Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Feed Me

The very first time I logged onto the internet was over 10 years ago. It's a wonder that I even figured out how to turn the computer on. Back then I was using an old boxy unit topped with a very small screen that was approximately 2 feet deep! In the intervening years my already pathetic computer skills did not progress with the technology.

I'm afraid to admit that until recently I had no idea what an RSS feed referred to and I certainly didn't subscribe to any feedburners. The truth is that each morning I would waste an interminable amount of time clicking on each link on my sidebar to see who had updated their blog. That's just plain crazy!! Thankfully I ran across someone who was discussing Bloglines or half my life would have been devoted to the link list.

Currently I have subscribed to 88 feeds and that's clearly not enough to keep me happy. Very few bloggers update daily and I have a voracious appetite when it comes to reading blogs. I love to read about how people live in different corners of the world, and I am truly interested in what makes people tick. Do you subscribe to a large number of blogs?

My blog appetite is eclectic and it does not match blog-for-blog the link list on my sidebar. My subscriptions include:

- Missionaries living in Honduras
- A man who is struggling to raise a baby after his wife dies shortly after the baby's birth.
- My former publisher and best boss, ever!
- Several families who live overseas (Diplomatic corps)]
- An Army recruiter's wife
- Several farm blogs
- A couple decorating blogs
- Photoblogs
- At least one food blog
- Corey at Tongue in Cheek (a class all her own)
- A good dose of crafty bloggers
- One REAL WRITER (the paid variety)
- One very, VERY successful mommy blog. It is so terrible and mean spirited. I shouldn't bother with it, but it's like a train wreck, you just have to look.
- One exotic blog.
- And lots and lots of just plain nice people who write about the beauty in the ordinary.

I wonder, what category I would fall under? Hmmmmmm.

Anyway, I'd love to hear about your blog reading habits. Feedburner? Not? Tell me about your must-reads because I need more .....FEED ME.

29 comments:

Mary said...

As I currently have about 2500 emails in my inbox, I don't really think RSS is for me. I waste (umm, I mean spend) way too much time at my computer already.

Bloggy tastes? Some decorating, some photo, the occasional news or political blog...but of course watching the corn grow with the farmer's wife is my fave!
xoxo,
Mary

Free Art Printables said...

I Know exactly what you mean. I have 108 on my bloglines and every day I find a new one to read...the best way I've found new blogs I just to do a click through one night. I start at one I like and click on thier links and then thier links and then thier links...I've found some cool and funky blogs that way..In fact that's how I found you! :) Jen R

Vee said...

I'm eclectic, too. I don't think I can share any that aren't already on your list or mine or that I haven't featured in my blog at some point. I use Bloglines and subscribe to 55 blogs, which is about all that I can handle. You're doing great to read soooo many!

Anonymous said...

One thing I enjoy about your blog is that you post every single day. I know your heart is really in it.

The Wheat Family said...

Happened across your blog...like it alot and will be back!

Anonymous said...

I right there with you, having started out the same way you did. Kicking and screaming, I started working on a computer when the travel magazine I was editing forced me into it! So glad they did. I am still trying to figure out the RSS feed thing. But luckily my techno-savvy kid is home this summer to help. I adore blogs, especially yours, and also have many favorites. I hope everyone will visit mine sometime, at www.laferle.com

Green Kitchen said...

519 bloglines feeds for your viewing pleasure: http://www.bloglines.com/public/GreenKitchen

Simple Answer said...

Nothing, and I mean nothing, makes me happier than a full google reader. So I'm right there with ya! However, since I'm pretty new to blogging, I'm just now getting acquainted with everyone. So my reader is never as full as I want it.

Jill said...

I subscribe via google reader to about 75 blogs... and it takes me all day to get through them.

Some are eye candy where I just look at pretty pictures of jewelry or design, others are mom blogs with funny stories. I like photography as its one of my passions, and cooking blogs with recipes to try.

As an expat, I also subscribe to way too many people who live (or have lived) overseas.

OK, back to reading.

life in red shoes said...

