Sunday 27 February 2011

On Not Blogging

It's been a fortnight since I last sat down in front of my computer and wrote something for this here blog. And, if I'm honest, I don't know when my next foray into topical commentary is going to be. For three and a bit years I have blogged continuously. On days I didn't write a post I was invariably thinking about doing one. Throughout that time it was as if an opinionated coal was burning in the centre of my brain, and that coal was the fuel for hundreds of posts about nearly every topic under the sun. And now, I'm afraid to say, I think it's gone out.

Instead of feeling a desire to mouth off I just want to spend some of my free time reading books and following what other bloggers have to say. In other words, I have rediscovered the pleasures of not blogging. So, I think it's time for an extended break similar to the one I had in 2007. I could finally get round to using my time for papers I've been meaning to write but failing to deliver for a long time. I might also start penning that novel.

But I can't see myself staying away forever. Accusations of selling out, of orientating to 'useless layers', of being a stooge for the Labour Party's regional office, all this exercises a pull no one could resist indefinitely. So I'm going to retire to my sofa with a cuppa and a selection of other bourgeois comforts for a wee while knowing I'll be back for another stint.

See you in the next blog post, whenever that will be.

12 comments:

Boffy said...

Phil,

I can understand your sentiments, eswpecially given some of the idiots and trolls that frequent the blogosphere - though its sometimes dificult to differentiate them from some of the more moronic elements of what passses for the Far Left today.

However, fo a number of years I was involved in a Writers Circle, and I've been interested in writing and literature for a long time. Hence writing my own novel, and series of short stories. For a time, I considered looking for work as a writer for journals on a freelance basis. One of the things that is a fundamental tenet is the idea "A Writer writes".

In other words, you often think you have nothing to say, but its important to write something anyway. I know with some of the editors of Newsletters I receive, they even reproduce stuff they wrote several years ago, and simply update it, and so on.

Given everything that is going on, we need to ensure that those intelligent sources of information, and discussion we have continue.

Gary Elsby said...

You appear to take it personally Phil.
All the voter ID is being gathered in
'George Street
Sandwell'

It will be used for a push on Elected Mayors throughout the West Midlands (as ordered by NEC to all RD's).

Are you to blame personally?
No.

Is it happening?
Yes.

Are CLPs around the West Midlands being paid an incentive to gather this information?
Yes.

The more information they gather, the more money they receive?
Yes.

Are you to blame PHil BC?
NO.

Did Stalin put an Ice Axe into Trotsky's head?
No.

Imposs1904 said...

Interesting to read that you have thoughts about writing a novel.

Would it be impolite to ask what it would be about?

Daniel Hoffmann-Gill said...

When it stops being fun take a break.

Anyway, slow blogging is the new blogging everyday.

Peace.

Phil said...

Boffy and Gary, you read me wrong. I don't take any of it at all personally. I just need a rest, that's all.

And Darren, I don't want to give much away, except it will aim to be a literary novel with a sci-fi(ish) backdrop set in ... Stoke-on-Trent. Sounds naffer than Richard and Judy's book club, but I hope it'll turn out anything but.

Chris said...

Sad, this was my favourite site!

If your novel turns out to be anywhere near as good as Boffy's Revolution then I would try juggling instead. Though strangely I want to know who Anatole is introducing to Michael!

Gary Elsby said...

I'm writing a book also.
It's called: 'Boffy frees Fegg Hayes'.
It's about a madman who thinks Fegg Hayes wants liberating from the Capitalist State and wants to use their Oil fields to build a people's republic.

Unfortunately, Boffy got himself shot in the first paragraph and so if anyone has any ideas for the other 35 chapters (Vol 1), then please feel free to advise.

Phil said...

Considering your total output in this blog's comments, Gary, the above must rank as one of your sanest, most sensible contributions.

Ever thought about setting up your own blog?

ModernityBlog said...

Take it easy, Phil.

Gary Elsby said...

To be honest Phil, I haven't a clue what i'd write about.
Nobody believes me that I was abducted by an alien light-speed spacecruiser and had experiments performed on me, so I'd probably end up writing further meaningless mumbo jumbo such as
'How many Lords are funding Stoke Central?'
I count six.
Maybe I should, maybe I shouldn't.
Maybe after May when the filth settles.
It saddens me to witness dedicated socialists, maybe not in the Boffy school of thought,fighting themselves into the ground, but that's how it is.

Matt Wardman said...

Extended breaks have their uses :-). Enjoy the change.

Mine wasn't intended but just happened.

Matt Wardman

PURLPOWER said...

I think most bloggers have spells like this. Glad you posted to say what you're doing though...hate it when people you've been reading for months or years just disappear and you don't know what happened to them! Good luck with all your other writing.