Jul 28 2007
Shocking and Disturbing
I’ve just done something reckless and terrifying.
I zeroed out my Google Reader.
There were approximately 300 posts waiting to be read. This is NOT an exaggeration. I subscribe to over a hundred blogs, and each one had posted an average of three times since I last went through it. You can blame the pile-up on my Great Blog Crash Disaster of last week and then being gone for much of this week.
I tried to catch up. Really I did. I made GREAT EFFORTS. Alas, it wasn’t meant to be.
FORTUNATELY, almost every single post was about either Harry Potter or BlogHer. So, basically, they were all disposable.
(Yup, that may be the most controversial thing I’ve ever said on my blog. It’s not that I don’t wish I were at BlogHer, it’s just that I probably won’t go until they ask me to be a keynote speaker and they pay me thousands of dollars for it. So, you know, next year–around the time I take over the world with my blog. As for Harry Potter… yeah. This is where it gets controversial. I have not read and never intend to read a Harry Potter book. I will say no more. Well, there’s not really more to say. I just have ZERO INTEREST in it. I know. You’re going to stone me. Go ahead. I lived in Jerusalem–stoning is not unfamiliar to me.)
That said, though, I know that I have missed some true treasures and hopefully I’ll still see them as I make my future rounds through Bloglandia. Still, though, I’m feeling SO LIBERATED. Whew!
Nothing like biting off a few more blogs than I can chew, huh? I try to be such an over-achiever… and it really doesn’t ever work out for me!
So what are you telling me? You don’t really read my blog? Every day? 3 times a day? Oh nooooooooooooooooo Mr. Bill!!!
Don’t forget the meme…snicker.
Hugs
You are brave and intrepid! Not for zeroing out–for announcing it!
I don’t use a reader. I go to each and every blog on my Favorites List individually. What am I missing?
A woman after my own heart! I haven’t read a single Harry Potter book, either, and was about to barf from all the hooplah lately!
And my life of late has made keeping up with my Google reader impossible… that’s just living.
Refreshing, like taking a trash bag and cleaning out all the clutter in your kitchen!
GASP! We love you anyway, Brillig.
You know you’re not alone, right? I mean, it’s just not humanly possible to read all the blogs that one loves every. single. day. Don’t worry, you’re forgiven.
Awesome. What a good girl you are. There’s a reason I don’t have a reader. Then I don’t have to feel guilty about missing someones blog.
Happy Days to you!
I have to admit that the HP posts have been like a little blessing lately while I’ve struggled to catch up with blogging AND ‘real life’. They got a scan over from me and if they talked about nothing but the book, I moved on, since I have nothing to add.
The way I do it is that I always comment on my “regulars” (the people who I have been reading for a long time - and that’s why I always have to wait until I ‘have time’ to read them) and posts that I feel like I can’t NOT comment on. Then I have a lot where I read mostly every day, but I don’t usually comment. Not so much a lurker, because I DO occasionally comment. I’m a comment whore (there goes your “G” rating or the day), so I feel bad witholding from others. But it is a commitment to be a regular commentor.
You are brave. But we all know we have our own things like that - things that are just uninteresting to us - so we won’t judge.
**The fans cheer: We Love You Brillig!**
Thank goodness! Someone who also isn’t reading Harry Potter. For that I have to forgive you for blanking out the reader!;)
I’ve managed to whittle my To Be Read pile down to 157 posts. Hmm…visit with my much missed family, or read blog posts? I chose the former, but made an exception for you because, hey, you’re just that cool, apparently.
I hate that I enjoy Harry Potter. I held off until book four came out, ’cause bandwagons aren’t my thing. Alas, unlike your sweet self, I’m a lover of all things sci-fi/fantasy, and I got caught up in the story.
I envy you your uniqueness. ‘Cause being in the minority is kinda fun sometimes. =)
Too bad you missed me not talking about Harry Potter. I’m pretty sure I was the only one not talking about him, and you missed it.
As this is only the second post of yours that I’ve read (referred by Amber of Soggy Cheerios), I am not offended. Also because I’m almost certain you’ve never read my blog. Also, now I feel the need to go sign up for Google Reader. I’m that far behind the times.
P.S. Not an HP fan.
Hiya Brill,
Not so much on the Arryhay Otterpay, for me, either.
My oldest reads them, some of my freinds read them… but I’m not all that inot wizards and so forth. Call me pedestrian (or just a geek) but I’ll stick to my science fiction and military/political techno-thrillers.
As for cleaning out you reader…. I am SO offended.
I may never er… speak to you again.
GF
Oh, I’m so shocked and disturbed… and awestruck by your brazen audacity. Good for you!
As soon as anything to do with blogging becomes associated with guilt, re-evaluate it. Do men feel this? Is it just a woman thing - or am I gender stereotyping.