Oh my goodness, since discovering the world of blogging I am a changed woman! Yes, it's true, the housework waits a bit to long, the laundry too, but to be able to touch base with people all ove the world is simply amazing! Each day I look forward to turning on the electric box and tuning in to all of my friends. You, Suzanne, are a must see every day!

LIBERTY POST EDITOR said...

A loaded gun (as usual). Ahhh...let's see...you of course, daily, political, design, art, different countries, ages, religions...on and on and on. Can't get enough. It's an illness really. A hunger for information. An addiction. Love it.

Chris said...

I have not counted how many favorites I have! And I still don't know what a RSS feed is. My collection is a crazy collection also, crafy, cooking, sewing and eye candy, I enjoy yours because its funny (you remind me of Erma Bombeck sometimes)I have to be careful at work though when I am reading yours, sometimes I laugh out loud!
Chris

BittersweetPunkin said...

I don't subscribe to anything for fear of having a massive back log of things waiting for me...I have a hard enough time answering my emails. Is that bad? SHOULD I subscribe? I usually click on my comments and respond and then move over to my Blogroll to visit others..I suppose that's NOT the way to do it is it?

ArtPropelled said...

I am addicted! No matter what time of the night/morning I wake, I sleepwalk out of bed in the dark to check blogs. Invariably it's 2.00a.m. and there I sit link hopping untill the sun comes up.

Rue said...

You wouldn't be talking about me would you?? ;)

Like bittersweetpunkin I go to every one's blog that leaves a comment and then check out the others on my blog roll. This hardly ever happens, because I'm always behind in comments. I'm awful with email, so sometimes I'll have 400 of those too.

Right now I'm visiting you even though I have a lot of other comments in my box that are waiting for me to come see them. Sometimes I just need my Farmer's Wife fix and everyone else can just wait. Bad rue.

As far as other blogs I love... everyone that has ever read my blog for long enough knows Daisy Cottage is an addiction. I think you might like Bye bye pie. June is the funniest person, but she doesn't comment on other peoples blogs that I've ever seen, either that or she doesn't like me LOL I think you'd like Dust Bunny Hostage. Jen is a riot and a sweetie too. If you like me, you'd probably like my friend Heather @ Hopscotch and Hydrangeas. Lidian @ Kitchen Retro is a sweetie too and she posts the funniest vintage ads, plus her commentary is hilarious. Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti takes you on wonderful tours with beautiful pictures. Picket's Place is my friend's blog and she will make you laugh and cry. I'm not leaving anymore or I'll drive you crazy, but those are some I think you'd like. Try them, try them and you may, I say... a little Dr. Seuss for ya ;)

hugs,
rue

Rue said...

Gee, could my comment BE any longer?? LOL

Peggy said...

I love that blogger now has the option in layout to list your favorite blogs and it will show you the time and date each one updated. Now I can just read them as they update and not click on all of them.

Rhoda @ Southern Hospitality said...

I just started Bloglines too & it is a great timesaver! So glad I finally took the plunge.

Just found your blog through The Bunnies Bungalow. I tend to stick with home & decorating blogs for the most part & have about 30 on blogfeeds right now. That's plenty for me. I waste too much time as it is.

Your blog looks interesting!

Rhoda

Alison Gibbs said...

Hi I use Google Reader to see who has posted something new _ I think I have about 300 blogs listed. That saves me having to go through so many blogs and finding they haven't written anything. With google reader you then don't have a heap of emails.
Have a great week
Alison

Suzanne said...

Mary - NO WAY....you need to hire an admin. assistant. Awwww, you like to watch the corn grow?

Jen - I do the same thing. I set aside Sunday evening for the click throughs. It's fun and I find alot of new reads that way.

Vee - Well, it's really not too hard because very few of them post every day.

Marue - I made the decision to try to post every day. For now my heart IS in it. I'm hoping I don't get creative burn out.

Sherri - Come back anytime. You never know what you might find.

Cindy - Yes! Put that kid to work bringing mom into the 21st century!

