Aug 18, 2009

I couldn't do it

So last night around 11-ish, I opened up the laptop and proceeded to my blog. I took a look at the half-dozen or so posts that I have in Draft, but I didn't feel like finishing any of them.

Then I thought about what was on my mind for a new post and I discovered that I didn't have anything on my mind.

Nada.
Zilch.
Bupkis.

So I shut it down and decided not to write a post for today. It's been over a year now that I hadn't posted on a weekday. You see, I try to post once a day during the week and sometimes on the weekend when I feel the urge. But I never made any pact with the devil or anything. It was just part of my daily routine along with brushing my teeth and scratching my balls.

Then I woke up today and saw yesterday's post staring me in the face and I felt a little bit of freedom.  "Hooray for me!" I thought.  I didn't post anything and the world kept on moving.  It wasn't until later in the day that I started to feel, um, not right.

It's usually a little after lunch when I hit my blog again and see what the madding crowd had to say.  But I hadn't said anything since yesterday, so why would anyone come to visit?  And they hadn't.

So I ask you, dear readers, what do you do on days like today?  Days when you just don't feel like posting.  Do you post something like this one?  A post about not feeling like posting.  Or do you just skip the day and move on with your life?  I'm talking to those of you who earnestly try to post something every day here.   Does posting every day ever feel like an anchor around your bloggy life?

PS - Word verification on comments is gone.  For now. - Earl

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Note: Remember to play the Bug-Eyed Trivia Challenge every day. Weak, Earl...very weak.

25 comments:

Slyde said...

we've discussed this before.

i just cant see myself posting something that i myself dont find interesting to read. there have been a TON of times that i start writing something, then i think "this is some boring shit", so i just hit delete.

for me, i post 2-3 times a week. I feel i can write 2-3 interesting things a week.... anything more than that is forced.

2abes said...

people count on you for a daily post and a trivia game. the sun might fall out of the sky if you don't post something...even if it is some silly shit or something baseball related.

Verdant Earl said...

Slyde - I hear ya. But sometimes there is comfort in just typing out your thoughts for no other reason than doing it. Whether or not anyone in going to be interested in those words. Know what I mean? That's why I posted this today.

Verdant Earl said...

2abes - I have a Derek Jeter post (Where does he belong on the list of all-time great shortstops?) in my Draft. But Rob Neyer on ESPN basically posted it for me. My list...and his goes 1) Honus Wagner, 2) Arky Vaughn and 3) Derek Jeter. This is offensive numbers only. Greatest all-around shortstops? Jeter is definitely in the conversation along with Ozzie Smith, Wagner, Vaughn, Lou Boudreau, Barry Larkin and Cal Ripken, Jr. The rest of the greats have either too few years at the position (Robin Yount, Ernie Banks, A-Rod, etc...) or just not enough offensive gas (Pee Wee Reese, Rizzuto, etc...). There. Now I don't have to post it.

Mrs. Hall said...

My problem is the opposite-too much to say and I have to force myself to edit and choose.

Lately I haven't had to force/choose all that much because my life is getting busy.

Which is good really, because what needs to go up on the blog has to fight to get there.

Which means my posts are a bit more fiesty.

OTHERWISE for people like you, who aren't plagued by a constant chattering brain with deep thoughts of no consequence . . . . .

When in doubt- just post

1. Videos that you like
2. Paintings you like
3. Pin up girls you like
4. More cat stuff
5. Photos of your nieghborhood

i could go on but, have to get back to work . . . ;)

i am the diva said...

eep, when this happens to me i accidentally go on a week and a half long blog hiatus, and then its even harder to get back on track... so i'm going to try to hit more people up for guest posts to fill the void... that's my new plan anyway

Kaye Waller said...

This is why I created the "mini-blog" in my sidebar. Takes care of the off days. Other than that, I figure if people leave because I miss a day, they can bite me. As you say, the world keeps moving.

Verdant Earl said...

Holly - Thanks. I wasn't really looking for advice on topics, but they are appreciated anyway. :)

Diva - I've never really understood guest-posting. I'd like to hear your thoughts on it.

