Don't you just hate it when blogs just disappear? They just stop.
I guess why I get upset when a blog disappears, is that I've enjoyed the blog and am just plain disappointed when it's gone.
A few people do say that they have decided to stop blogging. I can handle this because there's closure. They also give reasons as to why it's time to stop blogging. Good! There was some thought to this decision. One blog I really liked and was disappointed when it closed was Just Another Day on the Prairie. A good reason for stopping was given and a good bye was said.
One blog that really impressed me was where the blogger posted until a few days before his death. There were some intense comments shared on this one. I learned a great deal from this one. Much reflection took place after this one closed. His wife wrote a couple of posts when he was too sick to write. His daughter wrote a final post.
In one or two blogs illness has set in and I think that the blogger passed on. Sad.
Sometimes a very active blogger just starts to slow down. Time between posts gets longer and longer and then ceases. Sometimes bloggers try something new. They go from posting every day to once a week. You know something's up. Not long after things dry up and stop. Some bloggers are involved in more than one blog and they are stretched too far so something has to go. Sometimes bloggers move on to a completely different area and start a new blog. I can follow their new blog or call it a day.
Sometimes the area that they cover just dries up and they have no new material to use.
Sometimes the fire in the belly just goes out.
I would think that some bloggers find something else to occupy their time and blogging is what is dropped.
So once in a while I have to go through my blog list and "clean it up." It's sad to take these blogs off your blog list. They are old friends.
On the other side of the coin one can search for more blogs. That's a blog post for another time.
So how do you handle things when a blog shuts down?
I feel like I should apologize for my blog. I have good intention and will start a blog and end up deleting. I really enjoy your blog and I miss your comments when I do write one.
ReplyDeleteGradually you will gain confidence and have things to say about the world around you.
DeleteI really miss Linda from Just Another Day on the Prairie, I really enjoyed her blog. She is on facebook. I think many people exit to facebook because they can use their phones to update. I had a very good friend that died, another had so many deaths in her family she could not continue. Right now at least two bloggers I follow are fighting cancer. I don't like the ones that just disappear, if they give a reason I think that is great...some are just done with blogging and delete the whole thing and poof they are gone:(
ReplyDeleteYou are one of the more active bloggers and certainly would be missed. I think you're one of the first bloggers i began to follow.
DeleteI cleaned up my blog list recently and I was sad to see some that had just ceased to be. One or two I left on to see if there would be new life. One of those has actually returned sporadically.
ReplyDeleteI have decided that i do better with a relatively short blog list. I can devote the time I have to reading and responding to those. I also know that I have a whole bunch of real life friends and family who are lurkers. They read silently and invisibly. I make it easy for them by linking new posts to Facebook.
The locals are interesting because they will talk to you about your blog. I start following new blogs now with the intention of making very few comments.
DeleteI fall into the tailing off category. I will have to keep on blogging but unless I have a good day with the camera I won't post.
ReplyDeleteYou're on a bit of a downer recently but knowing you , you will bounce back. Your internet connection has been bad lately.You have too many things to say.
DeleteI always feel like I've lost a friend when they disappear. Just to let you know I'll be in and out for a while because of the family crisis we're trying to take care of right now.
ReplyDeleteI will understand if you're absent for awhile. You have a lot to do in the next while. I hope things go well.
DeleteSo now and then I remove some blogs from the side bar when they have come up some months ago. Sometime they suddenly pop up again in a comment and then I replace them again.
ReplyDeleteYes, it's surprising when you see somebody making a comment when they are not posting anymore.
DeleteI can cope fine when a blogger decides to stop blogging and I know what's happened to him or her. However three of the blogs I have followed over the years have ceased without notice. In two cases I subsequently heard from the people concerned. In one case in the US however the posts just stopped and that was that. There was no indication of any kind. I still wonder what happened and although the URL still resides in my following list on my dashboard it's gone from my blog. It feels very strange when someone just disappears and it's difficult not to think the worst.
ReplyDeleteI sometimes go back and look at a blog that's inactive and it's rather eerie to see that no posts have been made.
DeleteHi Red, An interesting topic even if useless to whine about. I'm starting to think that how often folks post to their blog is determined by how much time they want to spend on this hobby. Blogging is one of those human things, isn't it? I mean, I don't know of any animals that blog. :-) I have to agree with you though ... it can be annoying when a blog disappears. I'm enjoying Hiawatha House, so hope you'll keep it going for a long time. Take care, John
ReplyDeleteI think some people run out of things to say. You find things that can run as a long series. People are always there and know what to expect.
DeleteThanks Red.
