Look, I know that blogging about blogging is, like, the lamest thing but I don't care. I'm curious about how you fit blogging into your life.
I used to have an office job that involved a lot of really intense work-heavy hours and a lot of fuck-around-on-the-internet hours. I fit my blog writing and blog reading into those hours.
Now that I work from home, when I'm working, I'm working. I try my best to stay connected through Facebook and Twitter but I'm doing a piss poor job of reading blogs and I miss it. I miss you.
So I'm curious: how do you fit blogging into your life? Do you have a set time where you schedule your blogging? Do you fit it in throughout the day using your smart phone? Do you sit in front of a computer all day and spend your breaks catching up on your blog reader? I'm struggling.
I use Google Reader but I'm not on my computer much (unless I'm working.) I tried using Feedly to access my reader on my iPhone but I couldn't figure out how to easily leave comments on blogs. Right now I'm pretty much only reading posts I come across in my Twitter stream. I feel like I spent years building up this really awesome community of people and now I'm losing it.
So please, help me out. Tell me how you fit blogging (reading and/or writing says the lady whose wrist is cramping as she types on a tiny phone screen) into your life.
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I comment when the comment form isn't annoying on my phone by clicking over from google reader. At work I have time to check blogs out, but now that I'll be at home, I will probably catch up during naps...
ReplyDeleteI'm having all of these same problems so will be checking back to see if anyone has any good solutions.
ReplyDeleteI read from google reader on my phone throughout the day when I'm doing nonsense (blow drying my hair, waiting for my kid to just-eat-anything-ftlog, in line at the post office, etc.) and star anything I want to go back to later and comment on(I loathe commenting from my phone). If it's a small comment, I'll just tweet to the person, otherwise, I'll save it for when I can be at a computer. I do most of my blog stuff these days at night after the kid has gone to bed--I don't have as much screw around online time at work, sadly--so that's when I catch up on commenting/do any writing. That and naptimes on the weekend. It's...imperfect at best, but as good as I can do these days.
ReplyDeleteOh, the other thing I do is if I don't have time to comment, I'll retweet or share someone's post. It's not the same as having a conversation, but I (like to) think it at least shows that I've read it and think it's great/interesting/worth talking about.
I'm not consistent with my reading anymore because work gets in the way (which I am in the same boat that you were in with your work but can't leave because we need the stupid money). However, I do try to catch up on my favorite bloggers (you are one of them) and have sadly cut back reading many other blogs. I don't always comment, but when I do, it's usually on a computer. I've had the same problem with trying to comment from a phone. If there's an app for that, please someone let me know!
ReplyDeleteAlso, if I really like a post (not mine) I'll share it with others on Twitter.
Some other times, I need time to myself so I'll go and sit and read some blogs, then comment. (But I'm guessing this is quite difficult with an adorable toddler running around.)
I hope that helps! Maybe?
I have so little time, it seems, but I try to surf my favorite blogs a few times a week when I'm eating breakfast, etc. (Like right now.)
ReplyDeleteI have the exact same thoughts very often - so thanks for blogging about it! I read on my google reader app on the bus to work, but its a pain in the behind to comment. I try to comment on posts I really like when I get downtime at work.
ReplyDeleteAs for writing blog posts, I have an editorial calendar (organised, I know!) and then every few weekends I'll sit down and try and bash a few out. Things might come up and that schedule might change - but at least that way I have a few backup posts sitting in my drafts for when I feel uninspired, or unmotivated to write, or just don't have the time!
I have hootsuite open at work so I can always flick on to twitter and try and stay connected - but it is tough with a (ahem) full time job!
I still use Reader (mostly on my phone) and I just read a few blog posts at a time, whenever I HAVE the time (usually very early in the morning before I get out of bed.) I have found WP blogs to be pretty easy to comment on via my phone, Blogger and anything with Disqus is harder, but doable. Sometimes I just won't comment, but other times, I'll make a mental (or physical!) note to comment later. Like I'm doing now :-) (I read your post at like 6am.)
