Don’t want to go into any details, suffice it to say that a thing which had been sufficiently worrying took a dramatic turn for the worse this weekend. I’ve been stretched a little too thin for quite some time now, and it’s time for me to shed some workload and re-prioritize my efforts. This has been fun, but faced with what I’m up against it’s far too time-consuming and a far too guilty pleasure.
I’ve got a lot going on in life, right now: Husband, father, naval officer, grad school student and blogger. I’m finding out that I can’t be all of these, at least not to the level that they deserve. I need to take a break at the very least. Maybe even pull the plug. I’m taking a week to try to bandage up the things that need bandaging, and think everything over. Come back next Monday, if it suits you, and I should have come to a better understanding of where things are, at least in my own mind.
Worse comes to worst, I’ll finish the “Rhythms” series off – that was always going to be a natural (if optional) off-ramp anyway. After that, the tale was done.
I’ve put some of you through this before. Sorry to do it again. But this is really important to me.
Update: Oh. Happy Thanksgiving, by the way.
Sad news, indeed. But, as you say, if you cannot be all of the things that you are, the blogger is probably the least important, at least in the larger picture. I hope you can find a way, but if not, your insight, humor, and rare sense of appropriatness will be sorely missed.
Cap’n
Best wishes to you & yours. Hope everything works out OK. Take your time, we’ll wait.
Sorry to hear about the bad weekend, Lex. Good luck in sorting it all out. As Steve said, we’ll wait. Best wishes.
Hoping things improve for you. We’ll wait for your return.
Skipper,
I was wondering why you’ve been kinda silent over the weekend. Your post confirms may fears.
As I’ve said to my sailors:
There are priorities and then there are PRIORITIES.
I hope the rough seas subside soon. Take care of your PRIORITIES an we’ll wait for your return.
As a friend of mine likes to say, “been there, done that, bought the t-shirt”.
Balancing life’s priorities is a delicate measure. Something not to be taken lightly. There is room for everything, but you have to figure out how much room is required for each responsibility- including self-indulgence.
Sometimes my self-indulgence includes blogging…sometimes it doesn’t. If you have something to say, Lex, let it out. If you don’t… concentrate on other things instead.
Here’s hoping for fairer skies and following winds, Lex. We’ll hope for your return but understand if the tour is up.
Sorry to hear it but I know what you mean about giving it 100%. Good on ya. Gotta shoot the snakes closest to your feet. We’ll be out here in the shadows hissing though!
re Thanksgiving- Don’t drive too far, don’t eat too much (HA) and stake out a spot on the couch early.
Cheers/B2
BTDTGTTT.
I’ve always been looking for a sailor to add to the Argghhh! roster – we can always gin up a guest blogger gig for ya, Lex.
But I bet the siren will sing you back to the rocks…
Hope so, anyway – I need the targets!
Submariners are too easy (and over-represented!).
Take your time and set it to rights, Lex. We’ll still be here when you find your way back.
Lex,
Enjoy your time off. I’m taking a weeks sabbatical before Christmas. Happy T-day to you too!
After reading through my favorite bloggers I often wonder how they find time to read, comment, blog *AND* find the time for gainful employment.
I think blogging may be like the tides with it’s own ebbs and flows. Have a good Thanksgiving.
Sounds like a proper choice to back off in the face of the “list.”
I’ll be here when you get back…handle the important stuff.
Lex, if you decide to shut this place down, please do take John up on his offer.
Lex, just an echo of the prior comments, take care of yourself and your own first. When/if you get back around to the blog we’ll be around.
Best wishes Lex and thanks for all the support you have given me and my family. Hope to see you back soon. If not, check in over at that “other guy’s” site from time to time. I’ll keep my antenna up…
Captain Lex,
I found your site only fairly recently, but–if I may–I’d like to say thank you. For the commentary, for the wonderful stories, and for the good-natured tone that’s all too rare these days. My sincere best wishes.
Capt. Lex,
Hope it all works out — sure it will. Not sure what happened, but know that God has a plan and there is a reason for everything. It’ll work out I’m sure. Have a Happy Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year. Thanks for all the good posts, insights, sea stories, and of course, “Rythyms.”
Regards,
Dan
Lex, you have a Blessed Thanksgiving too. Thanks for the time you’ve put into this blog, I’ve enjoyed it all. Hope you can continue this later and that it all works out for you & your’s, Godspeed, Mark.
