The Life of Bon: Does a blog have a life span?

Sunday, July 07, 2013

Does a blog have a life span?


I feel like my blog has been slightly neglected.  I thought I was going to hit this blog so hard in the summer.  Just attack it full force.  Work on it like crazy, give it all the time and attention it needs to be a growing, healthy blog- one day able to support itself.  But you know how summer goes...  It's hard to make yourself wake up at 7 am when you could wake up at 9 am instead.  It's hard to force yourself to sit down at a computer when your friend is going to the water park, and when your husband is dying to see World War Z. Somehow a day slips by without me putting in the time I wanted and then somehow another and then somehow it's July 8 and I've done the bare minimum on the blog all summer.

I'm sorry, blog.

I suppose the truth is I feel uninspired... like my blog voice is gone and used up, like I got nothing more to say, like people are tired of the same old same old.  Does a blog have a life span?  I'm getting close to two years of blogging- is it about time for this baby to just lie down and die?  Or will she continue on for years and years?  Will I blog about the birth of all my children and the Christmases with my grandchildren and the retirement home I live in when I'm 80?  Or is this a "twenty something" year old pastime... soon to be thrown away with my bright lipstick and Taylor Swift cd?  It blows my mind that I have readers who have stuck around for months- I can hardly expect them to be around for decades, don't you think?

And do you know what else is weird?  I think I am scared of the people I know who read my blog.  I'm not scared of the strangers at all.  The strangers give me life and energy.  Blogging was easier when I had no idea who was out there- when I wrote for blank faces in blank homes.  I wrote to the vast universe without any thought of who might read or not read, who might approve or disapprove.  It is easier by far to write to a million strangers than to write for ten people whom you know very well.  Why is it easier to write to strangers?

On the fourth, Greg and I went to a family barbecue with my dad's side of the family.  They are all so sweet and supportive, so almost all my cousins whom I talked to had read up on the blog.  They knew we were sticking around instead of going to California, knew we had just gotten back from Hawaii, knew what I was wearing before I had even showed up.  It just felt strange, in a way.  I can't describe it exactly except for that it felt like I, myself, had violated my own privacy.  Like I was bugged that someone had told all my cousins all that information about myself when it was me that had told them...

Now go ahead and explain THAT for me, will you?

In other new, we've got some winners in the Hiz-ouse!

Gato Negro:   You won the June group giveaway

Taylor Morrell, Audra Kate, Kaylee:  You each won a $25 gift certificante to Very Jane

Kimberly Charlesworth:  You won the $50 Target gift card from Living in Yellow and Me. 

I will be in touch with you lovely ladies in the morning about getting your prizes.  

Here's to a fabulous week!

28 comments:

  1. Bon--I don't think your blog voice is dead! In fact, you've been inspiring ME lately in the blogging world.. so thank you for writing this summer even though it's been "bare minimum" (which I hadn't even noticed, by the way) :)

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  2. I agree. I had plans to make my blog the next big thing this summer, and so far... I guess I want to make my summer the next big thing instead? But I love your blog. For my sake, keep going!

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  3. I've wondered the same thing: will blogs someday just disappear? Does anyone other than bloggers actually read blogs?

    But, I've just recently discovered your blog and really enjoy your writing style so I'd be happy if you kept on writing even decades from now :)

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    1. I don't have a blog and I read blogs!! ;) I promise there's a bunch of us out there lol

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  4. Oh my gosh, I feel the same exact way at family functions. Then its kind of weird because I'm so open on the blog and all of the sudden someone wants to talk about it in real life and I just don't know what to say...

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  5. I think it's natural that we have times when blogging isn't as fun or exciting. It's funny, as a teacher....I totally meant to "blog full time" over the summer. Somehow, I'm relaxing full time and blogging part time.

    Carly
    www.lipglossandcrayons.com

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  6. i feel you bonnie - remember the chat we had before we left? and all my big plans? well sometimes life gets in the way - but usually thats great for the blog. if you're blogging life, you have to live before you blog.

    and now that i've moved you can't stop blogging. now that we can't hang out, you must keep blogging. so i second brooke, for my sake, keep at it :)

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  7. I do think blogging about everyday things is very hard for me for the reasons you said. It's weird if the regular people in your life know so much without you even speaking to them about it.

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  8. Writing happens in phases... and sometimes they aren't very good ones. I've had blogs for years, and last year I definitely wrote the bare minimum. It's nice to have a place to say what you want, though. Because even if people do read the blog, they still want to hang out with you and have real relationships outside of the internet and that's what counts!

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  9. I say enjoy your summer! The blog will still be here when it's over. :)

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  10. Anonymous7:26 AM

    I feel the same way. I've been feeling "blah" about blogging lately.

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  11. 1) This is why I don't blog every day.
    2) This is why I blog anonymously.

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  12. Anonymous8:35 AM

    I think a blog's life span is as long as the person's attention span.

    For instance, I've been blogging on and off for almost a decade now (Seriously, I think winter might be a decade?) I've gone through times where I had a lot to say, where I had not much to say, where I thought I had nothing to say but still wrote, and when I didn't write at all. Now, I write for me because getting the words swirling around in my head out just makes me feel better and think more clearly.

