Andy DeSoto - Latest Comments in Andy DeSoto » Maintenance Mode

Re: Andy DeSoto » Maintenance Mode

Andy DeSoto — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 00:43:04 -0000

Rahsheen: Thanks so much for your comment and recommendations! I've been trying to get into Ping.fm a bit more myself-- it's tricky to walk the line between efficiency and content duplication, and that's been something I've been trying to master.

What a great search recommendation! I'm definitely going to use that to start me off tomorrow instead of bushwacking my way through hundreds of new tech stories.

And I think you and Heidi are on to something with the lead-off strategy. Definitely going to make that the core of my plan of action.

Re: Andy DeSoto » Maintenance Mode

Rahsheen — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 12:58:45 -0000

I also find it crazy to try and keep up with all the things required as a blogger, but there are a few tools that can help you keep your head above water.

1. Ping.fm allows you to keep your followers up-to-date across multiple services (status messages and full-blown blog posts)

2. FriendFeed will help you to stay on top of the latest news if you don't really have time to catch up on Google Reader. Try doing a search for "service:blog" or "service:googlereader".

3. Leading off with reading is a great tip because this naturally leads you into commenting on other blogs, stumbling, Digg'ing, bookmarking, etc..

Re: Andy DeSoto » Maintenance Mode

Andy DeSoto — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 00:33:46 -0000

Heidi: Great thoughts. I absolutely echo your sentiment that it's getting trickier and trickier. The literature I've read suggests it didn't use to be so tricky, but the advent of Web 2.0 really muddled the whole thing up.

I've tried a schedule myself and it rarely works in my experience, too. For instance, my part-time work schedule over the summer is completely unpredictable, leaving me without any good time to write articles on a regular basis. It's hard to cope with all the flux! The interconnectedness you describe is a great verbalization of some of my recent thoughts as well.

Starting with Google Reader is a great idea. Let me know how that works, okay? But enjoy vacation first, for sure.

(Yes, I have a problem. I wanted things more readable. This one's going to be here for a while, though, as I invested in a premium theme in order to ensure the highest level of support, typography, and accessibility. [Not to mention shelling out cash makes it harder for me to submit to my own foibles and change designs again!] Your expert design critique is welcome as always.)

Blogged about it here, by the way: The Week of the Redesigns

Re: Andy DeSoto » Maintenance Mode

Heidi Cool — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 00:22:53 -0000

Somethings got to give, there just isn't enough time in the day to do it all. I find it harder and harder to keep up, and giving up sleep isn't a practical option. I'm trying to find the balance, lately I've been taking turns. I'll write a bit one day then try to catch up on other people's blogs another. Of course the unread list on Google Reader keeps growing, I've not Stumbled in weeks, and sometimes one just needs to turn off the computer and read a book to clear the mind!

Maybe there is a better way to do time management, perhaps a schedule, Tuesdays for blog reading, Wednesdays for Digging and Stumbling, Thursdays for Mixx or FriendFeed. But it doesn't work that way. It's all interconnected. When I start reading, that's when I comment, that's when I save to de.licio.us, share to Stumble, post a link on Pownce, etc. So perhaps, for me at least, that should be the focus. If one can start by consuming information (via blog reader or other) then the other bits naturally follow.

Instead of starting with Pownce or Plurk (which I'm cutting back on) I could start with Google Reader and work back out to the social world. You have to acquire knowledge to share it after all. So I'll try that approach...as soon as I get back from holiday!

p.s. Is it just me or does your site design change weekly?