Stuck and Starting Anew
Posted in General
I think I’ve been needing to write this post for some time. I have completely lost why I started this blog in the first place and this post is to remind myself what it’s all about.
You see, it’s not for the readership. It’s not for the nominations for awards. It’s not for the rankings or the occasionally good stats. It was, in essence, for me; my daughter. A diary for her to look back on, for her to see what we got up to and how mental her mother is. A record, to show how much I think about her. How much time I dedicate to her to make her the happiest kid alive.
Along the way, I’ve lost it. Since finding the mummy blogging world in September last year, my blog as a brand has grown and grown. I’ve been nominated for awards. I’ve hosted memes. I’ve attended conferences. I’ve reviewed a shit load of stuff. All good stuff – except, that’s not what this is about.
I don’t want to stress myself, finding something to write about; digging deep into my subconscious to find even a scrap of interesting snippet that may appeal to my new online mates. I want to write when I find the inspiration to write. I want to write when Freyja does something hilarious or memorable that I’d like to amuse myself with at a later date. I don’t want the stress anymore.
Ever since getting my full time job, I’ve struggled to find time for anything. Constantly knackered and always needing a few extra hours in my days. I want what time I do have to be spent playing with my daughter. Making cakes, getting mucky, painting, taking her places. Not stressing about the last time I posted on my blog or how long the latest review product has been waiting to be reviewed for.
So, as of now, I’m removing myself from the network. I will still linger. In the background. I’ll still be commenting on my favourite blogs (cuz I can’t not read your stuff – you know who you are). I’ll still take part in the odd meme or two if something comes to my head immediately and I’m not just doing it for the sake of it.
I’m stopping all review opportunities. Those of you who have already sent me stuff to do, of course, I will do it. They will be posted in a trickly fashion over the next week or so. But that’s it. No more. Unless something AWESOME crops up. And I mean, awesome (which it won’t, considering I won’t be talking to PRs…)
I’m removing myself from the rankings. No more Wikio. No more Tots 100. No more Technorati or whatever it is. Because, although they are very lovely to be recognised on, I don’t *actually* care. I don’t care about stats (by the way, Google Analytics will be gone too). I don’t care about where I am in the ranks. I don’t care about any of this. This blog wasn’t for that purpose, and shouldn’t have been sucked into it.
I will be reducing the amount of time I am on Twitter. And Facebook. I will, more than likely, be getting rid of my Facebook Fan Page at some point soon. After all, those of you lovely bloggers that I have any sort of friendship with, are on my personal Facebook anyway. I do hope we keep in touch.
So there you have it. From now on, this blog is for me. For me to write about what Freyja did with her poo today, or her latest favourite phrase, or how lovely James has been or how annoying the dog is being. No more, no less. Just us.
Tra a bit.
On this splended article there has been 19 comments...
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Laura Weight (Thursday 14th July 2011 @ 05:07 pm) (Reply to this)
Wow, I feel a little sad knowing il see less of you around, you know I love you lots!! But I 100% understand your choice and I know how busy you are! Il still be here reading about freyjas pooh! :-) xxxx
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Jenni Reeder (Thursday 14th July 2011 @ 06:07 pm) (Reply to this)
I like reading about your family life, i think it’s interesting and it sounds like a lot of fun :) it makes me look forward to having all that one day x
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Steph (Thursday 14th July 2011 @ 06:07 pm) (Reply to this)
This might sound a bit odd and backwards but you’ll know what I mean – It’s nice to have you back x
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Kat (Thursday 14th July 2011 @ 07:07 pm) (Reply to this)
Good for you :)
I think a more personal blog is a good plan, I dipped my toes into the parent blogging stuff and quickly retreated. Scary stuff with the rankings and the 100s of memes and blogs to read and keep up with. So I just have been posting once in a blue moon when I feel like it, and I’m a social networking whore :P It shouldn’t be that hard for me, I’m always in front of my laptop!!! I just cba – lazy me!I look forward to posts about you, Freyja James and the puppy :)
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motherventing (Thursday 14th July 2011 @ 07:07 pm) (Reply to this)
Wowzers :( Of course you’ll be missed, but I think you’re making the right decision for you. So many bloggers (myself included?) get caught up in the popularity games of stats and Twitter and awards. And more often than not, blogs are not about those things at all. I’ll still be reading your stuff and bugging you every now and again, but that’s cos I think you’re luvverly :)
Good luck dearheart x x x
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Super Amazing Mum (Thursday 14th July 2011 @ 08:07 pm) (Reply to this)
What a very honest post, reminds me of Him Up North’s blog post about exactly the same thing. I think for me it was the realisation that I was trying to get a Silent Sunday post up but couldn’t do so as *so* many people were trying to do the same thing in order to get into the top 30 and therefore get more hits. It’s a GREAT concept, I LOVE taking part but for me, that whole competitive thing SUCKS. Now I post as and when I want to.
