I’m finding it more and more difficult to get to the blogs I follow… Hell .. I’ve even lost the enthusiasm to post myself … but every time I get this way something comes up that I feel I have to share…
I’ve noticed many of the blogs I followed 3 years ago are now gone, no posts made in 24 plus months and I wonder why…. Did they bore of the experience, or did circumstances just make it impossible to post?
I’m not bored, but I have lost a little of the initial enthusiasm… Maybe I need to grow back into my skin…
Certain circumstances at this time make it difficult to get out with the camera… 1. it is hot, no it is damn hot.. 2. commitments also seem to be getting in the way, although these I’m not complaining about. I love helping out my son and his wife…. 3. it is so damn hot.. have I said that before? Maybe I just need to get out and sniff around for something that is not hiding from the sun..
I might take a while to look at your blogs these days and only comment a day or two late, but I am watching what you post. I might only hit the like button, but I’m there I promise…
I’ve noticed even today that a lot of you are not posting as often as you used to, why is that? Lots of you still comment on my posts and I love that fact, so for that reason I will continue to run toward your blogs and comment as often as circumstances permit…
But don’t some of you want to share some of this heat? I’m sure those of you that live in the Northern Hemisphere could do with a day of sunshine and heat. I hate the cold, but look with longing at some posts of snow everywhere and wish we had it just for a day or two…
The Photographic Journey of bulldog. 
Please give some heat away… 🙂
HI Rob,
I’ve noticed that many of the bloggers from two or three years ago have dropped away. I blog when I feel like it or when I’m inspired by a photo challenge, and not according to schedule, and I think that helps keep my enthusiasm levels up. I rarely post more than once a week, and have gone two or three weeks, depending upon what I have going on in my life. Like the tortoise, as opposed to the hare, I’m slow and steady and keep attracting new followers. Like you, I want to provide new viewers with good posts and so I toddle along.
I do really enjoy your blog and am glad to know you’re still out there!
Thank you Naomi… I think I will just be slowing down a tad,,,, till after my next trip to the Kalahari Gemsbok Park…. then I’m going to be posting a lot…
I’ll look forward to that! Have a nice trip and a safe journey home.
falling into a funk from time to time is normal, now off you go… 🙂
Oh, and absolutely love the Shar pei. 🙂
Golly, I think we’ve all been there. Out of ideas, or life needs our attention, or we just need a break. And I,too, miss some of the wonderful bloggers I counted as friends. But that’s life. Change. Always change. The heat will die down, your new camera will arrive, you’ll discover new friends to replace the old. Life. Sigh.
But I have my new camers…. I’m already using it…. I even blogged on its arrival…. don’t you see the difference in the photos?
To a rookie like me, they all look stunning. Isn’t it nice hanging around with photography dummies?
yes I’m one of them…lol
Awww that’s such a soft doggie. I could cuddle up in his fur and sleep like a princess 🙂 Granny sometimes can’t overview all the blogs she follows by email. It’s a daytime job to blog, reply and visit the other blogs. She has to concentrate on the English to read and understand what she is reading, so that takes a lot of time too and she always is feeling guilty, when she wasn’t able to visit, but we are learning to make not a problem out of it anymore. That’s not easy, especially when our loyal followers are able to visit our bloggie all the time and we can’t. We’ll take some heat with us and leave you some Cold Pawkisses from the Netherlands 🙂 ❤
I know the feeling Bulldog. As you might remember, I’ve posted similar to this and I’m really struggling still to get my book written and keep up with blogging at the same time. Every time I get caught up I fall back if ‘life’ happens…which it does, has a habit of it, ha! I will keep coming back to your blog and others that I follow and read regularly as long as I can…and I always appreciate your visits to mine, even if ‘just a like’. I will have to let some drop though as it is becoming impossible…but then I’ve said that before and as with you, something comes up! Love the photos…keep cool…if you can!
I am not a summer person – excessive heat saps energy and spirit – that’s why I am not eager for winter to leave. It’s been 80 here today(TX) while the rest of the week will be in 70’s and nights upper 40’s, it’s just foreshadow of oppressive summer coming too soon.