We’re not going anywhere. Get things where they need to be…and should you decide to come back, we’ll still be ready to read.
Take care of yourself.
Completely understand your need to re-level the priorities, Lex. We would miss you if you chose to end blogging completely – but I expect we’ll run into each other at the Castle now and again. Please consider John’s posting offer, if you choose to halt posting here, though!
Lex,
Certainly understand balancing priorites. Good luck with yours. Hope you’re back on-line soon.
Happy Thanksgiving.
Regards – Brian
Sir,
Thanks for the free ice cream. Good stuff.
Put the Beemer to some leisure, be good for the soul.
Sorry to hear that Lex. Hope you work through whatever needs working through. Hope everything works out.
To echo everyone else – it’s all about personal priorities first. Family, friends and self should be at the top of the list. Everything else can go by the wayside as needed.
Having said that, I’ll miss you terribly should the wise decision be to end this blog. But it will be tempered with the thought that a great man has made the best decisions for the quality of his life and that of his family & loved ones.
Course, I truly do hope that all is well, and that this decision is only one of balance, and not driven by “other” more dire circumstances. Keeping you in my thoughts Lex, no matter the reasons.
A safety standdown is always appropriate. Take all the time you need Skipper. If you pull chocks, you’ll be terribly missed. Wishing you (and your family) strong tails winds to see you thru.
I agree with all the others. Hope to see you back next week.
Happy Thanksgiving to you as well. I do hope you keep going with this blog though.
I hope it’s nothing more than feeling a bit burnt out, mate. All the best and have a good one.
Good luck, I hope everything works out for the best. If that means blogging is worked out of your schedule. Thanks for everything you given us, both with your service and your thoughts you shared with us. Please thank your family for us as well, for sharing you with us.
Randy
Bummer but understandable.The beauty of blogs is that they are at YOUR disposal and will wait for you. So will we.
- hfs
Lex – I forgot to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving as well. I hope you and your family have a peaceful day together.
Holy crap! I just added ya not too long ago and ya might be taking a break. Hmmm. I think my list of defunct bloggers is growing bigger than the actual active bloggers. But all is understood. you’ve got to what you’ve got to do and take care of self first. My thoughts and prayers are with you, Lex. And may you have a wonderful, restful, and great Thanksgiving.
Thanks! Happy Thanksgiving to you also.
Skipper,
Hope everything works out for you, sir. We’ll miss you, and we hope to see you back here once you clear the shoals. If not, our paths may cross out there somewhere. Fair winds, following seas, etc., Thanks for your service to this great Navy, and this great Country, and thanks for the memories.
CMC
I just discovered you 10 minutes ago by following the “It’s ugly” link in COUNTERCOLUMN. Your analysis of the price of failure in Iraq was quite insightful so I immediately bookmarked your blog for further reading only to discover that you may be pulling the plug. For what it is worth, I would like to hear more of your thoughts.
Just found your site, and really appreciated it. Hope you take some time off and rebalance.
Suspect I know what your bad news is. I understand exactly how you feel, having been through the same process my self, long ago and a world away. However, in the end, it was the best thing that ever could have happened to me although I did not realize it at the time. That does not lessen the sting I know. However things do happen for a purpose however distant it may seem. If things had gone differently, I would neve have come to Japan and gotten the opportunties I did. I would not trade my life now for anything.
Hang in there, remember that when its all said and done its about what you want, and who you care about, not what “they” think. This too shall pass and in a way it can be a liberating experience if you let it…………….Hang in there! Lots of folks are rooting for you.
You can always leave your blog and come back to it as things calm down. I, for one, write for myself and when I can and am motivated to do so. Some months I post often, sometimes not often at all.
You can do the same.
But most importantly – take care of your family first. The rest will be there..
All the best -
B
You and the Salamander have proven that the Youngsters are at least as smart as the old farts. Take a rest and let us read you stuff agin…sometime, somewhere.
Good Job, Sailor!
Bill
Capt. Lex,
I know you don’t want pity or reassurance, so I won’t give it to you — however — we’re still here for you and ready to read whatever it is you write.
Always,
Dan
Lex -
You closed comments for the post above but I’ll say it anyway, you’re a good bloke and I’m sure you’ll make it through. Chok di mate.