The Blog Virgin: Will She Quit Blogging or Lick the Plate

I've been thinking a lot about quiting my blog. Thinking a lot that I'm 'not quiting', that is. There have been many blogging friends retiring or slipping away into semi-retirement and I can completely understand it....well, perhaps I am exaggerating this point. (Vicki Archer of 'My French Life' fame has written an enlightening post on this blogging habit.) The stress we put on ourselves to be a perfect blogger is self-imposed, not a 'work sentence' handed to us by our blog pals. Calm down. We don't have deadlines unless we set them. The printing presses don't count. (duh) You can write drafts and publish them any time you want, even while you are sleeping or making love. The blogging world is a very forgiving one and in fact, I have not heard of a blogger ever getting fired (?). We are our own bosses (I love this part) and so, if you are feeling the time crunch or creative burden, slow down, take a deep breath and recharge. We will wait. Take a typing holiday, tuck away those cameras - get away - when you are ready, we will welcome you home. You never know who's life you are impacting. Your blog might even save or improve a life! Imagine that.

In June 2007 I discovered blogs. I was a 'Blog Virgin' back then. The first blogs I read were Posie Gets Cozy, Angry Chicken, Print & Pattern, Cote de Texas and my fellow Canadian, Patricia Gray. I stumbled upon them quite by accident and then I whispered to myself, 'Oh my. What do we have here?' It was like an 'Internet Orgasm'. I wanted more and more and more. I was a blogging adolescent. I couldn't think of anything else. I'd check these 5 blogs several times a day. I hung out in 'sidebars' & clicked from blog to blog to blog. I caught the blogging virus. I was web-promiscuous. I was hooked. My Mom always gave us permission to 'lick the plate' at home if we really, really enjoyed a meal or dessert and so with blogging too, I realized that I will stay as long as readers will have me - I will lick the plate.