Le Livre d'Or

Maybe the private blog is the way to go, though I suspect you'd need some time to get revved up for that. The pod/video angle sounds great, but that raises a lot of other questions. And it loses the immediacy that you enjoyed so long, which is one of the most unfortunate losses in all this.

I like the idea of a private blog if getting the RSS and reading posts was as simple as public. If there are too many hoops just to get notice of and read a single post it will get frustrating.

In doing this blog and thinking about this stuff, have you ever had any ideas for what kinds of tools (software, that is) that people could use to do things like share creative ideas in groups, create customer community, etc. etc.?

That aside, I think that a multiple-contributor blog would give you support and provide some other perspectives. You could combine this with your ideas on coaching/ghostwriting and work with 'intern' contributors to hone their skills, see their work supplying your site, and give them the tools they need to take your philosophies and understanding out on their own tangents. It might give you a regular supply of fresh, new writers and keep things going while allowing you to step back a little. (If you did go with the intern idea, drop me a line, will you? *g*)

I do hesitate to run with the other commenters that say you should monetize this, but you should make it at least a part-time passion where you are getting to stretch out on the things you write about, and then allow experiences to craft other posts.