DeleteIt depends on how attached I've grown to the bloggers. Although I follow many more, there are a dozen or so who feel like family members, and I'd miss them a lot. You are one of those, Red. I recognized Pete in your description of those who have died.
ReplyDeleteI think blogging is just like life: it's filled with change as well as love and loss, and I grieve and rejoice with my blogging family just the same as my other one. Don't go anywhere, okay? :-)
Well, I'm honored to be family. You're right it does feel like family. I think we feel safe and share more than we would being face to face. So blogging becomes very social. I went back to find Pete's blog but I see it's gone.
DeleteIt has been a while since I had one shut off. A few just quit showing up, and one after 8 months returned . I need to find a couple new ones to try out.
ReplyDeleteI keep looking for new blogs but with the new ones I don't comment on a regular basis.
Deleteyears ago, a beautiful young lady full of vim and vigor and a love for her husband and animals just disappeared one day. her blog stayed online, but no more posts. many of us left comments - even months later - hoping to hear something from her. nothing. i fear the worst when things like that happen. and i still wonder about her 3+ years later.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you. A sudden stop makes me think that something tragic happened.
DeleteI'm disappointed when my favorites close down, but I understand. It's hard work to keep a blog up and especially when the blog is more than just photos like mine. I can't imagine having to come up with stories or interesting things to say. Some I worry about until I see another post..I'm like you..I have a sense that something is wrong. And sometimes an old favorite comes back and I am delighted!
ReplyDeleteYour comment reminds me just how excellent some of the blogs are. Yours is one of those in the excellent category.
DeleteIt seems to me that a blogger has an obligation to inform followers that they're signing off. There are several blogs I follow where the author just disappeared and I do find this troubling. I feel like I build a relationship with these people and telling us they're moving on is the least they can do for our loyalty.
ReplyDeleteThe key word you use is relationship.
DeleteWe've put something into the communication and it's developed into something worthwhile.
I would definitely miss the bloggers whose blogs I keep up with regularly and I have been disappointed when some have just disappeared. A couple were going through hard times and I think it just got to be too hard to write about it and cope with it at the same time. It seems that most anyone could write a simple goodbye post of a few lines though in kindness to their readers. I'm pretty sure I would!
ReplyDeleteYou're right, a little good bye would make things okay
DeleteIt's sad when bloggers just vanish. You always wonder what happened, and hope it's nothing tragic. I really appreciate when a blogger I've been following and who has been following me writes a final post or offers some type of explanation before they quit the blogging world. Like you said, there is closure. And it's a nice thing to do.
ReplyDeleteWe put emotion into our blog relationships and it's hard to let go.
DeleteWhat you say about closure is very true. Although one of my friends said he was setting his affairs in order and wrote a goodbye post, I hope and pray that he is safe and well whenever I see his blog on my page.
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid I'm not a regular blogger :( usually because of laziness :)
Ruby! I can't believe it's laziness! Each one of us only has so much time and effort to put into a blog hobby. I'm always happy to see you pop up once in a while.
DeleteOne of the photobloggers I follow vanished for several months, only to re-emerge around the new year with a very good reason for her absense- she's dealing with an illness. At least there's an answer.
ReplyDeleteyes, these things we can understand and accept.
DeleteI always wonder what's up when they just disappear. I guess life happens. I know I don't post much. I always feel it's so boring to people.
ReplyDeleteCheri
It's curiosity when we want to know what happened to someone. I enjoy your blog. You live in a beautiful area so lots of photos. I'll never get tired of cow photos. You live a life that's much different than anybody else so it's interesting. Keep on blogging.
DeleteI'm usually to busy to get the camera out!
ReplyDeleteMaybe Wednesday when we work the bulls!
Cheri
Cameras area bit of a pain especially when you're working.
DeleteFour blogging friends of years passed away and their blogs still remain. I visit them time to time to refresh some good memories.
ReplyDeleteIt's good that you can go back to the blog and remeber the blogger.
DeleteI had a blog in the past which I enjoyed so much - a very funny "Carol Burnett" kind of blog, which made me laugh and really perked up my day. One day she just vanished and myself like many others wrote notes and there was no word back? I do have a handful of blogging friends I love hearing from and if ever they were to leave, I would hope they would just write that last message. I have wondered what happened to my comical friend. One grows to know their special blogging family and I must say Sir Red, you are an extended part of my family....also Micro Manager. he,he Don't ever just leave us.....Eh
ReplyDeleteI will go moaning,groaning and complaining. Is that enough warning for ya? You'll probably want me to shut up if I complain too much. It's nice to be family.
