Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Guilty Trip du Jour & UPDATE

Update Day Twelve on Attila's son: "Still critical, but a little more than stable. Cautious hope, but hope nonetheless." And, today Attila answers a few questions from some of you who are new to her blog and haven't gotten to know her family before this. Click HERE to read.


In the process of learning how to use Blogger-- of which, even after 10 months, I am still a total novice, I recently discovered that the list of blogs I follow in my Dashboard's "Reading List" was maxed out! Apparently, 300 is the limit. Who knew?!? That explains, in part, why my Sidebar of "Blogs I Read" grew to be a mile long.

I read A LOT of blogs. I admit, in the beginning, I followed very blog I read that I thought would be of interest to me-- But ultimately, some were not. Not that they were bad blogs, it's just that as I navigated my way through Blogland, I had no idea how many blogs there were out there and that not all of them were my cup of tea.

That brings me to my Guilt Trip du Jour. I've spent the past two weeks weeding through all my blog lists and fine-tuning my reading preferences. Countless hours have been spent with copies of these lists, covered in notes, highlighted with user names, trying to make sure I get it right. It was a big job and the stress was, well, stressful to say the least.

That's a nice way of saying, I dropped a pile of blogs from my reading lists-- And now it's keeping me awake at night!

I'm sure some of the blog authors could care less if I'm reading them or not-- They probably won't even notice I'm gone. But I feel really bad about potentially hurting someone's feelings for not following them anymore. And, I have this nagging feeling I've lost a few of my cherished blogs in the process by mistake. My intent in "cleaning house" was not to cut people off, it was about getting a handle on my blog lists so I can stay organized and up to date on my reading and commenting.

But let me tell you, clicking the "Stop Following This Blog" button and deleting blogs from my Google home page was torture. And knowing a blogger might notice their "Follower" count went down, not up-- and then having a blogger I really enjoy realize it was me who dropped them-- Oy! Calling Dr. Xanax-- STAT!

Seriously, I feel really, really bad about the 83 blogs that I stopped following. There I said it-- EIGHTY-THREE! Did I mention I feel really bad about that?

So PLEASE-- In all sincerity-- PLEASE, let me know if I made a mistake with YOUR BLOG! If you don't see me commenting or on your Follower list and you know I'm a loyal reader, send me an email and let me know so I get this right once and for all.

And in my quest to figure things out, my next few posts will ask "how to" questions about This Crazy Little Thing Called Blog. Please stay tuned and join in the conversation.

Are there any blog related questions you'd like to ask?
Welcome to The Fifty Factor - Joanna
Photo Credit: Sanjay Goswam

57 comments:

  1. I really don't mind if people were to unfollow, I just wish that they would send an email when they do it. And remember, sometimes blogger does that to people by itself! I would not feel that guilty!

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  2. You said it very well! You are not a novice blogger, but a way finder. We're all dealing with the same issues and appreciate your thoughts.
    Hope you follow me though! LOL!


    Aloha, Friend!


    Comfort Spiral

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  3. I totally understand. I started out following every one that joined my blog. It gets a little overwhelming trying to keep up with it all. I am staying loyal to my firsts. Those who took a chance on me. I am trying to respond to everyone who comments and sometimes that is very time consuming too. I love to write, and have found it quite therapeutic so I will not give it up, just try to manage wiser.

    Have a terrifically blessed day filled with peace and calmness :o)

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  4. It´s nice of you to tell people that you are unfollowing them. I still find my blog on your list, so I guess you´re still reading mine. You´re such a terrific commenter, I love that about you!
    Since I don´t have the Follow button I wouldn´t notice if someone deletes my blog off their reader. A plus to not having the follow button, I think!
    You know what I do?
    Every time I find a blog I like, I add it to my reader, and read the blog for a while. If I find myself connecting with that person, I follow her.
    After a while, when my blog list gets over 100, I sift through them and decide which ones I want to keep, or which ones don´t really interest me anymore. We have to admit, sometimes our lives go different directions and it´s just too time consuming to keep reading about someone you don´t click with.
    I´m glad you still come to my blog Joanna!
    Hugs, Betty

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  5. Whew I made the cut! But it is cool if not... I understand... as for me, I need to figure out a better balance. I LOVE blogging and reading the blogs but this activity has taken me away from reading books and that is a very bad thing.....so I limit my blogs to the regulars along the side of my own and in my dashboard of blogs I follow....

