As some of my closest friends know, I've been talking for some time about shutting down The View from Taiwan. I'm exhausted and burnt out from blogging -- it has ceased to be fun for me, and many days I simply dread facing it. The number of things I want to do with it keeps increasing, while the amount of time I have to devote to it keeps shrinking.
Well, that time has come.
No, I'm not shutting it down. But I'm going to take a few weeks off from blogging. In my other life I'm a PHD student and I need to focus on turning out papers this summer. I'd also like to get a start on my book about Taiwan, and finish one of the novels on my hard drive. Above all, I'd like to spend a little time doing what I really love: sussing out the structure of the complex and beautiful Gospel of Mark, one of the world's great literary works. I'd also like some time to play Spades with my kids, and bike more, and toss the ball with the dog.
I'd like to not think about Taiwan politics for a while.
In the meantime, Taiwan's English blogosphere offers great social and political blogs like the always reliable David on Formosa, the fantastic and insightful media and political commentary on Far Eastern Sweet Potato, the satirically penetrating The Foreigner, the energetic Letters from Taiwan, the amazing A-gu at That's Impossible, always a font of information, the urgently restrained Claudia Jean, the savaging of the Blue propaganda at Taiwan Matters by my man maddog, the deep and robust Taiwan Link, and a hundred other blogs on my sidebar. They all write more richly and insightfully than I ever could. Please keep your eye on them, and on Taiwan.
Many thanks to all my wonderful readers. I'll see you all sometime next month, tanned, rested, and ready to go.
_______________________
[Taiwan] Don't miss the comments below! And check out my blog and its sidebars for events, links to previous posts and picture posts, and scores of links to other Taiwan blogs and forums!
82 comments:
Thank you and wish you the best.
Best of success with what you plan to do and enjoy your "break"!
(Thanks as well for all the beautiful pictures and particularly the good articles, which provide way more insights on Taiwan than mainstream media reports!)
I hope you clock up a few extra miles on the bike during your break!
Yea, taking a break is good. :)
Thanks a lot, Michael
if anyone deserves a break it's you Mike. You have been an inspiration and a blogging mentor for me. No-one would dare begrudge you some time off the battlefield for r&r and paying attention to the other million important things in life. See you online again when you're ready and chat soon.
Oh dear. There goes my one-stop shopping for all the wonderful/baffling/infuriating news of Taiwan and its political landscape. I've been in awe of your commitment and output on this blog for quite awhile and will miss it. Thank you for everything and enjoy a well deserved rest!
Thanks a lot, Michael.
Whoa, you dread facing your blog?
You certainly shouldn't feel time pressure for posting things. There's no rule that a blog should be daily...
If you wanted something that was a regular publication, why not add a user and allow them to guest blog? But it depends on what you want for your blog, and you really shouldn't feel pressure to constantly post.
Thank you for your very lucid posts on Taiwan and on Taiwanese politics. I'm sorry it tired you out, but it sounds like you have a plateful of very interesting things. Good luck with that!
always enjoy your political insight and everyday life in tw. hope you enjoy the 'rest' and even in the future you stop blogging about the 'politics' would hope that you can still post pictures and remarks regarding social life.
i live vicariously through you (well, at least imagining myself in tw and all the fun that i can have).
I'm a long-time reader (I've been reading almost daily for over 5 years now I believe). I hope the blog will become more enjoyable for you again and you'll stick around for a long time.
Enjoy the time off!
You will be missed, by me personally as this is one of my favorite places to visit daily, as well as by Taiwan and the service you do her by sharing so much information. However, there are so many worthy endeavors in this world, and that which you can throw your heart into will bear the most fruit, so good luck on your papers and books, cherish your reading, and enjoy the Spades!
I've always been impressed by the amount of energy you are able to put into this blog. I'm grateful for your Taiwan commentary and I'm looking forward to the day I read you in book form!
Thanks for all your work and best wishes for your future projects.
I've really enjoyed reading your blog.
Have a nice break.
I will surely miss your views on Taiwan as I visit your blog first thing at work when i log on to the pc.
Thanks Michael, your blog has always been one of the first places I turn to whenever I fire up my web browser. Have a good break, and I hope to see you back up and posting again soon.
Take care!
I can certainly understanding wanting to get away from Taiwanese politics for a while for the sake of your sanity and happiness. We hope to see you back!
If anyone needs a break from one of his many vocations it is you. Rest up.
Have a good summer Michael. Hope to see you back online at some point.
