Today I’m 30.
I’m giving myself a gift for my birthday. I’m stepping away from my blog. I’m not reading others’ blogs. I’m taking a leave of absence from Twitter.
It shouldn’t be for very long. I’m thinking about a month.
Being largely away from the internet this past week has confirmed my feelings that I need some time away from the computer.
This seems so counter-intuitive, but ever since I went to BlogHer, I’ve wanted to blog less, not more. I had such an amazing time and met so many great people, but I feel like now that I know many of you in real life, you’ll understand that I need a break.
I don’t know how to describe how I’ve been feeling lately about blogging. Bored. Stagnant. Ambivalent. I guess that’s sort of it. I don’t see the point in continuing something that has become more of a chore than something fun. I hope a break will fix this.
Lately, at work, at home, everywhere, my head is filled with noise. I escape to the internet and I click, click, click, click into infinity, never spending much time in any one place. This instant gratification is making my attention-span increasingly short. That, coupled with the constant hum in my head makes it impossible for me to actually focus on anything any more. I’m extremely frustrated that my mind wanders while trying to complete the simplest of tasks. It also makes me feel not present in my every day life. Like I’m just walking around like a zombie, unable to actually absorb what I’m reading or what people around me are saying. This just makes me feel sad.
When I open up my Google Reader, I have no motivation to give you all the attention you deserve. I just feel overwhelmed and anti-social. Like I’ve been dragged to a party when I just want to stay home and hang in my pajamas with my family. Because although I love the social aspect of this medium - love the people attending my “parties” everyday, I have been socializing too much. I know there is space for all of this in my life, but I need for it to be a smaller space. For it to be evened out with the other things that are begging for my attention.
I need to be by myself for awhile. Take some time to breathe. Some time to clear my head of the clutter. Some time to chase my son around as he tries to run up the stairs or defy gravity. Some time to talk to my daughter about the importance of fairies and super-heroes. Some time to actually talk and laugh with my husband as we both step away from our beloved internet. Some time to hang with IRL friends, knit, get lost in a book, and do some writing. Some time to live in the moment and really enjoy what’s happening around me rather than thinking about what’s going on in this imaginary world I’ve built for myself.
Thank you for keeping me company in this crazy world - I care about many of you more than I thought possible. And I know you’ll be here when I decide to come back. If for some reason you want (need?) to contact me, my e-mail address is in my sidebar.
Hopefully, I’ll return having accomplished something concrete. Feeling happy and at peace, having found some sort of balance between all the things I want and need to do.
Boy, can I relate. Can I really, really, relate. I know exactly where you’re coming from.
Enjoy your time away. We’ll be here when you return.
Happy Birthday! I hope you get the e-break you need. Whenever I take a break, my google reader breaks.
Oh hello, that line did not make sense. I think I need an e-break myself.
Happy Birthday! Enjoy your break, but I hope you don’t leave forever. I really enjoy your blog!
Happy birthday, Andi. I can also relate to a general sense of blogging ennui, and I hope that a month long respite will go some way to curing yours. Or convincing you that just walking away will be better for you. Whatever ends up working. I’m going to make some of my Tweets this month extra-witty just to make you feel bad for missing them.
Enjoy this hiatus as a well-deserved birthday gift. I completely understand and can relate to so much of what you wrote. SO much. I was just telling my husband the other day that I think I’m the dumbest I’ve ever been. I literally forget what I’m doing on the way to do it. It’s sad, really. Ginko Biloba anyone?
I think a little break is just the ticket.
We’ll certainly miss you, but will be happy to read you again when you return - refreshed.
Happy Birthday Andi!! I totally understand about needing the break. I hope you come back refreshed and not feel like you are overwhelmed. You have had a major life change with going back to work, that is totally overwhelming in of itself but add to it everything else…..
I will miss you and don’t be surprised to see an email from me just saying hi (or not…time flies by too quick!)
happy, happy bday friend!
i think a little bloggy break is a perfect gift to your self.
but know that you will be missed!!
enjoy!
I hear you sister.
Happy birthday and enjoy your time off!
happy birthday.
and — i’ve just done the same exact thing. i’ve been feeling the same way as you.
Happy birthday!
Enjoy your time away.
Happy Birthday my friend.
What a perfect time to do some self re-evaluating.
For what it’s worth, I’ve heard a lot of people complaining about blahness lately. I think there’s a general feeling of blahness in the air. I blame August.
Anyway, enjoy the break. We’ll miss you.
First, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
I totally understand. I went through a stage like that in the last week. And my reader got high, but I just didn’t want to be on the computer. So I didn’t go on it. And it helped!
We’ll be here when you get back! Enjoy it!
I TOTALLY understand! Completely!
Happy Birfday to ya, too!
I hear ya. Sometimes my Google Reader is like an albatross around my neck. Ugh.
And happy birthday!
first shenuts, then mrs. flinger, and now you?? this is a sad, sad day friends…
Happy Birthday! And have a lovely holiday! We’ll be waiting for you when you’re ready to return.
In the mean time, can we still go out for lunch?
What happened at BlogHer? Did we drink some kool-aid that did this to us, as I feel the same way…of course, it isn’t evident as my posting schedule hasn’t changed!
Anyway, enough about that.