Steph - I've never noticed the mini-blog. Probably because I read your blog on my feed reader and then jump over there to comment. I guess I don't spend a lot of time checking out everyone's bells and whistles. I'm gonna correct that in the future. Oh, and I don't really care if I lose readers. Or gain them either. In fact, my stats on Google Analytics look boring as hell. My daily visitors have become almost a straight line. I'm fine with that. Lose one here and there. Gain one here and there. It's all good.

rachel said...

i don't post everyday and all 6 of my readers come back when I do post. if you post for others then it stops being fun. post when you want - we will still be here.

Dave2 said...

It may seem crazy, but it really works!

http://www.blogography.com/archives/2009/07/blank.html

Well, it does for me. :-)

Mrs. Hall said...

I've really really tried paying attention to my stats. Three separate times with three separate mechisms.

I end up not caring after 2 weeks- and how do they weed out YOU looking at your site anyway?

I do enjoy the followers thingy though. Little pictures is nice.
:)

Michelle said...

I have not posted since 8-7-09.

Oh well. Soon though!

sybil law said...

I don't even try to post every day. Just not my thing. I appreciate your effort, though - and usually the content, too (including today! That sounded like a backward assed comment, didn't it? it's not how I meant it! ).
:)

hello haha narf said...

fuck, i have written nothing really blog worthy since before may. stupid twitter also gets a bunch of stuff that i would have written a post about before. so yeah, i kinda am a totally sucky blogger these days.

don't write if you won't wanna write. we all have you in our readers anyhow...we will know when you do.

Verdant Earl said...

Rachel - It was just one of those days. Ya know?

Dave2 - If only I could draw a picture of a monkey.

Holly - I hardly ever check my stats. Just when I'm bored.

Michelle - get on that, girl!

Sybil - Nah! Sounded nice. ;)

Becky - Stupid Twitter is right.

Avitable said...

I do something very similar to Dave's chart. I check CNN, Fazed, Fark, and other people's blogs for inspiration if I don't have an idea on my own.

2abes said...

just put jeter as number 1, you know you want to do it. he's deserving

badgerdaddy said...

As you may remember, I just used to write any old shit that came into my head. No shortage of that.

marty mankins said...

If you've seen my pattern of posting the last 6 months, posting daily is not my forte.

So this is one reader that thinks it's ok to not have a post for the day.

i am the diva said...

my thoughts on guest posting:

It gives the illusion to your readers that you haven't fallen off the face of the earth - even when you have... or, conversely, it gives you *permission* to have a day off of blogging knowing that your blog is 'taken care of'

as a guest poster, it's fun to try your hand on someone elses blog, perhaps expand your readers... get some traffic...

personally, i like it when people give me a topic when i'm guest posting. it's more of a challenge that way.

what are your thoughts?

Unknown said...

I don't have that problem because, as you know, I write about guns and shootings and capital punishment and there's so much to choose from each day, that my problem is narrowing it down to the juiciest or most interesting item or two.

I sometimes feel like it's cheating. My kind of blog requires very little creativity.

Verdant Earl said...

Avitable - never been to Fazed or Fark. My "go-to" sites are GorillaMask and Yahoo! for news. Sad, really.

2abes - Nah...Wagner is still #1 and I'm not sure Jeter can catch him. But #2 might be his.

badger - but we enjoyed hearing about your daily runs and stops at the cheese or fish shop. :)

Marty - oh, I know it's okay. I'm not sure why I started it, but when in Rome...

Diva - I don't know. I always thought my blog was for me and everyone else's blog was their own. So guest posting hasn't made much sense even though I know a bunch of bloggers who do.

MikeB - hey...you have a niche!

Bruce Johnson said...

"o I ask you, dear readers, what do you do on days like today? Days when you just don't feel like posting.".....ahhhh, I don't post.....the internet is my 'bitch'....not the other way around.

Kate said...

Hey, it's August.
Cut yourself some slack.

Verdant Earl said...

Bruce - that question was really for those bloggers out there who make a habit of posting every day. But I hear ya.

Kate - My slack has been cut. Thank you. :)