Man, it’s a morgue around here!
Where have all the WordPress hoodies gone?!
The falloffs of late are pronounced. Even once regular or fairly regular bloggers have disappeared. Poof. Just gone away like so many dandelion puffs.
Take this morning for instance. Used to be I’d wake up to maybe 25 posts. Today it was six — and two of those are infrequent WP bloggers popping heads up like the groundhog.
I know what you’re gonna say. It’s summer.
That’s not it.
It’s natural attrition. It’s confirmation of a long observation: The average lifespan of a personal blog is about three years.
Dead blogs make Jack a dulled reader.
So time again to sweep the ashes out of the subscription list.
I don’t particularly relish it but it’s necessary. Not only is it depressing to be greeted each day by a long list of silent absent hoodies but like unworn shoes and shirts in the closet, that which is not active or used is best sent onward to keep space clean and uncluttered.
In other words, the only deadwood I like is on the beach.
Curious how many of you — (if there’s a you reading this and if so, congrats and thanks for stickin’ around) — have noticed the deathly scent and dropoffs …
+++
In unrelated news, yesterday in a cafe I overheard two women, one in the rentals business, talking apparently about a project and it went something like this:
Woman A: So I’ll get that material to you. And I’d really appreciate it if you’d look it over and edit it. I’m a terrible writer. I’ve got all sorts of grammar books on my desk but I just can’t … I’m so bad.
Woman B: Sure. I used to be a teacher …
And I’m thinkin’ hallelujah!!! Someone admitting s/he can’t write or edit worth shit! A refreshing change!
(Und ja, it took great restraint not to stand, go over and offer my services.)
Barefoot Blogger 
Jul 13, 2011 @ 18:01:13
That seems to be the cycle.
I’m distracted by social media: Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Soundcloud, etc. I find it increasingly difficult to form a complete thought, much less post on my blog. Heck, I rarely get beyond one or two words when I write comments, so this is a real treat – ha ha!
I’m more annoyed with Freshly Pressed than my Subscriptions. FP now reminds me of what became of QOTD back in the ol’ stomping grounds. The selections just don’t do it for me most days. Subs are O.K., because it’s what I want. And I try to keep an eye out for potentials to add to Subscriptions.
As far as my blog is concerned, there is much more I want to do with it; I’m just struggling with paying attention. 😛
Jul 14, 2011 @ 10:03:57
@DJ – It’s a waste of your personality and finer traits that you’re not blogging if you ask me. 🙂 Or put another way, social media’s gain is our loss. 🙂 Oddly, I’ve not gotten into FP. Perhaps I should. It’s one way to discover fresh talent and blood and add subscriptions (as well to venture from the Vox group).
Jul 13, 2011 @ 19:16:27
I’m hoping to get back into a regular blogging schedule soon. First my hubby was in the hospital for a month, then we have been in TX for two weeks. But we a supposed to be going home on Friday. Yeah!
Jul 14, 2011 @ 10:04:36
@CbD – Best to your husband!
Jul 13, 2011 @ 23:11:01
I suspect a growing interest in people wanting to be followed but not wanting to follow others! Twitter and facebook are great for getting attention with little effort and no attention spans. Summer does see a drop off, and when people are happy they appear not to blog as frequently as when they are miserable – so everyone must be happy. I now cull and if no activity for 2 months I delete. I also read that blogs are more popular with boomers!
Jul 14, 2011 @ 10:09:44
@FD – Certainly social media plays a significant role in the blogging drop off; to what extent the WP drop-ffs can be attributed to Twitter etc. etc. can’t be known. Sure, there’s usually some slight absences noticeable through summer but I tell you, this is different. There won’t be a mass influx/return when summer’s over. Mark my words. Yeah, two months’ inactivity generally indicates they aren’t coming back. Push the cull button. 🙂
Jul 16, 2011 @ 09:00:05
Right now it seems that many people ar eover at Google+, trying to figure it out. So taht is the new and shiny thing distracting some – for others it is the sun that has finally made its way out from the clouds! But yes, I need moar neighbours 🙂
Jul 16, 2011 @ 11:16:59
@fatcat – Clearly the trend toward immediacy and social media/interaction continues exploding. Blogging … reading … writing … witnessing the lives of others through the written word without instantaneous response seem to be a dying activity and pleasure. Sad.
Jul 17, 2011 @ 02:53:08
People are very busy, and to take the time to sit down and compose a post for no other reason than because I feel it float around inside my head feels like such an indulgence when there are a thousand IRL things screaming for my attention…If I do take the time, and then receive no response to what I produced (thankfully I have the niceste peeps in the whole wide world in the ‘hood, so this isn’t so much an issue for me), it feels like I might as well coul have kept it inside my head. At least that is how it is for me – I’m sure others find pleasure in writing for writings sake.