    Take a look at why you blog and if you're still enjoying it. No one says you have to do it all the time. One of my favorite blogs posts once, maybe twice a week.

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  13. I hear ya about the strangers and people you know reading your blog. If I had no clue who was reading my blog - I would probably have SO MUCH MORE to talk about! But because there are people I know who read it.... shudder. It's scary. Sometimes I feel like I've lost my blogging voice too... but I keep going. Maybe eventually we'll both get them back.

    Also - I was out of town all week and I'm now catching up on blogs. So if you get a million comments from me today, that's why. lol

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  14. As long as you're blogging hun, I'm reading :) I like that you are an actual writer..its different from a lot of other blogs. So keep doing your thing.

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  15. I don't think the blog has a life span as long as you are blogging for you and continue to enjoy it. Although I still kind of find it funny to think about how my pics will change over the years as I age and if I will even want to continue as I get into 50's 60's and beyond. But life doesn't stop just because you get older so why not? I will say that I've been on the fence about letting IRL folks in on the blog but mostly I'm glad that I haven't. How annoying that everyone knows all these things...even though like you said, you did tell them.

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  16. i dont think you should feel as if you have to blog regularly during the summer, its also important to do the things you enjoy. personally, i dont think a blog has a life span, i think when the writer outgrows the blog, thats when it stops :)

    Leyla xx
    http://mythoughtsandboredom.blogspot.co.uk/

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  17. You should have a roundtable about what to do when you feel uninspired or in a rut!!!! Hopefully I'd be able to make it to that one :P AND I think that you do a great job with your blog! :)

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  18. You are so funny....I hope you stay around for a LONG time. :)

    Laura@MiceInTheKitchen

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  19. Yaay! I've finally won a giveaway. But, to comment on the blog, I've been blogging since November 2009. I didn't start trying to grow my blog until the beginning of this year. So, from 2009-2010/2011, it was me writing for myself and I didn't care who was reading it. I was surprised to have about 20 followers, although I knew everyone of them. Then, when I started dating Justin, it became sort of a journal as well as a newsletter to both families. I'm now trying to balance it as all of those: professional blog, journal, newsletter, and writing just for me. It's a hard balance. I do believe blogs can live on forever as long as the person likes to write, and after getting to know you (which I am so glad we have), but the purpose of the blog can change, and maybe that is what you are experiencing: a transitional stage of purpose for your blog.

    morrellfairytale.blogspot.com

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  20. I think about that a lot too. I started mine up in 2009 and really got into it in 2010. Have I officially ran out of things to say to the internet?

    I think I'll most likely have a blog for quite a while. My guess is that blogging will become less and less important to me over the next couple of years (I've been less committed to it for a year now and I see no reason to return). I'm over most of the blogosphere. The giveaways and the sponsor swaps and the c/o clothes.

    I think eventually I will go the way of Busybeelauren's blog. She blogged for YEARS, from like 2006 to 2012, just documenting her life, and then last August, her baby was born and GOMI had a field day and she deleted her blog and created a new, private WordPress one, solely to document her thoughts and pictures from her family. (Isn't that what blogging is supposed to be about anyways? Ha.) I'll probably go private eventually. Who knows. Ha.

    Anyways, this is a very long winded post, and really I've said nothing too important, soooo you are welcome for this weirdo little comment. Yup.

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  21. you can't just stop this post right there, it wasn't done. I need more... Give me direction Bon! More! What happens to blogs?/??

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  22. Your blog voice is far from dead, maybe you just need to rest it for a few days but don't go away I like your blog so much

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  23. Nooooooooo, don't goooooooo! Promise? We need you:)

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  24. Anonymous1:32 PM

    I really hope you don't give up :( I've just started reading your blog! And it's definitely one of my favourites

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  25. Anonymous3:08 PM

    Yeah, I find that I always ask people if they've read my blog before I start telling a story because I don't want them to have to sit through it twice.

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  26. Ok once again my post didn't register..

    Testing...testing... 1.... 2..... 3....

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  27. We have success!! Now let me try remembering my mahousively long post in reply to your brilliant blog...

    Firstly: I only just found you - no flannel here - you are my favourite blogger!! Not sure why exactly, you just seem really real.

    Secondly, both myself and Miss Carrie Bradshaw are slightly more than twentysomething and we have readers :o)

    Don't give up, or throw in the towel - who knows, maybe this blog could be your future full time position?!! That's what I'm aiming for anyhow - need to not be location dependant really. Although any help with getting my stats up and those sponsor slots (very very cheap!) Filled up is so very much appreciated.

    A blog should kind of be like the under stairs cupboard I think: It's pretty safe in there, can sometimes feel a little dark and claustrophobic but you love the whole occasion of visiting there and creating something beautiful...

    You have stacks of followers by the looks of this blog post alone. Be proud of that it speaks volumes (dreaming of the day I'm up there too!)

    :O)

    Much love xxxx

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