Saturday, April 04, 2009

Life 1, Cuttlefish 0

Something had to give. It is the time of the semester when assignments come due, and grading piles up. It is the time of the year when furnaces, cars, bikes, and computers break down (I don't know how they conspire to do this, but they do). It is the time of life when the maximum number of offspring are requiring tuition to be paid, loans to be applied for, this that and the other to be bought. It is the time of the economy when two decades worth of savings are worth less than a decade ago, as if ten years of work was for nothing. It is one of those rare years when I have no summer teaching at all, and thus no summer income to speak of. It is the time of my life when, with finances like this, my 25th anniversary is coming up in a couple of months. We'll likely split a can of soup in celebration.

Something had to give. I can't cut back on my job, or they won't pay me. I can't cut back on parenting or spousing, just because. I can cut back on doing something I very much like to do, but which takes time I don't really have right now. So this might be it, or this might be it for a while. I really don't know right now.

I love my readers. They have helped me through so much already. I don't regret a moment of my time spent putting life into silly rhymed verses. I still owe some of my readers a signed copy of my book (I haven't forgotten!), and I will do that. One kind and talented reader is helping me (the delay is all mine) to re-write the book, add some commentary and re-organize, so that may come out eventually... and I will, of course, keep checking email and comments.

But something had to give, and so I am, at the very least, taking a break. I hope to see you soon, but if not, I still thank you from the bottom of all three hearts for supporting me, for enabling my obsession, for helping to create the Cuttlefish persona.

For now, though... Good-bye.

38 comments:

makita said...

Dear Cuttlefish,
Sorry life is getting to you. I hope you manage to regain your strength and score a few points yourself. Don't let life get to you. Thanks for the good times, good luck with the bad. Cheers!

makita said...

Oops,
that was horribly phrased CF. The sentiments stand though.

george.w said...

We'll be here waiting! Thanks for the insight and humor through a lot of crazy stuff in the world.

Derek CA said...

Even if your challenges seem rather intense,
I'm sure that you'll overcome them.
So don't lose all hope! For your natural defense
Is an ink cloud, some heart, and a poem.


Good luck, Cuttlefish. We've all been in situations like yours, and I hope things work out in the long run.
For now though, all I can say is say thanks for your wonderful blog.

EcoGeoFemme said...

I hope you get back on top of things quickly and as painlessly as possible. Good luck!

I'll keep you in my reader for whenever you come back.

Blake Stacey said...

The words came up in my RSS feed:
"Life 1, Cuttlefish 0" —
And with all deliberate speed
I hacked a rhyme to console a hero.

I have a book on Lulu right now, and I'm in the midst of getting it cross-posted at Amazon's CreateSpace and Kindle Store. (The Lulu edition just recently started showing as "In Stock" at Amazon, hurrah, but word on the street is that Lulu books can fall "out of stock" there for no particularly good reason, so I figured redundancy couldn't hurt.) If you ever want help with such things, let me know and I'll contribute whatever experience I've got.

Laurie said...

Nooooooo! I hope things get better soon. I'll keep you on my NetNewsWire for however long it takes. Good luck, and thank you.

Snail said...

Cuttlefish, we'll miss you, but you've got your priorities straight!

Podblack said...

Will always be here for you, DC. Let me know. Especially since I think we'll meet again in Sept. :) K.

scicurious said...

My dearest, wisest Cuttlefish
I am so sad to see
That, against my every wish
No blogging there will be.

I'll miss you! And I understand
That work gets in the way
And the frustrations that life brings in hand
are increasing day by day..

I will send you thoughts of confidence
That, at work and home
All issues will work out and thence
you'll be back to us with a poem.

Webs said...

I'll miss your writings and look forward to the time when you can continue them!!

The Ridger, FCD said...

I too will miss you, and wait for your return. But I'll understand if that's not soon.

Anonymous said...

If this is a chore, by all means take a break... but don't sacrifice what you love, your play and expression of your unique self. The worse life gets, the more we need our little freedoms. Cut way back, but you know we'll celebrate when we see even the smallest wave or flap from you.

Peace, Pteryxx

Cath@VWXYNot? said...

Dude! What a shame, you lighten up the internet. I hope you'll make a triumphant return when circumstances permit... I'll stay subscribed to your RSS feed, just in case.

