I lost that loving feeling for blogs about a year or so ago. Man, I’ve been PINING for the good ol’ days (pre-Twitter/Facebook/13 email accounts/Instagram/Google Reader/Pinterest/iPhone apps/etc.), but let’s face it, the good ol’ days are gone. Nearly six years ago, when I wanted to write about something, I wrote it on this blog. When I wanted to read something, I read it on your blog. Most likely, we left comments and became friendternets. That was fun, wasn’t it? Simpler times, oh friendternets. Now, it’s random observations jammed into 140 characters and/or a sentence or two underneath an iPhone photo and/or Twitter parties and/or gahhhhhhh, I’m totally turning into a crabby old hag.
At first, I thought that Google Reader would help to simplify my time spent online by creating a one-stop shop blog reading platform. And it did for awhile, but over time, I would amass 300-600 unread blog posts, become totally overwhelmed, and click the lame ‘Mark All As Read’ button. When I DID have time to read posts, I couldn’t even remember what blog I was reading due to the generic, clinical-looking feed reader template. Whose blog is this? How did I find this blogger? Why am I reading this? What was the connection that drew me to this person in the first place?
I think Kristen put it best when she wrote:
See, reading blogs in Google Reader is efficient, but it’s a little cold. You miss the full experience of seeing the post where it was meant to be. It’s kind of like eating take-out instead of eating in the restaurant. You miss the ambiance. It also makes it harder to comment.
Right on. Considering the overwhelming majority of blogs that I read are lifestyle/design blogs, I was doing myself such a disservice by reading posts without actually visiting the blog where it was meant to be read. Plus, what were the chances that I would click through to leave a comment? Slim to none. On the other hand, I don’t have enough time in the day to visit all the blogs I love, in hopes that a new post may or may not be up.
Okay, I’m going somewhere with this, I promise! Thanks to Kristen, she wrote a post entitled, “if you read blogs, you should read this,” and it included a tip about the Google Reader Next Button. (She also wrote a great post on awesome smoothie recipes for kids who despise veggies, aka WITO, and she’s the reason I bought a rice cooker. Kind of stalking her right now.)
GOOGLE READER NEXT BUTTON, I LOVE YOU SO MUCH.
Now, I can click a little button in my browser toolbar and it will take me directly to the next chronological blog post in my reader queue. At the actual website, where it was meant to be read. Wahoo!
Here’s an example (click photo to enlarge):
Here’s one of my favorite newish blogs, Triple Max Tons. Instead of reading Kirsten’s post on a generic feed reader page like before, I experience it on her darling website where I get to see her face, as well as all the links and info that she has provided to readers. (Like the fact that she has a Pinterest account. I wouldn’t have known that without visiting her blog.) After I’ve read her post, I click the Next button in my toolbar, and I’m off to the next chronological post in my queue. Shazam!
However, the best part is when I have read everything in my queue and see this page.
THE END OF THE INTERNET. Heh.
People, it’s like old school blog-hopping with with a side of modern convenience. I’m enjoying blogs again, I’m commenting again, and all’s well in the blogosphere. (Except for the fact that I just used the term “blogosphere.”)
Check out the Next Button. Set up a Google Reader account if you don’t have one. Then go here, and click on the Goodies tab. It’s under “Put Reader in a Bookmark.” I think you might like it. Now I’m off to dream up a new whoorl design, as this one is gathering cobwebs.
PinkieBling
May 6, 2011 at 10:43 amThis. Is. AWESOME! Thanks so much!
Audra
May 6, 2011 at 10:44 amThis has changed my world. Ha! Thanks for the post, I immediately installed!
Marguerite
May 6, 2011 at 1:15 pmI am in love too! Hooray for a better way to view and get information from my favorite sites! Thank you.
Torrie @ a place to share...
May 7, 2011 at 4:26 pmDitto to what Marianne said.
{so happy Danielle introduced me to your blog btw… from skinny chords to boot camp to this little life-changing invention. much gratitude :)}
Torrie @ a place to share...
May 7, 2011 at 4:28 pmp.s. “cords” not “chords” :)
Will the blog powers that be ever come up with a ‘post-comment edit button’???
Ali
May 8, 2011 at 7:22 amThank you for this! Blogging seemed so much smaller when we started. Now the amount of blogs is overwhelming, and reading it in a reader like google just zaps all the warmth out of blogs. This is great!
Natalia Silva
May 8, 2011 at 8:49 pmThat Google reader is interesting. I didn’t know anything about it. What a clever idea. Has this been around for long? I am so out of touch.
Natalia
http://birkenstocks.sandals4less.com
MichelleRenee
May 9, 2011 at 8:03 amThank You, Thank You, Thank YOU!!!!!!
I love the Next button.
So much more personal than the Reader.
Thank you!
Shannyn
May 9, 2011 at 2:05 pmThis is brilliant! I am doing this right.now.
Jen
May 11, 2011 at 8:19 amI, too, have been longing for the Olden Days Of Blogging (I’ve been doing this since 2000, so… yeah. Things are sure different now!!) I am also majorly struggling with keeping up with everybody I love to read- Twitter and FB and everything else are such TIMESUCKS. Fun and entertaining and make me feel connected… but at the same time, disconnected. And that 2nd baby really is a TIMESUCK too, right? ;)
So I have to say: THANK YOU for this. This is perfect. Used it for a few posts and OMG YAY!!!
Sonja von Franck
May 11, 2011 at 8:34 pmYou’ve done it again. Completely rocked my world! My husband has been trying to convince me for months to switch to gmail. Confession: I didn’t even know what Google Reader was until I read this post. Three babies in four years, that’s my excuse. But after a little assistance (“where’s my bookmark??”) I’m up and running and YOU are my first subscription. As you should be… Blogs, twitter – you really are a “time suckage” influence – in the best sense! I am glad to read that there are a lot of people that weren’t completely understanding the set up – so I’ll just think of it as waiting to come onboard until you figured it all out for me. Thank you!!
Mrs. Wilson
May 13, 2011 at 9:46 amOh my word! I LOVE THIS BUTTON!
amanda
May 13, 2011 at 10:29 amthank you so SO much for this gem!! lately google reader has been throwing constant errors at me, and now i can bypass it all together and just read the actual blogs! thank you thank you!
Kerri Anne
May 13, 2011 at 2:53 pmOooh, I am officially EXCITED about this.
Old school internet throw-backs, ahoy!