What I’m thinking about…et cetera…

Journal

…well, some of what I’m thinking about anyway.

Blogging: A few long-time bloggers I know recently have closed their blogs or have considered/are closing. One has gone to Substack, another is still on Instagram, a third considered going private with posts then opted to stay where she is for now. Me? I’ve been blogging for what will be 18 years in October, if I last that long. No decisions yet. Need to reassess what this blog is for. Unfortunately several years ago I “lost” the domain name and blog I really wanted: unfinishedperson.com. Bluehost issues. Et cetera.

Instagram: I left Facebook and Twitter many years ago and never have regretted it. I now am considering “leaving” Instagram. Reasons? First, I don’t post enough. Second, I hate Stories and don’t get me started on Reels. I sometimes/often go to IG to escape the news, but there it is, in Stories. And it’s not that I don’t think the issues are important, but at least for me, it’s all too much. Too many voices, often saying the same thing, the echo chamber, etc.

I miss the “golden days of blogging,” if ever there were such a thing. Reading and not only commenting, but also having a conversation with others. And not a long caption post on Instagram that no one reads because they’re scrolling past on to the next “like.” Or leaving the comment on the blog where you show you didn’t really read the blog post: “Good hearing from you. Have a nice day.” The linkup where you go to each blog and leave the same comment because you feel obliged to be part of “the group” when you don’t really “connect” with what the person is saying. Et cetera. Etc.

Aside but semi-related: GoodReads. Last month, I left comments there for people “I follow,” hoping to make a connection over what we both had read. No responses. I don’t think GR is “good” at being a social media site. I’m trying other platforms, but not really thrilled with any of them either. Plus I don’t read as much as I once did, thanks/no thanks to you, too many streaming services and mindless hours of Solitaire. ETC…

Published by Bryan G. Robinson

Blogger formerly known as Unfinished Person. Still an unfinished person...

Published

11 thoughts on “What I’m thinking about…et cetera…”

  1. I’m struggling to find the time right now to make the blog rounds and when I do find the time my mind is completely blank and I have nothing to say even though I might have thoroughly enjoyed the post I just read. Or else I’m on my LAST NERVE from jumping out of bed at 4am to yell “NO!!!” at the cat who is scratching at the TV, scratching at the closet door, scratching at her bag of dry food. She has food, she has water, she has a clean litterbox, I’ve offered to play with her….what does she want??? Just stop!

    So yah. Commenting on blogs is not coming easy to me these days. LOL

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    1. We have a cat too…but she doesn’t start pestering us until 630, usually just me because my wife works midnight shift most nights. She (our cat) meows even after being fed and litter box clean. She just wants the attention…
      … And it might be the same with your cat. Plus maybe with all the work going on during the day, she’s a little on edge and wants your attention in the middle of the night? Just a thought.

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  2. I began blogging reluctantly; I had to make a blog for a summer in-service required for my job. I was told I had to make a blog, post a minimum of once a week, and visit ten other blogs. When I began, it felt like one of those chain-letters where you send out ten picture books to others, but you get a hundred back. Fail. I visited a lot of other blogs, but few people stopped and left a comment on mine.

    But as time went on, I saw that, while I enjoyed writing my blog posts, I enjoyed, perhaps more, reading what others had written. I discovered a whole world of people who liked the same sorts of books I did, but who also were better, more careful readers, and were better, more careful writers than I was (and am).

    I followed those people. You are one of them.

    I don’t necessarily enjoy doing everything and reading everything those I follow do and read. You, for example, write often about music, and I know nothing about music. Still, I’m interested in finding out a little more about the thoughtful music you share. And we share similar interests in spiritual books and poetry, and your posts have led me to read many wonderful texts.

    Blogging gives me an opportunity to share the books I’ve read and enjoyed with others. One of the happiest things about blogging is to hear that someone has picked up a book I’ve loved and found it to be a great read.

    I’ve stepped back from FB and IG and Twitter because all of these overwhelm me/leave me feeling sadder than when I went there.

    Thank you for sharing what you are thinking about, Bryan.

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    1. I didn’t realize that’s how you started your blog, Deb. Hmmm. Interesting… Yeah, social media makes me sad too but blogs usually don’t. Or not in the same way…like you with me, I don’t relate to everything you write about, children’s books, for example. However, I appreciate your…open heart, open mind…and your quest to be more mindful.

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  3. I think we all go in cycles with our blogging, I have definitely had months where I post less, read less, interact less then I ramp up again, like now, and am more involved. I love having a blog even if I am not always in it 100%.

    I am off Twitter as well and have not regretted that decision. I was absent from FB for 2 years and enjoyed the time, but am now back on because my high school reunion is this year and it’s the only way I have to contact some of my classmates with details of the event. Sigh.

    I do understand the need for interaction and not just glossing over (which Instagram often is). I agree that stories and reels are irritating. I want to see photos and I do read the captions. Every few months I go through and cull those I follow so that it will be the people that I really want to see and hear from.

    That’s a lot. I hope you figure out what you want and need with all of this. You can always take a break rather than shutting down completely.

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  4. I barely do anything on Facebook these days, my Twitter feed is too full of stuff I don’t want and not enough of the stuff I do value ( I blame Musk and his meddling with the algorithms). As for Instagram, well I’ve not got to grips with it all. I can’t be bothered with making photos pretty and using all sorts of props. As for stories and reels – no idea what they are in fact

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    1. I’ve never looked back and regretted getting rid of Facebook or Twitter. And Instagram, I like composing photos but yes, I don’t care about being “an influencer”. Stories only last 24 hours and are easier to find and view on the app onyphones or tablets with little circles with usernames at the top. Reels are basically TikTok for Instagram, usually short, bite-sized videos that are instantly forgettable.

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  5. I miss those days of conversation in blogging, too. I think one of the reasons I stopped posting in groups (like Sunday Salon) and reading challenges was because I got tired of the whole standard post from certain commenters saying the same thing over and over, only leaving links out to their posts. It’s not worth the effort of being part of the group only to feel lonelier when I am, you know?

    Interesting thing about Stories on Insta though – I have certain friends who never or rarely post on their walls, but post lots of stuff I’d normally see on walls in their stories. I find that harder because I can give them random likes, or respond in a way that automatically creates a private message thread and that’s not what I want all the time, so I end up interacting less often. I do post stuff on Stories, but it’s usually stuff that I don’t care to be permanents (OR I want them in a saved Story on my page). But more and more, I’m thinking Insta will be the next thing I tackle once I’m able to get off FB in August. It’s hard, though, because I feel like I’m losing more and more of my connections, while at the same time, the pandemic has caused me to be more and more of a homebody, and I struggle more and more with agoraphobia accordingly. Especially this time of year. I’m sure I’ll find my Next Thing, new people to socialize with, but it’s never fun giving things up at the same time.

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    1. That’s it. It makes you feel lonelier… And I absolutely understand about the feeling of losing connections. Unfortunately, I think I interact with a dozen or less people. The rest I don’t even know who they are. One thing I like about Insta is I get to “see” people from all over the world, even one bookstagrammer from India. I’d miss that aspect.

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  6. (((raises hand as the one jumping aboard the Substack ship))) At the rate of sounding like a Substack shill, the atmosphere there feels most akin to the golden age of blogging that I’ve experienced in a long time. In particular, they have Shoutout Threads (once a month, I think) and even though the number of recommendations are overwhelming to get through, it’s a very supportive and encouraging place. I’m really enjoying it.

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    1. I know of one other blogger there who was there, but then she just disappeared…well, from there. And I already have a Substack account too. I just haven’t done much with it or explored it…

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