Thanks for all the laughs and hard thinking you've inspired. Best wishes to you and your family.

Daimo said...

You've had a highly productive innings, mate.

Good luck for now, hope to see you batting more couplets in the future.

aussielurker said...

Sorry to hear this - you've always been one of the highlights of the blogs.

I've even used one of your poems in my teaching.

The faithful Cuttlephiles will wait for 1,000 years (if you don't take too long!)

best wishes

articulett said...

This silent fan will miss your posts, but I am grateful for the serendipity of stumbling upon you in the cyberworld, and I look forward to meeting you in the real world some time.

Go attend to real life. Your fans will be here when you come back.

Rev. BigDumbChimp said...

damn


Well, I love your posts and you'll be missed. But family comes first.

Enjoy!

Jadehawk said...

oh no! I will miss cuttlefish poetry, but the real world is more important (or so i've been told).

good luck with everything, and I really hope you'll be back soon

Johnny Vector said...

Squiddly-piddly,
Digital Cuttlefish!
Bustin' out rhymes
After all doesn't pay.

His disguise is remarkable
Here and now gone! He just
Chromatophorically
Melted away.

Good luck, DC! We'll catch you on the flipside.

Jan Aquarius said...

Your blog has, like, forever been on my favorites list, and I enjoy your postings on Pharyngula immensely. Good luck with whatever is taking your time now, and hope to see you around in steadier times. I shall miss your poetic posts.

Anonymous said...

The Poet Laureate of Pharyngula will be sorely missed. Hope things get better soon.

Dana Hunter said...

Damn you, life! Leave Cuttlefish aaaalllloooonnnneeee!

Hope to see you back. Your poetry is one of the best things about the intertoobz!

sphexish said...

I am so sorry that you are having rough times, and I admire your willingness to take the bull by the horns and make what must have been a difficult decision in order to try to make things work.
The lack of your voice will leave a very loud silence on teh internets... I earnestly hope that the time will come, SOON, when you are in a place where you can confidently make a different decision.

John Twilley said...

Damn.
There goes a good fish...

Ryoga M said...

I'll be waiting, patiently.

Ása Johannesen said...

Oh noes!

I'm so sad to see you leave the blogosphere. I hope it's only temporary.

I suppose I shall have to reread your book every now and again when I get cuttlefish cravings.

Good luck in the fight against life. I hope you win.

Podblack said...

You have a book in the mail!! Should arrive on Friday. :) :)

C W Magee said...

Dear DC,
I hope you can compile some of the contents of this blog into a monetizable book.

Podblack said...

Don't forget to buy the book that's already out - see the Lulu link that's on the right hand column!! :D

Monado said...

Good luck, and come back when you can.

Podblack said...

... going to be here when you're back, you realise. :)

articulett said...

Me too... with the Dr by my side--

Shamar said...

Still checking in to see if you're coming back...I miss reading this blog :-)

Podblack said...

Shouldn't be long now! BTW - the Digital Cuttlefish should feature in a soon-to-be-released Australian Skeptic mag. :)

Andy said...

You rekindled my love for "nonsense" verse, with a skeptical twist. Thank you and hope to see you back asap.

jtaylor said...

A visit to your site upon searching for a picture of a cuttlefish (to add to a poem) was a good start. I wish you and yours well.

Thought I would leave a copy of the poem I wrote that was inspired by a "cuttlefish."

Cuttle with the FishI see in a poem something...
Part of what I want from you.
My wife, my lover, my everything.
Your love and your desire, I woo.

The poem, about a cuttlefish,
made me think of you and wish...
Not of hiding or staying out of view,
but of a cuttle or two just from you.

Secrets we keep, even if but one or two.
Little problems, peanuts we flush down the loo.
Denticulated suckers of love and desire
bind us willingly to each other, with fire.

To the future I gaze hoping to see
Love and Support for you and for me.
Hand in hand and heart in hearth we tread
happy in love, and bliss in our bed.

A journey together we take--in rapture and sin
Each giving willingly so that we both may win.
I wish for you to feel willingly bound, tied by banks
with the love and support of an man, with "8 hands."

Copyright 2008, James H. Taylor III All Rights Reserved.

jtaylor said...

lol...bands...