22 July 2005

Buick City Complex

"They’re tearing the Buick City Complex down,
I think we’re the only people left in town.
Where you gonna move, where you gonna move?
Do you wanna mess around?"
Old 97s

(Short Version: Our livelihood is being demolished and we don’t care where we live. There's nothing left to do but fuck)

No, this is not a notice to quit! The inspiration for my blog name came from the song of the same name by the Old 97s. Inspiration for the song came from the demolition of a GM automobile plant.


A new blog emerges for a variety of personal reasons. A testing ground for literary skills, a confessional to unburden a heavy heart, a soapbox or a journal. A list of regular commentators establishes itself and links are forged. A community of like-minded souls evolves with friendships that would shame the real world.

But the natives are restless, maybe it’s the heat. Bloggers are feeling the humidity and it’s tough to breathe. Notices to quit are going up with alarming frequency. Buick City Complex is seven months old, yet already I have seen several authors with unquestionable credentials fall by the wayside. Understandable perhaps when you consider the punishing schedule followed by many:

Prepare a seven hundred and fifty word piece that will entertain, amaze and delight readers
Respond to comments left on your previous piece
Click through a blogroll of twenty or more
Leave insightful, witty and thought-provoking comments on each new post
Take digital photos, sort and store them for future blog use
Monitor your site traffic
Do all this several times a week
Find time for the real world, family and friends


I know why the seams are creaking everywhere you turn. The effort required to crank out readable material is immense. You daily posters have my complete respect, how you manage it I can hardly guess. To those struggling I say, “don’t give up, cut down!” I always read even if I don’t comment. Now you know why my posts have reduced to once or twice a week thank you for bearing with me.

This thought surfaced earlier in the week – ‘the life expectancy of a blog may be short. Some fizzle out when their purpose is served. Others continue to burn brightly. Whatever the lifespan, friendships can be made which may last a lifetime.’

22 comments:

JJ said...

Very well said.

Perfect Virgo said...

Thank you JJ.

{illyria} said...

that pretty much summed up every joy and doubt i have had about blogging. with all the wonderful writers out there, sometimes it really is difficult to churn up new material when all you want to do is read read read. but i agree that the friendships are the most precious i've gotten through this medium. nice to know you, pv.

Jen said...

The friendships are indeed the best part. I remember when I was a daily poster, putting so much energy into my blog when I had so little to do during the day. I kind of miss it. But I guess, like you said, everything serves its purpose.

Perfect Virgo said...

Transience - nice to know you too. When you set yourself high standards the only way to satisfy them is to cut back and put out fewer pieces but perhaps more concentrated. The effort still retains regular visitors because as you say, it's about friendship.

Jen - if it helped you through a tough time then it worked. No one can keep that pace forever, ultimately the merrrygoround flings you off. It always comes back to friendships doeasn't it.

JJ said...

Your blog is your own personal journey not journal. Write when you feel like writing. Post when you feel like posting. Again, it was very well said, so well said that I came back again to read it another time.
Peace from across that huge body of water,
JJ

Perfect Virgo said...

JJ - readers who read twice are worth their weight in gold. I just realised that oceans can connect as well as divide.

Anonymous said...

For the past 11 months, it has been the glue that has held me together. The ability to have somewhere to come and bare my deepest darkest feelings. Somewhere where yes maybe some are critical, but then its not for them..never has been, only been for me.

The friendships that I have picked up along the way are a gift. Yours especially. You teach me to say things in ways that only like minded will understand and sometimes I know that only you do.

This glue though works in two ways, becasue I must hold onto it for it to hold onto me. I guess thats the will right?

Til my dying days I hope to continue to come here and leave my mark, a piece of my heart, a part of my soul and God willing one day I get to say goodbye before I go...love ya

Perfect Virgo said...

Finnegan - so you mean we're ahead of the game for once! I heard somewhere that there are as few as 12 million indexed blogs worldwide. Maybe more like 50 million including unindexed - but that's only a claim. If it is the lower figure then we represent a mere 0.184% of the global poulation.

Hit that "next blog" button a few times and you stumble across one abandoned project after another. So even the indexed ones aren't active... Three cheers for minorities!

Doughgirl - I might have guessed you'd say something nice after a spell away. Your visits here are an extremely important part of this blog. Yes, the glue is a good metaphor. Keep showing the will to write and read and comment and I will understand.

Sprinkled throughout these pages are life and love in my words and yours - pieces of heart and pieces of soul. Sharing common experiences binds us together on this journey. What a powerful last sentence, but there will be no saying goodbye for many decades yet... Love ya too.

Patry Francis said...

Sometimes I've seriously wondered if blogging was a form of addiction. At the height of my obsession, I fell asleep thinking about it, and the first thing I did in the morning (even before making coffee!) was go to my computer and log on.

In a lot of ways, it's so much more satisfying than "real writing." There's the instant gratification, the fun with graphics, the feedback and exchange of ideas, and of course, the friendship. But I think you are right. It is probably much healthier--and in the end blog-sustaining to limit yourself to one or two posts a week.

Grace said...

This subject is one I have given much thought to as you know. My posting frequency has dropped to sometimes weeks apart. I always find positive comments when I return and am very grateful that our online community still checks in on me!

Mere Existence said...

We all feel the effects when one quits... when the community loses a member, the hole remains.

Perfect Virgo said...

Grace - I do indeed know. That's the great thing about our little community here, we check in on each other. Days or weeks don't matter as long as you are ok my friend.

Mere Existence - we all know of several Rand. It's like a yawning chasm when they go. Their blogs are still up but lifeless as if no one has the decency to do the clearance. Or maybe they are like shrines maintained in hope of a miraculous return...

V said...

It's a tough job sometimes, but it doesn't have to be. Sometimes a line or two or posting about what songs you're listening to is just as valid. People still respond and connect.

RuKsaK said...

I think about quitting almost daily and also think about posting all the time. Without my commenters I would have probably given up by now - the feedback and help I've had with my writing from my readers has been wonderful.

Perfect Virgo said...

Dionysius - I can only guess at the meanings of some of those words. Blogs are powerful forums even in the highly personal way our little group uses them. I take your point about them becoming even more significant in terms of giving the people a loud voice and thereby applying pressure to authority.

Mention the word 'blog' in public and you get mystified looks so I take that as reassurance that we guys are blazing the trail.

V - size is no guarantee of quality, how right you are! Somehow though I get wrapped up in the notion that a slender post barely does justice to its subject.

I should test the theory that 'less is more.'

Ruk - you said it well there, help and encouragement abounds here. Where else would you get immediate responses from folk who really know what you're going through?

Grace said...

Thanks for the redecoration comment, did you notice the new 'tag board' in the left menu?

Perfect Virgo said...

I did indeed Grace, communication seems to come in so many different forms these days!

Trudging said...

Great writing, thank you.

Perfect Virgo said...

Trudging - rather sums us all up I think/hope.

Perfect Virgo said...

Flea - better late than never my friend! Oh yes, without those comments where would we be? The feedback is so important in letting us know what we are doing right and where we might be slipping up. A small fan-base is quite big enough for me too. There are insufficient hours to cater for many more!

The big bonus is of course theamazing friendships we strike up with people from all over the world. I am proud to count you as a friend, Flea.

Perfect Virgo said...

Flea - there's mileage left in Jack. I have notes for his 3 other murders, a speculative glimpse of a 'between-murders' phase and some hypothetical thinking as a conclusion. Watch this space!