I am placing a temporary hold on this blog because I want to reassess what I am up to here. When I started this blog I had no idea what I was doing. After a couple of years at it, I think I am to the point where I know what I am doing, but I am not sure why I am doing it. It's a cyberstential crisis of sorts.
If you occasionally like what you read here, post a comment and let me know why. If you sigh heavily every time you stop by and regret the time you wasted at this site, let me know that, too.
Be well, ride safe, be nice to each other and try to do the right thing no matter how hard that is.
- Joe
I don't read blogs as much as I did in years past, but this is one of the few I check in on every week or two, if not semi-daily. I always find your posts to be thoughtful, interesting, and cleverly written.
ReplyDeleteI like what I read here. I rarely post because, well, because I visit the site in the evening as I peruse a couple of favorite blogs before retiring. I like your writing, your subject matter, your point of view, etc. But I understand the cyberstential crisis. I could never bring myself to start a blog because it feels too much like a burden.
ReplyDeleteI pretty much quit publishing my blog for similar, though unpublicized, reasons. My approach is to let it go fallow for a while. If you decide to post again, feed readers will most likely open the door. It would be a shame to close the door permanently.
ReplyDeleteI am usually most engaged by your posts about cycling, but I like all your posts that allow me to feel like I'm getting to know you.
ReplyDeleteI think your blog is a case study in trying to live a thoughtful life while still having a career, etc. and some of us appreciate having that to ruminate on. The "getting to know you" part is fun too. If you want a break, take a break; but don't worry about "what you're doing here." Many of us are happy to come along and follow you while you figure it out. In any case, thanks and Godspeed.
ReplyDeleteFWIW - I've questioned the purpose of my own blog many times. I spend a LOT of time writing those posts and in the end, I still have a blog about nothing in particular that only a handful of people are interested in.... I've just had to let it go.. I ultimately decided that I blog for myself. I love getting comments, but the goal is to entertain myself.. Good luck. I'll keep you in my Reader in case you come back.
ReplyDeleteI follow this blog through an RSS reader, and I do it mostly because of wanting to hear from Twin-Cities-area bicyclists, especially as it relates to advocacy and current events.
ReplyDeleteI've tried following mplsbikelove, but the RSS feed is all of the messages, and the average message quality is extremely low.
So, while I still tend to read your non-bike-related posts, if that were 90% of your posts, I'd stop reading.
Regardless, putting a solid amount of content into a blog is difficult and time consuming. I have no idea if the amount of feedback you get is worth the extended effort that this must take.
I check in for many number of reasons. Primarily it is nice to hear opinions from people I don't normally check in with on a daily basis.
ReplyDeleteIt would be a shame to stop doing this from my end.
Thanks for the comments. I am probably not going to entirely shut this thing down. I enjoy the platform and like the format too much for that kind of move. This is more a matter of finding out what people like here, taking the measure of that. and seeing if I want that to influence my content and process.
ReplyDeleteIf I am too far apart from the readers, I'll likely run the Jolly Roger up the flag pole, raise my middle finger and continue this site for my satisfaction. giving myself permission to write about whatever I want to. BIkes, the economy, politics, riding the bus, etc. On the other hand, If what I am doing is resonating with some folks and the comments help focus this for our mutual benefit, so much the better for all of us.
It's not exactly up for a vote, though. I am not willing to manufacture content and I am not up for anticipating reader interest and dredging up posts to satisfy that. I have day job where I have to do that, so that's not going to be my avocation, too.
The anon. comment about a thoughtful life was very insightful and frames this nicely for me. Thanks, whoever you are. The from Clay about quality from hits home for me, too. I am going to sleep on this and probably report back early next week.
Thanks, all.
I like!
ReplyDeleteI have your blog on my RSS feed because you're a local cyclist. I live near Lake Nokomis.
ReplyDeleteLove the local cyclist perspective. I know what my experience is, but not what other cyclists perspectives are.
ReplyDelete