Paris 1998, photo by Michele GinnertyAbandoned Blogs - those that end with no goodbye.
Have you ever come across a wonderful blog, usually starting somewhere in the "middle", only to find the last post was many months or even years ago? Lately I've been stumbling across a number of them.
What I find interesting and intriguing is that many times there's no goodbye post. Occasionally you'll find earlier posts that foreshadow the possibility of an end, but not always. As someone who likes closure, I'm curious as to what motivates a blogger not to return for one last post...
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36 comments:
I hate that, too! Especially when they're remodeling blogs; I want to know how the projects ended up. I actually have some blogs in my reader that hadn't been posted on in six months that I'm going to delete if nothing's been posted by July 1. I hate to do it, but by the time July 1 rolls around some of them will have been more than a year without a post.
I wonder about that, too. I would think that you'd slow down post, and then gradually trail off, but to be posting one day and then nothing ever again? But blogging is a huge time commitment, as we well know!
Yes! I've come across this and for a few I truly wonder what has happened to them, like loosing a good friend! What is most perplexing is one is simply deleted...
Janell
Yes. I've seen that too. And people are commenting on the last post..."Where are you? Are you okay?" and they don't respond. A bit selfish, don't you think? Just say goodbye.
such a good topic - YES! Ive had a few I followed all the time and then _______________________ nothing. What becomes of the lost bloggers?
It happens, and I really dislike it when you can't find out why! Has happened to two of my favorites in the last year. It leaves you wondering if something happened to them.
Happy Tuesday, Michele.
Teresa
xoxo
beautiful post, michelle. i have corresponded with two bloggers who no longer keep up blogs I used to follow. it's an interesting situation... (a life change/no time/lack of interest - those were some of the reasons they mentioned)
I enjoy yours for the personal touches you always include. you inspire me to do more of that. donna
They may have had intentions of returning so chose not to say anything? I took a blog break for a month last year to see if I really wanted to continue and found I did miss the creativity of it so I returned. I did mention it though in the event anyone out there was wondering.
Well as you know, after blogging for a couple of years or more, it takes its toll.
You might dry up, find a job or a boyfriend, have a baby, get disenchanted - you know, life just interferes with blogging ha ha.
It makes me appreciate all the bloggers who are still at it.
With Facebook and Twitter and Pinterest, blogging is kind of old school ha ha. But I love it best.
xo xo
Wonderful post. I think those of us that are part of what some call "old school" or "old timers" have a hard time saying good by.
I must admit that it is part of my life, like brushing my teeth, walking my dog and I am richer for the connections that I have made.
Happily, it makes me feel good to also see my artwork on blogs that still have life and so much to say and share....like yours.
pve
Michele I am so glad that you brought this up. As you know I really try to comment on my blog friends site's and when Poof, nothing?! Very perplexing and even a worry, for me anyway.
Is it illness, overload, move out of the country.
A simple exit post would be appropriate I would think.
xoxo
Karena
Art by Karena
I think we've all seen a lot of this and I always wonder what happened. I wonder if people die, get sick, or just get bored, or other things come up in their lives. One that was upsetting for me was a young woman I was following in Australia who posted almost daily or at least a few times weekly for ages, and then they stopped cold. She has not posted in two years. I have emailed her, but no reply. Sometimes it is very eerie and one wonders if the person died or maybe something huge happened in their life and the blog suddenly loses importance. I made sure that both David and my best friend have my blogger password in case I croak.
xo Terri
Should we prepare ourselves?
I have noticed that a lot lately too! Drives me CRAZY
Like establishing a bad habit, once you've missed one of your daily posts, it's just so easy to let another and then another, slip by.
I stopped blogging some months ago, without any explanation. Now, I'm trying to get back into the routine. It's hard to do and requires discipline.
I admire all bloggers for the time and effort that they put into their blogs.
It doesn't bother me! Maybe it's a sudden need for privacy for any of many reasons. I have seen some invasive questions and suggestions in comments that would drive anyone further into silence, just drove off into the sunset...
Oh, Michele, I am finding that too! As a new blogger, I get so excited to discover blogs. And, unfortunately, some have been abandoned. I do check back to see if there is a follow up from the author(s)...but sadly no.
So interesting you posted about this....was just thinking about it. Cheers, Loi
I have to admit that I did this myself over a year ago. I was in the swing of things - really enjoying blogging and slowly gaining a lovely, loyal audience, and then things in my personal life took over and I was simply unable to blog for a while. When I felt ready to again, I'd lost a lot of confidence, and the momentum was gone, which led to me delay my return even longer. I finally got back to blogging earlier this year - naturally with a post apologising for my LONG absence. What's lovely is that I am reconnecting with 'old friends' and everyone has been wonderful about it. I do think that sometimes the longer you leave it, the more 'embarrassed' you are at taking it up again - especially when it was an unintentional disappearance in the first place.