Oh, I love you. Although I’m a Harry Potter-ite, I can understand the overwhelming feeling of ‘UGH!’ that comes with a ridiculously high google reader. When I came back from holidays it was over 140, and to be honest, going through each post felt a bit like homework I had to complete. Next time, I will take a page from you and just zero it out and start fresh.
yay for you! I totally need to do the same thing. I am SOOO behind it’s totally stressing me out.
Me no likey HP either. Well, not that I don’t likey, just that I started to read the first book and I lost interest fast. That was years ago and I had a lot going on in my life so that might be why, and now I may enjoy them . . . but I sort of have not a lot of interest. I only saw the first two movies too . . . and I’m not exactly running to see the second one.
But HAIRSPRAY . . . now that’s a different story, right Brills?
It’s good to know someone else subscribes to such an insane number of blogs. Silly women have to stop being such great writers so that I can get some stuff done!
And I am so erasing all of the BlogHer posts too. I think I’m going to rename it the “Brag ‘Til You Gag” Conference. Not that I wouldn’t have totally of gone if someone had bought me a ticket, though
First of all, SO great to see you this weekend! You are so fabulous, we have to do that more often. I am glad you were able to clean off your slate and begin again - how refreshing! Too, too many comments - that’s what happens when you’re a popular kid. As for Harry and his Potter, I never have read one of those books, either. I do enjoy the movies and I think the hype is kinda fun, but I’m not a die-hard fan so I’m with you on that!
I feel like I’m one of the only people not posting about HP or Blogher.
As for HP - I didn’t read the sixth book so of course I haven’t read the seventh.
And Blogher - Well… I have no money. And I’m sure there wouldn’t be very many 17 year olds there anyway.
I have this problem all the time. I can’t keep up with all of the posts. I am behind on blogging and reading big time!
I can’ t think of anything to say really. Other than to lend my support for you to do what pleases you as it comes to your google reader. It kind of sounds like fun to GO ZERO on it.
As to your overachieving….you should probably go zero on that too, or at least take a breath every once in awhile. The world will still be around for your takeover…. tomorrow.
No Blogher for me.
No Harry Potter either.
Nope.
Such is life.
you know what I do in Google Reader? I categorize my blogs. I have a folder for “friends”, “occasional reads”, “entertainment”, “geeky”, etc… When I have too many to read, I generally purge the occasional reads and my Lifehacker feeds (because there’s just too many sometimes). Then I just read the friends ones.
I don’t get the Harry Potter thing either…I just wanna say get overrrrrrrr it …I have always thought it was sorta nutso…but maybe I am just mis-informed..lmao.
I not going to stone you but…I will shaemlessly annoy you by saying, my standards for books are very high, I hate things that are trendy, and I have been profoundly impacted by Harry. I originally started reading them just so that I could feel that I disliked the whole things credibly, rather than stereotypically but…that didn’t exactly work out. I also went to blogher, but only because I got in for free.
Lets still be friends.
Wow…lots of grammatical errors in my comment…
I’m with Catherine on the Harry Potter… loved it! But I don’t expect everyone to love it, nor am I going to rant about it on my blog. Too many other things!
And I’m with you on BlogHer. Can’t afford it, can’t make the time… so, yeah.
I didn’t go to blogher, or write about it, and I’m not into Harry Potter either.
So they can stone me too.
Whoa, Brill…living on the edge a little there aren’t ya ?.
I love that you are potentially inciting violence - I mean controversy.
But I gotta ask…would you really not go to BlogHer unless you were an invited speaker…I mean don’t you just want to go and party with the likes of me…and others ?
Dude, BlogHer was fun! And I promise to bore you with BlogHer posts for only a couple of days.
I didn’t start reading Harry Potter until book 4 came out & then I only read it to see what the big deal was. Yeah, I’m totally hooked now.
I too haven’t read any Harry books. No real interest either. But then I wasn’t into Sex in the City or Desperate Housewives. I seem to miss these pop culture moments.
I know nothing about the google or bloggy reader things. I have a FAVS thing on my computer that I just roll through and click on the blogs to read.
My sister called the other day and asked me what I was doing. I told her I was reading the Harry Potter book. She SCREAMED! Then explained that every one of her friends are reading that book. One of her friends has her daughter answer the phone with “If you called for my mom she is behind closed doors reading ‘The Book’. She will call everyone back when she is finished.” Yikes!
I finished reading the book. I can see how the kids are so glued to the books. It makes me think of Lord of the Rings, Cronicles of Narnia aka The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
um…I’ve never read a Harry Potter book either - not much interest here I must admit. (I thought I’d save them up until the boys are older and read with them - or get them to read to me while I snooze) And BlogHer - I don’t think I’ll be attending from Australia either…with four kids in tow? ha!