I feel the need to change my template again. And I will not. Even though it’s killing me {ha} I go back and forth…… sidebars? no sidebars? really, is it that hard just to put up a template and stick with it? {apparently, for me, yes}
How do y’all go about reading blogs? I have two readers, Bloglines & Google, and it ain’t workin’. I feel like I get in a hurry to read the posts but never hop over to comment. I have a lot saved in my favorites folder too, but I just tried to open over 60 tabs at one time, and it locked up the computer. So, that’s not working either {ha}
I’m thinking about cutting back on the amount of blogs I read/comment on too. It just gets SO overwhelming sometimes. Do you ever feel like this? Blogging is supposed to be fun, and not feel like something to mark off a to do list.
I feel like I got caught up in the whole, I don’t know what you even call it, where it feels like the blog has become a full time job, you’ve got to get more readers, become a reader of everybody and their brother, tweet, fan pages, join, follow, read, comment, blah, blah, blah, blah, and that’s not me. I started blogging to build friendships, to have grown-up conversations with other mommas out in blogland, to see other messy kitchens, and to know that I’m not the only one who has a bad day, or messes up constantly, build friendships with other like-minded mommas.
Anyhoo, I ramble on, with no point at all.
Oh, if you link here, stop by to read, or laugh, will you pretty please let me know. I would really love to come by your blog for a visit. Just this week, I ran across (thru my site meter) two blogs that link to me and I ADORE their blogs! And have added them to my never ending blog list 
I am me plain & simple
I completely agree with this post!!
I’m always wanting to change my blog around and move stuff. I am working with someone right now to do a design. It makes me nervous because I have a hard time sticking to one thing. HA!
I read blogs in google reader, and end up doing the same thing…reading and then never commenting. It can get overwhelming!! I do love the new friendships I have formed though!
Have a great Thursday!
I read far too many blogs, but it is hard to let go. I agree though it can be so overwhelming and when that happens it becomes not so fun. Somedays I have to only comment on the blogs that left me comments because I am just too busy that day. It is crazy to try and catch up. I had to let my OCD tendencies go just a bit. Hard but had to. It was consuming my days and nights:) If I read though…I do comment. I want them to know I was by for a visit. I know..I am crazy like that.
He & me + 3´s last blog ..On Your Mark…Get Set…Start Spring Soccer Season!
I read too many, too, which is why when you get a little burnt out you get a lot burnt out. I think I’ve finally gotten the hang of google reader. The annoying part is once they’re marked ‘read’ you can’t see them unless you go to the specific blog ….grr.
I always like your layouts
Katie´s last blog ..Caffeinated Random
Hey, girl! I completely agree!! I just opened my reader {and feared it may cause my computer to explode} seeing 816 posts. Oi. Sometimes, I just read… and if I have a few more minutes, I comment. I need to do a bit of spring-cleaning in my follwing too, but you’re a keeper for sure.
H-Mama @ Family Team´s last blog ..Sometimes, I forget
I feel the same way as you – I read so many blogs and when I come across a new one that I love, it’s so hard to NOT add them to my Google Reader! And sometimes I get lazy and don’t click over to comment…I try to be a faithful commenter though
And I totally agree…I don’t care so much about how many followers I have or how many hits I get, I just like connecting with other people that I normally would never know {like you!} and reading silly details about other people’s lives that I’m not even sure why I care about them, but I do
Amy @ My Front Porch´s last blog ..Does This Skirt Make My Butt Look Big?
I have been struggling with these same feelings. When I first joined the blogging world I was addicted to reading and posting. It became all I thought about
Now I feel like updating regularly is an obligation!! So I’m cutting back on the reading and posting. (LOVE you though and will continue to come back and “SEE” ya! The bloggy world can be inspirational but overwhelming if you let it!! Have a great day and keep those wonderful photos coming!!!
Kelli´s last blog ..Carlie
I read blogs in google reader as well. Currently there are 283 I haven’t read. I completely know what you are talking about. That was bugging me about a month ago and then I had a reality check with myself. Why do I care? I stay at home to be with my kids and the little free time I have I should not be stressed out about leaving comments or worrying how to get more people to read my blog. It has helped.
I am like you, I blog for fun, a lot about just being a mom. Which is why I like reading your blog and others like it. Knowing there is someone else out there going through some of the same stuff or just feeling like I do.
So if I don’t comment all the time…it is simply b/c life is going on about me and I just have a quick minute. But I think I need to trim down my blog list so I can at least just pop over to the ones I like more.
Heather @ One Take on LIfe´s last blog ..Ultimate Blogging Party
Michelle,
You *always* have the cutest layouts! I know what you mean about changing up ever so often, though. I’m the same way – even with arranging furniture at home. Sometimes you just feel the NEED to change!
As for readers: I use Google Reader on both my PC and Blackberry (yes, I AM getting rid of it – one day!! LOL). My absolutely favorites are on my BB, so I can catch up on the go. Those I frequent less often, I try to catch up on the PC, but it never fails that I’ll log on and see “you have 1000+ unread messages” and I just skim over the subject lines and hit “mark all read”. I know, that’s horrible to admit, but I can’t ever find the time to sit and read a THOUSAND posts at once! Anyway, I don’t know what the solution is – I found an article at Lifehacker.com about how to streamline your blog reading. But of course, I haven’t had time to read the whole thing or implement any of the suggestions….. lol
A great big DITTO on your post and most of your comments. I only started blogging in 2010, so I am fairly new and just getting the hang of all of this. There is such a fine line here, because I want people to read my blog and I LOVE when my readers comment, but then I feel obligated to follow them back…and sometimes, I’m just not into their blog topics. I don’t know what the blog etiquette is, but I follow blogs that I like to read, I comment on blogs when I have something to say…not just to leave a comment or get someone to follow me back.
I feel overwhelmed with just the few blogs I subscribe to! And I feel like I could be doing so much more to attract new readers. It gets frustrating because right now, I can’t devote hours and hours to blogging and that’s what ends up happening…they just suck me in!
Glad to know I’m not alone.