When you’ve written a blog for as long as I have, there are several crowning moments.
Like the time I passed a guy in a stairwell and he looked at
me and yelled, “RUDDYBITS!”
Or when I was in the local grocery store, and a mom who was friends
with my sister came up and told me she enjoyed my blog. That was shortly after
I’d written about my child barfing in that same store, so it caused mixed emotions.
Undoubtably, the top “accomplishments” that stand out for me
over the past 9 (holy crap) years are getting to write for the Washington Post
and that ski trip to Gore almost 5 years ago that a magazine actually paid me
to write. I’d be remised to not also mention how my blog introduced me to the
Dad 2.0 community and helped me make fatherhood friends from across the globe. That
led to being a spotlight blogger at the 2019 conference and speaking in front a
few hundred people more talented than me, which was a blast. Those are the “best
ofs” from over the years, for sure.
But, a close second place – or third or fourth, but who’s
counting – is getting to talk about this entire blogging experience, and how it
ties into my fatherhood journey in general, on a Podcast launched by a couple
friends.
The Men on Men Podcast tackles many of the same issues I
always tried to, talking about things dads deal with in a humorous and
thoughtful way. And in the latest episode, I spoke with the men about my time
being the “frontline” parent and all the fun that ensued. I love this podcast and
these guys and certainly hope you will give it a listen.
I was a guest on this podcast |
I always joke that podcast are the new reading. Which they kind of are. People used to start a smart sentence with, “I read recently…” Now people say, “I heard on a Podcast recently…”
This was the first time I was a guest on a podcast, and I proved
my old self-deprecating adage that I write better than I speak. Still, it was
enjoyable. One less thing on the bucket list.
But it got me to thinking how I really haven’t written much
lately. At least not here. It’s been a combination of busy at work, focused on Twitter,
and lack of motivation due to the pandemic. You know, I don’t have a lot of
regrets, but not writing more this past year is likely going to be one.
Then again, maybe I’m just done.
Maybe appearing on this podcast was the final act. The pinnacle. Or the last gasp.
This blog has served an essential purpose, it has helped me
chronical the part of parenthood that turns into a total blur years later. And maybe
someday, I’ll be able to look back at old posts and be like, “Oh yeah, remember
when that happened,” about something I wouldn’t otherwise have remembered. (Actually,
I did that yesterday).
But, the truth is, writing here doesn’t help the way it used
to. I don’t hold out any hope that this is going to lead to a book contract. Or
that I’m going to go viral with one of my barf stories and end up on Good
Morning America, after which, of course, we’d be set for life.
And for some reason, self-publishing the intimated details of our daily adventure for free doesn’t give the endorphins it once did -- or provide the therapy I likely
need. It was always kind of like being an artist who paints pictures and then
hangs them down by the mailbox for passersby to glance at and say, that guy always
was a bit odd. Slightly talented. But odd.
Frankly, with three teens in the home, my life isn’t the
constant source of humor it once was. Now, it’s more like a slow-moving horror
movie. And if I wrote about that. Well. It would be like the biopic of the
suburban dad who descends into madness, but in blog form.
There are things I wish I'd written about but didn't: like school musicals or my pride at my daughter's involvement in the High School Improv Club. I went to a High School that had one room for the cafeteria, the auditorium and the gym. We didn't have an Improv Club. Or a school musical. Or a track team for that matter. So, I wish I'd written about that stuff.
This is starting to feel like that Facebook post where someone
announces they’re signing off, while the rest of us just scroll by. Yeah, yeah.
Whatever. And all the poster is really doing is yelling into the void.
And, who knows, maybe something will change inside of me and
I’ll need this space again. It has been fun. And, if you do like it and are just
discovering these posts, there’s 152 more – just enter a key word in
the search bar on the right. You can start with a common term, like “poop.”
I’ve even been thinking lately about using this space to share some of the great recipes I’ve grown to depend on over my years in the family kitchen. Kind of a “Dad Can Cook” thing. We’ll see. It starting to sound like my trip to madness is complete. But why not. I’m no better a chef than I am a writer or a parent. And, a general lack of expertise seems to be my most endearing quality.
And maybe I'll wake up tomorrow to a headline that says, "Blogger's Heartfelt Goodbye to His 3 Readers Goes Viral."
So, I’ll keep this channel open in case I am so inspired.
But for now, thank you for reading. And be well. It's not goodbye, but until I see you again.
*Passes torch to podcasting friends*
RuddyBits out.
I repeat, For now.
P.S. Follow me on Twitter.