Friday, May 8, 2009

More On Disappearing Bloggers

Sheesh! Now Brian at "Over 40, Overweight and In Debt" has joined the ranks of "Where'd They Go!" Come on folks--give us a heads up or a warning or a last post or SOMETHING!

Shevy from Shevy's Miscellaneous Life brings up the possibility that some of the bloggers may have died--I certainly hope that's not the case for most of them! But before I went into the hospital for my heart surgery, I did leave an envelope with my will that let my children know about my blog (which they don't know about because I've never told them) and gave them the password so that one of them could do a final post letting folks know I didn't make it.

I do think if we've taken the trouble to bring strangers into our financial life, we owe them an explanation when we decide to slam the door shut (or get it slammed on us).

Morrison from All Doors Considered posits that no one wants to read downer posts from bloggers but then, again, she says she strives to put up positive posts. Say what? I love her blog, but on any given day, she drives right over the proverbial cliff when it comes to depressing posts!

I know that Sra. Dog over at Dog Ate My Finances isn't much enjoying being jobless but I have to say, I do like reading about her struggles and find much of what she has to say about it helpful in thinking about what I would do if I were suddenly downsized out of a job. (One option: make nice to her still-employed husband so he'd let me move in with them?)

Personally, I think blogging about the "downs" of our financial lives can be as instructive as lauding our successes. Life has always tended to be more of roller-coaster ride than an ever-upward climb to the top of the mountain.

I'm not going to eliminate some of these missing blogs from my blogroll just yet. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they will return. For future reference--if you're planning on leaving the blogging world in a non-terminal way, at least drop Grace a line first!


15 comments:

Anonymous said...

When I wanted to end my other blog, it is you, Grace, who convinced me to keep on going.

So, here I still am: depressive warts and all.

Anonymous said...

Maybe Brian turned 21, lost weight and paid off all his debts? Could happen.

Grace. said...

Morrison--such lovely and thoughtful warts, they are, too!

Anon--Hmm--wonder why that didn't occur to me. You're undoubtedly correct! Thanks for the laugh, although for Brian's sake, would that it were true.

CJdog89 said...

Grace,

I also feel a blog should only end when I grow tired of it. Google "bye, bye pie" sometime if you're interested in a new blog. She started out as "bye, bye buy," and completed a year of little spending which brought me to her in the first place and now I just read her because she's wonderful and crazy.

Love your blog!

Beth

Mr. GoTo said...

Fear not, Mr. GoTo is still on the job.

Sharon said...

How about Lucky Robin? She's been a no show for a while! I miss her!

velvet jones said...

No Credit Needed ended his blog, then started it again. At least he had a post saying he was going to end it. However his wife convinced him to keep it going, so it's still here.

I find reading about the struggles, a well as the triumphs, are what makes the blogs compelling and interesting. We're all real people with real stories to share. Not everything is positive or and be wrapped up in a nice, neat package. Life is hard and messy sometimes. I appreciate the people that are able to share those bits of their lives because it's not easy to expose yourself like that.

NCN said...

The last comment is correct. I was THIS close to giving up the site, and even wrote a post saying that I was out, and then my wife reminded me of how important the site is to me.

After four years of writing, it can get difficult to find new, interesting, and meaningful ways to express one's views. Also, w/ 3 kids, my time is very limited. Alas, w/ my wife's encouragement and support, I am happy to continue blogging. In fact, I now feel a renewed sense of purpose.

Rock on,
NCN

Bouncing Back said...

I hear ya! I sometimes click onto a blog that I don't have in my google reader (well, I don't use my google reader like I should), and blogs are gone, off line,gone private not updated for months.....

I like hearing about the good and the bad, the ugly about people and their situations. Like Velvet Jones said, life is not one neat little package. It makes me feel better knowing I'm not the only one out there struggling and I love to read about the successes as folks achieve goals.

Road Traveled said...

People do seem to come and go like the seasons. I am trying to keep at it so I can stay on track. I have paid down $15K so far and I have 24 to go. If I was not blogging about it it would be much harder to hold myself accountable.

Shevy said...

Just wanted to update one little point about Vintage Mommy. While she hasn't posted since the end of January or beginning of Feb on either of her blogs, I noticed today that she had replied (on May 4) to a new comment someone made to one of her old posts!

But I emailed her last week and haven't heard back and there was nothing in her comment to indicate why she's been missing in action.

Anonymous said...

Grace,

Hope you don't mind, but JW, if you read this, please comment here and give us an update. Thanks!

A.M.B.A.

Grace. said...

Anon--I don't mind at all. I don't have JW's e-mail address, but I, too, would love an update. And I don't think JW's employer (or all his enemies) read this blog, either!

Retired Syd said...

It's boring to only post upbeat posts and not include the "downer" posts. That's not how people really are. Sure it's hard to write when you are feeling down, but it's honest, and that's why people want to read blogs, to read what is honest.

Morrison is right that you may be opening yourself up to "viscous backlash" (funny coming from her--as my harshest critic!) But I am ALWAYS incredibly warmed by the few supportive comments I get in that case.

Comments say more about the commenter than the blogger. It's too bad that may be a reason people are discontinuing blogs.

Anonymous said...

Grace,
Another one bites the dust:
http://wideopenwallet.com/2009/05/the-end/

Either people are just tired, or are out of debt or are twittering the rest of their time away. Dunno.

I consider my blog like a daily newspaper column. Sometimes I write about me and sometimes I write about social commentary that just makes good conversation.

I'm certainly not tired of myself! LOL! And social events never seem to bore me either!