I have been absent in my blogging. It has been about a month since I have seriously sat down and reviewed or written anything substantial. It started out with the business of life getting in the way – getting ready for the holidays, playing chauffeur to daughter, mother and father (parents car is in the auto graveyard), super-charged job hunting, a couple of blizzards, and so on. There was also a major delightful distraction. I am now an Auntie!!! My brother and his wife gave birth to a handsome boy and I cannot express my delight! First time as an Auntie and cannot wait to babysit and teach this kid some fun ways to terrorize his parents. Hey, my brother did it with my daughter.
In addition to these life distractions, inspiration was also at a low. Not in what I was reading but in what I wanted to say and how to say it. The written language seemed to have taken a vacation. I would try to write a review or a general post and become so distraught I my general lack of focus that I would give up telling myself that tomorrow would be a better day. It wasn’t. The fact that I had reviews that were late just added to the feeling of failure. I finally sat down with pen and paper (still my favorite way to express myself) and started writing, anything. I am by no means a keeper of a personal journal or diary but I have found there are times when jotting thoughts, ideas, and concerns reminds me that I actually do like to write and share and communicate.
I was again excited to blog and wrote (pen and paper again) a few reviews and some ideas for other posts. I woke up one morning a couple of weeks ago feeling energized and ready to get back on the blogging track. I started up my laptop and found my email, reader, and blog had disappeared. I was able to log-in to everything but a blank screen faced me at every turn. My blog itself was still present but the admin panel showed nothing and would let me do nothing. Then, my computer froze. Reboot – froze again. Reboot – able to get around for a few minutes and then the big freeze. Perhaps the below zero temps and 3 foot snowdrifts had something to do with it. I had to blame something.
Long story short, I have been working diligently and with much frustration on trying to resolve these issues for some time now. I was able to check out a few other blogs and comment but this would lead to a computer freeze-down after only a few minutes. So, of course, no blogging.
I would just like to apologize to those authors, publishers, publicists and distributors that were generous enough to give me the opportunity to read and review some wonderful books. I have not forgotten. My lack of inspiration is the true culprit. If I had stayed focused and consistent in my blogging my computer troubles would have surfaced and been resolved sooner. Perhaps I have burned some bridges and rightfully so. I certainly hope I will be able to earn back the confidence that I am serious about my book blog and my obligations. I will be working feverishly to catch up on those reviews that are due.
I would also like to apologize to my readers (if you have stuck around – thank you for your patience)!
With all that being said, I would like to post a tentative schedule for the beginning of the new year fast approaching.
- Post all reviews (These Old Shades, The Ice Chorus, Lethal People, just to name a few)
- Choose and notify last giveaway winner (loooooong overdue)
- Thank my Secret Santa (lovely, lovely)
- List my 2010 challenges
- Update my read list
- Acknowledge those great folks from whom I won a giveaway
- Introduce a new blog layout
This will by no means happen over the weekend but I will be working very hard to return to that comfortable place where “catching up” is not the phrase of the day!
Bear with me and thanks to all!!!!
Congrats on being an Aunt. I always blame computer badness on Frank of LiveJournal. That seems to be the only time when my blogging gets interrupted and even then I would end up at the library doing some posts.
I guess the little bit of cash I make keeps motivated to blog daily. I have no idea how many blog posts I’ve written that this point. I’m almost at 800 at my soap blog and I haven’t even had that for a year yet.
Congratulations on becoming an Aunt! Sorry to hear about your technical difficulties. Today is a wonderful day for new beginnings, though. Happy blogging and reading in 2010, Christine!
Well I know how you feel. I was in a funk too and hadn’t posted in over a month. Looking at the piles of books on my shelf didn’t help my stress level!
Glad to hear your back and hope 2010 is a successful year for you!
I’ll be back to check out your thoughts on The Ice Chorus — haven’t run into alot of book bloggers with that one under their belt.
Congratulations on becoming an Auntie! It’s completely understandable about being a little MIA. It took me about 3-4 weeks to write a review because I was so sick with morning sickness and had no inspiration to do anything other than sleep.. so I completely and 100% understand things getting in the way!
I am sure everyone else will too!
Welcome back!
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I’ve been off my game as well but hey…all that says is that we have priorities in life and sometimes the blogging gets left behind; other times it’s just the opposite–if no one is dying and no blood is present, I’m a blogging fool. Congratulations on your new nephew! I’m surrounded by boys myself and I love it.
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Congrats on being an Aunt. yea!
Sorry to read about the comoputer melt down. I would have been curing like a sailor. Blog when you can and when the mood strikes you. We’ll still be here
Have a good week.
i keep two blogs–life and book–and have let my life blog dangle in the wind since last month. terrible of me, but i’m so busy! i’ve had it for 3 years and should just pack it in…but can’t!
welcome back.
Real life is so much more important than a blog. Take your time catching up.