I left Taiwan last week and am back in New York for awhile. Mainly its for personal business, but also its because the surrender monkeys in Taiwan are just too depressing to deal with. I've decided my comments as Reeb are also finito.
Thank you for all of the posts you've pushed out over the past years. I'm amazed you've been able to generate so much original commentary that's been informative and useful.
Enjoy the break and do what you feel is best for yourself.
I'll see you on the road!
Best of luck.
Well no one could deny that it is not a well deserved break.
but the absence will be felt.
Enjoy your break. You've certainly earned one.
We'll miss you Michael! I've been reading your blog for two years now.
I have been reading your blog every day. It will be sad to see you stop blogging. Thanks for all your insight into Taiwan Politics!
Best wishes and hope you return to blogging soon.
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Michael -- you're simply the best.
As you can see from the comments, you will be missed. Get some rest and good luck with school!
I know you'll be back better than ever! But, as a commenter mentioned above -- you don't need to blog as frequently as you do. The quality of your work can allow you to post less often.
A toast to "A View from Taiwan" for all of these years. It keeps me intelligently informed while in Taiwan and keeps me in touch with a piece of my heart while I have been thousands of miles away...
Here..here!!!
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Another long-standing reader wishes you well.
You are a blogging maniac. Thanks for the continuous updates to your blog. I hope you enjoy you time off. Eat some wu2bo2xiong2 for me.
Best of luck. It is a shame you will be not blogging for a while. I have enjoyed reading your work. But I totally understand the strains of following all of this information all of the time. Have a nice rest!
Michael - best of luck during your break and hope to see you back soon!
I've been a long time reader and enjoy your candid perspectives. Taiwan needs more heroes like you.
I will miss you Michael, and hope to see you back at some point soon.
You have the best Taiwan blog, and although I no longer live in Taiwan I visit your blog often.
Wanted to also say that your editorials, letters, comments around the web (I see them!) are also very very good, and maybe even more powerful in that they forcefully and rationally respond to some of the very dangerous bunk out there. They, too, are much appreciated for their insights. Take care in your time off.
What are all the trolls going to do for the next month?
I really love your daily life pictures. For 3 years "The view from Taiwan" has been the main source of information about what's going on the Beutiful Island. Come back soon.
Eduard from Spain
Wow, Michael. You must be feelin' the love right now. You're like the Susan Boyle of bloggers!
I'll miss my morning coffee reading, but I know all about wanting to finish novels.
Enjoy your break Michael. See you on Baguashan soon?
Even if the politics stop, I hope you'll still post your pictures.
Good luck to you!
No more Blogfather of Taiwan? Noooooooooooooooooo. Ratfarts. Ratfarts. Ratfarts. I'm not even getting out of bed tomorrow.
I hope this means you'll be dropping into town for beers more often; you forgot to list that as one of your reasons, but I'm hoping it was just an oversight.
Sean
Thanks, Michael, for keeping many of us up to date on all things Taiwan.
Enjoy your break, your projects, your family and your hobbies. Take lots of great photos and (hopefully) share some of them with those of us who haven't visited Taiwan for many years.
Godspeed.
Don
Hope you have a great break and come back refreshed, i've enjoyed your blog for such a long time and am in awe of the quality and quantity of your output.
Sounds like this well deserved break was a long time coming! Enjoy your break .... I suggest making it longer "just a month". Why not a whole season ? Why not stop until the weather cools down?
Please, as much as we enjoy your excellent musings, we all lose out if you burn yourself out. Only come back if you feel really moved to do so, or less change the format - why not just little quips that don't take as much time as a feature length essays?
Cheers,
TW
Michael,
Thank you for all the efforts you put into your blogs. I wish we had more Taiwanese like you and I'm sure the number is on the rise because of you and the other bloggers who have been uncovering many many things that "you know who" tries to hide. I wish you the best and hope to read your blogs again when you are ready.
Say it ain't so!
Thanks for the incredible number of quality of posts over the years. I hope that you will be back sticking it to the blue man group soon.
Big Ell
I'd just like to say thank you for always keeping such a updated and in depth blog, uploading photos, etc. I was a daily reader. This summer I am moving to Taiwan for a year, and if I ever have the opportunity to meet you in person, it would definitely be the highlight of my trip. Thanks again, and wish you a great summer.
Thanks for the many great insights thus far. Truly appreciated.
I just wanna say thank you. Take a good rest!
Enjoy your break, Michael. Hope to see u soon :)
I am already feeling lost without the possibility of a long, anonymous, rant about identity politics or constructionism. Blast!