Paula x
I always worry. Especially if it's someone you've gotten to know. Did something bad happen? It is probably good practice to let your readers know if you are calling it quits. Bloggers are like extended family. xo
I know, I hate that too !
While I agree it is a commitment, one that can be a burden sometimes, if it is too much for a person, it isn't that hard to just write a quick goodbye, it only seems fair.
Ah well, life's little mysteries, no ? :)
besitos.. C
I wonder about that too. My imagination always runs to the morbid. If I disappear from blogging it would be safe to assume my demise as my husband would have no clue where or how to do anything on my blog. Do we all need to start making blog wills?
ya, it so often is the case. I think people just loose interest and it's a slippery slope. You don't do a post one week...then the next goes by...and before you know it -it's a year!
Me too. I just came across one where the last post was about being overwhelmed and it just got me wondering if the author is doing ok now. I left a comment for her. You just wonder how the person is doing. It just feels sad when you see a blog like that.
:)
mikky
www.todaloos.com
I think that sometimes they have good intentions of coming back then all of the sudden when the thought strikes them it's lost it's appeal. I certainly know I feel that way sometimes.
You aren't trying to tell us something, are you? Hope not! And yes, it is quite disconcerting when you stumble upon a good blog and find it has ended without proper closure.
I've been finding tons of those lately! Personally, I can't imagine just waking up one day and not posting ever again. I've even occasionally posted a comment to ask where they went!
LIfe's circumstance I suppose... I don't think I could do that as I have come to feel as if my blog and my readers are personal friendships... xv
Michele,
I agree with all those who have written before me. I think we are all like an extended family, or at least a wide circle of friends...and you do grow to care about people.
We all know how much energy, time and creativity it takes to blog, so needing a break is certainly something we understand.
I think some type of farewell is appreciated and understood.
Glad you continue to blog....you were one of the first I ever read! :)
xo Elizabeth
I've also been finding this more and more - in fact, I've begun to delete some blogs - it's a waste of time to keep going back. I do understand that things in "real life" get in the way...or you just need to take a break, however, to just drop off the face of the earth is a bit rude, IMHO. Bloggers rely on their regular readers - an explanation isn't required, but a brief note saying that you won't be updating for a while would be appreciated. I find myself worrying...and that's not a good thing!
Yes! This drives me bonkers, not knowing what 'happened' with that blogger. Recently there was a blogger that I and a few others and began building a 'friendship' with. And out of know where she deleted her blog, facebook, twitter, email. We were so worried about her at one girl drove 5 hours to her house to make sure she was okay- which she was (new boyfriend priorities, I guess)
xo
it is curious. makes my imagination go wild. also makes me wonder: what did i do before i had the blog?????
smiles.
michele
I totally agree!!! Perhaps they are leaving the option open to return to the blog?
This is indeed a very interesting subject. Like many of you said, we wonder, and worry, and sometimes even get angry, because we care!
I confess to being one of these "bad bloggers"... I stopped blogging for months without any real explanation (I think it was for that long anyway). For me, it was due to a lot of things happening in my life, I suffered a pretty bad burnout, after twelve years of working and studying nonstop. On top of that my father got very sick, and these things left me without any good way to express the reasons not to blog, so I guess I just left it hanging. A while later, after a lot, and I mean _a lot_ of recouperating and staying at home, I got some energy back and at least explained myself... but posts are still scarce.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that, sometimes there's just no good way to say goodbye, or to say "please stick around, I plan to come back!" No one wants to go out with a pile of misery.
Dont get mad if they don't respond to your emails saying you miss them, don't expect the worst. They're probably at home with a gigantic cup of coffee and a really bad case of writer's block, smiling at the fact that someone cared enough to send that mail! :)
*sorry bout the mile-long comment, I guesss my writer's block is over at last...*
"They" say that most bloggers quit before 2 years, so I guess finding these blogs that just abruptly end is inevitable but it does seem like just poor manners, doesn't it? as if the host just left her own party without telling any of the guests where she was going or when she would be back?
It's funny I ran across this particular post today and just today I was looking at some house blogs and noticed alot of them seem to be abandoned and I've seen others too. It's a little bothersome especialy when I find an otherwise good blog. But who wants to follow an abandoned blog, I know I don't. Some go back a long time 5 or more yrs.
http://life990.blogspot.com
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