Blogging must be fun. Right now I almost dread Mondays as I get far too many (but not all) weekly notices about blogs I follow. There is just so much time – and far too much guilt of not reading more frequently.(and I know their posts are enchanting and delightful) but I cannot bear to sit all the time at a keyboard when the weather is mild or something cool is going on.
Guilt. UGH Too considerate and thoughtful perhaps.
You have to find what works for you. It’s supposed to be fun. People do find other outlets and wander off. You alway hope they are happy. (but nice to see them drop by with a “like” calling card.)
Be gentle with yourself. We learn that too late. Life is out there. The Great Adventure is out there. Actually be present with the ones you are with. This blogging thing is, well, when there’s time, or bad weather, or something cool to share….and once the heat breaks, you’ll come out of hibernative state.
Always enjoy your posts ( You do know we are happy with even one pix and a “hello, look at this”?)
That dog. Velvet wrinkles. (and hot)
Thanks for the comment… very well said…
I can totally relate. Its really becoming a chore, to write and follow and make comments. But i learn a lot from other people which is a good thing. As for you, I always love to see all your wildlife endemic to your country so I won’t be bored with yours. With your new cam, I know its going to see even better photography.
It is that enjoyable views of other blogs, like yours, where I get to see things I will never experience myself… and that is what I find so addictive…. Thank you
Oh my gosh, how I love Shar Peis!! ❤ Adorable.
Well, I feel like this too from time to time. There s nothing wrong with. Take your time, blog when you want and visit our blogs when you want to 🙂
Thank you… it is not the end of me, just lacking motivation and time at the moment… but I know it will return
As someone who continues to put off starting a blog, it is interesting to read about the day to day realities of blogging.
Hard to imagine unbearable heat at 5:00 am. Yesterday, I played golf without coat or bobby hat for the first time in weeks. It only reached 6°C, but it was an absolute pleasure to feel just a smidgeon of heat. There was still residual frost in some greens though, so occasional high bounces! As if the game isn’t hard enough…
I can’t imagine playing golf in anything other than short sleeve shirt and shorts… thanks Brian
I’m quieter…there’s quite a lot plotting that I can’t write about at the moment.
Like boyfriends? … lol
Exactly like that 😉
We’re also spending a lot of time with our kids (his 2 and my 1), but his ex wife has found my blog and she’s dying to go after me so I can’t post about the kids
Ja – dit is vrekwarm. ! Hou baie van die hond, is dit joune? Ek vind ook blogs is baie werk, wonder ook soms of mens so kan aanhou. Vernaam as jy nog voltyds werk en soms jou bediening ook naweke moet uitleef.
Ek is gelukkig lief vir skryf, en ek dink dit hou my aan my pen …
Nie my hond nie…. ongelukkig….
Dankie vir jou gedagtes
Well, I don’t have the heat to complain about, but I relate to some of the same issues. At times it just hits me that it’s impossible to actually live life if I’m taking too much time commenting on it! LOL! I think we have an allotment of energy and at times it just can’t extend any further. I have really missed a few bloggers that seem to have stopped entirely, and I really don’t want it to get to that point. I’d rather just slow down a bit and hope to catch a new wave at when it comes along. The heat you’re describing sounds oppressive! Let’s hope for a cooling trend to accompany some blogging energy. 🙂
Thanks Debra… looks like quite a few of us are feeling the same way…
I love that dog! Looks like he is trying to grow into his skin. lol I’m one of those bloggers who has not been around much of late. Lot of activities going on with church and with my quilting plus a vacation. trying to get back into staying caught up as best I can. I had so many emails that I got discouraged that I would ever get anywhere with them so I finally deleted the whole lot! I feel for you with that heat. I’m not crazy about the cold up here in Wisconsin but then I would not like the heat much either Rob. Spring and Fall is my kind of weather! Try to stay cool and healthy my friend!
