at BlogHer '06.

Great post, Tracey Sweetney. Lots to ponder as the days get longer and the rec center pool calls my name... :)

Mary
BlogHer Contributing Editor, Mommy & Family
Mom Writes

Submitted by Mary Tsao on Fri, 04/21/2006 - 13:51
 

Muhcas gracias, Mary!

I feel cyber-embarassed for what may have been seen as whining in that post. Elisa Camahort has given me some kind suggestions, and another gal, so I have been asking. (In spurts between an awful flu virus and other deadlines.) Should I apologize for a bad mood spurt?

I am a really associative thinker (ENFP) who viscerably feels the FLOW of these BlogHer "conversations." Since my profession is in communication, maybe I "see/feel/hear" certain nuances that aren't even there, or which might be colored by my own pananoia! Yet I've taught for decades to exhort my community college students to think critically, have fun, and get involved with their growth. So this is my new fun learning curve tool to facilitate my online life.

Thanks for the idea to specifically include one's links--I thought we all just went to the hotlink under our names and proceed from that profile page to his/her website. That works for me & felt easier, so I misassumed others did the same. Good point for newbies to know.

Soon I'll master some tech. difficulties I'm having now and both sites will have new pix n' stuff.
T'anks again, ~Kathi
Link Text

~Kathi
i.e. An Intercultural Educational
Resource Network

Submitted by kathiwilliams on Fri, 04/21/2006 - 14:38
 

hello kathi!

Can I ask for the link to your blog?? I'd love to read it (atleast a few times). Gardening? I've been doing some of that...

Debra
A Stitch In Time
Simple Still Life

Submitted by debra roby on Fri, 04/21/2006 - 19:06
 

Here you go, debra!

I've read quite a few comments under your fun green tennies already, because I'm a (latent) collager, too. Thanks for asking. Here at 4,000 ft, gardening is a very hopefuly adventure. We built a greenhouse to start things, but nothing can go in the ground before June! Plus with all the wildlife, we have to coax everything in "the plant jail" which you are able to see in the background, if you scroll down my silly blog until you see a cat on a hottub cover! I have success with the "square foot gardening book"--forget the author, or exact title, but I just browsed a second edition in paperback in a bookstore.

Re blogging, the first one listed below is my silly blog (sisterbernard)and the other is supposedly more serious, named after my new consulting company, but I'm definitely in 'beta beta' version as to my "voice". Let's see if I can make this look right:

My Sister Was A St Bernard

ieresourcenetwork

(Hmmm...I think you'll get there by clicking above. I've been finding folks most easily by clicking on their names, going to complete profiles, and then selecting the blog(s).)

Cheers,
~Kathi
i.e., An Intercultural Educational
Resource Network

Submitted by kathiwilliams on Sat, 04/22/2006 - 02:41
 

Having nothing to say has

Having nothing to say has really never stopped me from writing anyway. Hey, wait a minute, what do you mean, "We know..."?

Busy Mom Blog

Submitted by Busy Mom on Fri, 04/21/2006 - 12:37
 

Oh touche, Busy Mom,

Oh touche, Busy Mom, touche.

Its when I start thinking that even the things I have to say about television programs aren't worthy of posting that I KNOW I'm in deep trouble.

Because, I mean, if talking about TV isn't valid discourse, well, stop the world, I want to get off.

xo trace
++++++++++
sweetney.com
email me

Submitted by sweetney on Fri, 04/21/2006 - 21:16
 

Busy Mom

Busy Mom crackes me up!!!

I can easily see how blogging can start taking up one's life. I recently erased about 10 blogs from my bookmarks, just because they were pulling my life down instead of pulling it up. It's a very personal decision and if you need to quit or take a break, great.

I don't think there's a Blogher Club to break into. Am I missing something?

Submitted by manicmom on Fri, 04/21/2006 - 13:02
 

Ironically enough...

I've recently decided to throw myself full force into this "hobby". I bought a web design book, I'm researching hosting services, and I've got two areas of interest to investigate - momsrising.org and wiredsafety.org.

