Yet Another Apology from A3G

Greetings, lovers of judicial gossip. Article III Groupie apologizes for her extended absence from these pages. In this post, she will offer her explanation and excuses.

(If you don't want to hear them, then just stop reading now. It's really that simple. Click on this link to go to the New York Times homepage; they always have interesting articles. Thank you.)

Excuse #1: A3G's new day job is extremely demanding. It generally requires her to toil in front of her computer, non-stop, for at least twelve hours a day (and sometimes many more). That's just during the week; she puts in additional time on weekends. And that doesn't include the time she must spend in the evenings, attending speeches, panel discussions, and social events (e.g., drinks with Tim Russert, dinner with Arianna Huffington, etc.).

Despite the more glamorous aspects, it's actually a bit of a grind, and A3G honestly doesn't know how much longer she can (or wants to) keep it up. She hardly has time for anything else in her life. She hasn't seen a movie or been to a museum in weeks. She doesn't have time for hanging out with old friends, due to all the work-related socializing with new "friends." She hasn't been able to keep up with her workout regimen (and finds it hard to believe she ran a marathon last fall). Lack of exercise explains why, in the most upsetting development of all, A3G has gained several pounds in the past few weeks.

Excuse #2: A3G has been depressed. She will spare you the details. Most of the reasons for her depression are personal (and if you've read this article, you can probably guess at some of them). They are largely unrelated to this blog, and she is working on getting help.

But her inability to keep up with her UTR blogging and email has added to her stress and depression. One reason so much time has passed since A3G last blogged here is that, after a certain point, she just couldn't bear the thought of trying to catch up with weeks' worth of judicial news and email. Avoidance begets avoidance.

So A3G won't try and catch up, since that would be hopeless. She's wiping the slate clean and starting fresh. There is no way that she can catch up on all the legal news and blogging that she has missed. So please don't expect A3G to blog about any federal judicial developments, however interesting, from the past few weeks. They are dead to her.

Similarly, A3G has been ignoring her UTR email account in the longest time (as you know if you've tried writing her lately). If you've emailed her about something recently and it's very important, then feel free to email her again. But if it's not important, then just let the water flow under the bridge. Every additional email A3G receives adds to her backlog and therefore to her stress (unless the email says something along the lines of "no need to respond to this email," which some of you are kind enough to include).

Because A3G hasn't been keeping up with her blawg reading and UTR email, she probably hasn't read your latest rant about how much you hate her and this blog. And, in true diva fashion, she frankly doesn't give a damn (or is at least working on cultivating genuine indifference, so her bravado will be more than just bravado).

From what little she has read, A3G knows people have said mean things about her -- on this blog, on other blogs, and in emails. Such criticism used to sting, but it bothers her less and less now. First, she's learning that it simply comes with the territory of increased visibility as a blogger. Second, she has suffered far worse things in her life than a few unkind comments. Third, since A3G sometimes says snarky things about others, she has no right to be thin-skinned. If she dishes it, she must take it.

A3G has two blanket responses to her critics. First, if you don't like A3G and her blog, then don't read it. Nobody is forcing you to stare at all this pink and green. The blogosphere is a very big place, and there's something out there for everyone. And you don't even need to read blogs; you can just stick to the MSM.

So if you think that this blog is gimmicky, stupid, repetitive, lame, or annoying, then why are you reading this sentence? Please go away already -- A3G will still have thousands of readers without you. And even if those thousands desert her, that's okay too. She can remember doing this blog back when it got about 34 visitors a day. Despite having virtually no audience, she was happy, because she enjoyed reading it -- even if nobody else did.

Second, if you have a very different complaint -- if you're angry at A3G for not doing more judicial gossip blogging -- A3G asks: Are you paying her to do this? No? Well, then she doesn't owe you anything. To the contrary, if you've enjoyed this blog at all between its inception and today, then you owe A3G a debt of gratitude.

