Tuesday, January 4, 2011

First Post of the Year (And It's a Winner)

This is a total C U Next Tuesday kind of post. Except it’s not next Tuesday but this Tuesday, i.e. it’s a bitch and—oh! Happy New Year!

See, something’s fallen flat in the land of Petunia and it sure as hell ‘aint my stomach. I am 18 weeks pregnant and uninspired. Tired. For days now I have paused over a post centered around this video about dent removal.

And while it is kinda’ super awesome and I am for sure buying some canned air just for Bryan’s truck it begs the question: really? Dent Removal? Because that’s all I got these days. Which is how I imagine men must feel when they can’t get it up. Soft and sleepy, a little bit defensive. So? If only there were a little blue pill for writers needing inspiration, canned air for those that can no longer breathe.

Because then I read this article about how blogs are dead. And maybe it came to my attention too close to the news of thousands of birds dropping dead from the sky (not to mention the fish), but I started to wonder if it wasn’t true. Is blogging dead, dying, falling from the www heavy with too many characters? Tell me the truth now: do you read as many blogs as you used to?

To close out this peppy first post of the year I will tell you that the other day I saw the newspaper headline The Year We Stopped Talking. Which seemed like a lovely title to a book that needs to be written about something that has been written a thousand times before, because that’s all we humans ever do is talk and then stop. The Year We What? Is it an omen, the end of days with fish falling from the sky and birds beaching themselves on shore? Or is this the ramblings of hormones gone amok, the same ones that have turned the palms of my hands into roadmaps, visible blue veins going somewhere off the beaten track?

18 comments:

Michelle M in KY said...

OH SUSANNAH...

Canned air for those who can no longer breathe (or for those of us to forget to breathe) - I LOVE IT. I think you're onto something there.

Truly, I didn't read many blogs to begin with. I am still uncertain how I came across yours. All I can say is that I am so glad that I did. I read you faithfully. Something to say or not.


I think we all have our favorites that we go to, wait and hit refresh to see if they had something to say. Whether to make us laugh, stir up emotion, or make us sit up and take notice. Your blog does all of that, at different times, continuously.

If there were more time maybe my blog would have some additional content. Perhaps I'll add that to my resolution list, which I am calling my commitment list. To blog more, whether anyone reads it or not.

You my girl have content...snap pics. of your growing gestational experiment, documenting everything...if nothing else you will have all of those memories for yourself and that son of yours. I think it would be fun and enlightening and make for a good laugh after it's all over.

Good luck and I'm here reading!

Erin said...

Inquiring minds want to know where you read this article about blogs being dead! Personally I read more blogs than I ever have. I think that at least among a certain group, blogs are alive and well, but what the hell do I know.

Jules said...

I read more blogs now than ever. "They" also say books are dead. If blogs are dead and books are dead, what are people doing? Posting on facebook? No thanks. The day words die is the day the my world counter-rotates.

Geli said...

I came across your blog while looking for bed sheets (you had a post about the sheets you got from your in-laws) and from then on I was hooked. :-)
There are way too many blogs out there and as much as I liked them a year ago, I slowly shortened the list to a few only and I do think that in time only the good, entertaining blogs (like yours) will survive. Others will fizzle out and it probably is a good thing too. Not everyone has the gift of being a good writer while being humorous and entertaining at the same time.

Petunia Face said...

Oops--I forgot to link to the article about blogs being dead. Here it is:
http://gawker.com/5714201/blogging-has-peaked?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+gawker%2Ffull+%28Gawker%29&utm_content=Google+Reader

:/

Anonymous said...

Keep writing - we want to keep reading.

anita said...

Please keep writing.
Thanks.

Miss to Mrs said...

Blogs better not be dead! I would die without them. I have about 10 blogs that I read religously, and many many more that I check in on several times a month. If those go away I will feel like I'm losing a circle of friends. Please say that blogs aren't dead! I need my friends!

shannon said...

I hate to be a jerk, but whoever wrote that gawker article sounds like a real a-hole. I agree with Jules. Good blogs are different than everything else on The Internet because it's actual writing - well thought-out, creative, provocative, worth-every-character writing. Not status updates, tweets, or other similar junk for catered to the short attention span. I read more blogs than I ever have, and yours is easily at the top of the list.

Only A Girl said...

I'm having a hard time writing anything too....I feel ya.

Sharon Brown said...

I recently did a blog purge on my Google Reader of the blogs that no longer brought any fun to my life. Needless to say, your blog is still on the list alive and well.

Simply Mel {Reverie} said...

this is your uninspired post? Seriously, why don't you write that book because you are a word / writing / brilliant / blogging genius!

Anonymous said...

I find that I shift around with my reading. I have a core group that I call my "friends" and always read first (classify them as such in my reader) and then I have blogs with certain interests of mine that I read when I feel like it and then I find that I have new connections that I make through others so that my lists evolve. Sorry- long answer. The short answer is no, I don't think they are dying any more than Facebook is. Facebook is for social, writing creativity is for blogging. That being said (I know I'm yakking!) I now only post when I feel like it, not according to some norm so I blog less.

benson said...

Not sure if blogs are dead or if social skills/the art of conversation is dieing. There are some blogs I like to read because they are real. honest. true. and I'm guilty of not being in that category but trying my best to "open" up this year and share more of myself rather than just "prettiness".
That being said...I fear the "younger" generations will have a difficult time of the
tête-à-tête when their hands are too busy on a keyboard.

meezo said...

Blogs are like my Christmas card list. Every year I say I'm going to minimize and purge....I take 5 people off..but then I add 7.

Last week I took a few blogs off of my daily list----today I just added 3 more.

I keep waiting for Twitter to die. I don't have time to keep up with people anymore, let alone tweet something.

Weitzell4 said...

I don't read blogs anyway, just yours, so who cares if blogs go away, just don't stop writing. Even when you write about having nothing to write about we want to read your words. But if your blog goes away I will wait for your book.

kacey2004 said...

I only ever read your blog,honestly yours is so chock full of goodness that I dont need any others to be fulfilled.But really who cares whats in or out?Your an artist with your writing,and each blog is like a work of art.Are you creating for the masses or for yourself?I say do what you want,what you enjoy and what you feel is right for you.I personally would be quite devasted if I couldnt have your blog to read anymore.It would be comparative to closing the louvre for those who love art.Taking away your blog is that great.However,if you ever truly dont want to write it anymore,despite your immense talent,your ability to touch and make so many people feel so much from your work,to make us laugh,cry,sympathize,relate,all of that,if that desire is ever gone than by all means do what you feel you must.But just because someone says its dead,doesnt make it so.Were all here arent we?And were all alive and reading,and isnt that enough?

Julie said...

Susannah. After I found your blog, I spent the better part of a weekend reading it. All of it. And now I miss you. Please come back soon.