It's Feeding Time...
At the Becks & Posh Zoo
If you are not yet using a feed reader to keep up with your favourite blogs and websites then you are totally behind the times. I use google's reader because I find it easy, I am automatically logged in when my gmail account is open and (because I am an old 'vi' geek) I like the fact it uses the h and j keys for scrolling up and down through the lists. Don't like google? I'm sorry for you - but you'll still be ok because there are a gazillion other readers, that you could choose from to use instead.
One thing I like to do through my blog is sharing information by linking out. But keeping control of all the blogs in my blog roll is getting increasingly more difficult as the number of blogs I like to read grows. There are many blogs I would love to add to my roll, but I just don't have the energy or time to keep it up, it's a logistical nightmare. But the truth of the matter is, that I rarely visit blogs via my blog roll anymore. Instead I use my feed reader to check out the blogosphere. Yesterday I realised I can actually share my feed, right here on my blog, so I added a new feature near the bottom of my sidebar which looks like the form you see on the left: This feature not only links to my entire feed subscription, it also highlights the 10 most-recently written posts in the reader (which will update whenever you refresh my home page). Although Google kindly offered me several colour schemes, they weren't stylish or forward-thinking enough to include turquoise or orange among their options, so I stuck with the safe grey scheme. I would like to be able to edit this, but I can't which is the reason it's near the bottom of my sidebar (keeping the ugly stuff out of sight).So - I hope you will all enjoy poking around in my shared feed, which I update and add to on a daily basis. With the number of blogs I track always growing, you will always find something new to read there. It's like Blogday x 150! It even has its own feed which you can subscribe to if you
(Click on Letter to Open/Close Index)
marin
east bay
wine country
davis
tahoe
baked
chocolate
dairy/eggs
drinks
markets
meat
new york
las vegas
los angeles
san diego
england
fiji
france
ireland
nibbles
staples
salads
sarnies
vegetables
pasta/grains
eggstras
fishes
meat
dough
desserts
cakes/cookies
sweets
feasts
english
drinking out
bubbles
white wine
red wine
pink wine
hard stuff
soft stuff
15 Comments:
At 7/9/06 10:26,
wheresmymind said…
I use Newsgator...the googlereader looked too basic when I used it last...maybe I need to migrate.
At 7/9/06 11:30,
Bonnie said…
What a great idea! Thanks for the tips Sam. Since I use Google reader too, I might have to put mine up to share as well. Do you think they have pink and grey by any chance?
At 7/9/06 12:01,
Sara, Ms Adventures in Italy said…
I like Bloglines, myself. I am also an old vi user :) but I like how Bloglines groups the posts instead of all by date (google). Sometimes I only have time to read one set of blogs.
At 7/9/06 13:11,
Anonymous said…
I'm a Bloglines gal myself, too cussed lazy to learn yet another new technology. I did visit your Google reader, Sam, and found it VERY interesting to see you reading "One way to increase marijuana use."
: D
At 7/9/06 13:25,
s'kat said…
Like you, I've pretty much stopped updating my blogroll, it was just getting too unwieldy!
I'm also using googlereader, and had no idea you could do that! Cool!
*goes off to figure out fiddly blog-stuff*
At 7/9/06 15:53,
Anonymous said…
You really TWEAKED your blog while I was on vacation Sam. Looks good.
At 7/9/06 21:23,
Anonymous said…
I was just getting started with the style feeder and now that! You are creating a monster.
BTW, the style feeder is the niftiest little thing I know. The perfect online wherever wishlist for my family. Thanks for getting my hooked up!
...and I was on your reader (blushing)
At 8/9/06 03:22,
Anonymous said…
Wow, I need to figure out this feed reader thing; seems much more efficient than my haphazard checking of every blog I've bookmarked.
I noticed I had the special privilege of being on your reader, woohoo! I just changed my address yesterday though.
That coconut thing looked pretty darn tasty, as did the Boulettes Larder tart. I'm looking forward to trying their Sunday beignets in the future...oooh!
At 8/9/06 10:44,
Owen said…
Sam - you may have tried this already, but how about just replacing the word 'gray' in the javascript code that generates the reader with the word 'orange'?
I think google is just using web-safe color names and if so, then it could work for you. Seems worth a try...
I know I altered my google search box colors by just hacking in the hex values I wanted even though they weren't offered at the time.
At 8/9/06 10:53,
Acme Instant Food said…
It's time for me to walk out of the primeval forest I suppose and look into this. Some old habits just die hard, but i too can't really keep up with the lists anymore. So many great offerings!
At 8/9/06 13:48,
Julie said…
That is very cool! I recently got organized with bloglines, but I do use gmail, so I might switch. Your new site design looks great, by the way.
At 8/9/06 15:36,
Alpineberry Mary said…
Thanks for the tip on the reader. I miss using vi (don't use it at my current job).
At 9/9/06 06:19,
Anonymous said…
I LOVE what you've done to the place! Absolutely LUV IT!
At 13/9/06 15:41,
Anonymous said…
wmm - i think ggole is basic, but it serves my needs. you can tag sites with labels.
bonnie - they do have a pink one for sure.
ms adventures in italy, fellow VI girl, - how do they group the posts? in google you can give blogs labels and just read one set of labels at a time.
tana - I dont remember reading that - are you sure you aren't pulling my leg.
s'kat - I am going to have to check in with you and see if you got it going yet.
Barbara - i did - it is not a lie. It was hard work though - being on vacation would have been more fun!
Paz - for the first time in 2x months it is beginning to actually get better at last hooray! no more ankle strap & less sleepness nights!
How is your doing?
Helene - monster? MONSTER???
well i hope it is at least a cute cuddly monster!
Janice - the beignets are indeed great. or at least they were - it is a long long time since I had one.
I definitely recommend you get a feed reader though - make it hgher priority than even the beignets!
Owen - i did try already - i think it is a premade thing and the colour in the code is just the name of it.
it is ok for a time until I come up with something better.
Acme Food - it is never a bad thing to try and keep abrest of evolving technologies, but I agree sometimes it takes effort at every turn and sometimes I feel more lethargic than enthusiastic.
Julie - thanks - i had bloglines a couple of years ago bt never really took a shine. i guess there must be something about google I have a disposition for.
Mary - i think vi will be dropping out of my life soon too. it's a shame ....:(
matt - thank you, gorgeous!
At 25/9/06 08:39,
the Lumpia said…
Thanks for keeping me up to date on food...and technology!
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