If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.

- George Washington

Wednesday 16 February 2011

Pruning the Blogroll



Notice anything? Click for bigger. So much smut, so little time.

I have titled the blogroll on the right of this page "My Regular Reads". These are the blogs that I read most days and have put here because they might appeal to the people who read this blog. They are not a recommendation, still less an endorsement, as I read them because they interest me, and not necessarily because I agree with them. But if you read this blog, I have no doubt that some of them will interest you too. The list has grown over the last year or so, as I have added things as they arose, but never took any out, and it had become unwieldy.

So I have taken the pruning shears to the roll, and pruned out a number of them. Some hadn't posted in a long time; some had changed direction or become a bit lacklustre or monotonous. Whatever: if they no longer grabbed my attention, why should I think they would grab yours? And if someone has not posted in six months I take it that they no longer are writing in that particular niche, and there is no point in keeping them on. I have kept them all in my reader-feeder, so if they are resurrected at any time I can put them back. But I think some are gone for good.

Someone told me that I should have a maximum of about half-a-dozen blogs in there - that quality was better than quantity. That's true, but unfortunately it doesn't work for me. I am a scatterbrain with wide interests, and I could no more cut the list down to six than I could name my favourite three musicians. It would leave so much out. So I used a cut-off date of one month. If someone hasn't posted a single word in four weeks, it looks as though they have found something else to do with their time.

I hope this will cut down on the clutter and make the page a bit quicker to load.

All part of the service.

10 comments:

  1. Two points:

    1. I am inordinately chuffed that I stayed on your bogroll. Thanks for that.

    and

    2. I wondered what happened to Swampy. Obviously he did a stint in Thailand and got caught up in the whole "lady-boy" shenanigans.

    Good to have closure.

    Be well,

    CR.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I also use mine as a personal reading list. I chop and change it all the time, but there is no way I could cut it down to just six.
    That's crazy talk!

    ReplyDelete
  3. CR - couldn't do without yours! Your blogroll is my go-to when I can't find anything interesting anywhere. There's always something there to entertain, annoy, illuminate ... I've come across some of my favourites there. Dunno about Swampy. Perhaps you're right.

    Bucko - I have my own reading list in Google reader, so new posts come to my Google homepage without needing to log in to Blogger. At work, this is an important point! My blogroll is almost a replication of that, with some additions and subtractions. I go to places like yours and the Capn's for new ideas.

    Thanks for the feedback, chaps - it's appreciated.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Oh, l'm bit lacklustre or monotonous am l?

    LOL ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Smoking Hot - you were never on it (can't think why) BUT YOU ARE NOW.

    Dave - it's a dog. Cue jokes about nice puppies, growlers, etc etc. A pussy, sorry, cat would have been too easy.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Why are we all spring cleaning? It's only February for goodness sake. :)

    Thank you for including me. Like Ranty, I feel chuffed.

    ReplyDelete
  7. We're spring cleaning our blogs because it is a damn sight easier that the real thing.

    Rose, your place is an oasis of calm and reason in a shouty world and I value that. I am delighted that you chose to include me on your list, even though your blog and mine have little in common, on the face of it.

    Group hug!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I understand totally. I periodically do the same. Mainly if a blog is inactive for 4+ months it is time to prune.

    ReplyDelete
  9. @ Richard 22:28

    "Rose, .......... your blog and mine have little in common....... "

    I dunno. I lob the occasional grenade into both.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Yes, I suppose the shrapnel marks make us similar ...

    Can't speak for Rose, but you keep chucking 'em, mate.

    ReplyDelete

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