I think I may need to redo my links page. I think I'll need a new category, called "On Hiatus." Some of my favorite writers are either taking some announced time off or are missing in action.

I joined notify lists for some of the ones of my favorites who don't update daily, so I would quit wasting time looking for nonexistent entries. (Note to others: if I didn't join your notify, it means I'm working my way through your archives, so not a problem if you didn't update when I have a chance to go look.) And two of the notify list people are missing in action.

I actually don't rely totally on the notify lists, since sometimes the notifies don't get delivered. If I think someone has possibly updated, I do go looking after a while. But nothing has changed on these sites.

Going to a personal website that hasn't been updated in several months is like going into a normally-active building with no people in it. All the furniture is in place, but there's the eerie sensation that something is terribly wrong. And that you shouldn't be there. You might look around that building a bit, but assuming you don't find something that makes you call for assistance, you'll probably just quietly leave.

When it's a normally-frequently-updated website, all you can do is click your way out and wonder what's up.

My request here is if you need to take some time off, please take a minute to do something to let your loyal readers know. You don't have to go into details---just say you're taking a hiatus.

And if you're dealing with a broken computer, as I was last month, please try to do something to get the word out. Have a contingency plan of some sort, even if it takes a few days to put into action.

Don't just leave us in an empty building, with all that creepy-quiet furniture. It's scary.