Call it creating space or making a clearing or shifting priorities or what you will, we all do it. And I've been doing it for some time now in a way that affects klog. Blogging has become a less important priority to me, and as such it has sunk to the bottom of my to-do list. Really, the fact that blogging is on my to-do list at all means that the nature of this has changed. For awhile, blogging was an integral part of life for me. Now it's something I sometimes aspire to and then feel bad about not doing. And that's just silly, especially since this blog has always, first and foremost, been for me. And also because the space I've created by not blogging has been put to very good use. I'm spending my time in ways that mean more to me than being here does, and that's okay.

February marked five years of klog, and I did note the occasion even if I celebrated it in silence. The truth is, I'm not ready to shut it down. I cherish the snippets of life I've captured here, and I still have moments and projects and thoughts that I want to document. The difference is that our original online community has dissipated to a large degree (or shifted to Facebook), and so there's less incentive to post because so few are still out there reading.

And then there's the reluctance I'm feeling, for the first time, to share some of my more personal, reflective writing. The past two months have been a time of real struggle and real growth for me, and the experience feels sacred in a way that should remain private. Writing has always been therapeutic for me, and I've forfeited that release recently because I feel like any writing I do should be here.

So really, this post is about giving myself permission to change the nature of this place a bit. To accept the evolution and to temper expectations. I'd like klog to continue to be a collection of travel tales and project photos and the occasional story. Whether anyone reads or not, at this point, doesn't matter. You're welcome here, always. But this place is for me and I need to reclaim it, in my own mind, as such.

Namaste, klog. I bid you both a fond farewell and a welcome back, in a way that honors what you have been and what I need you to be.

Now that I'm finally catching up on some blog posting, I'm eager to tell you about my date with Von Krankipantzen! After our Alaska trip we ended up in her home city where Rob and I met her for sushi.

She was delightful, just as I expected her to be. She is kind and spunky and wise. I know "wise" is an adjective usually reserved for owls and old people, but it really is the right word in this case. She has such a solid perspective on things and is true to herself.

Also, she might have given me a bit of a scoop on the upcoming calendar. Not saying that she did, just that she might have.

I feel like this is an awkward shot, what with the severed shoulders and all. It looks like we're conjoined twins or something. Although, I must say, it wouldn't be so bad being stuck to Stacey. I like her a lot.

I suppose the only excuse I have for my recent blogging absence is that I've been too fully absorbed in life to document it. Which is certainly not a bad thing, at all. There are just lots of things going on and I can't be bothered to be here - or much of anywhere online, really. And I think anyone who prioritizes their online life over their, well, real life has very definitely missed the point.

Still, I have no intention of letting cobwebs take over klog. And I have all sorts of things to share, including a half dozen books that I'm behind on reviewing. We've also got quite a few adventures coming up in the next month, including one INVOLVING JOHN STAMOS. Which is not to say I'm involved with him, although I suppose that is somewhat accurate in a semantic sort of way and now that I think about it I'm totally going to start saying it.

I'm involved with John Stamos.

And with that, I've completely lost my train of thought.

Oh yes. I've been fully absorbed in life. Perhaps best represented by the hike we took this weekend. I could not take three steps without stopping to admire a mushroom. It is safe to say I could not see the forest for the mushrooms. They were everywhere, and they were amazing. Red, purple, yellow, orange, and the purest white you can imagine. In all sorts of sizes and shapes. When we got home, I found our mushroom identification book and set about learning the names of the ones we saw. And if that makes me sound like a 6th grade science nerd, I don't even care. This world is made for exploring.

Here are a few shots from the hike, all taken by Rob. I was loving the textures we found that day. The middle one is my new favorite mushroom - its name is exactly what you think it should be.

This week marked my 4-year blogging anniversary. A couple years ago there was all this hype that blogging, at least in its traditional form, was dying. At the time, I scoffed at that notion, but I think in many ways that prediction has come true. The trend now has shifted towards what I think of as "abbreviated" blogging sites like Twitter and, even more so, social networking sites like Facebook. Frankly, I have no interest in either of these particular tools and am ignoring the trend in general.

There are a few reasons for this. First, my interest lies more in storytelling, and traditional blogging better suits that. Second, updating a site multiple times a day and reading multiple daily updates from multiple people is more of a time suck than my life can accommodate right now. And for me - and I realize I'm mostly alone in this - there isn't much reward in social networking. That seems more a mechanism for maintaining acquaintances than fostering deep friendships. Which is fine - I've just always been a person who keeps a small circle of close friends instead of a large group of casual ones.

I was completely and delightfully surprised to become part of an online community through my blog, and I cherish the friendships I've made. I love that folks follow along here, and I love reading your blogs because I've come to really care about you. (I mourn a little when one of you switches from blogging to another venue, because a blog post feels like a story from a friend while Tweets and Facebook updates feel like chit-chat. And y'all know how I feel about chit-chat.) But as I've always said, above all this blog is for me. And so I've stuck to this format because my original intent remains my current one, which is to document the moments of my life, for myself. In my own space and at my own pace.

Each year when my blogiversary rolls around, I consider whether or not I want to continue. I like the neatness of a completed circle, and so if I were ever to quit, it would likely be at an anniversary. This year I've pondered it more than before because I'm finding myself with less time than ever to devote to this. But in all sincerity, writing a blog has affected the way I view my life. I notice more. I remember more. I see the ways I've changed. And I like having a voice in my own narrative, writing my history as it happens.