That is what I do when returning from a time away…. delete all emails, in the beginning I tried to catch up… no long though… with 34 275 comments on my blog with 764 posts it seems a lot of commenting… I do enjoy it but am running out of time to do it now, and the heat seems to be taking its toll as well…
I think I understand your situation a little. I’ve been sick on and off for a total of eight weeks…It really gets a person down and you lose your desire to do much of anything. I also think that, yes, prolonged stressful weather saps our energies in all kinds of ways.
I’ve been mulling over my lack of motivation of late and I’m starting to think that people who enjoy being creative just have “ebbs and flows”. Enthusiasm burns through us and then we’re burned out. The burn out period seems to constantly vary and that can dampen our creative spirits even more.
I agonize over, “should I continue? Should I focus less on photography and more on writing?
I’m going to be forced to cut back on some of the bird feeding…something has taken up residence in the walls of the house…and that makes me sad, it’s hard to give it up.
Hang in there, the heat will pass…someday…just like we keep telling ourselves the snow will stop… someday. If you don’t feel up to the blogging, no worries…as you can tell from all the comments, we’ve all been there in one way or another.
Take care, xxxxx Hugs to Linda too!
It seems I’m not alone in the way I feel at this moment.. and here I thought it was just me… I still get visits even if I’m not at home from Google searches and this is creating new followers… it is for them I feel guilty about not posting… they just start to follow and I stop posting seems unfair… well it is a problem I will have to solve in my head…lol… maybe a bag of chocolates and a sit down will help…
Linda sends hugs back…
🙂 When you said that “it is a problem I will have to solve in my head”, you put your finger on exactly what I’ve been going around and around and around with in my head….You said it much better than I did. It’s so interesting that so many feel this way.
Ever since I started blogging, I’ve held the philosophy that I will post only when I’m inspired. I have no agenda, no schedule, no expectations of how often I will blog. Sometimes my creative bucket is empty and other times the thoughts flow without effort.
… and when I have nothing to say, I continue to read those I like to follow – sometimes with a comment, sometimes not … depending on how empty my mental bucket is.
Sounds like your bucket is empty, Bulldog. Sometimes a rest is as good as a change 🙂
… and that dog is the cutest!!
That maybe what is my problem an empty bucket…. going to the Kgalagadi again in March April… maybe that is the inspiration I need… Thanks for the comment…
How gorgeous is that dog (with all those rolls of skin).
I’ve hardly taken any photos in the last few months, Bulldog, because of health (foot/hip pain problematic for walking), but more importantly, I’ve photographed everything in the inner city area a zillion times and just can’t think of anywhere new that doesn’t involve walking and/or long travelling. Of course my favourite lens has more or less died too and I can’t afford a new one until about July. I really miss my 18-200mm lens, as zooming in with that, was like an extension of my poor eyesight. I’m finding it really hard to use my 50mm lens and get ‘closer’ to the subject.
I think you’ll find that many bloggers get all fired up with a new blog and then, work and social commitments make them less than enthusiastic as time passes by. I’ve noticed an enormous decrease in bloggers posts and most of us, well me anyway, have run out of things to say in the comment section, so I usually only press the ‘like’ button to let people know I’ve enjoyed their post.
Many people use Facebook and other social networking sites more these days too. While I’ve got a F/B site, I only use it to see what my overseas friends and distant family are doing, not to record my own life.
PS I’ve also had eye issues with styes and chronic conjunctivitis which don’t help, so I’m staying off the computer as much as poss. I’m allergic to eye drops so all I can do is put sterile saline in each eye am & pm. Just started some immune boosting supplements which might help.
But I forgot to say………… I’m still enjoying your photos, Bulldog.
Thanks Vicki… I think in one way or another we all seem to be having issues, for me it is the guilt of not posting after I’ve just got new followers…. oh well they will just have to understand…
I’m feeling guilty that I’ve got new followers on my old blog victoriaaphotography.wordpress.com when I’ve stopped posting there nearly8-9 months ago. Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea moving on to 2 new blogs (Nature AND B & W) – I should have stayed with my old blog and just dropped the ‘food photography’ experiments. Sigh! I think my biggest prob. is not that I haven’t made any photos lately, but it’s the fact that I can’t decide what to post and then…. on reviewing today’s photos from Chinatown, think none of the images are good enough to post.
