Friday, 18 December 2020

Not dead

I'll start this post by answering a few questions that may or may not be burning in your mind:

No, I'm not dead. 

No, I didn't get COVID. 

No, I haven't quit Twitter (yet).

Yes, I'm fine.

Yes, Mrs. Bastard and the Little Bastards are all fine.

--

As I've said many times, I started this stupid blog for one reason: so I wouldn't forget my stupid stories. I never had any misconceptions that 1) anyone other than my family and I would ever read it 2) I would ever get a book deal, or 3) I would ever have regulars or fans or any kind of a following. As the years have gone on and more and more of you people kept coming back for some strange reason, it morphed into a way for me not only to remember the stories but also to release stress and educate and entertain others. Unfortunately that change made it inevitably and increasingly difficult to write stories in a way that I felt would satisfy not only you but me as well. It also became harder and harder to keep myself and my patients anonymous.

Those are the reasons why I went from a story at least weekly to every other week to perhaps once a month to . . . never. I can't blame my job, since that didn't get any more difficult (until the beginning of 2020, for obvious reasons). I can't blame my family, since 1) my children required less and less of me as they got older (my daughter was a toddler when I first started writing) and 2) they have been nothing but understanding and supportive. And I certainly can't blame COVID, since my slowdown started in 2017. 

The fact is, I don't need to blame anyone, because there isn't anyone or anything on which I need to place blame. As much fun as this whole experience has been and as much as I enjoy seeing the (mostly) positive feedback from my stupid stories and various mythbusting posts, I've run out of steam. I knew this time would come eventually, but I frankly expected it to come many years after this.

However, after nearly 500 posts, over 15,000 comments, and well over 6 million page views, it's finally time for me to hang it up. I've written and deleted this post at least half a dozen times over the past year or two, but this time I'm publishing it. The decision has been difficult since I know many of you will miss the episodic stupidity (especially Kalica and The Regulars), but it's finally been made. The reasons behind it are several (though one predominates), and I'd rather not get into any of them. Just know that there is a main reason, and I'd much prefer that reason not exist. Also know that the main reason has nothing to do with ethics or anything legal.

I may do more mythbusting posts in the future on an as-needed basis, but since those take about 649x longer to write than my stories do (I timed it), the likelihood is rather slim. But I'll say that at least there's a chance.

Thank you all for your attention over the years. Please know that I appreciate all of you, even the trolls.

Ok, not the trolls.

Be well. Cheers.

Not dead

I'll start this post by answering a few questions that may or may not be burning in your mind: No, I'm not dead.  No, I didn't g...