Periodically I check my "closed blogs" file. In that file are those people who have gone on hiatus and stopped posting for a while. Recently I checked it and clicked a few names and found to my dismay that one of the people I used to really enjoy reading has left us for good. She was Arethusa of "No Stalkers Allowed". Edit: I am sorry to have confused anyone. I don't mean she is dead; she has decided to quit blogging!
I was very sad to see that she was leaving us for good; the only explanation given was that a family member had hi-jacked her blog. Since her writing was not intensely personal, I wondered why that was a problem - but I suppose I shouldn't second-guess a person's decision not to write anymore.
Arethusa, you will be missed. Definitely missed. Your posts on art and literature belied your tender years, and I learned from you and was led to see things from your viewpoint that I would never have noticed on my own.
Since you didn't allow comments on your last post, I am writing this here, and I sincerely hope you'll come back to see this. Wherever your life takes you (and I've no doubt it will be far) I wish you luck and much love.
And now - a note to the rest of you:
If you decide to quit writing your blog, please put up a last post. I won't insist that you explain why you are quitting, unless you really want to. But for those of us who might have some parting words, please allow comments on that last post - even if you have no desire or intent to ever go back and read them. I hate being left hanging, with something to say and no one to say it to.
18 comments:
I totally concur... I always wonder if something happened to bloggers that just vanish. Are they just tired of blogging? Did their comoputer blow up? ARE THEY DEAD?
This is really a problem in the pet blogging communities. When a pet just stops blogging (ok, I'm not insane, I know who's realy blogging...) I have to wonder...what happened? Real life or did the pet die?
It's too easy to think the worst.
Here via Michele's today!
Judy -
I never have found my friend Christine, she's never come back to update her blog. With what all she has gone through, I feel the worst for her. Its been a long, long time.
http://christinesblogbucket.blogspot.com/
that should be "I FEAR the worst for her"
maybe the blog hosting services ought to add a note to new users. there was a wonderful woman who began after me (last march), then disappeared in the fall.
first time i emailed she said her time was consumed caring for elderly friend, the poof! very disconcerting.
computer tech, thank goodness in my building, had a time fixing my error in upgrading to IE7. do you think we elders can keep up with the constant changes? i dunno. also notice more problems with commenting to others' blogs--weird.
Here via Michele ;)
I will make the effort if I decide to quit posting to make a last post as last time I just dropped intot he wilderness and I know how that would have annoyed me had I been a visitor ;)
Hope your well ;)
Hear,hear on the disappearing bloggers Judy, it would be nice to say goodbye or to learn the facts as the case maybe.
To this end I have given my son Marcus the keys to my blog and asked him to say my goodbyes should I get hit by the proverbial bus or even pass more peacefully.
I am blessed with an articulate blogger in my choice but everyone must know someone who could write that last chapter.
Think of it as a part of your will, you wouldn't want your other treasures and possessions to go unclaimed why chance it with your blog.
Judy, your post is very touchy and truly interesting! When some blog friend vanish without a word, it is a problem to think about! What's happens? Is she or is he fine? Healthy? Alive? ......
I suppose that's just good common sense and blog etiquette really. No one owes anyone anything, but it sure would be nice if there was a sense of closure. I think that people who give up blogging usually are those who don't find a rhythm that works with their schedules, lives, families or consciences. A shame.
~S
A hijacked blog? I'm definitely curious about that. And yeah, it's sad when someone you read regularly vanishes from the blogosphere. Glad to know you won't!
I agree!!! It's so weird when you go to someone's blog to find a post that's six months old and nothing after that.
I used to like her blog, too!
Sounds like a good idea to me. At least then we will know that they stopped writing by choice and not that something happened to them.
Arethusa is one smart (and fresh) young cookie- I loved reading her posts about literature and she did an amazing series on artists over a 10 day period. And she had these GREAT podcasts! I do miss her.
It is nice when someone wraps things up or even lets us know when they are going on a break.
What a Shirley Temple cutie you were! And I see the similarity to your present day cuteness, too. The picture of your aunt is interesting- perhaps they waited for the tide to go out? Or perhaps he carried her. :-)
I so agree Judy.....It just doesn't feel right to not be able to wish someone well and tell them what they have meant to you as a fellow blogger....
I agree as well. I always wonder if something has happened to them.
I really miss Sherri from "View from a Mini-van" (I think that was the name). She moved to Florida last fall/spring, then her husband was deployed.
Then, *poof* she was gone.
I still worry about her.
I have had this experience for the first tiemt his week. One of my regular reads decided to quit, and another one completely changed his blog. My world was upset! I never thought I would end up relying so much on the virtual presence of strangers when I started blogging!
Indeed, I think it's good to keep readers “posted” on our intentions.
As you might recall, I've blogged about this a few times. Especially when Golden Lucy went MIA. And now we have Saz....unaccounted for.
I had suggested on my blog exchanging phone numbers privately, etc. so at least somebody might be contacted and that person could give an update or reason for the demise of a blog.
Us bloggers tend to worry when somebody doesn't appear for awhile or totally drops out of the blog world with no parting words.
hello just dropping by
once a blogger disappeared altogether but I think maybe she died.She'd been struggling with cancer. I asked other readers if they knew what had happened but nobody knew. I figure she didn't have time to say "last post".
Once I did that also. I just dropped out of sight. I think I pissed off some of my regular visitors. But I was losing my mind and couldn't help it.
However, it would be nice if one has made the decision with one's health and mental acuity intact, to alert people not to visit you in vain.
GC
I promise a last post Judy, unless I suddenly pop my clogs!
Peter that is an excellent idea. I'll have a word with son no 1
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