Inspired by some feelings I had during General Conference (a semi-annual meeting in which we get to hear beautiful, inspiring messages from leaders of our Church), I have decided that I really need to simplify some things in my life.
I know...I know...My life is already pretty simple:
I wake up to the melodious strains of Baby Boy screeching at the top of his lungs to be rescued from him prison (the crib).
I eat breakfast.
I rush (but not too crazily, thanks to our schedule) to get Big Sis ready to get out the door and on the school bus.
After that...the day is pretty much...clean up - check my email - put something away - check my email and my reader - putter around the house feeling frustrated that I haven't done a better job of keeping things clean - make lunch (usually a peanut butter sandwich - hey, it's cheap and easy) - put Baby Boy down for his nap - check my email - try to figure out what I'm going to post today - post - check my reader - pick up Big Sis from the bus stop & then finish out the day.
Yes...very simple...I know.
But...there are some things that I can do to make things even more simple. And, really...who wouldn't want to increase simplicity?
One of the things I decided to simplify is my blogging habits.
No more am I going to waste my time reading blogs of people who never comment on mine. Sorry...if you are guilty of this...you are off my reader or following list. No more will I stalk blogs and feel too sheepish to leave comments myself. If I'm spending my precious time to read the blog...I'm going to make my presence known.
Gone are the days of useless stressing about getting hits, counting comments and obsessing about my blog! (OK...so it's a goal...not a done deal...who do you think I am? Little Miss Perfect?)
Time to get things more simple.
Now...be not afraid dearest blog readers. I am not leaving the blogging world...I am just realizing that I need to embrace it in the way that works best for me. Which basically means not wasting my time reading blogs that a) don't interest me and b) don't have any interest in me.
If you read my blog and I read yours and we have a nice bloggy relationship...that's what I want. Send your friends by and I'll read their blogs too...
I would be totally lying if I said I didn't want to increase my readership...but I just think I can't stress over it anymore. I want to enjoy the blog - which is why I started this whole enterprise (I love that I can call it that because...it's my blog and I can call it whatever I want!).
Now...for all of you out there who are lurking (if there are any of you out there)...don't be afraid of my any longer. I will not bite you, I will not hurt you, I will not seek to know the names of your children (unless you want me to, of course), or stalk you in any way other than the bloggy way. Today is your day to make a comment and make me feel better about myself.
And for all of you faithful readers and commenters...Oh, how I love you! Please don't fail me now!!!
Is this post a little Bi-Polar? Yeah...I thought so.
Now...Comment...Discuss...
20 comments:
I do think that there is blog etiquette. There are people who read my blog who just aren't big commenters in general, and I will still comment on there's. This does not bother me.
But when I never hear from people who I know comment on other's blogs, or they haven't commented on mine in ages, I do notice and comment much less. Petty? Probably. I have friends who will take them off their blogroll completely.
haha. I just gotta say that I think you are sooo funny!! You're blogs seriously make me laugh everyday I read them! Thanks for brightening up my life! :)
I agree with the denney's. I love your blog becuase it makes me laugh. And if it doesn't make me laugh, it makes me reflect on something worth reflecting on. Thanks Leslie!
Your blog is GREAT and I am so glad that I found you. I am an avid commenter so don't X me out--please--I am also needy.
I just chopped up my reader list a few weeks ago, slashing it in half, in an effort to do the same.
I found that I can actually keep up with plenty if I don't comment on everything like I used to.
I do try to keep my presence known, but I hope people understand if I don't always tell them how cute their baby is. :)
I agree with you. I really need to cut down, too. I have too many blogs that I read.
Aww...now I feel bad! I'm PRETTY sure I've commented before...but my schedule is a lot like yours...I read the blogs, but don't always click through unless I think I have something meaningful to add.
You're in my Mormon Mommies folder in Reader, and I love going through that folder when the world is getting me down. Thanks for that!
I hope we have a nice bloggy relationship! And I have been doing the same thing - taking some off my reader if the relationship is too onesided.
Leslie - I enjoy reading your blog - I like many others only click over from reader to comment if I have have something worthwhile to comment. I guess you could say its one of my ways to simplify.
I enjoy reading your blog, but don't comment as often as I should. Don't cut me! :) I'll comment more, I promise!
Hey! I finally made it over here. I like your blog too. :)
I know what you mean about obsessing about the readership. I'd love to grow mine... but... well, my biggest problem (I think) is that I don't post regularly enough. I do great for a few days, and then slack off.
Ah well.. .it's supposed to be for ME, right?
Yes, blogging...reading and keeping up with our own can sure take up lots of time. I've gotten less eager to make comments...mainly just because with most people's family blogs, I just check in to see how they're doing and go on to the next!Plus, sometimes I just can't think of anything to say that's worthwhile...and if I try to force a comment it just sounds dumb :-P
Dude. I don't even comment on people's blogs that comment on mine! I'm awful! I have over 100 blogs on my google reader, but only about 20 of them get a comment out of me. Like you said: "who has time?" It's not as if I dislike them...I just have to prioritize, I guess. Thus the nice little blogging community I've found myself a part of --that I need, desperately.
Take breaks. I'm supposedly doing a blogging break right now. Ha! :)
So, I cleaned out my Reader, thanks to you! I had 223 blogs on there! Now, I only have 220. :)
Good for you.
And thanks for the reminder. I really need to cut down on the blogs that I read and on the time I spend on the computer. A few minutes here and a few minutes there ... every few minutes ... has a habit of turning into WAY too much time wasted.
I am soooo with you on this one. Over the past few months I've found myself going through blogging phases. One day I will be trying my best to find other blogs and comment comment comment in an effort to make more bloggy friends, then the next I find myself slacking and taking on a "see what happens" type attitude. I'm realizing more and more though that I need to keep in mind the whole reason I started a blog. It's for me. I want to document my thoughts and doings, and it's an added bonus if other people read them and provide thought-provoking or encouraging feedback. It's great making friends and meeting people through it, but numbers shouldn't be my driving force. I keep forgetting that.
The other reason I started blogging.... WFMW. I can't tell you how much I've learned from that place! :)
Great post, and great idea to refocus things.
Great post. I am so with you on this subject. It's just getting harder and harder to keep up, but I really do love most of the blogs I read. I try to comment on most of them, especially the ones who comment on mine frequently. But, I'm finding myself spending a little too much time at it. I have to stay up till almost midnight most nights trying to get all my reading and commenting done.
Ah well, at least its ME time.
I read people's blog periodically that live far away from me...I love to check and see what you guys are up to. I quit reading much of what people in my ward are up to...i have much more interesting conversations with them when I don't know everything they've done in teh past 24 hrs. :) Blogging has really evolved for me. When I started a few years ago I posted almost every day...then as kid #2 came I realized exactly what you're saying. I had to simplify and blogging has simply taken a backseat. Keep it up when you can is my philosophy now.
I am in the process of cutting my reader down as well. I am trying to keep up with the bloggers who read and comment on my blog and that is proving difficult enough. (Hence the reason I am just now getting around to commenting on this post from last week.) :-)
I am in the process of cutting my reader down as well. I am trying to keep up with the bloggers who read and comment on my blog and that is proving difficult enough. (Hence the reason I am just now getting around to commenting on this post from last week.) :-)
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