at least daddy can cook...: May 2012

Sunday, 6 May 2012

What's it all about?

This is the first time I've posted anything on my blog (apart from my daily pictures of my kids) for several weeks. I've been feeling guilty about this, which has made me question why I started blogging in the first place. I've also been suffering from a serious case of blog envy. How do all those bloggers do it? Many of them work full time, have several kids and manage to look fabulous, run marathons, bake hundreds of cupcakes and raise huge amounts of money for charity. How do I know? Because I read about it on their blogs. EVERY SINGLE DAY.

My poor little lonely, neglected blog has hit back this week and demanded my attention. I tried to log on a few days ago and was faced with a warning message: there was 'suspicious content' on my blog and proceeding may cause harm to my computer. This turned out to be due to an evil malware attack on Shabby Blogs, and I managed to rescue my blog by removing the background. I'm relieved that my blog is now safe, but aware that it needs a little tlc to get its personality back.

I didn't intend to let blogging slip on my list of priorities. But something always has to give, right? My kids come first, and I'm busy trying to get a fledgling business off the ground. I suppose I'm at the stage where time is precious, and I'm trying to work out whether I'm blogging purely for fun, or if there is something else behind it. I know some bloggers make money from their blogs, but that's not a road I want to go down. I've watched from the sidelines as my Twitter and Facebook timelines have been hijacked by heated discussions about sponsored posts, no follow links and aggressive PR companies. I have nothing to add to these ongoing debates, because my blogging experience thus far has stopped far short of these issues.

A blog is a lot like a relationship. You need to give it time and attention for it to develop. You will have good days and bad days. You might go for weeks without talking. At some stage, you need to step back and work out where it's going. If you care about it, it's worth hanging on to. If, on the other hand, you know that it's time to let go, it's best for both of you if you walk away. It will hurt, but you'll survive.

Thinking about my blog has made me think about my relationships in the real world. I saw three dear friends this weekend, all of whom I hadn't seen with for a long time - far too long. I've decided it's time for me to focus on the healthy relationships in my life, and take a step back from those that only ever disappoint or cause hurt, however difficult that may be.

As for my blog, I think it's worth persevering. Please bear with us while we get our relationship back on track.