But I have noticed less frequent updates on others' blogs and fewer comments than usual on my own blog. Maybe it's the beautiful weather, or maybe it's something else. But my laptop and I will be out on the deck, enjoying the beautiful weather together, while the kids play in the yard. And I will take this opportunity to expand my blogging horizons.

Submitted by mothergoosemouse on Fri, 04/21/2006 - 14:05
 

That's funny

because so have I. I wish I had started a year ago when I was pregnant and bedrest. But now I'm entrenched and really don't see leaving any time soon.

Submitted by manicmom on Fri, 04/21/2006 - 17:59
 

Lemme Try Again--that was a downer!

Esteemed Colleagues:

Maybe (I)we just have to keep the daffodils in balance, chosing what nourishes us and gently adding time and best efforts as we're prompted....this is pioneering territory after all, sisters...good to be here; peace to each of our spring hearts....

Better now, ;) ~Kathi
(i.e. An Intercultural Educational
Resource Network)

Submitted by kathiwilliams on Fri, 04/21/2006 - 14:24
 

It's not just you!

And it's not just mommybloggers!

However, Little Bird has come back after saying she might not... so I'm hoping that more bloggers take their spring tonic and get back to us.

Debra
A Stitch In Time
Simple Still Life

Submitted by debra roby on Fri, 04/21/2006 - 19:01
 

Spring Break for Bloggers!

Maybe that's what we need...

Cause I'm all for tequila shots and beers on the beach in exchange for giving up blogging for two weeks.

Who's with me?

Mary
BlogHer Contributing Editor, Mommy & Family
Mom Writes

Submitted by Mary Tsao on Fri, 04/21/2006 - 19:48
 

Spring Break?

Hey, I'm all for Spring Break. Except for no Girls Gone Wild video's. Not again............

Link Text

Submitted by manicmom on Fri, 04/21/2006 - 20:15
 

Blog On

Every time I think about quitting my blog I think, "I have nothing to say, may as well chuck it." Then I think, "Hey wait a minute, I've never had anything to say, that's part of the appeal." So it goes.
Sheryl

Submitted by paper napkin on Fri, 04/21/2006 - 21:04
 

Dudes, DAYTONA! WOOHOOOOO!

Dudes, DAYTONA! WOOHOOOOO! Heh.

I'm all for drunken mommyblogging... and then sleeping in the next day without being woken up at 7am by a tiny voice whining "Mommy? I'm huuunnngry!"

Only 98 days until BlogHer, my friends.

Hang In There, Kitten(s),
xo trace
++++++++++
sweetney.com
email me

Submitted by sweetney on Fri, 04/21/2006 - 21:04
 

The Blah Schmas

Lately I feel completely off-topic with my posts. I'll type something up and then realize, "Uh, why would anyone care what I think about that?" and delete it all. I definitely have a case of the blah schmas in blogland right now.

Stephanie A.

Submitted by Stephanie A. on Fri, 04/21/2006 - 22:11
 

maybe feeling lonely is part of it

We wouldn't exactly had the need to blabber to the world about our lifes, if we didn't feel a little lonely, or do we?

I feel a little discouraged too. Maybe because I've started a "series" about spring dieting. The one subject I never wanted to put on my blog.

I look at my stats, feel discouraged and think "Give it a little more time".

And Mary Tsao is right, every time you comment, somebody notices you. And Busy Mom is right too.

I hope, Anne is going to stop the self destruct sequence.

A little ad for myself: Diapers and Music or in German Windeln und Musik

I'd serve champagne to returning visitors, alas it's not possible.

Submitted by Susanne Fritz on Sat, 04/22/2006 - 03:04
 

Spring Fever pretty much sums it up.

Agree completely and have noticed it as well. Spring is when I watch less tv, go to the gym less (as in less than never), spend less time on the mac. It's just a time for...well, living.

But what I think it comes down to is who you write for--yourself or an audience. If you're writing to write, then the diminishing audience shouldn't matter. When I find myself spending energy on my sitemeter, I think to myself, "does Maureen Dowd do this? Does she worry that NYT circulation is less on Tuesdays than Thursdays?" Probably not.

http://mom-101.blogspot.com

http://coolmompicks.com

Submitted by Mom101 on Sat, 04/22/2006 - 18:44