Of course, I suppose I could put it all down in a journal, but there's also joy in sharing my stories with the world. So, thanks for being here. I'm sorry I'm not out there more, swapping banter on all these new-fangled sites. I'm a homebody, even online. Come visit. Or not. I'll be here.

(Except not for the next week. I won't be here, then. We're escaping to warmer weather for a bit. There might even be some playing with monkeys. And no, that's not a euphemism. Unless you want it to be.)

Oftentimes I write about something here but then neglect to post about future developments. This is one advantage of in-person friendships - it's much easier to follow-up on things. "Whatever happened with such-and-such?" you can ask. "Oh my gosh, I never told you? Okay, so..." With blogging, the impetus is much more on the person to tell the ending, and I'm not very good at doing that.

There's one follow-up (to eye-yi-yi) I've been meaning to post, and so while I'm at it there are a few other recent posts I should provide updates on as well.

Eye-yi-yi. You may remember that at my eye appointment last year, I was informed that I would need bifocals "in the next several years." Well, apparently I deteriorated even more rapidly than my doctor imagined possible, because at my appointment last month, a mere year later, he said that I need them now. Can you imagine how difficult it is to tease my husband about being so OLD when I am, in fact, wearing BIFOCALS? When I expressed this concern to my doctor, he said reassuringly, "They'll be progressive lenses, so there won't be any line. No one needs to know." Good point, except that I just went and told the Internet.

To care for someone. This one is sad. The husband passed away just before Christmas. Not long before his death, his wife broke her hip. Considering how difficult that can be for an elderly person to recover from, I wonder if she won't soon follow him.

Rival of the fittest. Within a week of this post, my Wii Fit Age went down to 22! I am so determined to keep it there that I haven't done a Body Test since, for fear it will go back up. In a related follow-up, I can no longer touch my toes. But now that I'm doing yoga again, I think I'll eventually get that back.

Dead serious. William (who has a new development of his own!) asked about this in the comments a few posts ago. The knife block is still stashed away in the pantry. I can't bring it back into the kitchen because I fear that simple act will re-ignite the whole thing in my subconscious. Rob is understandably disgruntled by this. But isn't it a small sacrifice to make for sleeping safely? I think so.

MayB has honored me with an award!

In receiving it, I am to say something nice about my man, list 6 ways I measure success in life, and then bestow the award upon 6 others.

About Rob: He takes things in stride and puts up with my shit. Also see here, an entire category comprised mostly of me saying nice things about him. Along with the occasional mocking.

About success: I don't have a good answer for this, frankly. I can't say I spend much time considering how to be Successful, or what that even means. I guess, in general, being successful to me is being on top of my shit, even if that's just small things: managing a busy schedule, keeping things organized, maintaining friendships, eating right, not killing anyone in my sleep. On a much broader scope, I suppose success to me is similar to happiness. I feel successful if I'm content with the life I'm living. I suppose what I strive for is Maslow's idea of self-actualization. I like to explore and grow, through travel or reading or trying something new. This is sometimes a struggle, as my biggest ideas can be thwarted by my fear of failure. And that I have a fear of failure is rather ironic considering I don't have a definition for success.

And now I'm pleased to recognize...

• Poop and Boogies - One of the best blogs I read. Humorous and human. I adore William and his entire family.
• Doc Ern - She's smart, strong, and sincere. And even though I've never met her, her posts are like letters from a good friend.
• What Was I Thinking? - Susie exudes grace, compassion, and humor no matter the situation. More than any other blogger, she has affected the way I view things, and I think everyone who reads her would say the same.
• Janasayqua - Jana's posts always make me smile. She's got a great way of portraying everyday moments. She also has the best blog name ever (although I won't say how long I read her before I figured it out...seems I'm not as smart as I'd like to think I am.)
• Simply Geeky - Great cook, awesome photographer, and also a computer geek. And she loves crossword puzzles. This is probably the woman Rob should have married. But anyway. Her blog is a reflection of her interests and is always fresh and fun.
• Fat Orange Cat - I love Karyn's style, and by that I mean both the items she creates and her aura. She's very cool, and her blog (and Etsy shop) has lots of beautiful things. Even her cats are ridiculously gorgeous.

(Those recognized should feel welcome but not obligated to participate.)

Thanks again to MayB! Her blog is also one that's worth a visit. I always enjoy her perspective, and lately she's been posting a daily list of things for which she's thankful. Also, she's Canadian. I love Canadians.

UPDATE:

RzDrms found the fitted sheet! I am not even kidding. Read the comments. She is a GENIUS! Or she's got cameras set up in our house....which, whatever, I don't even care. She found the fitted sheet! BEHOLD THE POWER OF THE INTERNET, people.

*********************

We have lost a fitted sheet. I know. That seems impossible. I mean, it's not like it ever leaves the house, not like we take our own sheets to hotels or something. And yet, this household is less one fitted sheet.

It's a little embarrassing, really. A bit like losing...I don't know, a boat sail? A parachute? Rob has looked everywhere, and I have looked everywhere. Yes, even behind the dryer. Even behind and under the drawer where we store the sheets. Even under the bed. Even in the shower, although really why the hell would it be there?

Usually when something is lost we blame the cats. Because what else are they good for? In this case, they would each have had to grab a corner of the sheet in their teeth and scooted, together, to a secret hiding place.

So far this is our best theory. Because how else does a person lose a fitted fucking sheet?