Happy birthday! How does it feel to be SO OLD? Shall I send you some wrinkle cream and Depends?
Have a lovely break. I’ve been stepping back some from it myself. Can’t be everything to everyone.
Happy Birthday! Hope to see you back some time. I’ll miss you!
First, um, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!
Second, we’ll see you on the flip-side. Mwah.
Take care of yourself - The innernetz will always be here.
Happy Happy Birthday! I hope your day is fantastic and everything you want it to be.
I understand the need for a break. But I just can’t give myself permission. I need to, though.
I’m going to miss you terribly!
Happy Birthday and kudos to you for acting on what you’ve been feeling.
When it no longer becomes fun I say time to analyze whether it’s worth it (although I’d be lying if I said I wouldn’t miss you if you never returned)
Enjoy your time off!
I so completely get where you are coming from. Since returning from BH I have felt a lot of these same things. I think you’re doing a great thing for yourself. Maybe I will follow in your footsteps? (Even if I am 5 years your senior.) When I turned 30 I gave myself a gift too- I quit smoking. Best gift I ever got.
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday! We’ll all be here, waving and smiling (stuck in your computer dying of boredom) when you get back!
Happy Birthday, Andi!!!!!!!!!! I can totally relate to you on this one
Hope you find what you’re looking for…
Happy Birthday, my friend!
Will miss you, but I totally understand this.
Take care.
Love you!
Happy birthday!!
I just returned after a month off. It was just what I needed.
Enjoy…!
Happy Birthday, sweet, smart, wonderful writer Andi.
I thoroughly enjoyed meeting you at BlogHer. Initially I became MORE excited about blogging post-BH. But now, with all this e-drama, more hits to my blog and far fewer comments, I seem to be in a bit of a funk myself.
I hope to be as wise as you when I hit thirty next year.
Happy 30th birthday! Hope to see your safe return to the blogosphere in a while. Enjoy the break!
Happy Birthday and enjoy the break!
Happy birthday!
Here’s hoping you find that elusive balance during your extended blogcation.
Happy freaking birthday!
I am late because, well, I have been feeling SOOOO much the same way. Although I am not taking a break from the blogosphere, I DID delete my Google Reader. Gah!
Come back when you feel like it. We’ll be here (Although a heads up…You may need to pop over to my blog and say HI because, ya know…I don’t have a Google reader anymore!!)
A belated happy birthday - and enjoy your hiatus.
Happy Birthday!
I understand. I was just literally right now going thru my bloglines feed and deleting blogs, because I am getting kinda bored (overwhelmed?), annoyed etc.
I will keep yours, but I wonder if perhaps some of us or coming to the conclusion that blogging has gone past being a fun hobby to a competitive snarky thing.
I decided to delete blogs that have a negative feeling to them; no matter how popular.
Have a super break. Blessings.
I so get this. Sometimes it’s good to just step away from the keyboard. Hope your time away is restorative.
This is what I just wrote in my Google Share note about this post:
“And another one bites the dust. Which I fully support because I eat dust all the time.”
You know how I feel about taking a break. I still go days at a time without turning on the computer, which is getting tougher because of Blog Nosh Magazine, but scheduling posts ahead of time works just fine. A handful of hateful emails asking why I haven’t responded to some “dire” question is worth quieting the noise in my head.
I’ve been back online for just about six months now, and I’m thinking of taking much of November off and doing GoBloMeMoFo again instead. The people that matter will be here when you decide to come back. Amazingly enough.
In the meantime, do what I did and tell people to “kick it old school and call me on the phone.” Foreign concept, right.
I’ll be calling you. Have fun! Lots of perspective awaits!
Have fun! Happy Belated. I’m officially one day older than you
LOL.
Enjoy the break into real life.
We’ll see you when you get back.
Happy birthday. And everyone, including myself, can relate to everything you said, even if we don’t say it as eloquently as you.
Happy birthday love. Exact, EXACT same thing happened to me last year after BlogHer. Call me, I’ll walk you through the 12 steps of blog detox.
First, Happy Birthday!
I could have cried reading this, because you’ve said what I’ve been feeling this week. Like I need to step away and live a bit and then see if I have something to say when I come back. It takes nerve, and it’s hard to let go, even for a while, but it’s good that you know that you need it.
Hold the door, I might be right behind you.
Enjoy your break. See you when you come back.
Happy (belated) birthday! And, I’m totally looking forward to your return.
Happy Birthday!!! Now that I’ve finally caught up on blog reading your taking a break! Good for you….I’m sure you’ll have more hilarious Elliot and Arlo stories upon return and glad you had fun at BlogHer
Happy Birthday!
I hope you and your family delight in many wonderful, memorable moments. Enjoy your time!!
Happy Birthday and see you when you come back!
I hope you’re having a good break. I miss seeing you on Twitter and around the joint.
Best to you.
xo
WTF 30!! I barely remember my 30th! Have a great sabbatical! I am so lucky to see you in person…
p.s. I was so proud of you donning your suit and playing with your babes… we only see your insides not your outsides - speaking of that I am at my fighting weight!!
That’s the good thing about the feeds. We’ll know when you are back.
Enjoy your break.
*COUGH* I am ready for you to come back now. *insert more coughing*