Then, I was inspired;
Now, I’m sad and tired. – Tim Rice, Jesus Christ Superstar
This has been a year of dramatic change in my life, and to a slightly lesser extent in this blog, and so I’m sure most of you won’t be surprised when this column breaks the tradition of New Year’s Eve columns that I maintained for five years. In the past, I would write a thorough synopsis of the year’s events, with copious links to the columns in question; this year, I’m afraid that I have neither the time nor the energy for such an exhaustive reiteration. Whereas I used to prepare non-news columns weeks in advance, now I’m lucky if I’m two days ahead; most of the time it’s only one, and sometimes I hit “schedule” just hours (and in a few cases, mere minutes) before press time. The main reason for this is that my life is a lot busier now: rather than living in semi-retirement on a ranch in the country with an estranged husband and a minimum of face-to-face interaction with others beside Grace, I’m now back to work full time in Seattle with a girlfriend recovering from a severe motorcycle accident, and I have to make a specific effort to get the time and privacy I need to write. That’s why I haven’t managed to get another book out; I’ve only barely managed to keep the blog going, and I can’t recall a time when I was so continually exhausted yet so unable to obtain adequate rest and recuperation. On top of that I’m almost six years older now than when I started – I’ve gone from not-much-past-forty to nearly-fifty in calendar years, and I couldn’t even estimate how much I’ve aged experientially. Barely anything about my life is the same now as it was two Decembers past, and even my self has changed to a point that would cause the Maggie of 2010 to reel in shock. I spend hours every day processing my thoughts, feelings and newly-acquired knowledge, and yet the sheer volume and gravity of the stuff I have to process precludes my getting it all done anytime soon. But if there’s one thing I know with certainty, it’s this: my commitment to the cause of sex worker rights is greater than it has ever been, and if anything it will only increase in the year to come.
Maggie, please, please, please, find a way to take care of yourself. I know this blog is very important to you. I know we love reading it. But your health and happiness are the most important things!! Please…get some rest!
As a regular reader, I hate to suggest this but, If you’re continuously exhausted, maybe you should abandon the idea of putting something up daily. I seem to remember you saying that the In The News columns are easy to do, so maybe do those twice a week and then when you have things to say in essays or stories, put them up as the mood strikes you, so that, instead of daily, you’d be posting something maybe three or four times a week (two news columns and one or two other columns). Maybe there’d even be weeks where you just put up the news columns. I say this out of concern and not because I want less Maggie McNeill.
Anyway, Maggie, I hope you and Jae have a great 2016!
I very much appreciate everyone’s concern; unfortunately, it isn’t the blog that’s causing the stress, but real-life pressures. I do indeed have to figure out a way to alleviate more stress, but the stress isn’t coming from this direction; this is just a symptom of difficulties which are invisible to my readers. Y’all can rest assured I’m trying to figure it out with the help of my friends.
Maggie I’m a great fan of you. I discovered your blog almost three years ago and you keep amazing me. I hope you stay committed to the cause of sex workers forever. Because in my opinion, fighting for the cause of these people is also fighting for the cause of a better society. I don’t comment a lot because usually I have nothing to add. But I want you to know I deeply appreciate your efforts. It says a lot of good things about your personality, even though I don’t know you. Greetings from a female college student and former prostitute (I actually love that word).