Green Kitchen - I'm in awe. I'm going to use your feed for my Sunday evening perusing.

SA - You're doing really good for just beginning. I love to read your blog. Hey everybody, go over and read, she's moving to JORDAN!

Jill - I read alot of expat blogs also. So interesting. Which reminds me, I've got to see what my expat in Honduras is doing today.

Red Shoes - I count on you being here each and every day. That way I have at least ONE VIEW.

Liberty - There truly is such a thing as information addiction. I've got it too.

Chris - Thanks for the compliment. Erma was one of my favorites. She could be funny without doing it at anyone's expense. That's sometimes difficult.

Robyn - I only did that once. I couldn't sleep, started link hopping and before I knew it the sun was rising. YIKES.

Rue - I totally love when you write a book. BTW, I totally went to the house move for YOU. I knew you'd love the fact that they're saving that old house.

Peggy - I haven't tried the Blogger option, do they only allow you to save "Blogger" blogs?

Rhoda - I've had lots of guests today from Bunnies Bungalow and I'm happy for to have the new guests.

Alison - That's exactly why I love it. I can't believe I used to click on each and every blog on my sidebar...every day. Wow, what a waste of time.

Thanks everyone for visiting. I appreciate new friends and old.

= Suzanne

TinaTx said...

I did the same thing - click on each blog daily - until I found google reader. I currently have 194 blogs there! I usually wind up with about 75 feeds a day, but I can get behind quickly! And - I'm bad about clicking on links and going from blog to blog, then adding new ones to my reader!

Anonymous said...

Suzanne,

I STILL don't know how to use an RSS feed. You think *you* were stuck in the middle ages?

I just bookmark 'em when I want to read them again, and usually on Sunday mornings I sit for an hour and click through them, and never, ever do I manage to keep up.

I do really like the ones that have notify lists and send an email directly into my inbox so I know when they've updated. They include a link, which is convenient; and those ones are the ones I go read right away.

There is a certain "voice" that some people have that just resonates with me ... some have it, some don't ...

Too many blogs, too little time!

Anonymous said...

Oh, I have so many on my list I don't dare look how many! And now that I've found you, you're going on it too! I just love to read blogs; am addicted to reading them. Spend so much of my day reading them! I use Google Reader, and have been very happy with it. Glad to have found you! Now I gotta go put you on there too!
Brenda

Janet said...

suzanne,

I only recently discovered Google Reader, so now I just click and see that I have 30 or 40 or 50 new posts to read. Easy, peasy, but way too easy to read and then dash without leaving a comment. Mine are mostly home/food/decor blogs but then I do the link click and am off in another world somewhere.

Janet

Unknown said...

Ohhh which one am I? I am subscribed to 255 blogs. Some are best pals, some are mommy blogs. I am a Dooce lover. There I said it. Lots and lots of crafty gals, etsy sellers etc. A few craft/business heros. Some families, people who have found me, 1 cooking blog, a few overseas people, and one VERY cool farm chick!

Lisa said...

I just stumbled into your site. It's been great fun so far, sorry I missed the picnic! My favorite blog (and daily visit) is Confessions of a Pioneer Woman - http://www.thepioneerwoman.com

I have a feeling I'll be visiting here quite often now as well.

- Lisa
http://www.ahappylittlefamily.com

ZONE F DG TEAM said...

I stumbled across your site by way of looking for a recipe. I love your virtual picnic but was sooo disappointed that there was no recipes linked. They look sooo yummy and I can't wiat to see which ones you get recipes for so we can try them.

mmmmmm.

I'm adding you to my reader now so I don't miss out.

Anonymous said...

I found your blog on SITS. If your looking for a blog that updates on a daily basis try this one out: http://thepioneerwoman.com. She's funny, takes some pretty great photo's and she updates daily!

Amy said...

As of RIGHT NOW I have about 35 blogs that I subscribe to, but that lists grows every day. I just added yours too, but I am fairly new to the blogworld, so I may have well over 100 subscriptions at the rate I am going now. :)