Mike Update

I promised my regular readers an update on my status by now. I'm being treated for my illness and am recovering. I'm still dealing with aftereffects, feeling "fuzzy" mentally and finding it difficult to focus. I'm told that's normal. Fortunately my son and numerous other friends and relatives have been very helpful and supportive.

About that kickstand...
The trouble is that TOP, as Ken Tanaka once memorably said, is a "bicycle business"…stop pedaling, and it falls over. It's difficult to step away and trust that I'm not wrecking the enterprise. I'm still not feeling well enough to get back to posting and moderating quite yet, but hopefully it will only be a short while longer.

So are you enjoying the "rerun" posts, or are they just old songs you don't need to hear again? If people seem to be liking them, I'll put more work into posting more until I gear up again.

Anyway, not to worry. I'm doing everything I should to get good treatment, and, in the immortal words of MacArthur, I shall return!

Votre bloggeur,
Mike

Comments

[David Miller]

It's always good to have you drop in for coffee, Mike, even when you're feeling under the weather. And if you're revisiting the past in your conversations, that's fine too. (Fear not, you are still far from falling into your anecdotage.)

I hope you're well soon.

[Duncan]

I hope you continue to recover, even if it seems like it's taking forever. I, for one, enjoy the reruns and hope you will continue them as you are able and feel like it. I think most of us will still be here when you return. I know I will. There's nothing else anything like TOP to switch to anyway.

[Michael Matthews]

In addition to get well soon, thanks for the curating effort made in selecting reruns. Today's item on editing is one of those which bears repeating -- if not annually, at least on some sort of cycle, and not the kind you have to keep pedaling for fear of falling off.

Your back catalog of items this good is probably so deep that a set number of days each month devoted to re-posts would be doing your newer readers as well as yourself a favor. Take time to breathe. It helps.

[Bahi]

Still the best place on the web, reruns or not, which says a lot about the longevity of your writing. I'm sure I've read everything you've written on but had completely forgotten some of these pieces.

Wishing you the very best from London,

[Ernie Van Veen]

There's no need to hurry or worry. The reruns are very entertaining.

[Ed Grossman]

Mike,

Your full recovery is the most important thing. If posting a rerun here and there doesn't imperil that, then keep 'em coming. Good content doesn't spoil over time.

[Gabe Bandy]

Mike;

TOP is a class act edited & run by a class guy. Very few bloggers would ever admit their opinion was ever wrong - much less work at learning, sharpening the instrument, trying new ideas. You do - and your writing is solid, dependable and human.

I've been kind'a fuzzy and semi focused when it comes to business for a while now - but perfectly clear when passions like photography & vintage cars are the subject. I think it's called selective ennui.

Get well, stay well, and thrive. You're a man of quality, and worth the wait.

Warm regards
Gabe

[Daniel Stevenson]

Take care of yourself and get well. We do miss you but the re-runs are interesting, for me anyway. Patiently waiting for you to be back in full form.

[Rick Popham]

I'm fine with the reruns (my memory is getting so bad that they might as well be new anyway). Just focus on your health and do what you have to do to recover.

[HughOfBardfield]

Get well soon Mike: we're not going anywhere anytime soon. Enjoying the reruns meantime

[Alex Vesey]

Adding another voice, I hope you feel better soon. And, thank you for continuing to share despite the illness. Good writing and valuable ideals always merit more than one reading. Unlike the pages of a good book digital media removes from view as much as it bring into view. These reposts help us to re enjoy the content you have created over the years.

[Stanley Ulbrych]

As everyone else is saying, and I agree. Your health is first. That's your # 1 priority. I enjoy the reruns so don't feel guilty about running them. Take your time and come back healthy.

[Tom Hassler]

Best wishes, Mike, hoping your recovery is a speedy one. The vintage posts are still good reads. I can't imagine not making daily visits to TOP.

[Patrick]

Don't worry about your enterprise "falling over". Your blog is one of the bright spots on the internet for me--I won't be going away.

[Armand]

Hi Mike,

Get well soon. Enjoy reading your reruns.

Best wishes.

[JohnMFlores]

Count me as one of the folks volunteering to hold up the bike until the rider gets back on...

