The Urge to Give Up

I started my blog November 3, 2009. On March 1, 2010 we graduated to a website. Today, Canada Day, the birth of the Nation, I will consider the urge to give up.

I’ve worked very hard to go from an occasional surfer and ardent googler (for back-up in my arguments and curiosities) to someone who understands a bit of the Web 2.0 malarky. It’s fascinating, uber-cool, has all kinds of rules that can be learned and applied, and opportunity to make a difference in the world.

Statistically, I am already an anomaly. According to Caslon Analytics http://www.caslon.com.au/weblogprofile1.htm estimates are 60 to 80% of blogs are abandoned in the first month. At some point, some statistics were compiled by some one person who tried to get a handle on how often blogs were updated. It seems that 66% of those surveyed had not been updated for 2 months or more. The average number of days a blog is active prior to abandonment? 126. I am in the 230 day range. And hurting.

The goals for the blog and website were clear and quick in the early days. First, blog for 100 days. Check.

Next, I wanted to get a “real” website set up. Wow, was that painful at times, but Check.

Soon, the fun of putting ads on the website was underway. We all know how that recently ended (click here to read about my sociopathetic self.)

It seems the next step is to implement a video series that is kicking around in my mind. It melds what I’m good at with what I would be willing to do from now until I die, with what could potentially be useful to young people (and their parents and teachers.)

When it comes down to it, the reason I keep telling you what I know about kids, is because I care about kids. If you are unhappy, well, you can be unhappy and mostly it isn’t my concern. If you are unhappy, it is quickly the concern of your kids who will become teenagers and their bad attitude born of parental unhappiness will be my concern – either literally when they show up at my school, or figuratively in terms of my care for the world and its youth. This new idea would allow you to “eavesdrop” on my conversations and role plays with teenagers as we explore different ways of responding to their unreasonableness. On camera. From the point of view of the teens, in the hopes that you all will cease to meet unreasonableness with unreasonableness.

So, why the desire to give up? Because I have a full-time job, a love of gardening, and a stack of novels beside my bed. Writing and updating this website takes hours, and I sometimes work on my novel, too. To put together such an ambitious project needs my full commitment because the time will be coming from somewhere. Thing is, I know myself well enough – and maybe it is the same for you, too? – just before I realize I am committed I try to quit.