In the interest of simplifying my life and not spending so much time reading blogs all day I’ve trimmed my blogroll. The blogs I left on there are people I know, people I’ve gotten to know, or people who write really interesting blogs that I’d hate to miss, including a few new ones (to me) that I want to explore a little further. I’ve dropped a few big name blogs (although I doubt I’ll ever drop dooce, who just happened to have a recent post about the pitfalls of blogging to a large audience.)
I have to admit I’m partially inspired by two of my favorite bloggers who no longer blog. First it was Buzz who left us, then the other day MJ decided to step away for her own well being. What she said makes sense. I’ll post it here (hope she doesn’t mind!) because she said she’s planning on deleting the blog soon (I would, too - it’ll just be a spam magnet if left alone).
So, it’s all the other stuff besides posting that makes this feel like work. It’s always hanging over my head that I need to follow my friends blogs, comment on them and read new ones and leave comments, or people won’t want to read mine. Don’t get me wrong, I like doing it, it just eats up too much time.
This is really time consuming. And fun…But I’m not finding time to do the things that I want to do. I want to sit down with a cup of coffee and enjoy some good books. I want to go for walks. I want to exercise more. I want to be able to do things without thinking, “I really need to post something,” or “I really need to catch up on reading blogs so that I know what’s going on with people.”
I’m not interested in jumping off completely, but I do think it can become yet another obligation, instead of a fun way to pass some time. I don’t need a huge following. I have my group of regular readers, who are mostly people I know from other worlds besides this one, and that makes it fun for me. And I’ve met a few new people who stop by then stop by again, and that’s a thrill! So reading and responding to comments doesn’t feel like an obligation to me. I just want to make sure it stays that way. Because I really do like doing this!
One thing I’ve found is that I spend so much time catching up with my blogroll that I don’t have time to discover new blogs. There are so many, and honestly I’ve rarely come across a blog that bored me. The best part of this is the window it is into other people’s lives- and what I find is that we’re all more alike than different. When I read bloggers from India or the Philippines they’re talking about the same kind of things I am. So some days I’ll just bop from blog to blog (leaving Michele’s site in my blogroll because it’s such a great starting point.)
One finally thing- if you were in my blogroll and suddenly find that you’re not, it’s not because I don’t love you. It’s probably because I accidently deleted you! So let me know, ‘k?
Are you going to come to the Jersey blogmeet on 4/2? It’s up in Union. Please say you can make it! It will be so much fun!
I have to admit, I read very few blogs, so I haven’t let it take up too much time. It’s fun though, so I hope you continue to stop by!
I’m such a LOSER!!! I didn’t do it! It was too sad. I’m doing it with different goals in mind. Like doing it ONLY for fun, when I FEEL like doing it, etc. Man…I’m embarrassed!