You might have noticed. My blog is new. No, seriously. A long time ago, I thought about starting a blog, but I ate some bad fish and got sidetracked. Now, a few years later I finally recovered from the fish and got myself to blogging.
But just because I'm a newbie blogger doesn't mean I'm a newbie to blogging. I've been around the blogck a few times, let me tell you. In fact, I should probably have started this entry with, "Hi, my name is Bill, and I'm a blogoholic."
I read all kinds of blogs. Political stuff, personal stuff, other writers, of course. Weird, off-beat stuff too. (Like this one.)
I know I'm not a alone. For one thing, being a blogoholic means I've seen variations on this particularly entry hundreds, if not thousands, of times. Lots of times it's from startups like me, but even old hands will mention their own blogoholism.
And it can be a problem. My blog obsession can dramatically impact my productivity, lemme tell ya. Especially when things get interesting. Last week, when the temperature ramped up over at The Lipstick Chronicles, for instance, this was me half the day at about half a dozen blogs:
"Did anyone say anything new?" * Refresh *
- 30 seconds pass -
"Did anyone say anything new now?" * Refresh *
- 30 seconds pass -
"How about now?" * Refresh *
- 30 seconds pass -
Played hell on my work that day.
Of course then I feel like I have to go cold turkey. "I'm not going to click refresh for one hour."
- 30 seconds pass -
Well, you get the picture.
Sometimes I have to walk away from the computer, even though both my day job and my writing tend to happen there. Still, a moment washing the dishes, or watching the birds in the backyard, or scritching the cat under the chin, these things can help to break the cycle of blogsession.
This is how bad it can be. One time this spring a friend offered me a few days at his cabin in the woods. Classic writer's dream. Miles from anywhere, no internet, no people. Just me, alone, writing. About a day and a half into the adventure, I suddenly realized that I needed some cream for the coffee. Really bad. Hopped in my car, drove thirty minutes down into town and dashed quickly into the coffee shop that advertised free WiFi. "Just check my email," I told myself. An hour-and-a-half later, having updated myself on the usual blogspects, I managed to pull myself away and headed back up to the cabin. (Email? Yeah, that too, I guess. Whatever.)
When I got back to the cabin I realized I'd forgotten the cream.
9 comments:
OMG, we're like twins separated at birth!
This is why you have to start reading 50-60 blogs. That way, you can't remember where you commented anymore, so you don't have time to go back and check for responses!
My mom used to talk about the sister I never had. I always thought she was talking metaphorically, but . . .
*cue twilight zone music*
;)
OMG - do we have the same glasses?
That is so funny. I do that too. *Refresh*
Okay, so the glasses thing -- eeeeirieee! But, yes, I think we might. We will have to compare at BCon.
And, Trace, I am thinking of starting a twelve-step program. However, it will probably not be very effective, since it'll be blog-based.
"Hi, My name is Angie and I'm a blogaholic," I say in a wavering voice.
"Hi, Angie!"
I literally had to turn off my modem this weekend...I was a little, er, compulsive with keeping up with the various controversies. Didn't get any real work done until the net was off. Not that it kept me from turning it back on to check every hour or so...
Heh heh, Angie. I actually sometimes take my laptop to Starbucks. Why? Because you have to pay for the Wifi at Starbucks, and since I refuse to pay for it there, I get a break in the action. Plus, the particular Starbucks I go to is really quiet and mellow with really nice baristas, so I can actually get work done sometimes, even if Starbucks is the Borg Collective of Coffee.
Bill, I feel your pain! I too am a blogaholic. Right now I monitor 34 blogs. Thank goodness they don't all post everyday or i'd never get anything done. :0 Somebody get me off this darn computer.....hellllp! :)
I don't mind that I forget to eat, listen to the birds or wash the dishes sometimes, but it also cuts into my serious reading time.
Not a good trend.
Post a Comment