Know how you feel… I wrote on Street Articles… about 220 odd posts… got so many followers that I became top author… I stopped there nearly 3 years ago and I’m still getting new followers…
Bloggers come and go … and I also noticed those with the blogs either down or they haven’t posted in some time. Staying from is important, but I don’t recommend getting out in the damn hot heat to do so. Personally, I find it helpful to give myself a blog break. Sometimes its in the form a vacation time and travel … but other times it just that I’m using my time to catch up on whatever. I actually have taken breaks from posting to spend more time visiting … and that is refreshing!
Just some thoughts, more importantly, be true to yourself … and your readers appreciate knowing your situation. Hang in there, but the people you attract appreciate the goodness that you provide here!
Thanks Frank … maybe all I need is a short break and wait for this excessive heat to pass… Feb is the hottest month where we are…
Your February is my August … so yuk!
Good for you for voicing what many of us have been feeling, Bulldog! Though I cannot blame the heat this time of year…. maybe I’m just lazy?!
Adorable pics of one awesome dog! You and Linda take care ♥
Thanks so much… I see from the comments I’m not alone in the present feeling… gives me hope…
Very cute pooch. I think we all go through times where blogging is front and center and other times when it needs to take a backseat. I think that’s ok. It needs to remain fun for all parties. After 3 months of cold and damp weather along the Texas Gulf Coast, we’ve made it back to the dry heat of the desert and I’m loving it. Although it’s not hot, hot yet in which case I’m outta here. Hope you find some cool temps soon 🙂
Thanks Ingrid… yep I think I need a short stand back and rest for a while moment… specially with the heat….
I totally get what you mean…lately I haven’t been around too much or too often. Everything seems to get in the way…but I’m still here, just like you said. So hang in there!
Take care 🙂
Thanks… thought I hadn’t seen you around for a while… just when one thinks everyone has abandoned you they all come out in support…
It’s unbearably hot here are well, Rob, and the humidity is sitting around 94%. I’m not doing any work around the RUC because of the heat. Strangely enough it also feels too hot to blog 😉 (and I’m not doing anything so there’s really nothing to blog about).
At the moment I’m reading the occasional posts from my favourites and that’s about it. I think the heat makes me feel lazy. Come on winter!
The heat certainly seems to put a brake on everything. … even finding it hsrd to breathe
No mater how frequently or infrequently you post, bulldog, I appreciate and enjoy your creations.
Thanks Russ very kind of you to say…
I’m slowing down about blogging too. I’ve got family issues going on that tie up a lot of my time. Photography sort of saves my sanity some days, and I will probably just resort to posting one photo here and there with no commentary which may be boring, but so be it. I am not feeling the need to explain or apologize to everyone; I feel that we should all understand that we all have stuff going on in our lives besides our blogs, and post and comment on other’s blogs when we can. A “like” at least lets the other blogger know that you’ve looked at their work.
Seems to be a genersl trend at the mo…. so I’m not alone, ,,
I’m with you, bulldog. I find it hard to keep up with everyone I follow. Time seems to fly by much faster than it did. I’m sure that excessive heat must really get to you, but winter’s on the way. I saw they had snow in the Drakensberg last week. That dog is so cute. Is he yours? 🙂
No the dog isn’t mine unfortunately… it is my SiL and she won’t give it to me… I heard of the snow, but it sure made no difference here in the Kalahari… thanks for always being around…
You can have that hot hot weather. Although I’m sure there are some in the northeast US who would love to have some of your heat right now. 🙂
Thanks Cee, just not sure how we are to swop…
Don’t worry about it Rob. I can barely type anymore and have to use voice activation. It’s made me realize how obsessive I’ve become with the blog. I’m trying to focus on entering my images into competitions here and my new camera club. There are more things to life than sitting in front of the computer clicking LIKE…although I do like your blog. 😉
Thank you Laura… I do miss the interaction and I think that’s what keeps me going
You’re welcome. I can relate!
I’ll take the heat bulldog! Love the dog pics, a Shar Pei? ❤
Diana xo
Yep one of those dogs so ugly they’re beautiful…
Is it yours? They remind me of those comfy shoes in the 70s – Hushpuppies. Remember those?
