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I try not to get political on this blog, but I plead with you to help me with this important issue.Â
Sophia and I will be driving to Portland in the beginning of March and we may take a week or two to complete the trip. Today, I was saying that we need to find hotels with internet access so that I will be able to blog every day.
“No way!” she said. “We’re on vacation. I’m not going to sit there every night watching you blog and write five hundred emails We’re supposed to be having fun.”
“I need to blog a little. People will get worried.”
“Worried about what?”
“If they don’t hear from me, they might think we fell into the Pacific Ocean or a redwood fell on top of us.”Â
“If that happened, they’d read about it in the newspaper.  You’re NOT blogging EVERY DAY.”
“Listen, woman, I’m the one wearing the pants, so don’t go telling ME what I can or cannot do. I will decide how much I blog!” I loudly thought to myself.
You can see the seriousness of my situation. My only real hope is YOU. I made a deal with Sophia. She will agree to let me blog every day if, and ONLY if, I can collect 1,500,000 signatures by March 1st saying that it is essential that I blog every day. If I accomplish this, Sophia will not stand in my way. Otherwise, she will give me a lot of shit.
Please help.  Send all signatures to:
“Let Neil Blog While On Vacation Campaign”
Redondo Beach City Hall
Redondo Beach, CA
sorry, but I’m with Sophia on this one…collect a few experiences and blog later…
But… but… travel blogging is my favorite…
But if you see bloggers along the way, we’ll all know that you are OK because they’ll probably write about it on their blogs. So try again.
I hate to shit on your sombrero my friend but…I was adamant about taking our laptop to Seattle and honestly, other than using it to talk back and forth with Sizzle before our meet up, I could have done without it. And I did not even have the DT’s!
*scratching my head in confusion*
you mean you don’t have a web enabled cell phone to blog from??
*ducking & running from the flying objects being trown at me from sophia as she runs at me in a russin fit of temper*
“Otherwise, she will give me a lot of shit.”
As if 1.5 million signatures will change that!
I’m thinking you ought to go with Sophia on this one. A couple updates that say “We’re not dead but we did see some wicked cool roadkill today” will suffice.
Pah. Go on vacation skip the blog. We’ll wait for you. You’re worth waiting for Neil….
Hit up a local college – students will sign pettitions for anything!
I love you Neil, really. But, ummm, NO. Take time OFF. It’s good for you, Sophia and the marriage.
HUGS!
Sure, Eileen, Deannie, I know how things work. I disappear for a few days. You start sending out emails to others saying, “Where’s Neil? I guess he’s not interested in blogging anymore. Why don’t you come to OUR sites instead?”
I agree. A day without blogging (reading or writing) is like a day without sunshine. Anita Bryant told me that.
Yeah, you should definitely pay 100% of your attention to your lady!
What about this: guest bloggers?
You take a vacation and spend all your attention on Sophia…and Tequilacon, of course. And invite some friends to keep the home-blog fires burning.
Win-win-win
I am SO looking forward to meeting you at Tequilacon, but I have to admit I’m a little frightened at the prospect of meeting Sophia. On the blogging while travelling issue, you’re right, you DO need to find places with Internet access along the way, because you’re hosting the Carnival of the Mundane next Friday. The Oscars are this Sunday, remember!
do your pants fit funny with your penis and testicles in sophia’s purse?
ACG — I read that statement in a much different way than you meant.
Not Faint Hearted — Guest Bloggers? Yeah, like I would let ONE OF YOU write a post here. Don’t make me laugh.
Neil,
We write posts here all the time. Have you seen how long the comments get?
And I am 100 percent with YOU on this issue. Sorry Sophia. You can’t make a writer stop writing. That’s like withholding food and water.
Plus, as Michael Bolton wailed, “How am I supposed to live without you/Now that I’ve been lovin you so LOOOOOOOONG.”
Another vote for Sophia. Leave the laptop and woo the woman Neil!
even if i sent a letter, i doubt if it would reach there on time. i’m siding with both of you, i can see sophia’s point of view, but you also need to blog, maybe something every other day? and i thought it was a one night stay, how come you’re going to be gone for a few weeks?
Tsk tsk tsk.
My suggestion is to program a bot to go to predetermined blogs and leave vague but interesting comments. (Therefore, you take care of your readers.)
You know, “Ha ha ha. This was the very best blog I have read today.”
“You are so right.”
“I often imagine you naked.”
Etc.
“… I loudly thought to myself.” Neil, that made me laugh out loud at 7 a.m., and reassured me that you’re such a wuss.
Back off from blogging–it can be good. or not. A vacation for the body, the mind,and the soul.
We know you’ll be away for several days; we understand you’ll be MIA…and we’ll be waiting for you upon your return. Just take mental, photographic and written notes about the trip while you’re gone.
I’m sure someone at the convention will have a computer — use theirs to give us a behind-the-scenes look at the reason you’re in Oregon.
If you feel your readers will miss you too much, let Sophia blog on your behalf for a change. It’ll be “refreshing” to get her POV. (But we still love you, too.)
I have no *real* advice or stand on this one. I know that I, for one, will wait for you, Neil. Naturally I will miss you but I know that I will wait, and when you do return it will be an exciting, nay, breath-taking, moment. Oh the tales you will tell! I cannot even imagine the fun we will all have!
This is one reader you won’t be losing, that’s for sure!
Isn’t there a word you’re forgetting in all this, a word that is important to any good relationship, COMPROMISE?! You give a little, she gives a little. No one rejoices in an overt victory, but, you both get to stop pouting in the corner.
You know I love you, my brother, but leave it at home. You will be able to relax and recharge and regenerate…
Neil Neil Neil… You have a good woman here. Don’t mess it up. Let us know when you’ll be back.
