Changes

As blogs go, mine is a tiny one. Yet, there have been over 14K views since 2020 when I started it with no intention other than to promote my novels. After a short time, it became obvious that my books would never become New York Times best sellers. By the way, they are still available at Amazon Books at a very low price, are well written, entertaining and still relevant. The situations and characters are strongly influenced by autobiographical elements that friends and dedicated blog readers may recognize. The novels expand on themes you enjoy in the blogs, and more, but in an entertaining, fictional style.

So here I had this blog site. I had to decide what to do with it. I decided that, mainly for my own pleasure, I would begin composing and distributing an eclectic collection of my thoughts and observations.

Like many of my readers I have found the events of the past year or so discouraging and frightening. I have not hesitated to express those feelings in my writings. But my sense is that readers share my aversion to immersing myself in futile ranting against the woes now facing our nation and our world. I wonder how many of my readers, like me, open the newspaper and skim the headlines, make note of the most cogent facts, then shaking their heads in disgust move on to the comics, sports, entertainment and advice sections. Advice columns are even funnier than the funnies from my current perspective, as I marvel at the pettiness and social ineptitude that preoccupies so much time for many people as the sands in their personal hourglasses rush toward the bottom.

As you know, the blogs have not focused exclusively on politics and current events. Some of my most popular blogs have been satirical and humorous. But the combination of being ill, and of the very unfunny state of affairs in the world, have combined to make it more difficult for me to write humor. Readers also seem to enjoy reading about my personal experiences during my growing up, and more of that has made its way into the blogs. They have also followed the course of my ALS to the degree that I have written about it. It is what it is, it’s gotten much worse, going to get worse, and I see no point in burdening readers excessively with my own troubles. One of those troubles is that, whether typed or dictated, the process of writing is frustrating and exhausting.

Knowing that for a devoted cadre of readers, Sunday morning would not be Sunday morning without the blog, I am reluctant to cut back on or to entirely stop writing. On the other hand, unless there is something that I really think goes beyond bitching and moaning to the choir, my sense is that my blog will simply become redundant to what other commentators are saying and another source of misery to readers.

There is one blog that I am particularly enthused about. It provides a link to a website on YouTube comprised of music videos of my original songs. If you have not viewed it I hope you take the time to. See my blog from May 11, “Dropping An Album” for details. The You Tube site is @ndovberg4964

Meanwhile, there may still arise a few blog ideas I would enjoy bringing to fruition as time and my energy level permit. If Sundays go by without a blog landing in your device, don’t think the worst. It will not necessarily be due to my demise. (Though it may well be.) We take it day by day.

Ironically, readership is surging just as my energy is petering out. For those who have only in the past year or two, become aware of the blog, I would strongly suggest that you search through the archives for past blogs you missed. They are an eclectic collection of my observations, ruminations and amateur philosophizing that readers have told me they enjoyed. My site’s statistic page indicates more readers are searching the archives lately. Join them. You will like what you find, I’ll bet.

If you have not read all five of my brief autobiographical series /eulogy “Pentimento,” I would strongly urge you to go back and read the ones you missed. Older blogs that were particularly enjoyed by readers include, but are not limited to, “Azoy Ah President,” “My funny Valentine” “Revised common sense gun laws,” “Pizza–ism,” “The music of cooking,” “A rational solution to the abortion debacle,” “Pepsi for breakfast,” and more recently, “My Pre-screening at the Pearly gates.” There are almost 250 to choose from and most remain relevant..

The site will be paid for and stay open until May or June 2026 and the essays have been preserved in a folder separate from the blog site from which Sandy has the option to create a book. But that’s iffy.

As my energy and capabilities wane, I find myself less invested in the future, especially as it will likely tragically unfold. My limited energies must be invested in simply getting through the day. I’m grateful to be sustained by close friends and family who have made it a point to visit regularly and friends and readers who respond by email. You know who you are and you know how much I appreciate you.

The process of dying is as interesting as it is miserable, but I am quickly becoming too miserable to make it interesting to readers. It makes us understand, as we cannot even begin to fathom while we are well, just how precious health and life are. Whatever you do, make the most of it while you can.

Whether or not I write in the future, I hope, foremost, the blogs I have written have enhanced your appreciation of and enjoyment of life as much as writing them has enhanced mine.

Thank you for the affirmation your readership has provided. It has meant more to me than words can express.