yet another blog about something
So it's been a few days since my last blog (which I felt was a bit weak but thats besides the point) and I'm thinking I should write another (and have had a few people hint that to me as well). I have various ideas, yet none of them are formed enough to share. So instead I'm going to try something different and ramble on about whatever I happen to ramble on about.
I've been worried about Texas Wahine lately (and other people too but I'm naming her because I feel like it) and then things happened tonight (well technically it's tomorrow now so it was really last night but you get the idea) that made me even more worried. I was happily reading new articles and got to alison watkins A response to Texas Wahine's article. I read this and got somewhat concerned, so I popped over to Da Kine to see what there was to see. At the time the most recent article was from sometime in september (whereas now there is nothing to see, move along). So I refresh and another article (or two, I don't know) are gone. Well I can't speak for anyone else that might have been watching but I went from concerned (how can I help my friend who is having problems) to freaked out (who can I send to her house to make sure she isn't doing anything stupid) rather quickly. Now I won't claim to know everything that's been going on with Texas Wahine of late (besides her who could know), but I know enough (namely that she has been having a tough time of things) to be concerned and want to help. So dharmagrl posts an article that says what many people are thinking, Texas Wahine, where are you?. Jumping right to the end, iamheather and dharmagrl talked to Texas Wahine on the phone and were able to share with the rest of us that (as iamheather put it) "she is doing ok, not good but ok". Good would be good (of course), but ok is enough to keep me from panicking (I'll admit that I'm selfish that way, I don't like to be panicking about people). Now I can't speak for the rest of you (although I strongly suspect many of you share my thoughts on this matter) but I'm going to be offering what support I can to Texas Wahine. And on that note, this leads nicely into a mostly different topic...
You have a blog (an assumption, but humor me on this one), I have a blog (obviously), it's what we do here. We say what we say on our blogs, and comment when we comment on others. All is good (hopefully at least). But then some of us decide for whatever reason we want to stop blogging. Not to name names, but in the past month or so I count six people who made that choice. Not all of them stuck to it (thats besides the point), but they stated that they were no longer going to blog. And I say that's there choice to make, it's their blog if they want to leave let them. Admitedly my opinion doesn't rule the world (as fun as that could be), but I am bothered by how some people reacted to these intent to leave. Some said things along the lines of 'miss you', 'enjoyed reading you', 'take care', and other pleasantness. A few stated they were glad the person in question was leaving, and that's ok too (as rude as it might be). What I think is not ok is when people tell someone they have to blog, that they can't leave because they need to read what that person writes. As flattering as that may be, it is not our place to force (or even attempt to force, guilt, whatever) someone else into blogging. At best it will leave an unpleasant feeling with their departure. At worse it will ruin friendships and/or convince them to stay and sour all their interactions with the community (both from the communities standpoint because they didn't leave as they said they would, and from the bloggers standpoint because they are staying not for themselves). So if someone says they want to leave, say what you will, but don't say they can't leave (at least until you start paying them to blog, that would change things). And should they change their mind, by all means welcome them back with open arms.
Having rambled on about that I'll add a few addedums. Asking someone when their next article is coming out is fine, at least I think it's fine. It shows an enjoyment of their writing (which I've heard authors like) as well as concern about what they are doing. Good all around community stuff. And if someone is upset about blogging for whatever reason (like I was a few articles back, and others have been as well) it does not mean they are leaving, just that they are upset and expressing themselves (the difference hopefully makes sense). And while on the topic of community...
We have many people here, and we gain new ones every day (or close enough to). Now I try to at least glance through just about everything that is written here (not commenting on if that is a good use of my time or not 
). I don't comment everywhere (and there are various reasons for that) but I try to make a point to comment on the new peoples blogs. I was welcomed when I arrived, I make an effort to welcome others when they arrive. Do I greet everyone? No, I'm sure I miss some and others start blogging in a manner that leaves me not wanting to comment. But I make the effort, which is what I think is the important part. I'll also try and leave comments on some of the (apparently) less popular peoples blogs. Not to say there is anything wrong with being (or not) in the top ten (either by user or blog), but the lower ranked people seem to get fewer comments. Which isn't to say I'm not sincere in whatever comments I do leave, just that I will sometimes not leave a comment just because the persons blog is so popular. I'll pick on little_whip here as an example (I hope she doesn't mind). She writes great stuff, I look forward to reading whatever she writes, but I don't comment very often (leastwise I don't think I do, I could be mistaken) in part because of her high ranking. Right, and now I've manged to not only confusify myself, but completly lost my train of thought (choo choo) as well.
With that, I think I'll stop. I don't like to write blogs that are too long (or too short), it bothers me so I don't do it. But I think I managed to produce a reasonable amount here, now I just need to actually write more often (or at least regularly). Maybe set a time to type every day... Ack, I didn't stop, must stop now before screen is covered with text.