Unfortunately not mine but my SiL…. wanted to take it home but she wouldn’t let me… I had a pair of those hushpuppies they were wonderful
I see where you are coming from BD. I have loads of photos taken over the last few months with accompanying stories in my head but more pressing commitments take presidence over blogging. I think I am losing the plot. In fact, everybody’s plot.
There seems to be a bit of a general slump at the mo…. think its catchy?
Time of year? You’re too hot and we’re too cold!
These photos are so cute, I love those wrinkly dogs! 🙂
I’ve been a bit quiet over at my blog lately because I’ve been feeling a little low and don’t write as much while I’m feeling so. Also, I get busy as well and I too haven’t gotten out as much with my camera with it being so cold here.
But talk about the weather… it’s still been unbelievably gloomy here, I’m not usually so affected by the weather, but am finding I am really missing the sunshine and blue skies this winter.
Stay cool over there, my friend – metaphorically and physically… 😉
Thanks Jewels… there seems to be a bit of a general slump… must be global warming
I’ve read that the average blog life is right around 3 years and I must admit to having some of the same symptoms as you Bulldog. For me I think it is because we have been sitting still for the past few months so I don’t seem to have as much material at my fingertips. As much as I love visiting other blogs I find it difficult many days to spend so much time in front of the computer. Wish I could send you some cooler weather. It is sunny and mid-70’s here.
Thanks LuAnn… the heat is keeping me indoors and that I think is my problem… I hate being indoors…
Me too!
Sun, heat and blue skies vs. cold, snow and grey skies? Lemme think for a minute…I’ll suffer with your weather for a day or two 😉 And yes! I’m with you with life wanting what it wants which means blogging takes a bit of a back seat. And who owns the shar pei?
The dog is my SiLs…. wanted to take it home, but she was funny about that…
I think shar pei’s are adorable with all of their wrinkles.
Oh Bulldog, you can have all of our snow! Take it please!!! I would give anything to feel some hot sunshine right about now :). That’s part of the reason I haven’t been posting (although I have tons of photos to share). I am in hibernation mode where I get under a blanket with a good book when I get home from work, and I don’t move all night. Anything to stay warm :). I always find time to read your blog though!
I’m so pleased you read mine… I always read your’s, just Fridays photo takes some time, can’t afford to miss all the comments as they do give me a good laugh..
Life gets busy..and other things get our attention. I’ve been spending half the time i usually spent on blogging into learning Russian so that’s my reason for lagging behind!
I can totally relate to your struggle with inspiration during summer…i spend as much time in the a/c as possible then and since i have few houseplants there is precious little to post about! 😛😛
It certainly does take a bit out of one… the heat I mean… could take it when I was younger… some thing has changed though…
I forgot to say that it is bloody hot here too!
I’m seeing that on the TV
I totally relate to this blog fatigue – chill out, don’t worry about it and STERKTE!
Thanks Julie
I understand the blog fatigue my friend. Just relax and take it easy. We will still be here. Love following your blog!
Thank you Andy
I know that my blogging dropped dramatically in October when my dad passed away. I was gone for a month and when I came back I just didn’t feel like it, my heart wasn’t in it. I used painting to help me handle my thoughts and mood and after doing that for a bit felt motivated to write again.
Now it seems that work has been quite full and this weekend is the first break I’ve had since the new year began. I am also taking on two new areas of study which consumes a lot of my free time. I usually only have time to read a few blogs in the morning with coffee, sometimes I can dash of a quick reply, but not always.
I like you am still here, just playing catch up from time to time. And I do sympathize with the heat. I am not a heat person and if I ever get the opportunity to swing by your way, it would have to be in the cooler season or else I would be miserable…and that would be a shame!
