Tuesday, May 31, 2016

The life of a blogger.

The life of a blogger, especially a hobby blogger like myself, is cyclical.  You may have noticed my lack of content this year.  This time of year is always a slow time for me blogging because I'm so busy.  Summer in Alaska is no time to sit inside and blog.  But I've been really lax with my posting.  I look at the new upstarts like fellow Brewers fan and Yountophile Tony L over at Off Hiatus and Billy K over at Cardboard History that are pumping out post after post. Ah I remember when I had that enthusiasm.  Even the old guys like the Night Owl, Jeff over at 2x3 Heroes, and Chris at Nachos Grande that keep the posts coming.

But not here.  I think there are lots of things that have contributed to my general ennui toward blogging.  First is the lack of stuff for me to blog about.  Sure I could find stuff to blog about.  Dig through a box of cards, come up with a new theme, or revive an old theme.  But in the end I hate having to force something.  Second is the exclusivity in the sports card market.  Basically this ties into my first point, lack of stuff to blog about.   The shelves are mostly bare with new products and even when new stuff comes out it's way out of my price range.  Third, lifestyle change.  Having a kid really cramps my style, at least for blogging.  Before I had my son I had a room all to myself.  It was a nerdtopia slash art studio and I miss it so much.  Love my son to death, but still miss my space.  Now my computer and scanner are crammed into a corner in the living room and my collections are squirreled away wherever I could find space.  

Let me be clear here this isn't my swan song.  I'm not signing off.  As a matter of fact I'm on my blogger account almost daily reading blogs.  And I try to comment, because who doesn't love a little feedback?

But I'm finding I have less energy to blog.  Over the span of the last 6 and a half years I've put out some decent posts.  Well researched and thought out posts.  Of course that's probably 1% of my total content, but there are definitely some posts I'm really proud of.  Now it seem like I have barely enough time and energy to post about a trade or TTM success or my thoughts on Topps Now cards.

Will this change?  What will become of the Crack?  Why did I start 7 different blogs?  

In the end I'm not sure about my future in the blogosphere, but I'm not leaving just yet.

And because I hate a post without photos here is my best hit maybe of all time from a random pack pull.  I featured this card and the pack it came from over at A Pack to be Named Later.


cb out

11 comments:

  1. Where'd the energy go? I feel you. I ask that question a lot.

    I still feel like I'm the same guy who started a blog, but for some reason the energy isn't there like it once was. What is it? Boredom? Age? It's All Been Done? I haven't figured it out yet.

    Maybe when I do, that's when I'll stop.

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  2. My energy for blogging is cyclical as well. In the spring and summer, I'm all over blogging. In the fall, I'm consumed by college football.

    I say it to everyone -- blog if you enjoy it. Stop when you don't. Come back if/when you miss it. But don't lose touch with us either. I find myself spending more time on Twitter now than anywhere else. 140 characters is about all I can do!

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  3. Glad you are not throwing in the towel. Those blogging posts are depressing.

    Blogging energy. I think it is partially like most other things when they are new the novelty of it gives you so much extra energy you feel like you could write a dozen blogs all the time. Then a few months later the newness novelty wares off and you get into a slump or settle into a regular routine. One thing that helps me a little (or not at all but sometimes I feel it helps) is my personal posting quota of a least one post per month. I have 3 blogs and try to enforce that self-made requirement for all three. I do fairly well with it occasionally slip up on it, but usually pull out something. Yesterday was barely my May Posting for my blogs.

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  4. I don't have a kid... but a lot of what you stated applies to me too. I think I reached my blogging pinnacle a few years back... and now I'm just coasting along trying to figure out how much more gas I have in me.

    By the way... I've always been curious about Alaska. How are them Alaskan summers?

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    1. They're nice, Fuji. They almost make up for the long Alaskan winters.

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    2. If you ever decide to write up a post about Alaskan seasons... you know that at least one reader would be interested ;)

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  5. Hey, do you need any of those Red Foley stickers I have on my blog? I've got tons.

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  6. I'm going to join the choir of those who say the energy isn't necessarily what it used to be. Sure, I still manage (usually) to write a post per day, but I used to average over two posts per day...Alas, life catches up with all of us I guess! Still, I try to read (and post) when I can - and I hope you do the same! Plus, I enjoy your LEGO blog just as much as this one so keep that up too!

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  7. Thanks for the shout out. I just spotted this post now, actually. I've been doing this less than 2 years and I've already found myself forcing out a post periodically. It can be kind of frustrating when the posts you put the most work into, and mean the most to the writer (me), get the least amount of views, let alone comments. I do this for me, but some feedback is always nice. One night I was really in the writing mood and typed up about 20 posts in my Sets in my Collection series and when I am not feeling up to writing a post, I publish one of those from the queue.

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  8. I'm kind of in the same boat. When my daughters were born I didn't have as much time either, and when I did have time to blog ironically it was when I was at work! Between multiple hobbies, a full work load and just a busy summer like you mentioned, but posts are way down as well. However there are times when I get energized and can't wait to share things. Like you said, it's one big cycle that has it's ups and downs.

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  9. I know what you mean. My Managerial position overtook my life and I just recently stepped down from it because I could not have a life and I was not able to blog like I used to at night when things were peaceful and quiet. My kids are in 9th and 10th grade and there schedules were hectic so I can completely relate and understand the blogging energy cycles. BTW....that is a pretty sweet pull! I've been working on the Diamond Kings set this year (never did before).

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