On Blogging, taking a Break and Being Back…

I don’t do “serious stuff” often, so I’m just going to stick all my random thoughts in one rambling post.

It should actually be two separate posts, but I ain’t got time for that shiz, I need to get back to the silly stuff I’m more accustomed to doing 😉

Guylty wrote a very interesting *ooof* post a while back.

And before you Duh! me because they’re always incredibly fascinating (and so sophisticated yet written so clearly that even a photography dumbo like myself can follow), I was referring to Guylty’s mention of how relieved she was to step away from all the Richarding going on in our little community which was brought on by the end of The Hobbit shooting.

I understand this sentiment completely.

I found the December Hobbit rush to be somewhat unbearable, but it wasn’t the first time I felt this way.

I remember Comic-Con 2012, when I was majorly peeved that my internet connection didn’t allow me to track, analyse and fangirl my heart out with the rest of the RA nuts, but, if I’m honest, a part of me felt an odd sense of relief.

It was almost like the pressure of all the stimuli, the condensation of new RA news created a feeling of saturation, and yet didn’t provide fulfilment because it was impossible to take it all in.

Don’t get me wrong, we all know I’ve made my way through old Armitage stuff with a fine-tooth comb, squeezing every last drop from the already knackered RA footage during the great drought of 2012.

I usually moan about not having enough new Armitage news, but then when it all starts tumbling out, I find myself consciously stepping away.

This onslaught of new RA information always feels weird to me, it’s almost uncomfortable, awkward.

Watching footage in almost real time makes him… somewhat all too real.

I actually felt a sense of relief when I  stepped away from blogging and allowed things to happen far away from me.

My absence at the start of the year could be explained in another way.

My sister is writing her master’s thesis on Trekkies, and yet she can’t force herself to actually watch any Star Trek episodes.

I think when I was writing mine, I couldn’t research fandoms, write about fandoms AND be an active member of a fandom.

All I could do was lurk around tumblr and let spam accumulate on my own blog and comments go unanswered.

The things is, blogging can be hard at times.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s wonderful, creative, fun/funny, but it eats up a lot of time and energy.

Usually, I get a post idea, start fiddling with it and 3 hours later I’m still elaborating on the original concept, going between photoshop and picmonkey, correcting spelling mistakes and sentences that make no sense (happens oh so often, but I doubt you’re surprised).

When there’s little time the pressure is on and there’s a sense of obligation (and I don’t mean that in a negative way) to put something new out there.

Blogging is all about give and take.

Don’t get me wrong, we blog to satisfy a personal need, but it’s wonderful to have your voice heard, for someone to respond, even if it’s a quick word in comments or a Like.

That’s why you will have noticed that bloggers are also the ones going around leaving comments on other blogs.

We try and encourage readers to give feedback, and believe me, there’s nothing better than someone engaging in what you have written.

I truly feel blessed (and that coming from an agnostic is saying a lot) that readers visit here, then come back to check out what else I’ve posted, but they also stick around to chitchat a bit.

Some blogs don’t get as much traffic, so sometimes there’s no trace of anyone ever actually reading posts, and that gives Agzy the sads 😦

I know that we as readers can’t be everywhere (and I do tend to favour wordpress blogs because it’s easier to follow them, while I shamelessly neglect others), but that’s why Servetus’ Legenda is so extraordinary.

It gives us a chance to check out what else wonderful RA Admirers have come up with and I bet you miss a lot in any given week.

As a blogger I’ll tell you it’s wonderful to have your stuff forwarded (this moved me , thank you dido12, whoever you are!), to be retweeted, reposted, re-whatever else you can do in this day and age!

Your comments, dear reader, are very much appreciated by every blogger and in a way they validate the hours you spent attaching silly moustaches on Richard (that may have just been me…).

So, next time you visit a blog, please make sure you leave a trace, a thought, a comment.

Show bloggers that their posts are important, relevant, that they are a valued voice!

Give them a moment of your time by engaging in their writing, especially seeing that they’ve spent plenty of theirs creating their posts.

And a HUGE Thank You! to all the readers who are generous with insightful, witty, sometimes silly comments.

You make the blogging experience so much richer!

From bloggers everywhere, Thank You!