Saturday 19 September 2009

More Awards and junk :-D

Something miraculous happened this week - I discovered the wonders of Google Reader!

After observing BBAW from the sidelines and getting a zillion recommendations for awesome blogs every hour, I realised that the list of "Blogs I love" on my sidebar was getting bigger and bigger and bigger and bigger and, eventually, my blog wouldn't be able to take it.

Now, in the past, I've put all of my favourite blogs in the list to the right and arranged them so that the recently updated are at the top. That's how I'd keep tabs on who I visited. But, I realised this week, that that's now impossible.

Google Reader to the rescue.

But, bugger me, it's still so hard to visit everyone's blog in a day! I always prided myself on being quite a good commenter and reading and commenting on 90% of what people posted. Now, I just can't do it! I'm overwhelmed with fabulous blogs and have no time left in the day to do it.

How do you guys manage it? At the moment all of my 'book blogs' are in one category and it's hard to remember who is who by not seeing the proper design of the blogs. So, what do you guys do to keep up with everything and manage to visit your favourite blogs?

Oh, FYI - if your blog was in the 'Blogs I love' list to the right but has now disappeared, don't panic. I haven't gone off you. I just had to trim that list down majorly over the last couple of days and it doesn't mean I don't love your blog. I'm still visiting it. :-D

Anyway, moving on from that silliness . . .

Now that I've managed to tear myself away from religiously watching Summer Heights High and We Can Be Heroes (Seriously, Chris Lilley - you're a genius!), I have some awards to give out: (My apologies if you've had them before but you get them again :) )

From Faye at Ramblings of a Teenage Bookworm
(Her blog is soooo awesome - please visit it, I'm hooked and have a ton of books on my wishlist because of her.)
THE SUPERIOR SCRIBBLER AWARD
Here are the rules for this award:

1. Each Superior Scribbler must in turn pass The Award on to 5 most-deserving Bloggy Friends.

2. Each Superior Scribbler must link to the author & the name of the blog from whom he/she has received The Award.

3. Each Superior Scribbler must display The Award on his/her blog, and link to This Post, which explains The Award.

4. Each Blogger who wins The Superior Scribbler Award must visit this post and add his/her name to the Mr. Linky List. That way, we'll be able to keep up-to-date on everyone who receives This Prestigious Honor!

5. Each Superior Scribbler must post these rules on his/her blog.

My nominees are:

1) Tena from Crazy Book Slut
2) Susan from Well-Mannered Frivolity
3) Mary from The Sweet Bookshelf
4) Carl from Stainless Steel Droppings
5) Ryan from Wordsmithonia


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From Ryan at Wordsmithonia
(A blog I've recently discovered and is *amazing*. This guy knows how to write reviews!)
THE YOUR BLOG ROCKS AWARD

My nominees are:

1) Taschima from Bloody Bookaholic
2) Kerri from BookEnds
3) Jess from Jessica Sheff


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From Nikola at Nikola's Book Blog
(Another fabulous 'recently discovered' blog that's so cool.)
THE WHO LOVES YOUR BABY AWARD

My nominees are:

1) Melissa from Shhh I'm Reading. . .
2) Jessica from Shut Up! I'm Reading
3) Jill from Rhapsody in Books


Hope you all have a good weekend peeps. And did any of you catch the new series of Peep Show last night? Good to know it still hasn't lost it's touch. :-D
 

19 comments:

MARY IN SCOTLAND said...

OH WOW THANKS!!!!!
SWEET!!!!

I love Google Reader too...the only way to get all the blogs in one place really.

Amanda said...

I keep four (current 5) book blog folders in my google reader. I follow about 125 book blogs. My blogs are divided into my favorites, midlevels, lower levels, and new. Currently, there's also a folder for new ones discovered during BBAW. Periodically I move people out of the new folder when I know their blog enough and put it into the appropriate folder above (top, middle, or lower). Sometimes I drop people out of these folders, or move them around. If I'm on vacation, I mark everything as read in the lower folder, and maybe even the middle folder if it gets too much. I would never do that to the favorites folder. This is how I keep up.