Besides, I’m thinking a bit of blog detox might do you good. And for the record, I don’t think most of us will whither away and die if you’re gone for a couple of weeks.
*runs from the wrath of Neil*
I never thought I’d be in the minority here, but I say Keep Blogging. Or if not, do the thing that someone else suggested. You can set up brief little posts to be published on a daily schedule. I’ve done that in emergencies.
Interesting, I’m still pondering whether or not to bring my laptop. I’m leaning toward leaving it, even though I’ll be gone for 10 days altogether. If I’m around all you other faboo bloggers, when am I going to find time to blog?
I rarely comment here, but I check for updates every day (or more) because I enjoy your blog. But maybe I’ve been taking you for granted? Maybe I’ve been assuming you’ll always be there, when really, you don’t even know that I’m here. I guess if I commented once in a while, gave you some positive feedback and made sure that you an I both know that your blog is an important part of my day, I’d be doing something to make sure I don’t lose your blog. Yep, you better take a vacation. It’ll teach me a lesson. but I’m thinking you shoudn’t even say it’s a vacation. Just go, don’t tell me, and then when I cry, you can explain that had I ever commented, you might have known I cared. It’s sad, really.
What was the question?
Sounds like it’s time for a 12-step program. Let me know how Bloggers Anonymous works for you. I’m going to meetings. I don’t have a problem.
I would miss reading you, but take a break. It’s amazing how it clears the cobwebs.
Vacations do not suck!
I’ll be waiting patiently. Have fun!
Neil who?
Just joking.. have fun!
I totally understand your addiction, Neil. I’m on a mere 4-day vacation and I felt the need to go out and purchase a really expensive MacBook just so I could blog and e-mail while outta town.
Yeah, we’re infected!
I say, blog from your hotels, maybe every other day. Don’t e-mail, just blog.
Yeah, right. Miss you.
Ellen B
Here’s an idea that could work..Give her the sessions of..release..she’s been waiting for. Leave her blissfully sleeping..Take a cat nap..cause you know you HAVE to..and then come here and write. I know it will be all cocky boastful posts..lot of whoo hooing and such..but its better than nothing. might be interesting to compare the two..This is Neil’s brain on sex….Kinda a public service announcement!
what if you and sophia compromised? i know! weird suggestion! if you do bring it, you can only be on line for x amount of time on x amount of days. i think being on the computer has its benefits but it can sometimes stop us from engaging in life.
I’m sorry; I’m totally with Sophia, too. The way her really quite reasonable position sits so very ill with you also begs the question of addiction and the need for intervention.
I say you go, try it, try to go this tiny little chunk of time without an internet connection, and then if it gets bad, if you get the sweats and start vomiting or if your head spins around in ways that scare strangers and children, you can always visit a public library. They have those in Oregon, too.
If you were going to the south of France, I’d be more inclined to take Sophia’s point of view. But because the whole point of the trip is to meet up with bloggers at a blogging event I say you NEED to take your laptop and report back from the scene. I’d suggest a compromise like blogging every other day and trying to refrain from excessive emailing but I have to say I’m with you on this one. Blog-free vacations are great, but this isn’t one of them.
Hmmmm, I like the idea of Sophia blogging with you. A “he said, she said” road trip….
This sounds like you need to to go Bloggerholics Anonymous:)
For those who wanted the “He said, she said.”
Post truth quotient – about 50%.
Bah! I say hit the middle ground — hidden-from-Sophia on-the-road secret blogging!
[A scene.]
“Hey dear, I’m running out to the car for… ahhh… a diaper.”
“A diaper? But we-”
[Sound of running. Sound of furtive typing. Giggles. Sound of “Post” being clicked. Sound of running.]
“Whew! Here’s the diaper!”
I’m kinda with both of you on this one. I think it should be a vacation and you should take time off the blog as well (I did it and, while painful at first, it’s kinda nice). But we are talking two weeks here. Maybe come to a compromise. Just post every few days. Maybe pick a number for the max amount of times you can post. How’s that sound, kids?
I’m with Sophia on this one… sometimes you just gotta BE and not BLOG.
Is anyone else disturbed by the fact that the little girls are asking about penis? 😉
Is this petition campaign going to end up on Snopes.com?
Maybe you’ll get 1,500,000 COMMENTS on this post! That ought to count for something, right?
Right?
Okay, maybe not.
Lizardek, only 1,499,955 more!
Ooooh, I hate to buck the trend, but I am totally with you Neil!! Blogging has become as necessary to me as breathing. I am letting my children sit and stare at the Disney Channel right now as they mechanically shove cheese puffs into their mouths because I have to catch up on my blogging. It’s a very vital and necessary part of my day, far more important than grooming my children to become productive, non-obese members of society!! So Blog Away my friend!!!
sorry; i am with sophia…
my suggestion; ask your best blogging buddies to co-write for you while you are gone; then when you return everyone will be happy.
oops… I see “faint hearted” already suggested guest bloggers. You might read up on them; fun for everyone!
Sorry Neil but I’m with Sophia. Leave the computer at home. It’s quite liberating. Less time on the computer means more opportunities for crazy adventures.
We’ll be anxiously awaiting your return. 😉
I totally agree with you. We are going to Jamaica at the end of March and do you think that I will be leaving my computer at home? Hell no! I hope they have high speed Internet access in Ocho Rios. Or at least dial up.
Can we just sign here? I hope so, here’s my signature:
Shelli M71!34
I’ll do the best that I can for you, Neil. Unfortunately, I don’t think I can get you more than about 10,000 signatures. After that, my hand starts to go numb.