I have noticed a few of my favorite people disappearing. Not too long ago, I noticed that TuesdayPillow had deleted her journal, and today I discovered that TheLioness, Carla, has deleted hers. She at least still has her profile up, but her blog is gone. We have gone through so much together and I miss her clever and honest words.
I have gained a lot from blogging, both from reading and from the excercise of writing. I always wanted to write, but I never had the talent for words that some of you people have. Yet reading your entries has made my own writing better... at least I feel it has.
Some of you write daily.... I never did. I usually write once or twice a week, trying to put as much in one short entry so that my journal stays interesting. My main interest was in reading about what you all had to say.... and when people don't update, I worry (*wink* to Betty) or get sad. Many of you have become a part of my life.
And some of you I have had the priviledge of meeting in person. And it is some of those who are no longer updating.... and it feels to me like a family member having left me and makes me VERY sad.
I have also noticed many writing in facebook. Sorry, but I just can't get excited about posting there and I especially don't have time to accept all the plants and animals for my farm! LOL
Blogging is an egoistic excercise, too, and I'll be the first to admit that yes, I also blog for the feedback. I do get many comments, and I appreciate EVERY SINGLE ONE. Yet I'm missing some (former) regular readers.... and I ask myself if they care anymore.....
I still enjoy reading so many of you, but I may not be blogging as much myself. I do have things/ideas to write about, but my motivation is down.
I told myself the other day to try to stop commenting, just read and go on, like many others do. But I'm the #1 comment whore (though I think Xanadu beats my record LOL), and I can't help but comment, so you'll still see me around.
One thing that I have been thinking of lately was all the "good" in my life. Many of you often say in a comment, how "blessed" I am. Yes, I am blessed. My life has been full and exciting. My kids are healthy, my grandkids are healthy, I have a good paying job (yet very stressful)... I have little to complain about, especially when compared to what I often read here. It breaks my heart to read about some of the hardships some of you are going through.....
Where is this entry going? I don't know. No, I don't intend to delete... not yet anyway. I usually try to keep my entries up-beat, to be entertaining.... I want to spread smiles.
I just read an entry by someone that really brought tears to my eyes. I think I'm going curl up in my bed and read a book... I have many crying out to me to read. Yep, that's what I'm going to do.
But you know, I won't be gone for long.... tomorrow morning I'll be around again looking for up-dates!
Dorrie / Westy
What makes all this blogging so meaningful to me, especially now since JS is gone, is the long term readership I had with others. I made some good friends too who will probably always be good friends. Met some fine people as well. I love to blog now as much as I did on JS but I MISS quite a few that I haven't seen since JS crash or who left JS over the past years who I enjoyed so much. I can't say any other place like JS created such a tight little community no matter how many ups and downs were experienced. There's this connection I feel in the blogging world. It's comforting.
ReplyDeleteI tried to get into Betty's journal recently, and it's gone. Bummer. I love her, and enjoyed reading her entries, whether happy or sad. Yeah, I'm a blogging/commenting whore. (hanging my head in shame) lol. I have 32 "followers" and about 8 of them comment. What's up with that? What's great about the people here is that they are the same when I meet them in person as they make me believe they are when I read their journals. You're gonna be one of the next ones, so don't be filling me full of false hope. ROFL! You know I'm joking. Love ya, girlfriend! Hugs.
ReplyDeleteIhaven't been around as much lately- but it definitely isn't for lack of caring for people. I have many irons in the fire at the moment, and even though I'm attempting to keep up iwth what's going on in the lives of everyone, it's almost impossible. Quite a bit of my communications have gone to email- so that people can share more personal things that they may not share on a blog/journal or facebook.
ReplyDeleteI love Facebook because it has so many people from back home and also from JS and other places on the internet where I know people from, all in one place. I like that. I love Farmtown, and it's my time to spend to unwind, something I can do that doesn't require alot of thought, and it's fun.
I believe we all live blessed lives- even those who are struggling, they are still blessed in more ways than they may realize. We all have so much to be grateful for in this world, in this life-.
I could write alot more- but I'll leave it at that. Maybe I'll write my own entry one of these days in regards to this.
*hugs*
Just dropping in to say hello. I know I'm a "hit and miss" blogger....sometimes I write a lot, and then go for months without a peep. Doesn't mean I don't care about you though :) HUGS!
ReplyDeleteIf you had not restored [as much as possible] my JS layouts - thank you - I might have stopped posting as it seemed that no one was reading or commenting.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy blogging and I am starting to gather new readers and know about them because of the feedgit widget I installed that tracks my readers.
Dorrie thank you so much for keeping JSers connected and for all your help with my layouts.
