Blog reading: fun & enjoyable or necessary evil?

Spend any amount of time on Twitter and you’ll see tweets lamenting filled Google readers, 140 characters of apology for being behind on blog commenting, or simple announcements of “I SUCK!” all based on the fact said Tweeter hasn’t keep up with the bazillions of blog posts published daily.

Spend any time in my in-box or twitter account and you’ll see messages of:

How do you read so many blogs and make the time to comment more than just “Great post!!!”?  Aren’t you overwhelmed?

Today I’m here to share my secrets.

The method to the madness way I read blogs and have it be something I both look forward to doing and never get overwhelmed by**.

I dont have a Google reader. I, in fact, had no idea what a Google reader was until recently. Im still not sure how to create one and add blogs to it. Please to not enlighten me. From all I can tell said reader is nothing but a source of frazzlenessment/pressure.I have a routine & I rarely deviate from it. OK so I’m a highly routinized misfit–but I find it helps me juggle work and motherhood better. I get up, meditate (always. my first appointment of the day is with myself & my G-d.), grab coffee and spend some time with all of you.  I let my day take shape through reading about how your lives are shaping up (literally & figuratively).I pick a blog, start reading, & click around from there. Ive been asked repeatedly if I have a schedule and read certain blogs on specific days.  I long to be that organized in my LIFE let alone in my blog reading! I start with a random a blog, click on comments or a blog-roll link and read, read, read.  I like it that way as Im always discovering new bloggers in the process.When the coffee is done—the blog reading is done. OK, so Im not a fast coffee drinker, but you get the point.  I tend to sip & read for about 45 minutes each morning.  Some days more.  Other days, when life gets crazy earlier than planned, less.I do my best and Ive decided that is enough. Of course I see people tweeting/FBing new posts and am wholly intrigued.  Yes, I feel a twinge when people tweet new posts at me and ask my thoughts.  I’ve decided, however, that what I can do, enjoy (see bullet below as well) and be present while reading is time spent in the morning.  Anything I miss I bookmark and read the next day.  It’s the best I can do with the myriad roles I play and, for me, it is enough.I really, really enjoy it. I love following your journeys.  I adore cheering you on.  Im  honored when I can lend a hand & type a sentence or 10 which may help yank you out of a slump.  I selfishly steal your motivation during the mornings mine is lacking.  I never comment on a blog in hopes you come here &  leave a comment in return (the ole blogTIT fer blogTAT scenario.  though I do love me some TAT…). I fear if I attempted to read every.single.post. or filled my every.spare.moment. with blog reading Id lose that feeling.  I’d be really, really sad to lose that feeling.

And, as always, that’s just how I see it.

Do you have a Google reader & find it to be a lifesaver?

Do you graze on posts throughout the day & find that approach works best?

Do you long for this post to be over so you can click away! click away! & get to another blog already?!

Please to hit us up in the comments below.

**I feel compelled to clarify there are myriad things in my life I do find fraught with overwhelmnessment.  That, however, is an entirely different post.

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