Haven’t been doing the blog for the last few days due to some distractions that have been necessary. Plus, I’ve been at a point where I honestly just didn’t feel as though I had anything meaningful to say at the moment. There are times every now and then when the mind is distracted and slightly unfocused on those things that I normally keep in front of me, leaving me a little out of sorts and with little to say. And I believe, even though I haven’t always practiced what I preach, that if you don’t have anything to say you should just keep quiet. Empty words add nothing to the world.
Besides that, I’ve been doing this for over three years and almost 1100 posts and have resorted to repeating myself. It’s sort of like being married for a long time, as I am, and finding yourself telling and hearing the same stories over and over. Part of you knows that this is the case even as you speak. It can seem maddening at times but there is a comfort level in this and a reassurance that the other person must really love you if they are willing to hear the same old dog-eared tales that have been rolled out a thousand times before.
So, every so often, you try to say something new and different in place of those same old stories. There’s a certain magic in seeing the other person’s eyes when you can see their recognition of the newness of the words, the thoughts. You hope it’s enough to forgive the constant retelling of tales.
And that’s kind of where I am here at the moment. I’m hesitant to tell the same old story to the readers, especially when I’m feeling off-center. So, I try to refocus. I try to ignore distractions and keep my internal priorities close at hand and give them consideration and time. Try to bring myself back to center, where the stories don’t feel quite so stale and where I can find different aspects of them that allow me to tell them without feeling self-conscious.
I don’t know if this makes any sense to anyone. All I know is that I’ve got some homework to do here. We’ll see how it turns out.
Redtree Times 
I’ve found ur posts interesting though I cannot claim to have read every one of them.
Thank you. I appreciate that and realize that this concern over repeating myself here only truly applies to a few folks and myself. So, I will probably back to telling stories and sharing the same thoughts again very soon. Most likely tomorrow. But again, thank you!
I understand perfectly – and you’ve set your bar pretty high, with a daily post. I figured out pretty early on that for my purposes, daily just wouldn’t work. Even twice a week a pushing it – once every six days feels perfect, and I’m trying to work my way back to that.
One other thought – what sounds old and repetitive to you may be fresh and new to your readers. And if you post a little less frequently, there always are the archives!
Besides – there’s a reason the farmers allow the land to lie fallow from time to time.
Gary, I struggle with the same thing as a blogger. I posted 3-4 times a week for three years and had to step back a bit. It became a chore vs. a joy. Stepping back and spending time thinking through new directions, topics, features, etc. has helped. I am getting ready to jump back in. Very impressed with your longevity and commitment – it’s inspiring and I read your posts every day. Your work is such a part of our life. Just this morning I was looking at Night Skimmer while we engaged in an energetic and crazy dance session. The girls are 18 months and Will is about 3.5. We jammed to a new Wilco song – lots of energy, joy and excitement. Good times and the 4-5 pieces we have hanging in the living room bear witness to the chaos. It’s fun.
FWIW, I do think there’s value in regularity; certainly for the reader and probably for the writer as well. So while posting daily may be unrealistic (and, perhaps, even counter-productive), knowing that something will appear, say, each Sunday morning, or on the first of the month, has value.
You know I understand completely. It’s a big reason why I stopped, at least for now, writing A Dark Planet.
I’ve said it before and it bears repeating, you do an excellent job on this blog. You’re interesting because you have a wide range of interests. Your writing is top notch and your humanity shines in every post.
OK, that’s enough. I don’t want you to get big-headed.
Hey, don’t worry about the big head– Cheri always has a very sharp pin on hand for such occasions.