Playing with numbers this morning I added up the amount of Entry Alert emails I have blaring at me in bold type on from my email page. Then add on the Comment Alert emails which always feel like mini-Christmas presents, plus a few precious personal emails to me, minus 2 spam emails and what I have is a LOT of catching up to do!
So I wonder, as I glance at the clock on the wall, what to do, what to do. Time is an element I often race either just right ahead of, or a trailing distance. Often it feels like I have my own Kurt Busch cutting me off at the finish line <Thats for you Echoman1127: yes I know, Kurt's a bastard, ruined Dale Jr.'s 500 and I can still hear you crying up here in Idaho :o) > Even as I write, the clocks ticking, appointment in one hour.
The reason I decided to write an entry this morning, instead of catching up on all those emails alerts is I'm asking for a pardon this week. I have 187 legit emails to catch up on. Do the numbers, I've only neglected my emails and journal for 3 or 4 days!
I saw that potentially I've meandered over the last few months through too many journals, clicked far too many 'alert me as entries are posted' buttons and this is the reason for the email overload. Yet when I scanned through my 'manage alerts' section, I could only find 3 alerts I wanted to turn off. So much for micromanaging my journal time!
Normally I really like to comment back to journalers who leave comments about my entries. I love the insight and thoughts people drop off here in my little corner and I want to respond, add further insight, reflect or just say Thanks! That whole, 'select all' respond thing is most brilliant in emails! The comments I received on my last 3 entries were just wonderful and I haven't been able to respond personally to each one this week, so here's my 'get out of jail free card' ..........
Thank you Everyone! Your comments were all wonderful, insightful, and enjoyed by me, and the others reading them!
I'm getting this vision of other fellow journalists sitting in a chaise lounge by the ocean, sipping martini's or popping open a can of beer, reclined back with their laptop <which of course is hooked up via satellite, no wires needed on the beach> leisurely adding entries, casually link jumping with an empty email box and merrily skipping over to other journals as the alert emails come along.
Ok, Ok, I know, your all laughing at my distorted images and your thinking "this gal is definitely delusional" but come one, how do you all keep up??
And with that, I part ways and go off to work with this last 'get out of jail free' caveat. It may take time, it may be slowly over this next week, but I will catch up. If I haven't frequented your journal lately, I WILL.
Everyone have a wonderful weekend and if you feel like it, just stop writing for a day or two. Give those fingers a little rest, let your mind frolic over new topics, take a journal holiday and let those of us who are madly behind have a chance to catch up :o)
13 comments:
NO reason to say sorry...right now I have an overabundance of time because my hubby is working a lot, and the weather is icky here in Illinois. Plus sitting here helps me avoid the housework. I am down to one kid and she's really not that messy. BUT when summer comes I'll be gone doing fun stuff, gardening, camping, riding on the motorcycle, etc....so I take advantage of this time of the year to journal hop. Don't feel guilty ... you'll be back soon. Take care! rose
Insomnia helps. Just kidding. I had to give up responding to most journal comments a long time ago. That doesn't mean I don't appreciate them all. I also have a very large number of journals on alert, so I read just the alert on quite a few. That hit counter doesn't necessarily reflect how many people read your journal. By reading alerts, I may not have to open a journal but still read it regularly. That's great for shorter entries I don't make anywhere near the amount of comments I used to make either. Being able to read fast helps a lot too.
Let's see... behind on reading journals... check... mailbox full of alerts... check.... not enough time in the day... double check <LOL> I tend to slide further and further behind all week and then try to catch up on the weekends. I'm also down to about one entry a week. By the time I get a topic, write it up, play with it till satisfied, find the graphic I like for it (or pic).... well that's pretty much it. G. and the pets still feel that I should spend some time OFF of the computer and paying attention to them <g> And, then there is that Pogo badge thingy <eg> The nice thing about letting the alerts pile up a little?? Lots of times you go to the Journal and read a couple of entries at once,then when you get to THAT alert you can just delete it! See, so in the long run it saves you time... yeah, that's it! I'm not behind... I'm efficient! ROFL
http://journals.aol.com/astaryth/AdventuresofanEclecticMind
I do not respond to comments. I could not keep up with that. If someone asks me a question, I will respond personally, but other than that, I can't take the time to comment to a comment. Typically I visit the journals of those who visit me and comment in their journals instead. I think that's a fair trade off. I get overwhelmed with the alerts so I turned most of them off, put all the journals I like in my favorites and this way I just go down the list at my leisure rather than bombard myself with millions of emails of new alerts. It might take more time because sometimes people haven't updated, but it works for me.
I don't have any journals on alert.... I just have a very long list of journals that fascinate me, and I try to pop by at least once a week. (Yours is always a favorite.)
This is an amazing medium, and meeting the people that we have initially "met" here is even better. Don't stress and enjoy. judi
Hey cool, you are still around, you`re obviously a very busy lady, so I won`t give you too much crap, besides I gotta crack open another beer and grab some more suntan lotion. This beach life is tough LOL. By the way, I`m not crying about that bastard Kurt Busch ruining Jrs chances on the last lap(although he did), I prefer to consider it a small wimper instead! Take care, catch ya later!
I drink all day and read all night.
Well...hmmm. time consuming..yes.. to say the least.. But it like u said.. it does feel like christmas.. when someone takes the time to read what we think...and leave a message.. :) I love it.. I just don't always respond to every comment unless asked a question.. but... I do.. favorite mark their journal.. I don't "alert" them or anything.. that would make me feel comsumed, but at the end of a long day when I can't sleep.. It makes me really feel like opening up presents.. you never know if they wrote something new or not.. :) very fun when someone adds something to their journal.. always new info..poems..rants or raves..or cool pics.. Have fun...187 emails..YIKES! lol
Muah -Jen
Me I have a family and Im a house wife its hard at times too keep up with every thing but you got to slow down and make time for the important things in your life and you pleasures!
Gracious, I think I feel the same way that you do. . .I have definitely had to cut back on my journal time, but get in there when I can. Sometimes, I read others without posting in mine for a while. I am hoping to be refined enough for quality over quantity as when I posted more often, my entries were seriously lagging as opposed to just a little lagging in content. Good luck, and Merry Christmas! Cya, Kris
No chaise lounge for this J-lander. I only have time to read a select few journals, this of course leaves me feeling bad, because I know there are soooo many out there that I would be sure to enjoy. If I venture that far, however, I couldn't keep up with my own entries. It's a catch-22 really. Lucky for me I don't have many comments to respond on in my journal. This frees me to comment on yours and others. I enjoy the latter, so don't feel bad that you can't keep up with all of us. Just keep writing and I'll keep reading!
Tammy
You asked, “How in the world does everyone keep up…?” Good question, one I’ve asked myself over and over. How is it that some people get embarrassingly large amounts of things done and I seem to flounder in the shallow end? Do some people make deals with the clock-Gods? Why didn’t anyone tell me the clock-Gods were willing to make deals? Seriously, I’ve long since stopped worrying about the quantity and focus, instead, on the quality that gets done. If this means not getting as much done as my neighbor, so be it. I will take enjoying the chirping birds and fragrant flowers while jogging on a crisp spring morning any day.
I truly enjoy reading your journal entries and have decided just recently that your journal is just too darned good NOT to reply to. Take your well deserved breather, use your get out of jail free card, and get a good night’s rest knowing the quality of my life is better because of what you write.
Judith
Very lovely............im enjoying your journal.
Thanks for the kind words this morning.
karen
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