Pastor Larry
I really missed JS for the first month or so, and I don't think I'll ever stop missing the homepage! But I have made myself at home here, and even though I have less followers than at JS I have more people commenting, which makes it more interactive for me.
ReplyDeleteI look forward every single day to sitting down and reading my favourites. It's like a giant Xanax for me, lol.
I think I changed directions entirely. I focused on that part of me that wanted recognition. I found the rest of me doesn't need to be known. In fact, the rest of me is better off not known!!
ReplyDeleteI am happy about where my blog has gone...lots of hits since the JS crash and it is growing. I have made many new friends but I still cherish the old, the familiar, people I think of as a sort of family. Like you. Only, I don't think you are strange. Well, no stranger than me.
Great post, Dorrie-
ReplyDeleteI agree with everything you said. It does still hurt when thinking about the loss of JS and of friends who have moved on to other things.
For me though, blogging is very difficult. I'm not an intellectual or a news hound or a social commentator. I'm a mood blogger and I can only write when I'm feeling strong emotions about something. Otherwise, my post will read like it was written by a 4th grader jacked-up on too much Mountain Dew.
I only wish I had true writing skills and talent, which I happen to think you do. :)
Keep the faith, mi amiga. TTFN
It is a great post, Westy. And you've said things that I just didn't know how to say. I always read everyone... just don't comment as I should or what I wanted to say was already said. I'll not ever forget you... when I was so new to this blogging thing and had no idea where I wanted to go with it, you were always right there visiting and commenting and of course, sending me pointers. You are the hostess with the mostest. ;)
ReplyDeleteOut of all the comments so far I'd probably agree with Kate the most.
ReplyDeleteAt first I missed not knowing if anyone read my blog - now I don't care. I know that some people read it because there are usually some comments. And I generally try (i.e. 90% of the time) to leave a comment when I read someone elses blog & to respond to coments left on mine. I've found that I've got to know some bloggers pretty well using that method - and its been good for some laughs!
Otherwise I can't see the difference between JS and this, outside of the comments page - which I only knew of for about a month anyway. I do miss seeing Steve & Karadas comments taking up about half the page between them!
Anyway - I hope you keep on blogging and that you get your Mojo back
we love you Dorrie, and if it were not for you I would hardly ever get a comment. Thanks for being you.
ReplyDeleteI have also made myself at home here...although like Kate said I miss the JS homepage too. There are still a few people I have lost contact with and wonder about them.....but am enjoying reading the ones I have managed to find when JS went away.
ReplyDeletethank you all for the lovely comments... comments are the best incentive to keep going.
ReplyDeleteI think part of MY problem is, after the high of working the forum and getting all the JS'ers organised after the crash, I feel a loss.... a loss not just for JS (which I still miss), but a loss of being "needed".... if you know what I mean. *sigh*
Thank you all for stopping by! {hugs}
Oh Dorrie.... I think blogging has changed for me too since JS has gone away. I have not felt as connected, and lately I just haven't been around as much. I feel like I haven't updated in ages. Today is the first day I logged on in quite a while. I miss the times I used to have on JS, and I miss other people's regular updates too. I've got to do an update soon on my move and stuff.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad to have met you in person, and I consider you a great friend. Don't think because I'm not around I don't care anymore. My life has been quite busy lately, and I guess I don't put my journal as a priority anymore. :-(
Okay, I've written a book. Sorry about that.
Love you!!!!
Gill
Dorrie you are still needed....
ReplyDeleteWell, I have not felt the same about blogging here at all. It's just not the "magic" of JS. I only write sporadically and feel really bad about moving on but some days it's just too much for some reason. I do love Facebook though, it's just mindless fun. Don't know what else to say. I hope you always stay in touch with me somehow.
ReplyDelete((HUGS))
ReplyDeleteI miss you, too, Sis! I left without announcing it because it was something that I just needed to do. I'm still around sometimes, and I still get the urge to 'talk' to you all from time to time. I just need a bit more real life in my life. I cherish the friends I made at JS, and some of you are very 'real life' to me even if I haven't met you in person.
Things were just getting out of control, and I had to do something. You will always be needed, things are just different, and we are all adjusting to the post-JS days.
Love you!
Carla
Yeah, I feel a bit like blogging is too hard now, if that makes sense. I have to find everyone, then add them, or ' follow', and to be honest, just looking at my 'Blogs I Follow' page each time I log in makes my head hurt... so much to read, so little time... so even though I don't always leave comments, I do read. Sometimes I might be reading via my cell phone, which is kind of a pain to write comments on.
ReplyDelete