About a year ago, I wrote a post entitled One year, already? in which I was debating about the age of the captain1. The age of this blog, actually! Yep, it was Beyond “blogoversary” – if this is even a word – and I was explaining that I was looking forward to launching my podcast. Fast-forward 100-53=47 posts (i.e. 47 weeks) and I am still not there. Why so? Of course, there is the “one-man staff” issue (see The Who and the When), the setback resulting from SiteGround long overdue new interfaces (see SiteGround New Client Area and Site Tools – part 4), as well as other misfortunes, but this is no excuse!
The ball had been set rolling…
Actually, I was so close to release it this summer, that I added a teaser2 on my website:
It affects how one thinks, feels, acts.
This summer
Shrouded in mystery, misconception and fear
– more than a century after its discovery –
it remains an enigma.
This was it. There was simply no stopping me launching my podcast in 2020!
Nothing?
Evidently, I hadn’t reckoned with the coronavirus (COVID-19 ) pandemic. I am afraid that nobody did, though! This crisis is having an unprecedented impact on lives across the world and CogitActive is not left unscathed. Nevertheless, while this outbreak is testing our resilience, the digital world makes it possible to stay connected3. So, again, this is no excuse! Besides, the effects of the pandemic are likely to be long-lasting.
By the way, I sincerely hope you and your loved ones are keeping safe and well.
The thing is, while CogitActive was grappling with the impact of COVID-19, new challenges arise for me, Alexandre Seillier (the person behind CogitActive), as well. The trials and tribulations of family life are generally rather good times; still, they can turned into adversities amidst this global pandemic. To make a long story short, new priorities forced themselves upon me, if only to keep up with my to-be-growing family needs. It is no easy feat to start a new job, what is more in a non-english speaking country, but being away from loved ones, especially during this precious (to-be-growing family) time is just unbearable.
It should be all about celebration, right? Hitting the triple digit posting mark is worth to be marked indeed, if only with a “100th POST!” graphic. Oops! Typically, bloggers reflect on their favorite posts, or on their blogging journey, or come up with other ways to commemorate the occasion. However, the recent events and the gloomy forecasts have casted a shadow on this accomplishment. Besides, the very idea of postponing the launch of my podcast (for the reasons aforementioned) evoked feelings of frustration, discontent, and unfulfillment; hence, the bitterness in my writing this post.
Anyway, during these trying times, I will undertake to keep up with the demands of a weekly publication schedule (i.e. every Thursday for this blog). Of course, I will have to find a way to cope with the fact that my time will be extremely scarce in the coming weeks. At the time of this writing, I am contemplating the idea of trying the various posting format of Twenty Seventeen out: Aside, Link, Quote, Image, Gallery, Audio, and Video. Not only are they less demanding than the Standard blog posts (especially, if I am not creating the content), but also it would be a good opportunity to see how they are displayed. I hope this will do the deal during this transition period (adjusting to a new job, new country, etc.) and that you are indulgent readers.
It has been my pleasure to create content that you hopefully find interesting and, don’t worry, I look forward to bringing you the next 100 posts and beyond. Anyway, thank you so much for reading along on my podcasting journey and for your continued support.
Yours truly,
Alexandre
1 This was a reference to the mathematical word problem given by Gustave Flaubert (see Age of the captain). ^
2 Actually, it is still there (at the time of this writing). However, there is now a gloomy addendum: Postponed due to Covid-19, among other reasons.
^
3 It goes without saying that I even thought that my podcast would have provided an outlet for anyone looking to destress and recenter during this unsettling time. However, given my unwavering commitment to a higher standard of service, there was no way to cut corners in order to rush its release. Besides, although the pandemic turned out to be a hindrance to the launch of my podcast, what was to come would have jeopardized my ability to release my episodes regularly (a highly demanding process indeed). Keep reading… ^