Also, to those of you who are bloggers, feel free to go out and start your own UTR copycat blog; nobody is stopping you. If People and US Weekly can peacefully co-exist, then so can UTR and some other judicial gossip blawg. By way of example, Amber Taylor now reports on Supreme Court law clerk hiring too. Oh, and whatever happened to this blog?

Okay, enough of this narcissistic, Oprah-esque self-examination. A3G is actually going to be doing something about the sorry state of neglect that this blog has fallen into. This post is actually just the prelude to a more important one, in which A3G will explain how UTR will operate going forward. There are going to be some major changes around here.

A3G has carefully formulated a multi-pronged plan for overhauling this blawg. It will allow UTR to continue in some form, with regular and even frequent postings about Article III news and rumor (and without A3G forfeiting her sanity). But it will require a little help from you, the readers of UTR, which hopefully you will be willing to provide.

That plan will be unveiled in the near future -- perhaps as early as tomorrow. So please check back soon!

UPDATE: Please read this important addendum to what you've just read. Thanks.

Comments

[TG]

Hi,
I came accross your blog this year post Alito confirmation and was rivetted to say the least. After that I read it from the first post onwards. Fascinating. And I am a non-US, non-law student!!
What this blog had that probably interested me is that I am from a very reputable tech institute in my country, which has an accpetance rate of 1%. And although I am part of this elite institute, there are a handful of students here that are way above the rest -kind of like the tech Elect. They are looked upon with the same kind of awe and admiration that you have expressed for the Elect in your blog.
And I did enjoy your irreverant tone and the liberal-ribbing.
I was deeply disappointed that you had stopped blogging and after checking the site many times, in vain, I had given up. But today I again came to your site and and you have started blogging again!! A warm welcome back!
Before I finish this post I have one small story. I occasionally watch videos, from Harvard IOP archives, of general interest and one such video was a debate about admission to a convicted student name Gina. I thought that one conservative Harvard Crimson fellow was particulary eloquent in the debate. After a few months I came accross this blog and went through all the posts as I mentioned before, including the one where your identity is unmasked and lo and behold! I see the same student now writing anonymous blogs(with the same sharp wit as was evident in that debate)and feeling sorry himself. It is a stark contrast to the self-assured debater I saw in the video.
Another point is WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD A CONSERVATIVE GO OVER TO WONKETTE AND BECOME THEIR LACKEY, SACRIFICING ALL HIS BELIEFS FOR A LITTLE FAME(reflected off of ana marie's shining shoes). Are you so in need of approval that anyone's would do?

[Chris]

Oh A3G, let's stop the fussin' and the feudin'. How am I going to live vacariously through the lives of the Elect if not through this blawg?

I am grateful to you. You deserve all the success that you've gotten. I hope you see a way through your depression. Give yourself the time and attention you need.

[Dylan]

"Who do you think is responsible for you getting that paid Wonkette gig, all that media publicity, and who knows what else?"

"Her" own talent?

[soon to be former reader]

"A3G asks: Are you paying her to do this? No? Well, then she doesn't owe you anything. To the contrary, if you've enjoyed this blog at all between its inception and today, then you owe A3G a debt of gratitude."

Jesus Christ, wtf is wrong with you? Who do you think is responsible for you getting that paid Wonkette gig, all that media publicity, and who knows what else?

I've defended you in the past when people criticized you, but not anymore. Thanks for showing your true colors. Maybe you'll get a few readers to help you out with your new blog idea, but I won't be one of them.

[A reader]

"But it will require a little help from you, the readers of UTR, which hopefully you will be willing to provide."

This plea would probably have been more effective if you hadn't insulted your readers elsewhere in the same post.

[Frank White]

Glad to hear you'll be posting again. Sorry to hear you've been depressed. That said, I must admit that even I, a faithful reader, was a bit put off by "she doesn't owe you anything. To the contrary, if you've enjoyed this blog at all between its inception and today, then you owe A3G a debt of gratitude." But perhaps it was your intention to off-put. As I see it, there's no need to take yourself so seriously, A3G; let the morons think (and say) what they will...

Yippee!