DeleteYou're so right, Keith. I read one where the young man slowed, then stopped. Someone else emailed me to tell me he'd died. Age 25-ish with cancer. I think it is good to stop for some people, but you are right there needs to be closure, an explanation. Some people have temporary setbacks, short illnesses. Others have a catastrophe. I found that it helps to share our cancer journey. It gives me discipline, in the morning, to get up, write or prepare a couple of posts.
ReplyDeleteYou take advantage of a bad situation and educate others about health. You're an excellent example and mentor.
DeleteI always wonder, too, if you are writing about an illness, or a cause, and you are ready for change, or, like me, you move, do you close the old one? I preferred to change the title of mine, as I had so many readers when I was in Muskoka. That was a big decision.
ReplyDeleteI did a post a while ago on Would You change your blog's name. Some people do change the name.
DeleteBlogs are like old friends. I am grateful even when people stop blogging that they keep them open, but I am always left wondering why they stopped.
ReplyDeleteWe certainly do get to know people well.
DeleteExcellent topic and wonderful insight from the comments I read. I agree with Stephen's comment, individuals should write a signoff post so their follower aren't left in the lurch. Like most of you, there are some blogs that are a great draw and we grow attached... expectation may even take root. As a photo-blogger I try to keep it interesting... especially with the title.
ReplyDeleteYou keep your blog interesting by producing high quality photos. Yes, it would be the best thing to do to have a sign off post but the world doesn't always work that way.
DeleteHonestly, the blogs I follow and read every day, well I feel like they are close friends. I would be so sad and disappointed if any of them just left. I haven't been blogging that long so haven't experienced that. Good post.
ReplyDeleteI feel sad when a blog shuts down! And by the way, I've slowed down a bit just because the past year or so has been too busy, but I still love blogging! And I still love YOUR blog too, even though I fall behind reading it and need to catch up! :)
ReplyDeleteRed there's been some blogs which I used to visit on a daily basis which have done just as you mentioned, they've disappeared, no closure, no nothing and you're right, it's like losing a friend. I totally understand how life gets busy or other things transpire in life which require attention, this is what's happened to me but I let my friends know that I'll be back and I still try to update every now and again, a far cry from my old daily blogging, but I'd miss those of you who have stuck by my side for a long time, those of you whom I consider my friends. What I love is that even though other things, such as my writing, take me away and I pop in to say hi via a post, some of my friends are still here.
ReplyDeleteHere's the deal Red, IF or when either of us is leaving our blog permanently, how about we say a final see ya later... I'm not abandoning ship, I'm not totally out of the blogger world and if this transpires, I'll let you know k? Thanks for your support, your kind words and for being a friend... you're an amazing individual whom I respect.
Hope you have a wonderful week and yes, thankfully our snow levels are coming down! Makes it hard to keep the car clean, but I'd much rather a dirty car than trying to drive in blizzards! lol Cheers my friend.
I too find that the ones I blog to are my blog family. Your one Red.
ReplyDeleteNow when weather is upon us. Like yesterday I was out scouting to put pictures in. I suppose we all will be like that come Spring and summer. . You Red cutting your lawn and other men. Ladies scouting in gardening. Maybe blog once a week. I can go with that. In winter I was pretty faithful so were you red and many others here I noticed. Yes when others pass on. I would like if people would mention it. As I do comment to allot of people and now have new ones too. It would be nice if people write absent for a while but will be back. I agree with darlin. you know I only know two people on here that is John. I see here s a knit blogger family with with you red. I do not like when someone emails me to find out it is more of people selling there pictures and leave no comment page. One who does that is in your page here. Sorry I have not bothered with that person. Not sure why he does that. I guess he wants to be recognized for his fame.
It is sad when blogs disappear, I also consider them old friends not saying goodbye. But I understand some cases in which they probably didn't even had time explaining. I sometimes take a long break for different reasons. Once was when I was still in China, I was actively blogging at the beginning then suddenly Blogspot had been blocked. I could only open it on my holidays when I went out of the country. It wasn't easy coming back as I already have lost many readers. I had to reconnect and find new bloggerfriends. Sometimes, I take short breaks when busy-ness flows in; immigration, work, personal probs & other bothers. Sometimes when I don't have very good news, I opt silence. Maybe it's bad as I leave readers wondering. Othertimes it's blogspot's problem, not allowing readers to reach your blog. It happened to me couple of times. It also happened to one of my very first blogger friends, his blog is really interesting but everytine I open his blog it shows some virus warning that if I continue it could harm my device. I have no idea what happened. Anyway, I also appreciate if there are posts about clozure or simply a note that one is having a break.
ReplyDelete