Friday, May 14, 2010

Entr'acte?

I had no ethical qualms about blogging about my daughter when she was little. My parenting of her was intertwined with the stories and songs I learned. As she grows older, I am drawing back from writing about things that are potentially intrusive to her privacy.

I used to write under a nom de plume. It wasn't that I had anything in particular to hide, but there was some grace in being able to write and have friendships without worries that my real name was out there for people to see. At one point, I caved in to what I perceived to be pressure not to be anonymous, and added my name to the blog. Something changed after that. I felt more exposed and less willing to take chances with writing. I have tried not to "overshare" on the internet, but still, I'm uncomfortable. I've given up too much of my privacy.

That may be a good deal of why this has been a reticent blog for the last while. I've not wanted to let the online friendships slip away, and blogs help keep conversations going. I care about books, music, science, and textiles, but the drive to write about them doesn't manifest itself in blog form anymore.

This is not the end of the blog, nor is it my last blog post, but it's only fair to acknowledge that the regular writing is done, at least for this time. I will update on occasion. I don't want to lose touch with you.

Update: If you would like to read occasional updates from me, please send an email to: saintsandspinners [at] gmail [dot] com.

9 comments:

Melangell said...

Yikes. I have counted on this blog for a number of things. I understand, I think, your drawing back. But I love your sensibilities and drawing my attention to delights that I would never come across on my own. Like "The Power of Ten" in a recent post. And I have enjoyed the comments of your blog friends. Not to mention Lucia's puppet plays. I will ponder what I would like to see continuing and let you know.

Lone Star Ma said...

I will miss reading your writing regularly something awful, but I understand. Stay in touch!!

GraceAnne LadyHawk said...

Life online is complicated, and life online becomes ever more so.
I will follow you on Etsy, too, and I will miss you here, but if you can find a way to stay in touch, please do so.
Are you on child_lit? Or does that not do what you need?
Sending gentle hugs and very fond wishes.

Saints and Spinners said...

Melangell, LoneStarMa, GraceAnne, and others who have sent me private email: I am thinking about sending out an occasional email that provides updates and musings. If you would like to receive such emails, please write to me at the "saintsandspinners" email address (noted as an update in the blog post). I will keep your email addresses private, as I would send the letter as a blind carbon copy to everyone.

I will still update on the blog here, and it may well be that all I need to do to start writing again is to give myself leave not to do it. It often works out that way, which is odd.

Warm wishes and blessings to all of you!

Charlotte said...

I hope your blog breather gives you space to flourish in other ways!

Saints and Spinners said...

Thank you, Charlotte! I appreciate it.

Yorkshire Pudding said...

I seem to have been dropping by your blog for ages Farida. I always liked it best when you moved away from your professional interest in storytelling to reveal tales and thoughts about your life, your garden, your city. Now I see that surrendering your anonymity ironically made you more circumspect and more likely to stick to the professional zone. And whatever happened to Brad the Gorilla? Did you just make him up and take on his persona? Surely he wasn't real... was he?

Saints and Spinners said...

YP: It's funny, but there are still people who think that my brother was the one who wrote the Brad the Gorilla blog. Brad came to him when he was 12, and took on a life of his own. When blogging first started to pick up, I said, "You've got to give Brad his own blog!" He didn't, and so [here the Wizard steps from behind the curtain] I started it. Brad was a great alter ego. Brad was rude, boorish and insulting, and yet somehow managed never to utter a contemporary curse word despite all of his bluster. As Saints and Spinners took more of my focus, it became much too exhausting to maintain two different voices.

Brad the Gorilla said...

Mr Pudding: Pay no attention to that lady who claims she wrote my blog! It was I, the Great and Terrible Brad, who wrote it. I am as real as you, sir, and probably hairier besides!