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  6. Hi all, I'd like to add one thing-- I still follow and read a TON of blogs (that I track through my Blogger Blog List) but I can't list them all on my sidebar. So I'll be rotating the side bar blogs on a quarterly basis so I can spread the love and introduce all my faves to the world :-) If you are not on my sidebar that doesn't mean I'm not following you. Please let me know if you see I'm NOT commenting like I used to. That's really how I'll know I made a mistake and possibly "lost" your blog. THANKS!!! Joanna

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  7. I go through my blogs and delete some from time to time. I keep mine in chronological order rather than alphabetical. It's easier to be able to read the blogs as new posts come in. If I have a blog on my list and hat person hasn't written in several months, I delete it.

    I deleted one blog because that person was SO depressing, I couldn't read her any more! And she was a WITCH!! Put a spell on your good-for-nothing husband already and get on with your life!! Sheesh!

    Anyway, super glad I made the cut!

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  8. Good thoughts and nice of you to care, but we all have to be "picky" at some point. I follow loads via a separate RSS reader but only put ones that I feel are "special to me" in my blog roll in the sidebar.

    Even then, every so often I have to "weed" a few out so I can add new ones without the whole thing growing out of control.


    Like you, though, I'd like to include everyone, but I guess I'm just too lazy to be that good about coping with the additional effort that would create updating stuff all the time. Full marks to you!

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  9. Oh no, I didn't know that - 300 are definitely not enough. I'm just over a hundred already, and I'm just starting my collection!

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  10. Whew! That was close, i made the cut! and I am happy about that!!!

    I am still a tad confussed on the deco of my blog if it fits my personality, I wish there were an "easy Button" for changing the blog page and being customized instead of lying awake at night while HTML codes danced in my head,... oh to wish! :)

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  11. This is one of the reasons I like Reader, because no one knows if I take them off.

    And honestly, I remove people from my Reader everyday.

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  12. My problem is that there are so many GOOD blogs out there that I can relate to so I follow them and want to keep up but there's only 24 hours in the day. I try to visit as much as possible though, when time allows.

    Confession, I don't use my blog reader at all although there are some that are on the blog reader. It was way too overwhelming for me so now, I just click on links on my sidebar or when I see a comment that has been made on someone else's blog, then, I'll click into that link too.

    You are sweet to have such a concern for dropping off as a follower. It really shouldn't be taken personally although I know it can be.

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  13. I am so not even worried that you stopped following my blog because hello! I'm hilarious.

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  14. I agree...there are so many wonderful blogs out there, you can't possibly follow all the ones you like...there aren't enough hours in the day!

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  15. hey that would be great. i´d love to know how to group photos together- i´ve been trying to figure that one out for months... but don´t tell anyone... and yeah i can relate, but i don´t think people take this too seriously- so stop worrying!

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  16. Ach, no one should feel obliged to read any blog. Certainly not every day. Sometimes I think some bloggers worry too much!

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  17. I know a couple bloggers who have gotten so busy they rotate their followed blogs. They regularly drop some to follow new ones....

    I'm too disorganized to go in there and clean house - I figure I will do that when I hit the limit.

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  18. interesting reading the comments today, Joanna, ..so many good blogs out there, so little time! No wonder they call it the 'blogosphere'.

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  19. I am in the same boat! I have so many blogs I'm following and I need to weed some out, but I don't want to hurt anyone either. I'll still come here though!

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  20. makes no sense to have a blog roll w/ blogs you don't read. I doubt anyone could possibly read 300 blogs or 83 even. I try to update mine repeatedly as I move in and out of interest with some. I definitely have favorites with whom I am consistent but that is because they keep my interest. I try new ones every week and sometimes they stick and sometimes they don't.

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  21. I wasn't even aware of a limit. But in reading your posts, as well as the commenters above, it seems that we are pretty much in the same boat. Too many great blogs and only so much time in the day to blog.