There is more to life than blogging/stats/memes. A great example of a blogger who blogs for bloggings sake is @manicmum4. She is AWESOME and worth a read every day!
Love Lots
S.A.M xx
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Alexander Residence (Thursday 14th July 2011 @ 10:07 pm) (Reply to this)
You are so not alone. I regained some perspective after cybermummy for some bizarre reason and now I am doing what I originally intended. Blogging to find my way through MY life. You are fab at putting down memories. I read more than you prob realise as i have no where near enough time to comment these days.
Would love to keep reading about your day to day life :) bet it’s all the more exciting for having more time if that makes sense?
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Hannah (Thursday 14th July 2011 @ 10:07 pm) (Reply to this)
Keep me in your reader – I’ll be posting. Just not anything irrelevant.
And now I have more time, I’ll be making better memories. Apart from the full time work lark.
Glad you read though – I love your blog! Cybermummy put things into perspective for me too a bit, I know what you mean x
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Livi (Thursday 14th July 2011 @ 11:07 pm) (Reply to this)
*cries into chocolate buttons* I miss you already!
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Lexie Bleasdale (Monday 18th July 2011 @ 07:07 pm) (Reply to this)
Good for you. It sounds like you are making the right decision for youand your daughter. Will still visit! X
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Beckickles (Tuesday 19th July 2011 @ 09:07 am) (Reply to this)
Love to you darling. And good on you for your guts – instead of just fecking off like I did x
I’ll miss you, but meh, not so much, because I hope that we’ll still meet and talk and get drunken in the near future.
Plus, I have your greats to fall back on, and I will.
Love you lady x
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CaroleHeidi (Wednesday 20th July 2011 @ 09:07 am) (Reply to this)
Funny how lots of people have found this recently. I’ve found that it’s made everyone’s blogs even more enjoyable to read because they’re less product based and more family based which is what I enjoyed most when I started blogging :)
Loves you muchly xxx
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Kate Takes 5 (Thursday 28th July 2011 @ 10:07 pm) (Reply to this)
How weird that I haven’t visited for so long and then come across this blog. Do you know what? I thing most of us go through this epiphany at some stage of our blogging lives and I think you \ me \ Blog Up North \ Alexander Residence started about the same time and came to this ‘stage’ about the same time too. If you get a chance you should read Hot Cross Mums ‘Life Cycle of a Blog’ – pure brilliance. Oh, and did I mention I love you?
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Hannah (Friday 29th July 2011 @ 10:07 am) (Reply to this)
Love you too love!
We will get to meet one day, I hope.
I agree – there’s definitely a blog cycle. I just want to take a step back from being engrossed in my blog and just use it how I intended, which is primarily to record Freyja’s milestones.
And get the odd review :) x
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Darren (Thursday 28th July 2011 @ 11:07 pm) (Reply to this)
Well, I like you are catching up again. And I just read this…
Bit sad but I know full well why you’re doing it! ;)
Enjoy.
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Jikan (@Jikan) (Saturday 6th August 2011 @ 03:08 pm) (Reply to this)
Yup….agree with you totally with this post :) I’ve no idea why I blog to be honest lol. I didnt do for a few months, then posted again a few times recently. I dont stress over it and wouldnt want my blog to be anymore than it is….just some crazy women who writes stuff down every now and then.
Good luck :)
I’ll still read :)