I use bloglines myself and usually only visit the actual blogs when I want to make a comment. I cut down my bloglines subscriptions a while ago, intending to use the blog rings to get around to the blogs I like to check on once or twice a month - that hasn't happened.
Right now, I have about 45 feeds in my bloglines, when someone comments on my blog - I click on their profile and visit their blog if they have one, and try to occasionally get around the blog rings I belong to....but I still feel like I'm missing things.
Please take my poll and let me know how you manage to balance the desire to read the blogs that interest you AND still control the amount of time you spend on the computer.
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49 comments:
I use Google Reader and I have LOTS of blogs that I keep up with that way. I click on blogs to see pictures enlarged, to comment or when something in the post makes me want to see the blog.
I check Google Reader throughout the day, usually while I prepping for meals, when have a few moments or before I sit down at the machine. I probably spend too much time on the computer, but since I'm here all day (I'm a full time caregiver to my disabled husband), I have a bit more freedom to do the things I want in between caring.
I use blog lines. I set most of the blogs so that they don't give me the alert in the corner of my home page, supposedly, but they do anyway. I found your blog through google alerts. I was trying to see if there are any quilters or art quilters in Minnesota who have blogs. It is hard to do a search with several parameters without getting overloaded.
I use Sage Feed Reader (firefox application) and read through that, I click in when I want to comment - like now.
As for controlling the amount of time I spend on the computer *sigh* it's a losing battle. I'm constantly torn between sewing and reading blogs. Sometimes, I guess, we just have to step away.
I need to go through and prune down my feeds again.
In addition I am back up to 175 blogs. (until this morning I hadn't read any since Thursday - I made it throught them all during lunch, but I did not comment much. I don't comment much anymore at all...)
My comments pretty much echo Paula's -- I keep trying to keep my list below 100, but it creeps up because I add knitting stuff and some "miscellaneous" blogs. I do go through and weed out ones that haven't kept my interest, though!
I try to limit myself to 50 blogs on Bloglines. And some of my bloglines don't have any quilty content! I click on the blog to leave a comment, otherwise I just skim. Also, I always try to check the links on Judy's site for Stashbusting Sunday!
Cheers!
Evelyn
I've only been using a blog reading service for a couple months. I've found I can follow more blogs now but I'm commenting less. Perhaps I should divide my list and not try to visit every new post every day. Either that or cut back a few like others have mentioned. I haven't used a ring for a while.... last time I tried there was a break in the loop and it frustrated me.
I answered your poll with the answer that was closest to how I visit but I have a few subscriptions that I have to go to because the reader only shows me the first few lines of the post and/or none of the photos. Do you know what I did wrong when subscribing to those?
I read over 400 blogs (99% quilt related) - I use Google Reader. I recently used Attensa - but since that was an application for only one computer, I changed back to Google so I can use any computer in my house. Right now - while I am babysitting the printer for guild stuff, I am catching up on my reading. If I am pressed for time, I use the "star" feature on google if there is something I really want to comment on, but don't have the time to wait on the internet. I will admit though, I mostly skim the articles - really reading if it catches my eye. I rarely click through those that only offer partial feeds or only title feeds - I have way too much to do than to wait on the computer to load a webpage.
My sewing machine has been in the shop for the past 13 days (not that I'm counting!)... so I have a lot of time on my hands. :P But also will skim blogs that I haven't made a real connection to and just like their quilty pictures they post. It's no crime not to be able to "connect" with some blogs, even if you have the same hobby.
On the other hand, when things get really busy, I'll only read my favorites (like right now... I'm supposed to be making dinner). I'll catch up with the other ones sooner or later. :)
great poll Mary! :) I always come directly here each day...or night. You are saved in my "favortie top 5 blogs" that I read every day.
I signed up for bloglines a long time ago but don't remember how to use it... I should though, that woudl be the smartest thing to do - and only be notified of new posts...
Love the new closeup photo of you by the way... :) Love from Texas! ~bonnie
forgot to also say, I got a new cell phone with internet... and guess what??? now, no matter where I am I can still take a peak at you JudyL and BonnieH's blogs to find out and see what you three are up too!! You three are the most productive bloggers I have come across!! Thanks! ~bonnie
I use the Feed Reader right in Internet Explorer. It's let's me know when a blog is updated, I click on it and come straight to the blog. In IE I can create folders (quilting, crafts, frugal, etc.) and sort the blogs by subject matter.
I have a few favorites that I visit everyday. Otherwise I use google alert ... I read the mini alert email ... some I visit, most I don't.
http://www.google.com/support/alerts/bin/static.py?page=faq.html&hl=en
I use bloglines, but for about 20-25 blogs I actually click over to the blog itself. Some blogs on bloglines won't show me pictures -my FAVORITE!