    I've dropped some blogs recently too, but it was mainly people who never acknowledge my comments on their blog, and people who never visit and comment on mine.

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  22. It's funny that you wrote this post now. You see yesterday I noticed someone "unfollowed" me and I was so bummed. It's silly because I've "unfollowed" people for the same reasons you are stating. The ego is just such a sensitive beast.

    My bloggy question is: "Can you follow more than 300 blogs in your google reader?"

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  23. I need to go through and do the same thing. I really, really do...

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  24. You wrote it so nicely and gentle, who ever wouldn't understand?
    As I am very, very new in blogworld; I really realize how many wonderful, interesting and fantastic blogs are to read and to follow...!

    ...But dear Joanna; I AM SO HAPPY you still are in my little followerlist; I just love it!!
    have a wonderful day
    elvira

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  25. Keep the ones in your reader that you want the notification of their new post, and put other blogs in your favorites or bookmarks or whatever your particular computer uses. It can be overwhelming sometimes to stay on top of the latest posts of favorite blogs, huh.

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  26. I wouldn't worry about unfollowing. When I started blogging, I was following (I think) five or six blogs. I left town for a few days and then got sick, and by the time I got back to my blog, three of the blogs I followed had shut down. I felt like it was my fault somehow and shut down my blog. Now I'm back and hopefully I won't shut anyone's blog down (but I will totally understand if you unfollow me now!) :)

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  27. Don't feel bad. I had to do the same thing over the weekend. I hit the magic 300 and some had to go. I was worried about offending people, too. But on the other hand, none of them were following me back or ever said "boo" to me.

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  28. thanks for posting this. I didn't know of the 300 limit. I like using the reader that I have on my igoogle page. I don't think there is any limit. Of course, we all have a personal limit on the amount of time spent even going through the reader highlights.
    Well you're on my short blogroll and I hope you keep visiting and commenting - it's great to share.

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  29. i am with otin in this one...if it ever happens just let me know why...not that i will change anything, but at least i can know and not think of something happened to you...300 blogs! oh my.

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  30. Great minds think alike!

    I don't follow nearly as many blogs as you do, and I still have a hard time keeping up.

    I've only dropped one blog from my reading list, but I didn't really feel bad about it. I wasn't reading it very often, and I was beginning to get annoyed with her posts. What I had thought was an opportunity to share a common interest (interior decorating and design) turned into the author schooling her readers on her own version of taste. Not for me!!

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  31. Joanna, you are a great blogger but what makes you greater (and I really do not want to go overboard), is you follow others and truly care.

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  32. Oh I agree with you totally. Not that i am anywhere near your numbers but when I think I may not follow someone in the future the guilts set in.

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  33. I had considered doing that the other day. I have blogs on there of people that rarely even write anything. I have ones that I don't even recall following. I will sit down one day and unfollow....but right now I'm lucky I have time to read the ones I really enjoy!

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  34. It's just like deleting friends (or not accepting friends) on Facebook. You have to be brutal or you end up saying "who are all these people?". I follow 20 blogs (yours included) and sometimes I have a hard time keeping up with them all!

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  35. I remember starting out blogging and followed so many blogs only to come to the conclusion that you did. Blogger limiting your follows to 300 was super hard but there was just no way that I could keep up commenting on 300 blogs in the first place! I had super anxiety unfollowing, but it has been so much easier. It's a whole different world out there...this thing we call blogland!

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  36. I understand where you are. I followed so many blogs when I started blogging 8 months ago and now am over 300 with maybe 100 that I really love. I need to do some housekeeping too.

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  37. I have had the same problem.....Would love to read every blog and just cannot keep up.......

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  38. I'd just like to thank you for being so honest and helpful. As a fairly new blogger, I am starting to find it a bit overwhelming, and your post and these comments are so valuable. I guess there are no rules to blogging, and I'm not sure what the etiquette is , but everyone must do what works for them .

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  39. I do understand how you feel. I feel guilty if I don't leave a comment after reading a blog but there are times I just can't. I go through periods that I don't have time to write on my own blog let alone read others or comment. Guilt. And lots of it. I have stopped following a few blogs and felt guilty doing it to and it was basically because they stopped writing or had gotten really strange. And yes, I felt guilty.

