Feeds and Followers and Friends, Oh My!

If you follow very many blogs at all, you have probably heard that Google Reader has gone away.  Why?  Because it kept people from seeing advertisements in the sidebars of blogs.

Sigh.

If you are reading these words right now, then obviously you get blog content through some other means: Facebook, going to individual blogs, or another feed reader.  If you are happy with your current choice, that is awesome!  But if you've been visiting individual blogs because you didn't know there was another option, I'd like to suggest three alternatives:

1.  Social Media

Most blogs these days post links to their content directly through Facebook or Twitter.  If you are already on one of those pretty frequently, this can be a very convenient way to access lots of different blogs.  (Have you "liked" my Facebook page yet?  You can do that by simply clicking the "Like" button up at the top of the right-hand column of this page or by going to http://www.facebook.com/BloomingLaura.)  

2.  E-mail

Many blogs also give you the option of having posts delivered directly to your inbox.  If you like that option, you can go again to the right-hand side of my blog and enter your e-mail address where it says "Follow By E-mail."  This is a great option if you only follow a few blogs, or if there are a few that you particularly don't want to miss, but it could quickly fill your inbox if you follow lots of blogs this way.  Of course, another option is to set up a second e-mail address just for receiving blog posts.

3.  Feed Reader

A feed is a means of distributing blog content to the masses (or in my case, the hundred or so).  A feed reader is how that content is accessed.  Up until yesterday, Google Reader was one of the most popular ones.  But as I mentioned earlier, if that's what you've been using, you'll have to do something else now.

My personal favorite is Pulse.  I use it for reading blogs on my iPhone and iPad, but I believe it is also available for Android devices and for desktops.  If you have been using Google Reader, this is a great option because you can painlessly import your feeds from Google right into Pulse without missing a beat (pun intended).

One of my favorite features of Pulse is the ability to categorize blogs that I follow.  This is helpful if I'm looking for content from a particular blog or type of blog.  I also created a "Time Crunch Blogs" category of ones that I want to be sure and check if I only have a small amount of time.

Another reader that I have seen recommended many times now is Feedly.  I have very limited experience with it personally, but you can read all about it (along with a better explanation of feeds) at http://simplemom.net/feedly/.

So how do you access blog content?  Have I left out any methods that you would recommend?

Monday Musing: The Countdown is On....

It should be here any day now.  And I can hardly wait.  The confirmation e-mail said it should arrive between October 20th and 26th.

So what am I waiting for?  This beauty!!

Photo from Kohls.com

It seems all my blog-dreams have been coming true lately.  First, a reader sent me her wondeful camera.  And now, I am getting a Kitchen Aid stand mixer for my birthday from my parents!  Woo hoo!! And I got it on a great sale, so I was able to get a better one than I had even wanted!  Double Woo Hoo!!

Encouragement

There's a new site that has burst on to the blogosphere: (in)courage. It's already become super-popular because it's sort of a compilation blog done by about 20 bloggers who are well-known in their own right, plus the Dayspring division of Hallmark.

Anyway, they've challenged readers (and dangled the carrot of winning a new T-shirt) to write posts on the topic What Encourages You?

I've been giving this a lot of thought over the past several days, and particularly today. There is so much to be discouraged about right now in the world at large, so this exercise has been very beneficial for me.

The word I keep coming back to is new.

New things encourage me. New people, new opportunities, new environments, new challenges.

Here are some specifics:

1. New neighbors.

On Sunday afternoon, our next-door neighbors brought us a plate of brownies to welcome us to the neighborhood with a note including their cell phone numbers in case we ever needed anything. It is so encouraging for someone to reach out to us. You wouldn't believe how uncommon this is, even here in the South. The first time (and only other time) anyone has done this for us was the first time we moved to Knoxville. While we were busy unpacking, our neighbor, Rose, brought us a plate of brownies. We were so impressed by how thoughtfully simple that gesture was that we have made it a point to pay it forward. Whenever I see a moving truck on our street, I head to the grocery store to get a box of brownies.

But if you are the new person, let me encourage you not to wait around for your neighbors to make the first move. They most likely won't. Do it yourself! It doesn't have to be fancy. In the words of one of my favorite bloggers, "It doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful."

2. New environment.

I really enjoy exploring a new territory. My husband calls it "filling in your map." In other words, as you get to know the main streets of a place, explore a little further to discover how they're connected. Get a map of your new (or old!) town just in case you get lost, and just start driving. You may be amazed at what you find, even in a place you've lived for years. If you're in a new place, this is especially important. Few things will make you feel more quickly "at home" than feeling like you know your way around.

3. New opportunities.

Perhaps the very best thing about moving is the chance to start over with a blank slate. How encouraging! While I don't recommend trying to be someone you're not (it won't last very long), it's always good to try to be a better version of yourself. Even if you're not moving at all, you can still make changes every day. Want to be more organized? Start with one drawer (or a shiny sink, a la FlyLady). Want to have more friends? Join a group like MOPS or a Bible study or a tennis club.


4. New ideas.

image from here

This past Sunday was our first time visiting a local church here in Fort Smith. In the Sunday school class, a Messianic (Christian) Rabbi was the guest speaker. (We're Southern Baptist, so that's not common at all!) He showed us things about the Hebrew alphabet and language that pointed to Christ in ways I had never known of before. Having gone to church all my life, it's rare for me to hear something completely new. This captured my interest.

New ideas are encouraging because they keep us from staying stuck in our own ruts and habits. Looking for new ideas? Go to the library. Check out area museums. Sign up for a class at the community college.

5. New mercies.
"The Lord's lovingkindnessess indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Thy faithfulness." (Lamentations 3:22-23)

Nothing is more encouraging than knowing that the Lord never gives up on me. I can have a clean slate with Him anytime, day after day. Every day is a new day. He doesn't hold my past mistakes against me.


So what encourages you?

Getting Lost in the Details

Well, as usual, it's feast or famine when it comes to blog posts. I either have too much to say or not enough to justify a post - at least in my own mind. But here I go anyway.

First, I've been getting caught up in the details of my blog the last few days - tickers, colors, fonts, etc. I think it's the home decorator in me wanting to come out. Since we currently live in a beige-walled apartment, there's not much room for that side of my personality. I LOVE picking out paint swatches, finding fabric to make curtains, envisioning the layout of a new place. Maybe I'll get to do that again before too much longer.

Second, I'm getting caught up in the details of making big decisions long before they're actually here to be made. For example, amongst the many wonderful blogs I have discovered over the last several days, I've found at least one person doing homeschool with their toddler. Yep, I needed one more way to feel like a dismal failure as a mother. Anyway, the thought has occurred to me that, before I decide to take on homeschooling (a decision at least 2 years away), maybe I should try it on a smaller scale. So off to WalMart we went, in search of craft projects and various other manipulatives. I enjoy teaching math to college students; preschool just doesn't come naturally to me, but I've got some great ideas, especially from 1+1+1=1 and their Tot School. We'll see how it goes.

Meanwhile, I haven't accomplished much else today. But there's still time. I'm thinking of trying a new recipe from The Pioneer Woman. Her Strawberry Shortcake Cake was a success on Saturday, so I'm hoping her Chicken Spaghetti will also go well. And who knows? I might even have time for a bit of decluttering. :)

[Update: The Chicken Spaghetti was a big success! Try it yourself!]