[thenightwriterblog] The Night Writer: Of blogging on and bogging down

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Posted by The Night Writer:
Of blogging on and bogging down
http://thenightwriterblog.powerblogs.com/posts/1180900605.shtml


     "Justice to my readers compels me to admit that I write because I
     have nothing to do;
     justice to myself induces me to add that I will cease to write the
     moment I have nothing to say."
     
                          -- Charles Caleb Colton

   You see, that "nothing to do part" is kind of essential for regular
   blogging and a missing element in my schedule of late. That should not
   be construed, however, as an indication that I've run out of things to
   say.
   Regardless of what the sporadic posting might indicate, and in case
   anyone was wondering, I'm not hanging up the blog or going on official
   hiatus; the past two weeks have just been monumentally busy, and last
   Friday was a week's worth all by itself. I have three major events
   occurring in three different parts of the country that I'm trying to
   coordinate and all three have crucial deadlines this coming week (to
   tag-team with the crucial deadlines related to these events that had
   to be met last week). On top of that I have two newsletters to edit, a
   new direct-mail campaign that's about to drop, and several other
   projects vying for attention that I would love to give a lick and a
   promise to if I could only summon the spit to do so. Oh, and I've also
   been interviewing candidates to fill the vacant position on my staff
   so I DON'T HAVE TO WORK SO FREAKIN' HARD! Meanwhile, my personal
   schedule of activities and duties away from the office has barely
   abated as well.
   So, how's it going with you?
   Ah well, one of the big events will be over and done with (for good or
   ill) on June 11. Another one goes off June 15-17, and if the flaming,
   rotating hoops I've had to jump through so far on that little number
   are any indication, the last few days leading up to that event are
   going to be beauties. After that things will get back more or less to
   normal, if I can remember what that looks like.
   Memorial Day Weekend wasn't much of a holiday for me, as I brought the
   laptop and all the tons of things that can be stored on it home. There
   are occupational hazards with doing things like that. That Saturday I
   was taking a break to do my chores and bent down to snatch a couple of
   handfuls of laundry to put them in the washing machine. When I
   straightened up it suddenly felt as if I'd been tasered in the back.
   Bilateral back spasms shot across my back about a third of the way
   down, to the point where I had to make a conscious effort to breathe.
   The initial burst subsided, but the twinges and aches (and occasional
   breathlessness) continued throughout the long weekend. I discovered I
   was particularly sore when I sat in my recliner with my laptop in its
   place and my head inclined toward the screen. Hey, it's not loading 16
   tons of number 9 coal or getting black lung disease, but work can be
   hard sometimes.
   During this crunch time it's not only been hard to find the time to
   write, it's been hard to find the time to browse my favorite blogs and
   news sites. This has the effect of dampening the stimulation that
   usually leads to better blog-posts (or at least better researched
   ones). In the gap I've spun out more personal observations on things
   going on in and around my life since I don't have to think much about
   these. It's kind of fun, but I fear I'm drifting toward what a guest
   on Hugh Hewitt's show a couple of weeks ago described as a "thumb
   suck" blog; all navel-gazing and domestic details.
   Now, I enjoy a good thumb suck blog as much (or more) as the next guy.
   Some of my favorites could fall into that derogatory-sounding
   category, and blogs like Lileks and Cathy In the Wright helped me make
   up my mind about getting into blogging. That may well be my true
   calling. Still, I'd like to think I can sneak the hammer in from time
   to time, thumbs-be-damned.
   Soon, I hope.