Ordinarily, resignation letters start off saying something to the effect that “it is with a heavy heart”, or, “this has been the most difficult decision I’ve ever had to make”.
Not this one.
After 6,053 posts over the past six years — and that’s not even counting the entries at my other three blogs or at Pajamas Media — I’ve reached a point where I no longer feel the least bit interested in spending my days online.
Truth is, lately I’ve found myself wondering why I felt compelled to blog in the first place. To change minds? Hah. I’m not so naive as to believe that one blog entry, or even a slew of them, has any meaningful influence on someone’s political persuasion. To communicate with others? Well, sure. That was the fun part… until “social media” like Twitter, Facebook, et al., turned interaction into a nonstop slew of mental diarrhea streaming live 24/7.
Looking back, I realize that dissatisfaction with my own life was the greatest impetus behind my blogging. Because, let’s face it, my adventures with Venomous Hubby provide an endless source of snark-filled fodder.
Or so I thought.
In the past two months, as I’ve spent increasingly less time online, I’ve discovered something profound: it’s not that I was dissatisfied with the life I was living, it’s that I was living too much of that life online.
Staying away from the computer on a regular basis has given me the time and mental energy to appreciate my loved ones, to accomplish projects I previously believed I didn’t have time for, and to simply take pleasure in being without feeling the compulsion to share every detail of my existence with the online community. (It’s also helped me shed 17 of the far-too-many-to-admit-in-public pounds that I’ve put on in the past 6 years as my life dwindled to the space between my bed, fridge and laptop.)
So, dear blogosphere, it is actually with a very light and happy heart that I am writing this to tell you of the easiest decision I’ve made in quite some time. I’d wondered how to quit you, and now I know: it’s just a matter of turning off the computer and seeing that the world, indeed, keeps going.
To all of my Venomites, I want to thank you for your loyal readership and witty comments over the years. Were it not for how much I know I’ll miss you, I’d probably have reached this decision quite some time ago. As it is, I appreciate your support and understanding, and please know that I’ll miss you, too.
I may be back. I may not. When I sit here thinking of my future it doesn’t involve blogging. It does, however, involve a whole lot of time unplugged from the online world and tuned in, instead, to my own life.
So, until we meet again:
Vaya con Venom,
VK
Monday, March 30th, 2009, 11:31 am | 
Blog bites, My Venomous Life | 
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March 30, 2009 at 11:33 am
I’m a big fan of sabbaticals. I’ve taken a couple, and come back refreshed and with a different direction.
Just let us know if you get dissatisfied with something else — we’ll be around.
March 30, 2009 at 11:34 am
I’ll miss you, Kate, but I don’t grudge you one single bit of the balance you appear to have gained, since I know that I too spend too much time online. Best of everything.
March 30, 2009 at 11:34 am
Kate–
I understand perfectly. It’s been fun knowing you and reading you — hope to see you around.
March 30, 2009 at 11:35 am
Holy crap! Now what do I do???
Regardless, I’m glad you’ve found your footing in real life and wish you the best of happiness. I’m hoping I can strike a balance between being online and off, especially since I hope to make a living off the Internet, but for some people it just doesn’t work that way.
God bless you and keep you always in His care.
March 30, 2009 at 11:39 am
Awesome! Always great to see someone break the net.chains.
Nobody’s going to be on their death bed wishing they’d spent more time on line.
March 30, 2009 at 12:10 pm
We never should have let her get that damned Wii!
Enjoy the time off. I hope we will see you again at a healthier pace.
March 30, 2009 at 12:10 pm
I’ll miss your special brand of snark, but I hope to still “see” you in other places. Oh, hell, please just drop me the occasional email, willya?
Seriously, take care and you know where to find me should you need to.
xoxo
March 30, 2009 at 12:20 pm
Aw poop. First BSG gets cancelled, and now this. :s
Glad to see you’re getting out, eating the roses. I’ve kind of found a similar realization, which is one of the main reasons I haven’t blogged much lately. That and I have a 9-month old that is highly sneaky.
Stay in touch, will you? I still say you guys need to come out to Oregon and see some trees.
March 30, 2009 at 12:22 pm
Know that you will be missed, but entirely understand and support your reasons. Take care and enjoy!
March 30, 2009 at 12:35 pm
It sucks for those of us who enjoyed reading and playing along, but I understand and do wish you all the very, very best. Shit, my screen just went blurry.
Bye.
March 30, 2009 at 1:46 pm
We’ll miss you! I wish you all the best offline and on.
March 30, 2009 at 2:47 pm
[siiiiggghhh] … a double whammy … no more venom, AND a terrible indictment to me to GET OFF THE COMPUTER AND GET A LIFE! … [siiiiggghhh] …
March 30, 2009 at 3:07 pm
Understand completely. I “might” blog once a month and I “might” tweet once a week, but haven’t really done that much of either. I’m on FaceBook more often than anything and those are mostly just people I consider my friends.
March 30, 2009 at 3:35 pm
I’ll miss you like crazy, Kate. Yours has always been one of my favorite blog reads!
March 30, 2009 at 3:37 pm
Hit me up by email if you ever want to fulfill that girls’ getaway sometime. I haven’t missed blogging much lately either so whatever happens, God bless.
March 30, 2009 at 3:51 pm
Best wishes
Will
March 30, 2009 at 4:20 pm
Take care Kate… have always enjoyed your blogs and your style… and VH is a lucky fellow.
Hope you feel the mojo to come back sometime later…
March 30, 2009 at 4:38 pm
You are awesome and honest, and it’s one of the reasons I became addicted to your sites. You have one of the best reasons I’ve ever read for quitting the blogging world. I wish you many blessings and countless days of happiness. Thankfully there is always Facebook! hahaha
March 30, 2009 at 4:48 pm
Don’t tell Algore, but, we’ll leave the light on for ya!
