I’ve not been a good blogger lately – both as a write and as a reader. I’ve made repeated promises to myself to be more regular at keeping up with my blogger buddies only to realize once again it’s Sunday night and I’ve failed to do so. Then I try to cram in all my reads, getting caught up as it were. This often results in eye fatigue and quick skims and not proper reads at all. It’s been a long and exhausting week and weekend. It’s 6PM: I few minutes ago I sat down to what feels like an insurmountable amount of entries to read, only to encounter a post at Bailey’s Buddy. Jay Simser hasn’t posted in ages. The entry was an announcement from his nephew that Jay had died. This news was quite sad and upsetting; now I don’t want to read or do anything. I just want to go to sleep. I won’t of course as it means just waking up and starting another week.
My days have left me with little time or energy for creativity. My paper journal has hardly any entries in this year as there is little importance to record. I’ve been blogging for many years; I recognize a lull when it happens. I need not fear. I have to wait and something will come to me.
Getting back to the guilt about reading, I think it’s best I don’t try to read everything in one or two sittings. I may try reading 5-6 posts per day: Travel Penguin Tuesdays and Mitchell is Moving Mondays – that sort of thing. Don’t tell my bosses but perhaps I can read at work while waiting for the no-shows or somebody like them.
I really like reading blogs and knowing what people are up to, otherwise something like Jay’s passing happens while I am away doing tedious daily-dos.
With that apology I won’t read this evening I reckon but do some stretches. My back has grown progressively stiff and my ROM (range of motion) is diminishing.
Let’s see how the week proceeds.
I will miss you Jay Simser.
Spo-Reflections 
23 comments
May 19, 2019 at 6:49 PM
Steven
Let’s hope the week only gets better for you! (((((((Urspo))))))
May 20, 2019 at 7:14 AM
Urspo
This Monday morning I woke with a panic attack. I haven’t had one in ages. Pesky things! I hope the work week goes OK now.
May 19, 2019 at 7:12 PM
rjjs8878
Please accept my most sincere condolences for your loss.
May 20, 2019 at 7:15 AM
Urspo
thank you. The loss of someone you never met but felt you had a connection with is a funny type of loss and bereavement.
May 19, 2019 at 7:45 PM
Mistress Borghese
I think we all go through this. I will be getting very lax as it gets close to summer, as I like to get out doors more and on vacations. And when I vacation I cut off all internet usually.
But I agree, when one of us doesn’t blog for some time, one does worry. I hope you have a good week. Maybe get a lavander libation to lift your spirits!
May 20, 2019 at 7:16 AM
Urspo
I got me a lavender candle, which is burning bright this morning at work. It smells lovely.
May 19, 2019 at 9:33 PM
Old Lurker
It is sad when a blog dies, and sadder when a blogger dies. But it is also important not to let your spare time be sucked up by blogs, lest you jeopardize the amount of time you can spend on Facebook.
May 20, 2019 at 7:16 AM
Urspo
I can not remember the last time (if ever) I stopped reading FB and felt it was time well spent. Rather I always feel I’ve been had and my time was stolen from me. I don’t feel that way reading blogs.
May 19, 2019 at 9:36 PM
Old Lurker
It is sad when a blog dies and sadder when a blogger dies. I don’t think you keeping on top of your blogs would have made much difference in this case unless you were planning to attend the memorial?
It can be frustrating to fall behind in your blogs, but you mustn’t let your life be consumed by them, lest you jeopardize the amount of time you can spend on Facebook. It is important to keep your priorities straight.
May 20, 2019 at 4:01 AM
David Godfrey
A trying week, a busy weekend, and then an unexpected loss. You will feel, as you feel. We are here for you. We look forward to hearing from you. We are strong, we will all survive, we have to make our adventures sometimes.
May 20, 2019 at 7:18 AM
Urspo
This morning I woke to my first panic attack in ages. What a nuisance. My frontal cortex was quite annoyed by with the lizard-parts feeling it necessary to interpret the tense week as ragnorak.
May 20, 2019 at 7:07 AM
Steven
Dr Spo, posting and reading blogs is a fun hobby, if you find yourself getting stressed over it…. then it’s no longer fun, you already have a job don’t accidentally create another one, especially one that demands your time but has no paycheck in return. You already know all this.
May 20, 2019 at 7:18 AM
Urspo
Indeed I do. I merely need to wait and things pass. this is a comfort.
May 20, 2019 at 8:25 AM
anne marie in philly
I did not know this blogger, but I do remember seeing his name pop up in your comments. my condolences.
May 20, 2019 at 9:00 AM
Urspo
He seemed a sweet man. I will miss him.
May 20, 2019 at 10:42 AM
Debra She Who Seeks
It’s always sad when a blogging buddy dies because, even if we never meet them, they are still part of our lives. We have read their thoughts and opinions and gotten to know them, even just a bit. Connections, you know?
May 20, 2019 at 1:48 PM
Urspo
that was well said, thank you
May 20, 2019 at 11:36 AM
Moving with Mitchell
I love reading blogs, but there aren’t always enough minutes in the day, so I fall behind. And then there is that stress to catch up, which I hate even more. I love reading yours and hearing from you, but I understand when life takes hold. It shouldn’t be pressure. It should be pleasure.
May 20, 2019 at 1:48 PM
Urspo
This too is well said. thanks
May 20, 2019 at 2:08 PM
mcpersonalspace54
I am sorry for the loss. I often wonder when a blogger doesn’t post for a long period of time if they are indeed okay. And what Steven says is good advice, that you do already know. It is sometimes hard to keep up with it all. We all understand that.
May 20, 2019 at 3:27 PM
Urspo
I have long wondered how to prepare my blog for a sudden death.
Perhaps I can write an entry ‘Hello, I’ve died” and post date it, keep posting it further until I actually do die . What a great boy scout move!
May 20, 2019 at 5:34 PM
Ron
My blogging has enhanced by life greatly by having friends such as you Spo and, of course, Pat, whom I have been looking for all my life. It is sad when we lose friends be it in our personal face to face lives or through the Internet where we never or rarely meet the blogger. As my younger brother told me a few months ago when he informed me of his fatal illness (coincidentally he’s having a major operation today), “We all get our turn Ronnie.” And indeed we do. The most we can hope for is living well and to have someone to love and be loved. Off the top of my head I can remember three bloggers who have died since we all got together at the Bloggerpalooza some years ago. They will all be missed but we will always have our memories. When I went under anesthesia for my colonoscopy this past week I know that is what it will be like when we die. The dead know nothing. Their passing only is painful to the living who knew and liked/loved them. Hopefully your friend had a life well lived.
May 22, 2019 at 11:50 AM
Paul Brownsey
I was once telling a surgeon I was frightened that my fear of the operation would make me a bad patient and he interrupted me (in a nice way), “There is no such thing as a bad patient.”
So let me tell you: so long as you blog at all, there’s no way you can be a bad blogger.
And I’ve given you an idea. Is there such a thing as a bad patient? Discuss, writing on one side of the paper only. (That’s the sort of instruction school exams used to contain.)