Enjoy your vacation and come back to us with a refreshed mind!
Take care,
sparkle :)
Best of luck in your stories! Your posts are always important to read, even when I disagree with them!
Like a few others have mentioned, you don't need to pump out so many posts, your quality of posts is more than enough to just post once every other day or so. Enjoy your time off though!
thanks for the great work! Rest well and eat well :)
Thank you Michael for all the insights on Taiwan affairs.
See you soon :)
Michael,
Great job and awesome volume of work over the years. Take a break will ya?? Still need to catch that beer in Linkou (you coming up by bike or HSR?) and talk about the upcoming NFL season!!
Mark
I have been a loyal reader of The View from Taiwan for 6 months. I only wish I had known your blog earlier. As a Taiwanese lives in U.S. near 20 years, I have to say you have been so many beautiful places in Taiwan than most Taiwanese does. You will be missed and please come back soon.
well deserved time off, surely will come back better and stronger.
Thank you, and good luck with your PhD studies.
--from a fellow PhD student.
Good for you! As for a lot of other "foreigners" your website was one of the first I found before I left for Taiwan and it gave me great insight. Now that I've left the island it still provides me that. Thank you!
many thanks for every thing you do for taiwan,
and wish you have a wonderful and unforgettable time in Taiwan
Michael. I do not know how you managed to find the time or energy to maintain such a magnificent blog for such a long time. Thank you sincerely for the cultural, political and personal insights into Taiwan. To me it has been more meaningful than the media coverage. Selfishly I would like you to produce an annotated photo book of Taiwan. To be quite honest, your photography is inspiring and first class and I wish I could, and had the opportunity which you have.
I know you will be back when you are refreshed and inspired.
Your trip down the East coast brought back so many wonderful memories. Thank you. Relax, enjoy life and your family.
Best wishes, Geoff from Adelaide
I have enjoy reading your writing. Hope to see you back after your break.
Hey Michael,
Good luck on the book and the novel.
I'll bet your off starting a biker blog... Enjoy the time off from the view.
Thank you for your hard work, Michael. The pictures are wonderful, and the education, editorial, and edification are even better. I look forward to more of the same.
If your R&R takes you through the New Bamboo, stop by for a meal and a complete indoctrination.
thanks for the great blog!! i often read it and appreciate your commentaries in the defense of taiwan in various global major newspapers. enjoy your break and i look forward to when you continue this blog again! :)
I look forward to your return, and may you have a productive break from blogging (for which, as so few people have mentioned, you never get paid for, despite its obvious superiority to so much "professional" stuff out there, blogs and non-blogs alike).
I expect one month later, You might can't help coming back to enjoy the torture that your blog gave you!!
Paula
proud of you
Your blog has giving me a lot of courage and thoughts about Taiwan.
Because of your blog, I re-think about the history I leraned in school. And realize I was fooled( brain washed more likely)back then.
About your book, I will get a copy whe it published for sure.
我想說的是
Mike,雖然你是外國人
可是你並不是外人
你是台灣人
因為你關心台灣已經超過台灣人了
我被你感動
謝謝你還有你太太
她一定也是愛台灣的人
Take a good break, and come back refreshed.
台北市民
I learned a lot from your blog. Thank You!
quit BLOGGING ?
WHO did threaten u? Camerlengo?
KMT OR COMMUNIST ?
Your blog and other links are 不懂裝懂。 Enjoy the good rest, and be refreshed.
Speaking as someone who takes breaks from his own blog on a pretty regular basis, I can hardly begrudge anybody else for doing the same. Go right ahead and take all the time you need.
Frankly, I don't know how you do it.
The Foreigner said:
Frankly, I don't know how you do it.
Άλισον says:
Me either.
Thanks Michael, great job!
Thank you for caring Taiwan so much! please take your break as long as you need. Thank you again.
Thank you for all your posts!!!
Nice bumping into to you today. I know how you feel juggling too much stuff.
It was great to see you yesterday. Best of luck with your break, and see you when you're back..
Your blog is one of the best I've ever encountered and one of the few I check multiple times each day--and have done so for years. If Taiwan is to survive this dark period, it will be in part due to the efforts of people like yourself. All the best!
Please come back soon.
As so many others here I have been reading your blog for years now. Reading it has long become a pleasant routine. Wish you a nice break!
Will miss your blog in the meantime, but best wishes on your well-deserved break!
Is it three weeks yet?
I feel like I've been grounded.
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