March 30, 2009 at 4:55 pm
Believe you me, Kate, I fully understand why/how “real life” can get in the way, and often in good ways. While I will miss you and your … unique … perspective on the world around us, I understand your decision, and I wish you the best with it.
We will keep an eye out for your snarky return, though
.
March 30, 2009 at 4:42 pm
You’ll be back, eventually.
We’ll be here. Take your time.
March 30, 2009 at 6:45 pm
Kate,
I’m a firm believer in doing what makes you happy, so please, go, be happy living your life the way you see fit to live it.
I hope to see you around again sometime, but if not, it’s ok, it’s been an enjoyable 6 years reading your posts.
Take care, live, love, be happy!
March 30, 2009 at 6:49 pm
Ironic that the last winning caption you chose was “God, I wish I knew how to quit you.” and here you are using almost exactly the same words.
I wish you all the best, Kate.
March 30, 2009 at 7:16 pm
I will miss you and your posts about Leavenworth. I am sure you will be back and I will keep the RSS feed active – just in case. Take care
March 30, 2009 at 9:10 pm
What? What! What…. You’re going to get an off-line life?
Good heavens. OMG! What sort of example is that for the rest of us?
More seriously, Good luck and best wishes. I forebear from
extensive musing about the extent to which web interactions
really involve “meeting” others; I’ll settle for nothing that
web interactions are interactions of some sort, and thus never
really “neutral.” We ALWAYS impact on each other, whether for
good or ill, and I’ve enjoyed my fragile, tenuous, ethereal,
electronic interactions with your Venomous web persona.
Thanks very much, in other words. Good bye. God bless.
March 30, 2009 at 10:25 pm
Inshallah
March 30, 2009 at 11:53 pm
First blog I started reading regularly…all things must end.
Take care…have fun. If you ever are in southern China, look us up.
March 31, 2009 at 1:54 am
Sorry to see you go, Kate. And I’d just come to know you a few months ago!
March 31, 2009 at 2:58 am
I completely understand and have, of late, also considered unplugging. I hope I’ll know when the time is right. It appears that you have.
Stay well, Kate.
March 31, 2009 at 4:15 am
Im really gonna miss you even though I didnt comment much,please let us know if you come back online and I wish you best wishes always
March 31, 2009 at 7:43 am
We’re going to miss you, VK. Enjoy the break!
March 31, 2009 at 2:49 pm
I’m gonna miss you Kate. Even though I didn’t comment I was always facinated by what you had to say. Congratulations on doing the Mommy and Wife thing. I know your husband and family will benefit greatly from that decision. God Bless!!
March 31, 2009 at 3:13 pm
I’ve been feeling overloaded with being online myself. Take care!
March 31, 2009 at 5:01 pm
Enjoy your offline life and as Joan says – we’ll leave the light on for ya.
March 31, 2009 at 6:29 pm
Peace Kate
with respect and thanks,
from the crazy liberal east coast hippie
d
April 1, 2009 at 12:44 am
You’re one of a kind, Kate — if you ever come back, you will surely be welcomed. And if you don’t – if you retreat permanently into the REAL world – we will miss you and think fondly of the good ol’ days of Venom.
Peace, lady. To you, VH, and the crew.
April 1, 2009 at 4:29 pm
So long, Kate. Take care of yourself. You will be missed, but if you don’t come back, I hope that life treats you well.
April 1, 2009 at 7:57 pm
Kate, we’ve known each other for a long time (online anyways), and I think you should do what makes you happy. Not that you won’t be missed, mind you. But a break may do you some good. I’ve taken enough myself, helps the sanity, doncha know.
However, my feeling won’t keep me from stopping in regularly to see if you pop back in.
Now…go have some fun. And a martini or two.
April 1, 2009 at 9:47 pm
I’m glad to hear that you are finding a happier, healthier version of yourself! I’ll miss you while you’re gone and I’ll be waiting to see if you return. Either way, following your heart is always the way to go.
April 2, 2009 at 2:02 pm
So long and thanks for all the fish
April 2, 2009 at 8:06 pm
EnJOY the roses!
April 5, 2009 at 12:27 am
best wishes kate.
hope to see you back!
April 5, 2009 at 7:10 pm
Sorry to see you go, but it sounds like a wise decision. It’s been virtual!
April 12, 2009 at 5:07 pm
And here you’ve been my role model! I’ll miss you. But yes, there’s a big real world out there, and you’ll have an even greater life fully engaged in it.
But please — post from time to time. Your posts are always worth the read. Maybe you should get sloppier and spend less time writing them. Just dash off your thoughts — we’d love to read them!
Enjoy yourself. But don’t disappear.
April 13, 2009 at 5:02 pm
Damn and I was just getting to know you.
April 27, 2009 at 12:07 am
I came here purely by chance, but right away I could tell this was a better-than-the-average-blog blog. But, indeed, good blogging is about keen perception and the ability to share that with others. Mediocre (or worse) blogging is just about… blogging. I think it’s the current counterpart to the dreadful requisite “family web sites” of the 90′s, though admittedly a tad more useful, in toto, and somewhat more interesting. Good blogs at least help us to validate what we’re already thinking, or push our thinking a little bit further in the direction we already know is right. And sometime it really does change a mind or two.
Anyhow, I applaud you for realizing that TOO MUCH of your life had been devoted to a reflexive online habit and the result was a diminished “real” life. Would that more people realized that and backed off or bailed out entirely.
I say, stay away, rethink your life, and if you reach the point where you have to admit that some return to the cyber world will add to, and not subtract from, your life, then do come back!
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