Turning out the light on my little corner of the Internet
Folks, I'm afraid I've had to make the difficult decision to discontinue my Lincoln blog.
The reason is simple: I just don't have the time. In addition to my various projects as an author and scholar, and a full-time teaching load, I'm also a full-time dad and husband with five kids. It is simply impossible for me to keep all my various irons in the fire, and I'm afraid that, if I continue trying to do so, I'll just end up doing a mediocre job at all of them.
The truth is, my blogging has become more sloppy and intermittent in the last few months. I can't blog daily anymore, and I can't keep up with the emails I receive from various visitors to my site. I write in such haste that I can't proofread what I've written. Errors large and small have crept into my work, and I can't accept that.
I've very much enjoyed doing this over the last couple of years. I've met a lot of wonderful people, and had a very enjoyable and stimulating time. I've learned at least as much as I've taught, and I hope I've contributed something of value to the blogosphere.
I wish all of you well. I'll leave the blog up for a few days before erasing it entirely. My email address will remain the same brdirck@hotmail.com) should anyone wish to contact me. I also plan to keep my fitness blog for the time being: far fewer people read it than this blog, but it is a crucial part of my fitness routine, and I can't let that go. Thank you to everyone.
The reason is simple: I just don't have the time. In addition to my various projects as an author and scholar, and a full-time teaching load, I'm also a full-time dad and husband with five kids. It is simply impossible for me to keep all my various irons in the fire, and I'm afraid that, if I continue trying to do so, I'll just end up doing a mediocre job at all of them.
The truth is, my blogging has become more sloppy and intermittent in the last few months. I can't blog daily anymore, and I can't keep up with the emails I receive from various visitors to my site. I write in such haste that I can't proofread what I've written. Errors large and small have crept into my work, and I can't accept that.
I've very much enjoyed doing this over the last couple of years. I've met a lot of wonderful people, and had a very enjoyable and stimulating time. I've learned at least as much as I've taught, and I hope I've contributed something of value to the blogosphere.
I wish all of you well. I'll leave the blog up for a few days before erasing it entirely. My email address will remain the same brdirck@hotmail.com) should anyone wish to contact me. I also plan to keep my fitness blog for the time being: far fewer people read it than this blog, but it is a crucial part of my fitness routine, and I can't let that go. Thank you to everyone.
posted by brdirck at 6:15 PM
27 Comments:
Thanks so much for keeping up this blog for so long, Brian. I've enjoyed reading it immensely, and it's certainly contributed to my knowledge of a man I greatly admire. Thanks for all your work and dedication, and good luck in all that you do.
Why would you erase it?
I've enjoyed your excellent blog for quite awhile, and I'm sad to see it end. Best wishes for more great work in other spheres.
Brian,
Sorry to see you go, but understand the decision. You have the great honor to have been part of my first published article, and you were one of the first blogs to which I linked. While other interests and obligations may have limited the frequency of your posts, you never let them affect the content of those posts, and that's something I admire. Good luck.
Brian,
I hate to see you go, but I certainly understand.
Stay in touch.
Eric
Doc,
Just reading about your life made me tired!! I admire that you tried to juggle so many balls in the air to begin with. Its been a genuine pleasure reading and contributing to your blog. I appreciate the discourse that was discussed and the issues that you and the other readers brought forth. I will miss this very much. I also appreciate the high standard you have set for yourself. Thank you again for bring your thoughts about America's gratest citizen to the web. If I am ever in Fishers or thereabouts I would like to have a drink with you (As William Jennings Bryant said, "I toast the admiral with water because his victories were on water, if he wins any victories on champagne, I will toast him with champagne).
The Father of Waters once again runs unvexed to the sea.
Jim
Brian,
I have enjoyed your blog tremendously, and will miss your insights. Best wishes to you.
Marc
Brian,
I wish I could persuade you that you cannot secede from the blogosphere - once established there is a permanent union between you and your blogublic. Your blog was such a delicious intellectual stew. I will not starve but I am going to lose alot of Lincoln pounds. Thank you (and your family) so much for all your time, energy and obvious gifts.