Congrats on your awards!

Anonymous said...

I do not have a good system for organizing my blogs in Google Reader, but Google Reader IS FROM HEAVEN. I remember when I first discovered it, I could not believe how much easier it made everything. HEAVEN.

Andreea said...

Congrats on your awards! Regarding the book blogs I follow: I try to visit all of them, but as you said, it's simply impossible to do this every day, at least for me. There are so many great blogs out there, so I just try to visit them whenever I have time.

Ryan said...

Thank you so much for the kind words. I've been on a blushing binge today and this continued that trend. I also wanted to say than you for the thinking of me for an award.

You have a great blog and I look forward to every post.

rhapsodyinbooks said...

Thank you so much for the award!

As for google reader, well, it's a challenge. And the worst part is if you go away on a trip! It's pure punishment when you return! :--) I don't visit everyone every day anymore, because there are too many and I can't, but to tell you the truth I know I am missing out on great material, so it's sad!

Sheila (bookjourney) said...

Greta post! It is hard to keep up with all the blogs I so enjoy. I try to get around to them I really do - but I also want to get around to the ones who have commented becuase zI think it is so important to build community. Its always wonderful if the blogs I love - are also commentors on my blog so it is easier to capture them. :)

Amy said...

Congrats on your award!! I have 15 blogs I read for absolute sure everyday and then everyone else, lol. I actually do try to keep up with most blogs daily...but it becomes a challenge! I do think you can edit the title of the blog in your google reader so that you give yourself hints on who it is! :)

Also wanted to let you know someone told me Flashforward will be on in the UK this week as well...so maybe you won't have to wait so long!

Violet said...

Congrats on your award Ceri!!!

I have 200 blogs in my reader. It's very difficult to go through and comment on every blog.

What I usually do is this. I check my blog first thing and then comment back on the blogs that comment on mine. Then I have around 20 blogs that I must read. After that I go alphabetically as and when I get time and then comment if I want to or fell like it. It's working for me so far but I still need to work on the commenting part :)

Ceri said...

Thanks everybody for all the helpful tips - I'm finally getting my Google Reader organised into some sort of order. :-D

Kerri said...

Ceri - Thanks so much for the award - and great post as well - I've been trying to 'learn' my way through google reader. I tend to skim for posts that I would really like to read for the weekdays and then get caught up a bit more on the weekends.

Kath said...

Speaking of awards, I have an award for you! I haven't figured out how to do proper links in comments, so the link is below.

http://bookwormnation.blogspot.com/2009/09/awards.html

Susan said...

Thanks for the award, Ceri :) And congrats on all your others!

Melody said...

I LOVE Google Reader! I couldn't read all the blogs without it! It's so useful! I'm glad you found this tool, Ceri! :)

Ceri said...

Kerri - You're very welcome :-D

Kath - Thank you so much. You're awesome. :)

Susan - Thank you and you're welcome. :-D

Mel - Me too! I don't know how I ever did without it.

The Bookworm said...

I know what you mean, its hard to visit all my favs every day.
I dont even have google reader yet, I just visit my favs the old fashioned way, by linking them on my sidebar. I know, I make it hard for myself! lol
http://thebookworm07.blogspot.com/

Sarbear said...

I use Google Reader -- I'm not that organized with it yet though, lol. It's awesome -- I just scroll through what I haven't read yet and open the ones I want to comment on or read into different tabs. Congrats on your awards, missy!

Lilue said...

Cool tips.. it's getting harder to keep track of all my faves sites every day & my toolbar links are getting longer and longer.. hehe.. definitely will try the google reader..

Ceri said...

Naida - Hehe, I was the same. I couldn't take it anymore though.

Sarbear - Thank you :) Yes. Google Reader is my saviour! hehe

Lilue - I'd definitely recommend getting it. :-D