[Dillan]

Get better soon, Mike. The reruns are great! You have nothing to fear.

[Gary]

Please get well soon, take some time off -- we'll all still be here.

[Bulent Celasun]

Mike,

I loved all your reruns, even though I remembered having read them... Perhaps you should rerun more and spend more time to ... well... "refresh" yourself :)

Bulent

[Edgar Matias]

Mike,

Very much enjoying the "kickstand" articles — many of which I hadn't seen before.

Please don't feel in any way rushed to return to work. TOP is better served by your good health.

Warmest regards,

Edgar

[gregory clements]

Mike

Rest up completely and get better in your own good time.

Best wishes Greg

[Arg]

You may have a bicycle business, but you have got up a good head of steam, which means you can coast for quite a while before you fall over.

Get well mate.

[Jack Flannery]

Get well soon, Mike! I really enjoy your site, including the reruns. Be well.

[BigHank53]

Hope you feel better soon.

I haven't read all your old stuff, so I'm fine with the reruns.

[Jack]

Hey Mike,

I'm a new reader and have just purchased my first fairly decent entry level DSLR. I just wanted to chime in a wish you well.

Here's to a speedy recovery. All the best.

[Eric Auer]

just get well, everything else can wait,

[Alberto]

Mike,

Take care of yourself, meanwhile I will echo what many have said here, I am enjoying the reruns. You might want to consider running an "oldie" once a month once you get better.

Be well,

Alberto

[Marshall Smith]

Very much enjoy reading TOP, even the reruns. Take all the time you need. And for one diehard reader there is this:

<http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=11346886147&searchurl=an%3D%2522Mike%2BJohnston%2522%26amp%3Bbi%3D0%26amp%3Bbsi%3D150%26amp%3Bbx%3Doff%26amp%3Bds%3D50%26amp%3Brecentlyadded%3Dall%26amp%3Bsortby%3D17%26amp%3Bx%3D83%26amp%3By%3D11>

Best wishes for your speedy recovery!

[J.]

Loving the re-runs!
In fact, you might have re-run Editing 101 especially for me, since I'm in the process of re-evaluating all my images from past years.
I needed Editing 101, it's really helping.
Get well!
cheers, j.

[albert erickson]

Mike, I love the reruns, but really miss your daily thoughts and insight. Please take care, and get well soon. Your column is a daily ritual with me and always look forward to reading it.

[Simon Griffee]

Dear Mike,

Get well soon. Miss you, and am enjoying the 'reruns' greatly.

Simon

[Judith Wallerius]

We're getting the pleasure of a carefully selected edition of your classics. That is a treat in and of itself, and you worked hard to have created such an extensive back catalogue. Your audience really has nothing to complain about :)

Actually, you could even make it a weekly feature to post a classic post, and maybe lighten your workload a little that way.

Here's the post that first led me to TOP, and that I'd like to suggest for a re-run:
http://theonlinephotographer.blogspot.de/2006/06/great-photographers-on-internet.html

Don't you worry, we'll be here when you feel better. Don't rush it. Wishing you all the best!

[David Elden]

Re-runs? maybe "Classics", "Greatest hits", "TOP Tens" might better describe them?
Definitely appreciate the chance to revisit them anyway.

Dave.

[V. Roma]

I wouldn't worry too much about the kickstand. There's no competition out in the interwebs for your particular offerings as far as I know.

[Mandeno Moments]

Good prose is like good wine: a few years in the cellar improves it. I have plenty of books that I re-read occasionally because they're good enough to be enjoyed more than once.

[yip]

Hello Mike,

Thank you for the reruns. They are all fun to read and I like especially your post on editing. May be you have more posts or reruns on that topic?

Wishing you a speedy recovery! :]

[Dave Packer]

No worries lots to read about, Lots of fruit and veg and everything else in moderation unless its Photography or Love...

[Johan Grahn]

Just an idea.
But why don't you make reruns a standing feature of TOP?
Lots of articles are just so good they are worth reading more than once.
To give yourself a break let Saturdays be the rerun day and Sunday is completely without posting.
Unless some emergency of course.