Brian,
My stovepipe hat is off to you for keeping this going as long as you did considering your other responsibilities. You are to be commended for your contribution to Lincolniana on the WWW. Due to the weather, I missed seeing you in Springfield this year. I am sure that our paths will cross again in Springfield or elsewhere. It has been a real pleasure to read your blog. Best wishes to you in all of your endeavors. I know that we will see more of your excellent scholarship in the future. Thanks so much for being a part of our lives on the blogosphere.
A. Lincoln Blog, R.I.P.
Jim in Alabama
I totally understand about the time crunch thing, but...
Yikes! Please don't erase the blog! Just keep it up in archived form. Others have done this; I hope you will too.
Brian, -- I am also disappointed to see you go, but like other I understand. I want to second Mark Grimsley's request that you keep the blog up. It give potential history bloggers an idea of what can be done with this format. It also provides important commentary on a whole range of issues related to Lincoln. Please think about it.
Kevin at Civil War Memory
Thanks for your blog. Take care.
Brian,
I wish you the best as you step away from blogging. I would like to encourage you to consider leaving your content up and encourage Lincoln scholars to take over your blog and keep it going. I hope that you will rejoin the blogosphere again someday.
Brian,
I completely understand the need to step down from blogging, having done so several times myself. With that said, it absolutely does not hurt anything to leave your blog up as is for future reading.
Brett S.
Brian,
I totally understand your decision - I have been AWOL from Civil Warriors from quite some time now. But your blog is one of the best Civil War-related blogs on the net. PLEASE leave it up in at least archived form - it would be a shame to lose all that excellent content, some of which I have not yet had a chance to read!
Brian,
Sorry as well to see the blog go. I wish you continued succes in your future endeavors.
Take care.
Regards from the Garden State,
Steve Basic
Gosh, first your blog now I hear the Lincoln Museum in Fort Wayne is closing. It seems as if Indiana is abandoning Lincoln
I understand however and wish you the best of everything. If fewer blogs means more books its a good thing.
Warmest Regrads to you and your family.
Thanks for all the great posts Brian. I'll miss your viewpoint. I encourage you to leave an archive rather than dead air, if you can swing it. Best wishes with the other 94 things you do.
This has been a regular stop as I scroll down my Civil War favorites list.
Your reasons for leaving are easily understandable, but please leave the site up in archived form. There's too much good material for it to just go "poof".
I agree with the second comment. Don't take it down. You might have a minute here and there before the Bicentennial itself; and if not, why waste all the work you've put it in? Leave it up. They'll see your last post and enjoy what's here.
Sorry to hear you're retiring from the blogosphere! This is one of my favorite history blogs. I'll echo everyone else - please don't erase it. There's so much great stuff here, and who knows? You may feel inspired to add a new entry every now and again just for fun. As a history blogging neophyte, I sympathize with the hard work that goes into regularly finding content. But there's no reason that discontinuing your regular updates means you have to shut that door forever. What happens six months from now when you find a great piece of Lincoln trivia, or an amazing book, and you have no place to share it with the world? It would be sad.
Hate to see you go, but I fully understand the task of teacher and dad.
Best of luck and hope to see you blogging agian in the future when the time is right for you.
Again, Good Luck
Billy Yank(Corey)
Thanks Brian for a great blog. It will be missed. Good luck in all your endeavors.
I have enjoyed your immensely interesting blog on the most fascinating figures in American history. Let's all hope that someone equally talented picks up the torch!
Another Abe Lincoln blog exists out there. It's at:
http://abrahamlincolnblog.blogspot.com.
According to the author, it's not going anywhere.
I've enjoyed reading your blog.
Being a former IL/Land of Lincoln resident (I now live in MA), I enjoy reading all the interesting info on my favorite President.
And, who says you have to write something everyday on a blog? I write whenever I have the chance or feel like it. I would love to have the time to write everyday but it just doesn't work out. I'm a high school history teacher plus I advise extracurricular groups and work a second job.
That's the great thing about a blog - it's YOURS! So, you can write whenever you feel like it.
Please continue to do the amazing job you do - thanks! :-)
I've always enjoyed this blog.
Just take a rest and look at it again refreshed in a few months time.
It's nice to see that you're standards are so high and breaking them is a no-no.
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