Sunday, September 27, 2009

The (semi)retirement of the trailing spouse

I suppose an explanation is in order.

When I started writing this blog (361 posts ago!), I had one goal: To provide a look at the life of a trailing spouse, from the struggles with ego to the major life changes that such a moniker entails, from work to environment and memory. I think I accomplished this. In fact, I think I may have accomplished this a while ago. Sure, things have come up here and there, but my overall arc has completed itself. And without a goal, a purpose, a blog like this becomes a haven for "gee, isn't this video funny" posts, and though those moments were essential months ago, when my life consisted of sporadic work and hours online, they now feel like nothing but filler. And that's not a road I want to travel. There are plenty of places one can go to see goofy stuff.

Of course, there are other contributing factors to my decision. I'm in the middle of applying to grad school right now and work two jobs, so my free time has shrunk considerably (which I'm sure some of you have noticed, with the daily posts becoming twice a week, then once every week and a half). Also, one of my jobs puts me smack in the middle of the town's general public (no, I'm not working at McDonald's or dressing as Noah Webster and patrolling Blue Back Square), and there's something in me that keeps saying, "one of these days, someone is going to smack you because you made fun of them or their restaurant or their poor use of grammar." Certainly, this concern weighs somewhat in my decision.

But this is not to say I'm gone completely. There may be posts to write, strange occurrences to share. There may be completely new ventures, new blogs with different purposes. However, from where I currently stand, I just can't think of a reason to post funny videos of cats when there are a million other places already doing the same thing.

I want to thank everyone that has visited me here over the past 13 months. Tens of thousands of visitors. It really amazes me. And I'll still be checking my trailingspouseben@yahoo.com email address, so feel free to drop me a line.

Until next time, keep looking out for the vanishing sidewalks ... they're everywhere.

7 comments:

Leonardo said...

Rest in peace, William.

Anonymous said...

You make me sad... so be it. I will miss these opportunities, to walk in another man's shoes, to enjoy a cheeseburger at a local counter, to wonder out loud, "Does anybody else notice this?"

Mostly I think i'll miss how the green word verifications below this box seem like real words to me:Singra!

Best of luck and keep in touch.

Battle Park said...

Understood. I went through two blog incarnations before landing on my super successful adventure. (slight sarcasm there.)

Yours is/was the only W Hartford blog I read regularly, for what that's worth.

I'm sure we'll run into each other some day. good luck with school.

AmyBergquist said...

Come back. :(

Anonymous said...

You should make, like, a weekly or bimonthly or monthly post, just so people don't mourn your "passing."

Miguel said...

Ben, I'm so late to the party, but your comment about vanishing sidewalks made me laugh. I...we made the decision to move back east to be with family (best decision ever, but I left a great job and had just made a career change from finance to HR [yes, HR]). My husband had a job to go to while we settled in. We found a home, I found a job after 6 months, which I have subsequently left for a job I started this week at a much larger company = more opportunities to continue to grow in HR. Back to the sidewalks, I too posted on my blog (one of many) about the sidewalks that JUST END. I think it has to do with town lines. We are on the Hartford/Wethersfield line and the sidewalks DO NOT continue from one town to the next! I'm glad I'm not the only one who notices these things!

Good luck on your grad school apps (i hope to be doing the same soon).

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