I read a blog the other day, a blogger I did not know. I was intrigued by the post because of a reference to Doris Day, who died a few weeks ago. I liked the post.
Fine.
This is what bloggers do: they read posts and like it if they find it interesting, or just to say- hey- I was here. No creeping.
Well, the next day or so, the blogger read my post (and you know my posts this week were about the spectacle called social media) so the blogger commented “Did you actually read my post?”
We all know this is a valid question. We all have the questionable likes. As told this week, the “like” is considered “important”, as is the “follow”. The other day I had someone “like” about forty posts in 10 seconds. Wow. Speed reading record.
We also know that blogging is a game. I know some people are deeply offended when someone likes the post without reading it. I take it with a grain of salt: blogging is a microcosm of life. The same behavior I see on the mean streets of NYC are the same behaviors I see in blogworld. Maybe I’ve just become too accustomed to people just doing what gets them through the day.
But do I read every blog that I like?
The short answer is: Yes.
The long answer is more complicated.
I love books and cooking and organizing. Therefore I follow bloggers who write about these things. Do I read every word of a book review closely? No. I look at the star rating: the lower the star rating the more likely I am to read the review. I’m not a disaster queen: I find it’s very valuable to know the why as to why someone doesn’t like a book. People are usually more clear as to why they DO NOT like something. They have concrete reasons. When they like something, the reviews are more “It’s got a good beat. I can dance to it. I give it an 85.” I also like to comment on books that I’ve read- you know I’ll do anything to engage in a book discussion…
Recipes. I skim recipes. I like to cook and have a folder full of recipes on my TBC, but I skim recipes because sometimes there’s a new technique that I never thought about. Someone wrote about making pizza last night and they suggested leaving the dough out for a few hours before making. I only leave the dough out twenty minutes. Hmmmm. And sometimes people try things with food that is just so intriguing my brain goes into overdrive. (You guys all know that I’ll be having a discussion with someone in blogverse and the next thing you know I’m planning out a weeks worth of blogs- Like yesterday with Shalini and Jessica- it’s the same thought process)
Organizing tips and ideas. I skim these because it’s mainly been there, done that. I look for something that I haven’t tried, read before or thought of. But who am I kidding: organizing books and such are my porn.
If a blog is five thousand words, I’m probably skimming it. Even though as Earthwalking states that the average reader only reads 178 words, I’m usually good for 500-1000.
Speaking of Earthwalking, I read most of his posts twice this week. He’s on a roll with some deep thought and such, and his ideas are so profound I need to really look at it to get on his page. Great stuff.
I also admit that I often read while on mass transit, or when I am physically online at the market or such. These are times when you might not see a comment from me, or a really really badly worded one because I can’t type in those situations. I have learned to “Save” a post I want to comment on. FYI- best WordPress addition is the Save option. How deep is my reading on the fly? Depends on the post. The other day I was on line at Whole Foods and one of my blogger buddies wrote about her boyfriend cheating on her. I was in deep because the blog was so poignant and heartbreaking.
I read posts in reader, or I have been getting them in my notification field. I rarely open up the blog itself. I don’t get all the “blog stuff” that incorporates many websites. I like to read quickly and cleanly.
I do try to set aside blog reading time. I will set up an block of time strictly for reading blogs and drinking tea. I often eat breakfast or lunch at the same time. Sometimes I just don’t have the time to read. I catch up if I can, but often just can’t. That’s life. We do the best we can with what we have.
Do I remember every blog?
No.
Yes.
Here’s the thing: I actually have a decent memory, and I remember much of what I read. (makes me a great trivia partner) I just can’t always place what I know to where it came from. Sometimes I’ll get an idea from something I read, and I can’t remember what the source was. That’s the problem with reading so many varied things- they get jumbled. And I’m an analyzer: my brain takes in data, and then ideas spew out: ideas that are often only vaguely resembling the source material. I wish I knew a better way for my brain to catalogue info, but there you have it: even my brain has its limits.
So there you have it.
What are your blog reading habits?
Waking up on the Wrong Side of 50 