So, I did it.

I gave away "The Weekly Quickie Contest"  and "Anniversary Reviews" 

Both the contest and the review forum are in capable hands. In a paradoxical way, it was both harder to give each up then I thought, yet also easier than I thought. I guess where there are emotions, it's never all cut and dry.

I also left "365 Stories!"  I thought the rule of daily writing would be good for me. It was great for January. I've never been as prolific in writing during one months since the time before I joined Writing.Com. I realized, however, that the format of daily writing doesn't fit in with my creativity. There is a series of books I've messed around with for years that I finally want to give some real attention, and at times I might not do more than read the chapters to put them on my mind and see how to make them better.

Too late for the WdC run annual "Dear Me" contest, but I've had a bit of a reckoning when it comes to my writing and my way of going about it. Writing is a solitary activity. I need my mind free of other things. Having to perform other tasks on a daily basis stops that flow. Since I work six days a week and have three kids to raise every single day of the week, my mind is already kept busy for many hours in a day. I had to pull the plug on other things that were using up space in my mind.

Now that I am free of daily and weekly responsibilities here on Writing.Com (responsibilities I asked for or created myself, not something anybody put on me), I feel my mind relaxing. I've not yet gone into those books of mine, but as I spring clean my portfolio, leave groups I'm not active in, and reassess my reason for being a member of Writing.Com, I realize I have thousands of opportunities on this site that I haven't tapped into. Now, I think, I have reached the point of no more nonsense.

I want to write things that are meaningful to me.
I want to read stories that entertain me.
I want to review as a means to relax.

I'm finally able to use the site in the way I think it will be good for me and those who I'll end up working with.