Winding down the blog a little
Posted: March 20, 2011 | Author: Doug 陀愚 | Filed under: General | 9 Comments »Hi all,
As a general announcement, I have made a decision to reduce the blog schedule. 2011 in general has been very busy for me, with increasing commitments that I need to devote my time to, and this has made it very hard to sustain, even when only doing 3 posts a week. I don’t blog out of a sense of obligation, I sincerely enjoy doing it, but I also have to be more realistic with myself.
I like to think of the analogy of a box. I can put whatever I want in that box, but of course I the box can only hold so much. So I have to decide which items I want to put in, and right now the “box” in my life is too full, and I have to take a few things out. Many things in the box are required, and some are things I want to pursue further, like Japanese and Buddhist studies (which I will continue to talk about here). I spent too much time blogging sometimes and not enough time actually studying, and just relaxing, so I need to empty the box a little bit.
I decided of course not to stop the blog, but just reduce it until I get a sustainable schedule. I realized that 3 times was still too much, so I need to reduce further. I still have lots of little things I like to post from time to time, but the backlog has been growing of things I want to blog about and simply haven’t been able to write down. So I need to slow down and let things catch up.
So, starting this week, I’ll be posting Mondays and Thursdays. I like the steady schedule, and I want to keep an even pace, so this works. If I can, I will post more, but my commitment to readers is 2 days a week at least. 
I realized too, after reading an inspiring post by DJ Buddha, that having a popular blog isn’t as great as one might think. My readership has almost doubled in recent weeks, but what I really enjoy is a nice, gentle blog with a few readers and friends. People I can talk with as friends, and share information, and get to know. I’ve been very lucky to meet people in person, but also I have had many good chats with people online too, and I wouldn’t give that up. I also enjoy meeting new people from time to time. So the blog isn’t going away, just slowing down a little to a sustainable rate.
Thanks all for your understanding,
Doug (a.k.a. “the management”)
Hello, this blog is about my life as a father, Buddhist and Japanophile. Any useful information I can pass along will hopefully make the 
Hello.
No need to push.
You had better put your work ahead of blog.
I’m encouraged by you to write my blog.
Anyway I’m looking forward to reading your blog always.
Blog when you can! We’ll be here waiting!
Sounds good. A slower pace might let me catch up on my backlog of your posts to read through. You always post items of good substance so they’re worth waiting for. Good luck with the new schedule, hope it fits well with your life.
Hi guys,
Cocomino: Thanks very much for your kind words.
Tiger Tsuki: Thank you as always.
Kendall: You’re not the only reader I know who has trouble following along, so that was another motivation to slowing the pace a little but still maintaining a consistent schedule.
I understand. Same issue with me. My blog posts over the last several months have been relatively few and far between. Hard to find time.
Yeah, I know the feeling. I want to avoid a situation where the blog comes in fits and starts, so I struggled to find a pace that I could sustain consistently.
(waves) Hi Doug! Do what you need to do, of course. It would be nice to get together for lunch again sometime. I think it will have been about a year since the last one. But no pressure!
Hi there,
Yeah, I don’t work in the old building anymore, but if you’re up in my neighborhood, we should definitely meet up.
You still have my email address right?
Yeah!