I use Bloglines too - to read news and crafty blogs (99% quilting related). I click through to the author's blog if I have to comment or if the feed only presents an extract. I keep adding new feeds when I read about another quilter from one of my existing feeds. I've not yet reached the point where I feel I am spending too much time reading blogs - since I've not had much time to be quilting off late, that is how I get my daily dose of quilty goodness!
Thanks for the poll!
Another Blogliner here, Mary. My list creeps up to nearly 100 frequently, and I try to pare it down. Hard, because I have quilting blogs, knitting blogs and some general ones on my list. Always a struggle to balance reading vs. doing! I tend to read first thing in the morning, when I do my e-mail, and then check in a time or two during the day and once at night. But life keeps getting in the way!
I also use bloglines. It keeps me updated with who has posted. I used to travel around the rings, but the broken links really made it hard. I probably spend too much time checking out blogs, but I love to see what people are working on and I guess it helps me feel that I am connected to a community that is wider than just my little town.
I almost always click on the site, but I'm afraid that I don't comment as much as I should.
I was using bloglines, but switched to Google Reader a few months ago. For me, it seemed like bloglines kept having some glitches. At least on my computer. I like google reader much better, but that's me!
I am not envious of your snow! lol!
I use Bloglines (use Google Reader for work-related blogs) and just got to the site if I want to comment or to see things close-up. I have too many blogs in Bloglines at the moment and need to weed, but can't seem to find the time to do this to save time! So many great blogs out there - it's hard to choose. So far, I think blogging encourages my creativity, but I think it's a fine line between spending too much time online and not enough actually executing ideas in fabric! Good question - good luck finding your own balance!
Ha! I don't even know what bloglines is (or are). I have stumbled upon different blogs. After reading a few times, I either connect or don't. I keep a list in my favorites and check them all every day or so.
~Joan
Ha! I don't even know what bloglines is (or are). I have stumbled upon different blogs. After reading a few times, I either connect or don't. I keep a list in my favorites and check them all every day or so.
~Joan
I have over 300 blogs on my Bloglines reader right now. I weed, but I always find new ones. *S*
Quilting, Design, just plain fun blogs.....but i skim thru really fast on most of them.
I use Bloglines. I get on about 8am and tell myself I only have until 9 then I have to start my day. I pour a steaming cup of coffee and have at it. I have my blogs broken up into two catagories...quilters and "every dayers" sigh...I am a nerd! hahaha
dawn
I use Wordpress reader for Wordpress blogs, and Google reader for all others. I read about 200 blogs that way. I usually check both readers twice a day. That way it is not as much at once to absorb.
I dont comment as often as I did when first starting. Blog reading is addicting. One leads to another...
Control??? You're kidding, right??
Gayle
I use Bloglines and currently have 250 feeds, most of them are quilty, but there are several non-quilty sites. I will mark entries I want to leave comments on and usually catch up on comments on Tuesdays and weekends.
I like your site because I grew up in north Minneapolis and I love hearing your stories of my hometown. It's so refreshing to hear from someone who enjoys the snow!
Enjoy your new condo. I'm jealous of your view of Minneapolis.
I use bloglines and try to check it a couple of times a day. Sometimes I think reading blogs could be a full-time job! There are so many wonderful quilt blogs out there and I know I've barely seen the tip of the iceberg.
I joined a couple of rings too, but I'm finding more and more that it's the blogs I've found from reading other blogs that I go back to again and again.
I use google reader and I check it several times a day. But I have my laptop in my studio, so I can check in frequently. Gues I got purged....
I use google reader and really like it. I only go to a blog when I want to comment. I got overwhelmed a few months back and quit reading any blogs, even those I really enjoy, so now I check the ones I really like and when I have time, I go to the others and may have several posts to browse through. I have decided that if when it becomes a chore, I will just "mark as read" and forget it.
Hi Mary,
I have over 50 blogs I visit. I have them bookmarked in 8 folders. The first folder contains blogs of people who post daily or nearly daily. (That would be you!) There are only about 6 or 7 of those. The others I know I can check once or twice a week and have not too much to catch up on.
I have you in my favorites/friends listing and only have 2 on blog-lines right now....!
I use BL to help control my time spent in the blogs. I love to read them, but the time! I keep my favorites on BL and click thru to comment or when the presentation is not what I need, but I do miss the "color" of the individual sites. I get around to my list of "almost favorites" about weekly.
