Life…blogging…and a new look

You may have noticed that things look a little different around the blog.

I’ve written many posts about my reading and blogging slumps this past year. I took some time off – both from reading and blogging and that helped but even so blogging hasn’t been as fun as it used to be and I have considered quitting quite often.

TMI warning…

While I was already unsure of my future with the blog something else, more personal, was happening in my life. My father had been battling Parkinson’s Disease. He lost that fight last week. As anyone who has cared for an ailing parent knows it’s an all consuming, emotional experience. I’m an only child and my mom passed away when I was 16, so this is a particularly difficult loss for me.

So what does this have to do with blogging?

Blogging is very different from when I started almost 4 years ago. It’s harder to stay at the top of your game and have a normal life outside of blogging, it’s competitive, there are weekly meltdowns and temper tantrums, it’s increasingly difficult to keep up with ALL the books, the formatting is @*&!….you get the idea.

It’s so easy to look at all the downsides these days and say why bother?

Because this past year it was you, my fellow bloggers and followers, that were there for me when I needed it. You sent me flowers, books, candy, home made cookies and emails just to check in on me. You listened to me vent, you shared your experiences with me. Even those of you that had no clue what was going on cheered me up daily with your tweets and blog comments without even knowing it.

And THAT’S what blogging is all about. The connections. The friendships. I haven’t even met most of you in person but you were there for me and I can’t even begin to tell you all how much I appreciate it.

I NEED to blog. I’m not sure what form it will take. As you can tell, I opted to change my look to a basic (but I think cute) design. I may be obsessed with books one week, music, movies or my cat the next. The point is I’m not going to worry about it anymore. I now know why I blog and stats/follower #’s/ the “right” content be damned.

Thanks for listening to me ramble…and for being here. I hope you stick around.

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