JOLLYBLOGGER

One more on the long goodbye

I knew this would happen - I would write a farewell post, and a bunch of you would send some nice notes which make we wish I wasn't quitting blogging.  Well, I've no intention of doing a poor man's blogging imitation of Brett Favre and retire only to keep unretiring. 

Actually, as I said in my last post, I didn't say I would never blog again.  I still have times where something is on my mind and I have a burning urge to blog it, but usually that passes.  There was a time I was like the guy in that cartoon who is sitting at a computer and his wife calls him to come to bed from another room and he says "Just a minute honey, someone is wrong somewhere on the internet."  So, of course he has to stay up to set all of those kinds of folks straight.  I no longer have that urge, but I still may want to put something up.

If it happens it will be over at the new places - jollyblooger.wordpress.com.  I do plan to put up at least one post dealing that cryptic little comment in my last post about some of my qualms of consciense when it comes to blogging.  Nothing will be earth shaking but it may help me get some things off my chest.  And who knows, if I can deal with my conscience and these matters of seeking a name for myself, I may bind the wherewithal within to feel compelled to blog a bit.

Still, I just wanted to put up one last post here as my account settings say that payment is due tomorrow and I won't be paying up.  I think Typepad may take this whole thing and reduce it to one of their micro blogs, which is a free blog.  If that is the case I'll check back in a few days and make sure the template looks ok and then I'll just let it sit there as long as typepad lets its sit.  At the risk of flatteriing myself, all my old posts should still be there on the micro blog so if someone remembered something I said way back when that was helpful, it might be there.

But mainly I just wanted to say thanks one more time.  When I wrote that last post announcing I was shutting down several of you sent very nice comments here and on the wordpress blog.  Words fail me in expressing thanks for the overwhelming kindnesses I have received from you, the readers.  I do hope to maintain some level of contact with you on the new blog, but regardless, please know of my deep abiding appreciation for your many kindnesses and prayers.

Happy New Year, Time to Shut 'er Down

Hi everyone, Happy New Year.  

I hope you all have a terrific new year, just wanted to let you know the time has come to shut down the blog, at least here in it's Typepad manifestation.  I was one of those folks who got on the blogging wave back when it was the cool thing but over the last few years just haven't had the fire to blog much. 

Also, I'm on Typepad and actually pay money for the hosting so there's just no real reason to keep this up. BTW - let me just say that Typepad is a terrific service and I highly recommend it to anyone who really takes blogging seriously or maybe needs a great blog for an organization or wants to make money.  But, since I'm no longer in any of those categories there's no real reason to keep paying

However, I do have a blog over on wordpress.  I think I must have reserved that back in the day when I was trying to be the uberblogger and trying to make sure I had the lock on the Jollyblogger name.  I had forgotten about that till recently but check it out I did and still have an account there at jollyblogger.wordpress.com.  If I get going again I'll get going there. 

I don't really have any great burning urge to keep blogging but neither am I against it.  From time to time I do think I ought to keep up or re-start some kind of something to leave some wisdom for my kids, on the outside chance that someday they'll want to know what they're old man thought about things.  Also, I do sometimes think I may want to keep writing to encourage fellow cancer sufferers.  So, I may keep something going over there at the wordpress blog. 

I actually have had some pangs of conscience about my blogging practices.  I know to say it this way sounds overly-introspective, probably quite neurotic, and maybe even a like a grab for sympathy through gratuitous public self-loathing (ok, I had to try to throw a few big words at you, just in case I don't get back to blogging).  Truly through, one of the problems with being sick all the time is that you have lots of time to lay in bed and be introspective, which is not a good thing.  Nevertheless, during those times I've had several Genesis 41:9 moments about many things and blogging is one of them.  In an effort to clear my conscience, or maybe just an attempt at self-induced catharsis I may go ahead and do a post on that at the new place.  For now let's just say that blogging offers a great, if illusory, vehicle for engaging in self-promotion,  something to which I am particularly prone. 

Still, though I sometimes wonder about the value of things I have blogged and deeply regret much of the time I have wasted online I am particularly grateful to so many of you who have read this and have encouraged me over the last few years.  It probably goes without saying but I was devastated when I found out I had cancer two years ago.  My family and church family was the greatest help in those days, but all of you who expressed encouragement and concern online were a great help, especially knowing that so many of you were praying for me.  In fact, all of the comments here and on FB, along with many e-mails, were a huge boost for my family, you encouraged them as they tried to encourage me.  

So, for the innumerable kindnesses I have received from all of you I am eternally grateful, and for those kindnesses I am very happy for this season of blogging.  I will say that my health is stable right now, so I have nothing new to report - and that is good news.  I will continue to post health updates on Facebook and probably at the wordpress blog.  And like I said, who knows - I may get the desire to blog again over there and I hope that if I do some of you will follow me there - jollyblogger.wordpress.com

God bless and thanks for the memories.