Monday, April 28, 2008

My blog reading is under control

At least for the time being! A month ago I had several thousand posts to read according to Bloglines. I had my blogs divided into the following folders:
  • Must Reads
  • Want to Reads
  • Read When I Have Time
  • Craft Blogs
  • Designers Blogs
  • Others

I was subscribed to over 340 blogs. I was spending way too much time at the computer that should have been spent sewing. I was caught up on the "must reads" but that was it.

I've slowly been working my way through the mess - skimming blogs to determine whether or not they still were of interest to me. Reading the posts on the ones that were. Deleting blogs that were not. Moving blogs into the "must reads" folder if I decided to keep them. Deleting all the folders except for "Must Read" - which I've renamed "Quilting and Craft Blogs" - and "Designers' Blogs".

Tonight I finished working through the entire list. I am now subscribed to 254 feeds - still way too many if everyone posted daily - thank goodness that isn't the case. I'm hoping to keep up with these from now on. If I can't I'll need to do more weeding out. I hate to do that, but have decided I must get my priorities in order. Sewing time is more important than computer time!

Now I just have to convince myself that exercise time is more important than both of the above. I'm working on that. At least in my mind . . . .

12 comments:

Desi said...

So glad I could accommodate you blogging only three times a week... or less... I know exactly what you mean. Sewing must take precedence!

Lissa Jane said...

Patti
I know what you mean, i was spending way too much time blogging (more reading than posting) and when I thought about it, I realised that was 10hours a week I could be sewing! LOL

take care

Lissa

Helen in the UK said...

340 blogs - no wonder you're struggling!! I was nearly up to 100 about a month ago and had to have a purge - now down to about 60. It's fun to keep in touch with other people, but it needs to be kept manageable. Backing to stitching .... ;)

The Calico Cat said...

I get antsy when I get close to 200 - like now... But at least I am not visiting blogs that have not been updated...

swooze said...

Wow you only have two unfinished tops? You are making great progress. I hope you find your little missing quilt. I am sure it is calling to you...just listen.

Elaine Adair said...

We must all be in the same boat. I try to keep mine under 100, but that number keeps creeping upwards. I feel disloyal if I delete one or two - sure as shootin' that will be the person who sends me a perfectly delightfully supportive or intuitive note the next day.

Thimbleanna said...

Could you please come and clean out my bloglines too? My count is now at 355 -- it's ridiculous and I can't keep up! But I love so many of them and I struggle to pare down....

Teresa said...

That is a lot of blogging. I have only been doing this since January but have learned so much just from reading folks blogs. I am not sure what you mean by subscribing, but I do have a list of favorites that I try to visit every couple of days - yours being one of them. I think I am signed up for the Quilting for Fun ring, but I don't have the box that you have on yours. I tried to load it to my site, and for some reason did not get it right.

Your handquilting is so very pretty and I love the pattern.

Sweet P said...

My list is about 250 blogs, not all of them are quilty and not everyone writes every day. Some days it seems like I'll never catch up. I've started to schedule my blog time - usually Tuesday nights and Saturday mornings.

Chookyblue...... said...

bloglines is wonderful and challenging..........not sure how many feeds I have but TOOOOOO may........added some new ones the other day and culled a few but the problem is who do you cull.........thanks goodness everyone doesn't post every day........

Carole said...

I've been in the same boat myself! Computer or quilting! Now I try to get a bit of blog reading in the morning before I head off to the gym. I've done a major cleaning myself and it's continuously going on as I keep adding. I've now narrowed it down to 56 and fluctuating. lol

Mary Johnson said...

I can relate - with the move I'm very far behind in my blog reading but I've also cut the number down (it's currently at 60). I switched over to Google Reader and I keep 3 folders - daily reads, when I have time, and monthly or less and I refuse to feel guilty when I don't get around to everyone - sometimes it's just not possible! However, I do try to click on profiles of those readers who leave comments and take a quick look at their blogs.