Blogging when the Urge Takes Me
This blog rarely gets updated.
Quite often I’ll be walking to catch the train and come up with a blog post. Or perhaps be sitting on the sofa and come up with one. However, by the time I’m sat back in front of a PC (more to the point, a PC not in work) the urge to write a blog entry has gone.
In fact sometimes during my lunch hour I’ll write a post, email it home and still not bother to post it once home as again, the urge has gone. The moment has passed.
That’s why I’m really pleased to find out that blogging on my Blackberry really isn’t that painful now (see my previous post). Something I didn’t mention in that post was WordPress’ simple, yet functional m.wordpress.com interface.
Now when I get the urge I can type and post it there an then. The first such post is this one.
on May 14, 2009 on 8:39 am
I just today remembered I should be using google Reader and magically this post was top in it!
I’ve set it as a full screen item in my iGoogle home page, is that the best way to access Reader? I’ve added the local BBC news feed, but beyond that I’m out of ideas. Fancy pasting a list of your subscriptions please?
on May 14, 2009 on 9:08 am
I use Google Reader the most on the Blackberry, usually when I have 5 mins to kill (on the train, toilet, during TV adverts etc). Failing that I go to the Reader site itself. Its a pretty nifty web app, complete with keyboard shortcuts etc. I hadn’t considered using it in iGoogle (but then I don’t really use iGoogle).
Funnily enough I use to use Netvibes all the time (which is a similar service to iGoogle) until a friend told me I’d be better off using GR. Haven’t used Netvibes since.
Going back to reading it on the phone though, it works well as there are none of the distractions you’d get on a desktop PC. You just read.
Given that you have an Andriod, I’d imagine it would work a lot better for you too.
What sort of content interests you? Are there any sites you visit daily/weekly?
I’ll see if I can export an OPML file of my rss subscriptions for you.
on May 14, 2009 on 9:27 am
… One more thing.
When I started using Reader, I used it in the same way as I use Sky+.
When we first got Sky+ I started recording things I thought I’d might like but something I wouldn’t go out of my way to watch. Eventually I’d get around to watching it. Sometimes it was something I’d continue to watch, other times I cancel the series link. But because it was less of an inconvineice to watch I’d try more things.
Think of using GR as putting a web site on series link. You’ll never miss a post and its all there in one place when you have the time to do so.
I’m always adding and removing sites from my sub list. So if you sumble across a site with an interesting article, subscribe to it. Google provide a handy Delicious style bookmarklet to do so.
on May 14, 2009 on 10:46 am
Greg, you will be pleased to know there is a great wordpress app for the iPhone (knowing you will be getting an iPhone soon). My thoughts on using it are similar to yours – eg the pain has (almost) been taken away from mobile blogging.
on May 14, 2009 on 11:48 pm
I think post via email is even simpler
on May 15, 2009 on 1:14 pm
Hi David.
I can certainly see the appeal. I haven’t yet investigated that option. Providing its easy enough to state the category and tags then it sounds ideal.
Cheers.