Thanks for the comment Mrs P…. yep the heat has a lot to do with it… when you rise at 5 am and it’s already too hot to go out with the camera, one starts to let the bug get in the way…
Great descriptive post bulldog. I know what you mean. Yes, we post less frequently. Life gets in the way. Riding our Harleys or getting out into the woods with our cameras (the fun stuff), maybe just chores at home. Often the words don’t flow. For a while we took some time out from blogging and are trying to get back into it with refreshed mine and ideas but it’s still hard to do consistently. And we both do understand the heat. Right now we’d take some from you with pleasure but in a few months we’ll be sweltering with high temps and humidity and that will make it even more difficult to get anything done. Enjoy your Sunday and know that both of us look forward to anything you post 😉
Thanks so much… I think the 5 am temps are so high one doesn’t want to escape out to the bush… but March is coming and Feb can go, known as the highest temp month of the year here…
You read everywhere that you should post xx times a week, and comment on every blog that comments on yours etc. A lot of obligations which takes the fun out of blogging. But isn’t blogging initially about liberty? About expressing yourself when you want and how you want? Somehow we get lost along the way 😦
You are right, but then the comments and return answers are half of the fun, communicating with like minded people is much better than some of the banter on FB
I must say I’m in a bit of a trough myself. Because I have laryngitis and it’s so blinking cold that my asthma is a problem, I haven’t been out with the camera for a while and I’m feeling thoroughly uninspired! Love your dog photos, is it a shar pei? very cute!
Yep a sharpei it is… my SiLs… loved the dog but getting tired of the heat
Hi Bulldog, I’m not sure if I know where you are but I understand the heat – my hometown gets crazy hot but I live in Sydney now where the climate is slightly milder. I think we all probably go through phases with our blogging, as with anything else in life. I also rarely get time to read all the blogs that I follow but I still try to post regularly, and yes you’re right, sometimes it can be a chore. I hope you come back to enjoying it soon.
Thanks for the comment Georgia… live in Kathu in the Kalahari in South Africa where Feb is a killer month..
I’m sure I won’t beleaving… too addicted to the friendship ring of followers…. just a hot day at 5 am that has me thinking strange things again
Same here, Rob. Sometimes life just gets in the way of blogging … and also reading some of my favorite bloggers like yourself. As for the heat, right now I’ll take some of your sunshine to offset our cloudy, rainy days here in Oregon. As for that heat you describe, no thanks! Left that behind in the desert southwest and don’t plan to take any of it back 🙂 Sorry, Chum. I do love the photos of the shar-pei. Is it yours?
No, it is my SiL’s… but I have to admit I could have easily taken it home…
You having lived in the desert know what I mean, you get that one killer month that takes it all out of you, although I think age could also have something to do with it….
It’s pretty normal to go into a blog slump, some people just stop, others carry on through and find their enthusiasm again. If it starts to feel like a complete chore, then what’s the point of doing it? I hope you carry on through and regain your enthusiasm though! 🙂
I’m sure I will, just need to get back into my routine, but in this heat things change quickly, you feel you are sprinting from one shady spot to the next… Feb is the hotest month here where we are, even breathing seem arduous… I’m addicted to blogging so the chance of me stopping are very little… just sitting here at 5 am with the aircon blowing away trying to counter the heat, has one contemplating all sorts of things….
Trade you some heat for some wind and rain.
Okay, but not for too long….
I know what you mean Rob – I don’t blog as often as I use it, find it hard to find the words sometimes. I could say it is because life is just too busy but it is more of a concern for me that my words don’t flow like they use to at the start – hence my hesitation at a book too! I worry that I don’t use my brain enough and the words are now lost, maybe a bit melodramtic but a concern never-the-less. I love to read/see your blogs – even your rantings lol are brilliant. As far as the heat – winter will be upon us soon enough so I never complain about the heat….. much 🙂
I’m with you on the words that struggle to flow… I found that when writing my book… but only wrote when the mind said go for it… however your book hardly needs writing, all you have to do is organise your posts and you have a book…. as for winter coming, I’m loosing faith that it will come back … going to the Kgalagdi at the end of March beginning April, it is hot there so I hope it might just have cooled off a bit…
I’m sure it will have – things usually start to cool down here end of March/April – gives you something to look forward to. Chin up eh 🙂 I have a saying – keep smiling as you never know who is looking……
right there with you! Especially with the hot bits!
I’m sure you know what I mean