Feed reading and blog posting

Thought I would share my current system for evaluating new posts in my RSS feeds and deciding whether I want to use them for my blogs. I have folders in Google Reader that group posts according to which blog they're related to and how valuable they are. ("Read for Lifemuncher", for example, or "Lifemuncher Second Tier".)

For the top-tier feeds, I go through folders in expanded view, starring the ones that look interesting. I use the keyboard shortcuts J (next) and S (star). I find that I need to see them in expanded view to know if they're worth reading or not.

When reading the second tier folder, I usually use list view, because I know that most of them aren't going to be interesting. I go right by things like "Use Linux to wash your dishes" or "17 Ways to Find Eternal Happiness." C'mon. Really?

I then go through the starred items folder for a second look. If it looks like something I want to read, I open it in a new tab and quickly go to the next post. If my first instincts say that the post is promising, I leave the star, but if it seems like it might be boring, or something I will be able to post immediately using the Firefox BlogThis extension, I take the star off. I leave the star on more interesting articles so that I can find the article easily if I decide to write about it. The fact that it stays in my starred folder serves as a reminder as well.

When I have a few open tabs, I go to them to look at the post directly. If it seems boring, I close it. If it looks like something I could post about right now, I do so. If it's a long article that I'll probably sit down to read on the couch, I print it out. Then I go back to the starred items and repeat the process as time allows.

What do you think? Any suggestions?

Fragmentation

Read this.

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I could have written that post. When I read Hawk's Pile of Index Cards web site I got very inspired and ran out to buy myself a whole bunch of 3x5 cards and a box to hold them in. I bought little carriers for them and a Circa Hipster PDA. I was writing on index cards all the time, in the car, on the couch, in the bathroom. There were stacks of them everywhere. I had my whole GTD system on there too.

Then one day I got sick of shuffling through the cards and made a to do list on a regular notepad. I got so much done that day! Somehow seeing everything in one place really helped, so I gave up the index cards and moved to a notebook and online documents that are searchable.

But I still love index cards and I wish I could find a good way to use them. They make me think of about fragmentation, and tearing things down into pieces and rearrange them into new configurations.

Like....
- blogging
- Twitter and microblogging
- GTD's "widgets" and breaking projects down into smaller tasks
- mind mapping/sweeping
- MP3s and the demise of albums
- wikis
- RSS feeds
- YouTube
- Wikipedia
- Circa

All these things have helped open my mind to the power of fragmentation and collection. My tendency is to create systems and bring information together (like I'm doing in this post). The idea of tearing it apart intrigues me.

The world is breaking down into smaller, more flexible pieces, without gatekeepers to tell you how they should be arranged. That's a good thing.

Commonplace books

In case you don't know what a Commonplace Book is, here's an interesting article. As a note-taking fool (see below) it's a concept near and dear to my heart.

Speed feed reading

I have been an RSS-readin' machine since I saw this post on Robert Scoble and his 622 feed subscriptions. I now follow his lead and start with "All items" in Google Reader. I make a first pass using the shortcuts (s for star, j for next item, k for previous item), starring anything that sounds vaguely interesting. Then I hit gs to go to the starred items. Then I have a leisurely read, unstarring as I go. If there's something I want to read, but don't have time, I just leave it starred for the next time. Those shortcuts sure are better than mousing!

The value of fun

I availed myself of some free career counseling recently, offered through my employer. At 37, I'm still not sure what I want to do when I grow up, and I figured I'd get a professional perspective on the situation.

Mr. Counselor didn't have any brilliant ideas, but one of his insights has stuck with me. He encouraged me to pursue career paths and projects that were fun. Rather than thinking about possibilities that would build upon my current skills, or that would be lucrative, he encouraged me to think about what I actually enjoy doing.

Man's got a point.

I've taken his advice to heart with regard to blogging. Recently I was offered a couple of opportunities to write on other Web sites. They seemed like a good idea at the time, but in the end I found myself chafing at the deadlines and external expectations. For me blogging is like having my own newspaper or publishing company. I get to say whatever I want. No one edits me or tells me what or when to write. If I don't feel like it, I don't do it. If I don't have a great idea for a post, I wait until I do.

Reading through the 423 blog feeds I've collected in Google Reader (yes, I'm mentally ill), I often wish other bloggers would do the same. So often you see posts that appear to be posted just for the sake of posting. The same link shows up everywhere. Bloggers thank each other and link to each other in a perpetual love fest. I yawn.

As the RSS/blog thing grows, I think it behooves us all to be a bit more selective in our posts. With RSS time no longer matters. People aren't going to forget about you if you don't post every day. When you've got something to say, your post will show up in my feed aggregator or in a blog search.

Until then, don't apologize for not posting. Don't feature a story that we've all seen several times already. Unless your blog is a personal diary, don't post the mundane details of your life. Wait until inspiration strikes, or you find something really unique to share. We'll be here waiting for you.

It will be more fun that way, don't you think?