ReplyDeleteAs for writing, I'm lucky to have LG in school still two days a week, so I can write then. Other times, I just write in spurts while she plays or whatever. I actually hardly ever use nap-time for Internet time because I would rather do something then for ME ME ME.
I read mostly on my phone, and like Ginger, save things I'd like to go back and comment on. Some hosts are easy to comment on via phone, and others (Blogger, mostly) I have to wait till I get to a computer.
ReplyDeleteAs for actually blogging, I have a lot harder time. I rarely have the gumption to type out anything more than a few sentences on my phone, and when I'm home and have time, I rarely spend it on a computer. So.... I just blog really sporadically. It bums me out, but that's life at the moment.
I read mostly on my phone also, and do the same star/saving posts for later thing. But I'm not always good about getting online to actually write those comments that occurred to me while waiting at school pick up.
ReplyDeleteAs for blogging, it's feast or famine with writing inspiration. I'm just trying to do it. Just write. Get something out there. Maybe some of it won't suck.
And I didn't mean that maybe some of YOURS won't suck. I quite like what you write. I was deprecating myself, in case that wasn't clear.
ReplyDeleteWhen Gavin was in the NICU, I was reading a lot of blogs on my phone ... and left ZERO comments. Commenting via phones is piss poor, IMHO. I have my Google Reader set up into folders ... blogs of real life friends, blogs I always read, new blogs I'm considering, news blogs, photo blogs, etc. And, I have priorities. So, the blogs that mean the most to me are in folders I hit up first. As you can imagine, I wind up hitting a lot of MARK ALL READ when I can't get to other folders and the posts seem about to topple on me. That said, I sit at my computer all day, so access is easier than it is for you. If blogging and the connection you feel through blogging is that important to you, maybe it means carving out specific time for it. Might only be 15 minutes a day. Or an hour on a Saturday. Could be while Grady naps or while Shawn takes over parenting for a bit. Or whatever it is. But, I think if you prioritize your blogs by importance and designate blog time on your computer, maybe you can slowly make that connection again? Easier said from my chair than done in yours, I'm sure.
ReplyDeleteI wish it was easier to comment on blogs from phones because I think the majority of us are reading them on those devices. I keep thinking that my life has shifted so much that that is the reason I don't blog as much but it's not that I don't have the content, I just have different priorities. I really only read & comment a couple times a week on my favorites.
ReplyDeleteI used to do it at my job but when I switched jobs a year ago I became too busy to keep up with blogging like I used to. Now I don't really have a specific way to fit it in. I've spent three hours of my Sunday today online catching up and writing posts since I was away. In some ways it feels like I've wasted the day but in other ways I know that blogging is an important part of my life so I need to figure out ways to fit it in. It's a weird balance. I also comment on a LOT less blogs than I used to even though I still read (ok, skim) them still.
ReplyDeleteI sometimes blog at work otherwise I give myself a time frame to tackle it when I get home. But after being online all day I don't want to spend all night doing it either. It's tricky sometimes but sometimes it's okay for it to take a back seat :)
ReplyDeleteHey there Fancy Pants - yeah, this has been an "issue" for me for the past 2 years--inside and outside of work has necessitated a pretty nutso schedule and I put blogging/visiting blogs on such a back-burner that it actually fell off the stove. I've decided to spend my internet-time/writing time in a more whimsical way; i.e. When I blog, I blog - when I don't blog/visit-comment on blogs, I don't...yada yada. I've made a point to start commenting on every blog that I read, so I be sure to only visit the ones that are written by someone I want to engage with. I don't want to feel rushed, obligated....blah. So be choosey and cut yourself some slack that what you're chosing to do/not do will all be okay. On that note - IF (truly, IF) you have a chance, take a look at my latest post because I just tackled this question (and some other angsty topics) a couple weeks back and got all serious up in here. xo
ReplyDeleteP.S. The word Thyroid totally sounds like an evil action hero to me- someone Iron Man might fight on the top of the Empire State building.