How to get credit for being extremely kind and willing to help yet exert little, if any, effort.

Let’s just say a BIG blogger posts a request on her blog for help. You happen to see it because you read her frequently to learn the true art of blogging. Although you rarely comment at her blog because really, does she even read past the 100th comment anyway?

So here’s what you do. You send her an email, perhaps something like this:

Hi [Big Blogger Lady],
I know how frustrating HTML and PHP can be. If you’re still having problems feel free to email me and if I can ever help you, I’d be more than happy to do so. Of course, you’ll have to come through on your end and prove to really be my best friend. I’ve always wanted a friend. I’ll make us each a beautiful graphic for our sidebars with BFF across the front and then add a coffee cup and some flowers and maybe some hearts, pink and purple hearts, oh, oh I have an idea… we can get matching t-shirts and take pictures of ourselves doing something crazy together like, like… sticking drinking straws up our noses and laughing hysterically. I’ve heard that’s what friends do with each other. Ooooo, I hope you’re as excited as I am!!!

What do you mean you don’t need my help?

Lauren
http://webexdesign.com/blog

Now it’s very important to add your link to the bottom because otherwise Big Blogger Lady will have no idea who you are and well, we can’t have that.

With in a few hours, Big Blogger Lady, frightened by the thought that she is now in contact with a potential stalker, will respond like this:

Bwahahahaha.

Uh, yeah. I think I can live without a BFF graphic.

You are funny,

[big blogger lady]

Please note: there is no request for help.

Yeah, I didn’t think so.

So here’s the thing. I’ve noticed that various bloggers as of late have decided to take a break from blogging. Some have hinted that they may not even come back from their break.

As I read many of these posts, my heart sinks a little. I start thinking that maybe I should have commented more or told them how much I appreciate their writing ability. Day after day I’ve been reading their posts, enjoying their photos and feeling like I am really getting to know them and then all of the sudden BAM, they’re slamming their door in my face. I know they don’t see it that way because, well, they didn’t even know I was on their porch, peaking into their lives.

Then after my initial sadness I do what any woman who NEEDS blogging, which includes other bloggers too obviously, would do – I give myself a little pep talk. You may have heard it in your own head, it goes something like this:

“Oh, don’t worry, she’ll be back. She has to come back, that girl is fully and completely addicted to blogging just like the rest of us. So she’ll be back real soon. She just needs a little break; we all need a break now and then. When blogging becomes a chore then a break is warranted. But she’ll be back, count on it.”

And just when I get myself all calmed down, I decide to go on with life so I check my feedreader for new posts to read. Lo and behold the only new posts are from the bloggers that are on a break. Which obviously proves the addiction I mentioned but could it possibly prove something else?

When the pressure to write is gone, does the joy come back? Do the words begin to flow again? Do some of us bloggers maybe put unnecessary demands on ourselves? To be funny? To be smart? Interesting? Things that most of us probably are a whole lot more of when we’re not trying to be?

Well, that’s my theory anyway.

And because I’m kinda struggling with posting and I can’t really think of anything of interest to blog about lately, I have an idea. I’ve decided that I’m going to take a break for like a year. No two. Or maybe this will be my last post forever. Yeah, that’s it, forever. I’m done for good.

Good-bye.

Okay then, see you tomorrow.