Full and Thank You
Joy
I didn’t blog last night because I didn’t feel like writing about non-art stuff, and that was all I had to say. Spent my evening enjoying my son’s high school elective showcase (where else in the world can one watch a light saber yoga performance, complete with star wars music, than at an expeditionary learning school?) and my daughter’s gymnastics class – she’s getting closer to a back handspring – yay!
Today was a more challenging day on the Joy front. I haven’t been feeling 100% lately so went to the dr and got some antibiotics and hope that improves things and I get some sleep cause being tired is not super conducive to celebrating joy.
Fortunately the day turned around after I got home from work and ran some errands with my daughter. While waiting around walgreens for my prescription she decided to buy presents for her friends from the 90% off aisle. We had much fun looking through the stuff for $.50. Twelve year olds can be quite entertaining when they want to be.
Art (Business) Related Content
I’m headed to the studio soon and hope to wrap up Lines #10 and #11 tonight so will post them tomorrow. In the meantime I recently read an interesting article by Seth Godin I wanted to pass along: The Internet is Almost Full
Ten years ago, you had a shot of at least being aware of everything that mattered. Five years ago, you had to be really selective about what you took in, but at least it was possible to know what you didn’t know. Today, it’s impossible. Today, you can’t even read every article on a thin slice of a thin topic.
You can’t keep up with the status of your friends on the social networks. No way. You can’t read every important blog… you can’t even read all the blogs that tell you what the important blogs are saying.
I absolutely agree. There are more art blogs out there that I want to read than I can possibly ever have time to read.
So the question is – what do I do about it?
Blogs
My solution was to decrease the number of blogs I wanted to keep up with. This frees up a bit of time so I’ve been checking out the blogs of my readers on occasion. I miss many of the blogs I’ve dropped but I don’t miss feeling like I was behind.
So increasing both depth and breadth and just letting it be than thinking I need to know everything everyone says every minute of the day. I’m enjoying this more relaxed approach to reading blogs quite a bit.
Keep Email Effective
My inbox is hovering around 80 unreplied to messages right now. I had it down to 10 not long ago. Sigh. I have yet to figure out how to keep up with it. For those of you awaiting an answer – sorry – and hopefully soon I will catch up.
I’ve decided to start scheduling email answering time because it is important and it takes a bunch of time. No more pretending I can just fit it in here and there.
Last year I reduced the amount of email I get by filtering anything not art related or personal related to another email address. I then diverted all art related newsletters to another email address. I almost never check the junk email address and occasionally will check the other.
There are a couple of exceptions to this – the top one being Alyson Stanfield. Her newsletter is the best and I look forward to it every monday morning right in my main email inbox. Tis a rare monday I don’t read it.
If you don’t already have it, check out Alyson’s book I’d Rather Be in The Studio, it’s awesome (and not just cause there is a quote from me int there). If I didn’t already have it, this book would be on my christmas list.
Another thing I’ve done to reduce interuptions is to turn off all email notifications from twitter and facebook. I can catch up with those things when I go to the sites. I don’t need inbox filled with friend requests when I get a notification on facebook also.
Thank You
As a blog writer, I appreciate that you have way more choices for reading than about art than ever before and I want to, again, thank all of you for choosing to spend a bit of that time reading my blog, tweets and status updates on facebook.
How do you keep up (or not) with the internet?
Posted by Lisa in: About Me
Tagged: Alyson Stanfield, blogs, choices, Email, Joy, Seth Godin, twitter
I set limits to frequency and length of time at the computer. That helps. Another step was to make sure the blogs and information I read connect with my studio goals. I check frequently to make sure I’m still on track and make changes every 3-4 months.
Hi! Lisa,
Think you are right about being discerning about Iternet reading blogs etc,it could take up all your time.
I hope you feel better soon!
I happen to wake up early so I check the blogs I read then. Although I have several quilting related websites booked, you are the only person who blogs regularly that I read, so thank you for your regular posting about your art and life and the thought that you clearly put into it.
There are a few key blogs I read (your included) and then if I have the time or inclination, I will look at blogs that they’ve highlighted ( sometimes that can take you in unexpected directions). I also like to add and receive comments where appropriate , it helps to build a sense of community and provides feedback.
This is a topic on which I have pondered greatly. When I began hitting up the blogs I was quickly overwhelmed at the sheer volume of talent, writings and pictures. It seemed as though there was no way to touch on all of them much less keep up on my “favorites”. Still, one does what one can, eh? I always look through my list and see who I haven’t peeked in on for a while.
And it is incredibly humbling to know that there are people “out there” in the world who read what you have to say, isn’t it? Keep up the great work!!
As I first discovered textile Art my blog list became overwhelming with talent. Time constraints have forced me to be more selective with favourites (like yours) pruned off to a separate list. I then subscribed to these ones where I could and limited my email reading time to when I have some time out and a cuppa. I try to keep the reading for that to only once or twice a day.
After I while I eventually was able to choose my ‘favourites’ on the basis of those that either ’spoke to me’, inspired or educated. My favourites do all three. I also enjoy heading off the ‘beaten path’ when following links on those favourites.
I sincerely appreciate those blog writers who share so much of their talent with others.
Thanks all for the tips and the compliments!