Tuesday, January 05, 2010

Sidebar statement

You know you're doing NaBloPoMo when you're reduced to writing a post about your blog sidebar. But I do have a few things to say on the matter, and that is what's going to get said this evening.

As part of whipping this blog back into shape, I have undertaken a major sidebar clean-up. Every blog that lay to the right of my posts got checked out, was deleted or kept, and sometimes recategorized. My main reason for deleting blogs was that they appeared to be inactive or, of course, shut down entirely. Some blogs fell into this category, but not as many as I thought.

Now I plan to start transferring links from my two defunct blogs, And So Forth and Cuisine Quotidienne. That may take some time, and in fact may well wait until February, when the NaBloPoMo marathon ends.

Oh yes, and the point of all this? It's that I'm never going back here again.

13 comments:

Megan said...

oh yay! I was kept. Yeah, I need to update my sidebar too.

tut-tut said...

Betty, I know how you feel! Good post!! keep on keepin' on

Claudine said...

I like that I am in the French Fanatic section :) that pretty much covers it for me. I did love your food blog as well! We are on a blogging roll now.. I better do mine for today! blog on!

The Pliers said...

Betty C.,

Your sidebar looks beautiful and I must say that I am quite touched to have survived the clean up.

Do tell about why you are not returning to Google Reader. I rarely go there because I enjoy being in someone's real blog, but am curious about your aversion.

Continued success with the pruning and sprucing and writing daily. I will write until we drive off for a brief encounter with Chiapas and Tabasco at the end of the week, during which time I will pause and pick up where I dropped my laptop upon our return. They have bandits in them thar hills I've heard tell and I don't want to think about losing my lifeline!

Amitiés,

Tinsie said...

Why not? What's wrong with Google Reader?

Betty Carlson said...

Nothing's wrong with Google Reader -- it's a wonderful thing if you really want to keep up on certain blogs and follow day by day. But I kept putting too many blogs in, not checking it enough, then feeling guilty because I was never "caught up." Since I have limited time to keep up with everything, I decided just to make my own blog my home base -- just like the old days.

I also found that G.R. was pretty slow -- perhaps no slower than checking from one's sidebar, but what was supposed to be quick ended up taking me a lot of time. I suppose that depends on how it's used too.

Betty Carlson said...

Megan and the Pliers -- Lest you rejoice too much, I honestly didn't do that much qualitative paring down, lol! Seriously, I don't want people to think I was ruthlessly saying "she's out of here..." As I said, the main criteria was whether people were still blogging and whether they still fit in a category I wanted to keep up (ie. expats who I was never really in touch with much anyway and who have since moved home.) I also know I'm missing some people, so hope to get them back in little by little.

tut-tut -- I just found Google Reader so guilt-inducing!

Claudine -- Are you actually an expat? Or more of a cooking blogger? I wasn't quite sure where to put you actually.

deedee said...

I never did Google reader...just the idea stressed me.

Unknown said...

I wish I was an expat... france fanatic is perfect!!!!

Jennifer said...

Thank you for the reminder...I've been meaning to update my "Favorite Links" list for some time now. I've come across some great sites recently and have bookmarked them, but need to add to my links list.
And thanks for keeping me around. :)


Word Verification: groll
A grouchy troll?

Betty Carlson said...

Loulou -- As if I would ever, ever eliminate you from any online platform!

Anonymous said...

I'm glad I checked in today to see your revamped sidebar. Links to dead blogs are an aggravation. It has been several months since I have posted anything on my very anonymous, mostly family and friends blog. NaBloPoMo is a great idea. I think I may copycat and put all my favorite blogs on my sidebar. BTW, every once in a while, I just delete ~everything~ in my Google Reader and start over. It is usually because my interests have changed -- at least temporarily. Now, off to see who survived the purge...

Betty Carlson said...

Anonymous -- I wish I knew who you were, then I could maybe link to your blog! As for Google Reader, I used to "mark all as read," but then decided to just bag it and use my blog as home base. This has the advantage of reminding myself that my blog exists.