The past couple of weeks, I kind of disappeared from the online community. Work and real-life were both getting to me. But, in addition to that, I was feeling overwhelmed by the online community.
There are no amount of words that can possibly express how much I love the D-OC. You guys have been there for me when no one else could be. You are supportive, wonderful, and you keep me sane. I thank God every day that He has placed such wonderful people in my (digital) reach.
When I first found the online community around 4 years ago (through Kerri!) there weren't many bloggers. Well, I suppose there were quite a few. Several hundred on Kerri's blogroll (if I remember correctly) at the time. But active bloggers were few and far between.
When I started blogging, I found other bloggers. Sure, I never read every blog. I don't claim to have visited every blog in the D-OC at that time. But I'd been to a lot of them.
I felt like I had a large, extended family. Some you didn't talk to as much, but you knew most of them, and you cared about them.
But slowly, over the past 4 years, more and more people have been making their way into our "family". I am so glad that they are, don't take me the wrong way. But I feel like my "family tree" has gotten so large that I don't know anyone anymore. Between Facebook, Twitter, and regular blogging, I am overwhelmed. And it's been an ungodly amount of time since I even visited TuDiabetes (sorry, Manny!).
Last week I was really overwhelmed by it all and I just quit. I quit reading blogs. I quit checking Twitter. I didn't blog. But, I'm back on now. I just needed some time to regroup. And to remind myself that I always have room for new friends, and that I can always keep the old friends close.
My question is, do any of you (especially those of you who've been around for a while) ever feel overwhelmed by all the people that are coming into the community? And do you feel guilty for not keeping up with all the new people and new blogs?
10 comments:
All. The. Time.
I do what I can, but unless I keep seeing the same new name everywhere (Twitter, FB, other blogs), I'm unlikely to follow the blog intently. Or if I connect on Twitter first, there's a good way to start reading.
And we all need a digital break - each and every one of us, diabetes or not. :)
I'm a new blogger, I started last year in June. I have had a hard time getting to know people because I'm one of sooo many. I go around enjoying about 20 blogs a day and posting comments but, I still get no comments from others. It feels lonely sometimes but, I remember it is probably due to the fact that there are so many blogs to read. It is overwhelming though. I hope you'll continue to blog I enjoy what you have to say!
Absolutely - I'm often overwhelmed by how big this community has gotten. I feel guilty for missing so many great blogs, but there just aren't enough hours in the day.
Yes. I feel the same way. It's difficult to keep up. We can only do so much for each other. We can't please everyone. We can't be everywhere.
If you need a break, take it. When you come back, do at Your pace and schedule.
There are No rules to this. None. We each do what we have to do.
Echo to what everyone else has said. I've been lurking for three years now, and that job has gotten tougher as more have come into the fold - myself included, becoming "active" about a year ago. Try to put one up a few times a week, but it seems to get so overwhelming and you just can't see or comment on them all in the course of a day or week. I like the D-Daily list that gives you the most recent, so I can keep track of what I've been to and what's new. But Crystal says it best: no rules to this. Do what we can.
One word - YUP!
And it's even worse when your comment goes to an error page :(
(not your fault, just happens...)
My response:
One word, YUP!
Cara-
I do all the time. I can't keep up. It makes me upset but we can't do it all. I read a lot of blogs that get twitted but commenting is sucking for me right now. I try to go into Scottie J drive by mode on the weekend but like you said life happens.
I found the cure -- well, for trying to read too many blogs, anyway. My computer crashed and I lost A LOT, including many of the blogs I had saved to favorites. Now I'm adding them back...slowly. But there are times when I go for weeks without reading and feel like I've always missed so much. We are only human and there are only so many hours in the day. Save your guilt for something more worthy ;-)
You put this post up five days ago. It took me five days to find the time and energy to come read it and leave a comment. And that, my dear, answers your question right there. :) Yes, yes, yes, so very overwhelmed!!!!
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