July 31st, 2005
Birthdays, Blogging and Sigla
I’m sure it’s got nothing to do with the fact that I’m another year older today, but personally, birthdays have always come with a certain amount of existential angst and a big mortality slap in the face. For some people this is a “what am I doing with my life?” or “I’m racking up the years but going nowhere” type of thing. For me, this year, it’s that I’m probably doing too much.
Sigla has become a much bigger and busier site than I had ever imagined. I’m very proud of it and of all the people who have helped and contributed in various ways to achieving this. In a decision that I’ve not taken lightly, but seemingly quickly, Sigla (the magazine) is on hold indefinitely. There are lots of reasons and no reasons. Maybe it’s gone as far as it could with the zero budget it has been predicated on. Maybe I’ll start focusing on my own writing. Maybe I’m just knackered and don’t want to get ill again. Who knows? I’m salivating at the idea of having some more time to myself but I still hope to find time to post Sigla-related or personal ramblings on the blog. I just don’t know, we’ll have to see.
So, it may or may not be the end, but I would like to say a big, heartfelt thanks to everyone who has submitted content, stopped by, emailed feedback, posted on the boards, commented on the blog and generally acknowledged Sigla’s existence in a positive way.
Whether the magazine ever reappears or not, I’ll still be floating around these parts. If you want to get in touch, I’ll still be at this address.
Thanks so much.
Sinead Gleeson
Editor, Sigla Magazine
July 31st, 2005 at 6:09 pm
Hey Sinead,
I’m sure this wasn’t an easy decision. I’ve enjoyed Sigla, and hope it will re-appear again in the future. Enjoy your extra free time, and I hope it will mark a fruitful creative period for you. Good luck!
July 31st, 2005 at 10:19 pm
I’m sorry to hear that, I’ve enjoyed Sigla a lot, and will be sorry not to be stopping by anymore.
Hopefully you will get more support and energy and will come back again!
It’s been a slick, well thought out and informative operation and we need more of them!
Again, sorry to see you go Sinead, but the best of luck for the future.
RedMum
August 1st, 2005 at 9:43 am
hi sinead,
i’m sorry to hear about sigla but i understand that you have to call a halt to things sometimes. having enough “you time” is vital, so good luck with whatever you choose to spend yours doing
August 1st, 2005 at 9:43 am
yikes, i forgot to wish you a belated happy birthday!
August 1st, 2005 at 2:53 pm
Hello Sinead,
Belated Happy Birthday. I’m really sorry to hear that Sigla is taking a break. I must say that Sigla is one of the better on line magazines. Echoing Janine that sometimes a project can get too big and you do really need your free time. Will continue to drop back.
Take care.
August 1st, 2005 at 8:19 pm
belated happy boithday! really sorry to see sigla is taking a break/ending, as i spent many an hour browsing the reviews (including the damn fine music ones - /me grrrs with envy ;)) best of luck with whatever you are up to next!
August 2nd, 2005 at 12:26 am
I was sorry to hear that Sigla has reached a hiatus and may be coming to an end. It has been been a great platform for writers, artists and creative folk; and it’s success is a testimony to your vision and energy Sinead.
Happy Birthday. Take care of yourself and good luck with all future projects. And ,many thanks for the encouragement you have shown me and many others.
August 2nd, 2005 at 11:17 am
Christ, first Loopdiloop and now Sigla? The internet just got a whole lot smaller.
Happy Birthday though.
August 2nd, 2005 at 6:32 pm
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!
Sorry to see it go into hibernation - it’s been good to read and great to contribute to Sigla.
With a bit of luck (and funding) we might see it reappear as something more tangible?
Markham
August 3rd, 2005 at 6:09 am
So sorry to hear the news, but well done and best of luck with your career and personal life. Don’t know how I’ll pass my spare time in China without Sigla. I am aware of Tuppenceworth, which publishes lots of people’s things, but it could do with a design makeover. Anybody know of other interesting Irish ezines? I happened across Sigla when browsing through the Doras website.
August 3rd, 2005 at 6:53 pm
Hello there,
Sorry to hear that Sigla is going to sleep. I’ve been editing Tuppenceworth.ie now for four and a half years now. And I know that the site tends to have spurts of energy and then have a bit of a snooze. Sometimes this is because of me (It went very quiet whenever I was sitting my exams) or sometimes its just because there’s a lull in everyone else’s lives and I don’t get as many submissions.
But as far as I’m concerned it’s never gone away. All the essays, all the pictures and photos are still there for people to read. Google means that new people discover new things all the time. Just this month one of the Artists on the site sold the rights to a US publisher to one of her images to use as a cover illustration through his finding her work online. That particular image had been posted for a good two years.
Your archive remains valuable. And unlike print magazines, it isn’t hidden away in library stacks. Its at the end of every search on every topic that’s ever been written about in Sigla.
Enjoy your rest. Be proud of all the good work here. Sorry I never got around to suggesting the joint tuppenceoworth/sigla meetup.
All the best
(And Tuppenceworth.ie might even have that design makeover on the horizon, Garreth.)
August 4th, 2005 at 10:29 pm
Belated Birthday greetings Sinead. I think it was significant (in many ways) that your decision was published on the August Bank Holiday weekend Sunday.
Sigla is well designed, easy to use and full of good content. A big job. As the others have said though, it will still live on and then there’s the blogs..
Congrats
Doug
August 8th, 2005 at 1:00 pm
A very happy very belated birthday wishes from me too Sinead.
I’m sorry to hear that the magazine is winding up it has granted me many happy hours of bordom relief and I really don’t know what I’ll do without it!
Also thanks to this site I rediscovered my inner scribbler and the joy of blogging and I’m very grateful for that.
Take care of yourself your health is more important than anyting else as you well know and its just not worth compromising.
August 11th, 2005 at 1:54 am
Oh my. I’ve been out of the loop. So damn sorry. And so damn sorry to see it go.
I’ll get in touch.
August 12th, 2005 at 2:52 am
First of all, many belated Birthday Greetings, Sínead - may ye still be celebrating!
Sorry to hear of Sigla’s present activity as I have thoroughly enjoyed shuffling through the various sections, laughed, cried, gawked and awed manys a time and had the priviledge of having a few wee things posted up - Many thanks for that opportunity, greatly appreciated.
That said, this shouldn’t be regarded as at an end but at a fresh beginning in a sense, and that the beauty of a place as wonderful as this is that everything is stored, treasured and still readily accessible and so will be preserved and remembered.
You and team should be very proud of this and having brought so much to folk from all over the world.
Wishing you the best of luck, life, health and laughter in whatever ye do.
Plus if ye ever venture North there’s a pint a-waiting.
Sláinte.