Mary, you are so efficient! Sorting out files is not one of my favorite passtimes. Ah, but soon you will be settled in your new home.
I also use bloglines to keep up to date on reading my favorite blogs. I usually read directly from bloglines, but occasionally (like monthly) I go to each blog. I try to comment every couple of weeks on the blogs I read regularly, but I can't always make it that often.
I, too, use Google Reader but I have definitely subscribed to way too many blogs. I will normally have 150 - 200 blog postings a day to read and I have a hard time clearing them without at least looking at the pictures.
I am not sure what a blogline or blogring or blog service is, so that should tell you something. I have a list of blogs I visit, but when I see a reference to a blog that sounds interesting, I check it out. Sometimes I read comments on one of my favorite blogs and go check out the commenter. And I try to always go visit someone who leaves a comment on my blog.
As my tastes have changed, I have deleted some blogs, but the list never seems to get any smaller.
Limiting time on the internet? What fun would that be? *s*
Using Google Reader for everything. Over 200 blogs to read, not all quilting ones, and prefer Google to Bloglines which I find frustrating. Every so often I have a clear out, but find that t's back to my self imposed quota within days!
Hi Mary, I use Google Reader and have about 100 blogs I look at. I must say I'm fickle though. If I find a blog I like (like yours), then the majority of the time I directly to the site to read and look at the comments or make comments.
Some fellow Dog Bloggers just put me on to Google Reader. I can't believe how much of a time-saver it is!
I use Bloglines and have about 99 blogs listed. I try to keep it under control, but it keeps ooching higher. If I'm anxious/nervous, tense I just click through them quickly. I'm always looking for 'something' -- not sure what! LOL When I leave a comment, I go directly to the connection. A LOT of time, my Netscape Browser crashes on certain blogs. Then I shut down, and open Mozilla Bloglines, which is more stabile. There are certain blogs I check first, before anything.
I use Feedblitz - I have a couple of hundred blogs on there and the rest are on my bookmarks toolbar (firefox) sorted into categories. Any spare time on the computer is when I look at the ones in my bookmarks
I'm not the most savvy blogger, and like some of the others, I don't use bloglines or anything like that. My list of blogs I read daily is fairly short and have them all in the sidebar of my own blog. I link to them all through there. I add a few and delete a few here and there. If I'm bored, I'll go to yours or Judy L's blog and start clicking through the blog rings listed there.
Thanks for the great blog!
Kathy
I now use Bloglines instead of going around the rings. This way I know who has anew post and if I want to comment I can quickly go to the blog.
I have way too many on my lists, but I try to keep up.
I have about 10 blogs in my 'favorites' list that I check everyday, otherwise just too much valuable time gets *sucked up*.
I have waaaaay too many on my Bloglines list, and I've gotten reeeeally bad about commenting.
Jeanne :(
Hi Mary,
I don't do bloglines--just another thing for me to keep up with. I go around a couple of rings once a week, hit a few blogs every day (yours is one) and limit my comments to one day a month. I get myself in a comment mode, and hit all my favorites. I try not to add blogs to my stressors in my life--enough of those already. I try to keep them a joy and not an obligation.
I use bloglines (I'd never heard of Goodle Reader) but I probably visit all of the blogs on the list once I can see there is a post. Pictures and fonts on the actual blgs are more pleasant to read I find. Usually getting around the list takes up so much time that right now I check the blog if I see there are more than two posts I haven't read yet. Sort of cyber-procrastination!
Control my time online???!!Hahahaha thats never gonna happen.
I spend WAY too much time reading blogs (but now that I mostly read blogs, I barely read my Yahoo groups anymore). I use Bloglines, and currently have 275 blogs that I am subscribed to...about 95% of them are quilting related. I am on and offline all day, in between my other stuff, so I just hop on, check to see who has an updated post and check it out for a few minutes. Sometimes I comment, sometimes not. My favorite blogs, maybe 25 or so I read first whenever I see a new post, then I read my others that I like most, generally most days. Then there are those blogs that I only check maybe once a week (mostly the non-quilty ones).
Well I do use bloglines if I want to make sure I have caught up on all the blogs, but I keep my 15 favorites or so right on my toolbar favorites and click directly to them...you Mary are on the toolbar!
I use Bloglines to manage mine. I try and read all the outstanding ones twice a week. I check emails over breakfast (when DH is working) and randomly through the day. I do find I get much more done when I restrict my computer time ... but it is lots of fun to see what others are up to. Always a juggling act :)
What a great post, food for thought and a great poll. It was interesting to see how many people come by but dont comment. Trippy.
*karendianne.
http://leehaven.blogspot.com/
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