Thursday, October 6, 2011

ON BLOGGING ~ Priority Reading...


Image courtesy Christine via Flickr

In the past, I have shared my method for reading all of your blog posts. It is a fairly simple concept that worked nicely for me until I had a baby. And then my routine disappeared. The slots of time that were nicely organized in my world now belong to an eleven pound bundle of energy. What little time I have when Andy tags in for Daddy Duty when he gets home from work is generally devoted to work, chores and writing posts. When Sammy agrees to take a nap that doesn't require me to drive or push a stroller, I pick a blogger in my Google Reader folders to visit and catch up on their posts. This happens once or twice a week. Bad baby.

So it is time for an emergency method until I get a semblance of schedule back in my life. And this is the best that I could come up with. Why not just take that time that I spend writing posts over the course of one week and use it instead to read posts that other bloggers have written? Give myself a week off from producing posts and devote my energy into reading everyone else; leisurely and with my full attention.

And wouldn't it be cool if other bloggers did the same thing at the same time? So that we were all just taking one week to visit each other, read and engage without the pressure of trying to balance the creation of posts with the reading of others - which always seems to get bumped to the bottom of the priority list.

If we knew when this week would be, we could spend time the week before putting our best foot forward so to speak on our own blogs, posting funny, cool, informative or inspiring posts for everyone to read when they went visiting the following week. That way we would all have really great writing, photos and videos to check out all week long. We would be entertained continuously. We would meet some new bloggers. We would be able to do more than scan. We would be on a vacation from blogging...in the blogosphere!

I have no creative ideas for a witty name for this idea. I have no abilities to create buttons to promote it. I don't even know if anyone else would want to join in. For all I know, it already exists somewhere out there and I just haven't found it yet. But I do know this. If I don't give this new method a try for myself pretty soon, I'll be missing out on what you have to say. And after spending all day with a baby, I could really use the adult conversation ;0)

11 comments:

Sandy Nawrot said...

I'm awful at coming up with names, but I do think this is a great idea! This week in particular has been pathetic when it comes to both visiting and blogging. Argh. When will I have my life back?

Florinda said...

I totally vote for this! One of the great frustrations of blogging is that when you're writing your own posts you don't have time to read anyone else's, and I've not been particularly good about either lately. BBAW (almost a month ago!) was the last time I kept up with blog-reading, and that was also a time when I'd prepared all my own posts for the week in advance. Coincidence? I suspect not.

I don't know what to call this week either, but I'd definitely like to see it happen.

Vasilly said...

This is a fantastic idea! I recently went on a blogging break but I did comment on blogs and it was such a refreshing thing! I'll be sure to share this post on Twitter and Facebook!

Happy reading.

Florinda said...

I mentioned this in my Sunday Salon post (and also on Facebook and Twitter) today. It seems to be generating some enthusiasm!

Unknown said...

I love this idea, Molly! It's brilliant! I think one week every 3 months we should do it! or something like that! As for a name for it, I"m not sure...what did they call the social visits made by wealthy women to each others homes in the afternoons...was there a name for that?!

Lin said...

LOVE it! I'm really struggling these days as well and I feel like my posts are paying for it--they are so lame! Have I lost my touch? Have I lost interest? Do I care? Why are so many of my fav blogs not posting??

I think we are all having the same problem, but I do not have a new baby to blame? Can I borrow him from time to time? And can you change his diaper before you drop him off?

Jeanne said...

Not a bad idea! We could call it The Traveling Conversation.

ashramblings said...

Love the rotation idea, though I doubt I have the discipline to put it into practice :)
Relax, read and be read!
Blogging breaks to stimulate the mind!

Jenny Girl said...

My god Molly! Where do you find the time to be so darn creative and oh yea, community promoting? This is an awesome idea, and something I end up doing on my own anyway. I'm good with a few posts and then I read around for like a week or so.
Don't have the time to do both and I don't even have a baby like you!

Let me know when this is a go, and I will be there in one form or another (although from my inbox I think I saw a fancy button one of your co-peeps at quirky girls did)

Anonymous said...

Looks like this is generating lots of interest, Molly! Sammy is helping you blog smarter :) Looks like something I could be on board for.

Jeanne said...

I announced my intentions of doing this today
https://necromancyneverpays.wordpress.com/2011/11/02/reclaim-your-reader/