    Maybe it's just a woman thing?

    The thing is I don't feel badly if someone doesn't comment all the time on my blog. And honestly, I couldn't be mad if someone stopped following because really do I want someone following if they don't want to? Nope. So we shouldn't feel bad when we do it. That's what I tell myself anyways but it really doesn't stop me from feeling guilty...lol.

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  40. You have handled this delicate problem so elegantly! As a beginner blogger, I am learning a lot about the blogging etiquette.
    Great post and great comments. Thank you.

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  41. I'm ecstatic that you are still following me!!! I know that sometimes I can be a drag...I try to "fun it up" on occasion!!!

    300 is the limit? Really? Guess I have some reading to do!!!

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  42. I don't "follow" many ( or have many followers), but really enjoy the ones I am able to read, and always appreciate when someone takes the time to leave a comment for me. I blog mostly for myself, but value the "friendships" I have made. You are always a favorite, Joanna.

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  43. jeez!!

    take a deep breath chickadee!!!

    readers come and they go. you follow some blogs then move on.

    it's like a gigantic cocktail party out here in the blogosphere.

    it's good to mingle and spread the love.

    and when the time is right, it's good to move on. so many stories and people to get to know.

    enjoy it all while you can.

    and really girl, CHILL OUT. don't make blogging hard. life is hard enough!!

    :)

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  44. Hey, I understand about the anxiety. And you wrote about it really well. I confess - I then had a quick peek to see if you were still there as a follower of my blog! And you were! I am very chuffed about that! Now I need to write a few more posts. I have slowed right down since my return from France. :-)

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  45. You're funny. :) Don't feel guilty. It's impossible to read everyone's blog - there would be no time to sleep!

    ~Keri

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  46. It can get out of hand. You have to have time for the rest of your life.

    I have seen a couple of blogger blogs that sport really big photos and I want to learn how to do that.

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  47. The thing is, as you said, you can't expect to like every blog. People write about different things and write in very different ways, it's not surprising you don't want to read them all - some of them out there (and I'll whisper this bit) can actually be pretty boring so it's understandable.

    Just make sure you follow the kick-ass ones lol

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  48. A couple of months ago I decided to hell with lists of who I'm following or who is following me. I find it liberating, Joanna, having no commitments or obligations. No need to feel guilty. Please yourself first and I think others will respect that anyway.

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  49. I've never had time to follow all the blogs that sound like they might appeal to me, even before we left "home" to spend winter some place else. I'm sure that is why I don't show many followers, although I know I have many people who visit and read my blog due to my stat counter....although my little 47 people who aren't afraid to admit the follow me doesn't begin to compare to other bloggers lists! I just don't have the time to get involved with other blogs and I pick and chose with care. And I see you are still on mine, so THANKS!!

    Hugs!

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  50. I had no idea there was a max no. EEEEK! I'm in trouble. : )

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  51. Don't think I was ever on your blog roll but my feelings aren't hurt. I follow you and that's what important to me.

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  52. You cannot feel guilty about such a thing! Ever! The blogworld is supposed to be democratic, so you do what pleases you, madam!

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  53. I wonder how you keep up with all of your commenters and followers! Whew!

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  54. I think I got bumped.. no big - but please do remember to visit me every now and then! ;-)

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  55. It's ok, Joanna! You need to retain your sanity, and 300 blogs is an INSANE number, lol! I've been off and on with my blog-reading, and I only follow a few!

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  56. i think everyone goes through this and it's perfectly ok. you shouldn't feel guilty about it, not even for a second.

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  57. I only enabled my followers list because a few folks were asking where it was so that they could follow easily. I've never appeared as a follower to anyone else's blog because I don't click on the "follow me" button. Instead, I paste blogs I think I'm going to like into my Google Reader and many of those ultimately end up on my sidebar's blog roll. I'll add or occasionally delete blogs from my Reader and nobody's any the wiser. But really, it's hardly the sort of thing that should cause hurt feelings. Tastes vary and change. Relax. :)

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Thanks for stopping by and commenting, I really appreciate it.