Information Overload & Blogging Today

In the nearly six years I've been blogging (different blog formats, different blogs) I've seen a lot that has changed.

We use to be more of a community. Most of us were on Blogger. (I have used Typepad, Wordpress.com, Wordpress.org, and Blogger). So I feel I can make an adequate summation of all. 

Somewhere along the line, conferences came about. That isn't me, but it seems to make a whole lot of bloggers happy. What I see is a bunch of bloggers going to meet "the big girl bloggers" and perhaps get an autograph or "an in" to the "big girl blogger cliques." Is that condescending? I suppose it is.

I suppose some go to learn from the classes. I think it is mostly a social/I-hope-this-makes-me-a-star thing myself. 

You know that book: "Everything I Learned I Learned In Kindergarten?" Well, pretty much everything I've learned has been from googling information, doing my own research and reading books. So I'm not a good candidate for the conferences. And I'm kind of tired of people telling me the right way to blog. There is no right way to blog.

That being said, what else has changed? From what I see, more and more bloggers are teaming up and having linky parties. This does not appeal to me. In fact, when I see that it is multiple parties, I'm just not interested. Same goes with the posts I see that shows ten (just picking a number) blogger's home tours; start here!. Not interested. 

You're probably asking why? Why wouldn't I be interested in going to see the homes of ten bloggers? 

I have a limited amount of time writing three blogs. Then you've got to figure in reading blogs. I don't do social media except for Pinterest. For one I just don't care for the others. They seem like time-suckers to me. And secondly, I'm very visual and Pinterest is like looking at a magazine. (And that means I don't have to buy magazines!)

The real unadulterated reason: Information overload. 

I want to go to one blog, and read what they have to say. Look at their project or a room they've just redone or see their garden or hear about something that's happened, or a cute pet story, etc. If I have to go to ten, I can't remember who did what. And that makes everyone kind of anonymous to me because I can't recall who goes with what. I like to be able to summon up someone's name or blog and be able to remember lots of things about them, what they're home is basically like, what their pet's name is, etc. 

I'm just not a fan of these "multiple" anythings. 

Another thing: I think it is a real shame that bloggers don't just link up to a few parties. Instead now many link up to 20 or 30. There is no way they're going to "participate" the way we once did by going to the link party and reading some of the other blog posts. Putting your finger in too many pies.

Information overload.

I'm a little tired of hearing about branding and how to "grow your blog" and all that jazz. Your brand is your authentic person and your blog and its contents. That's my take anyway. Grow your blog usually means "migrating" to Wordpress.org and joining the big girl club. I've been there. I'm not a fan. 

Then they're looking for VAs. I saw that somewhere the other day and thought of veterans of wars. Silly me. How outdated I am. After a minute I realized they meant Virtual Assistants. As in, they don't have time to do everything they need to do for their blog, and need to hire some of the job out, such as social media. They're spread too thin to get everything done. A project a day, getting over to the social media outlets to put their two cents in and be counted, etc. I just don't think I'll be doing that.

I don't know when I turned my head and all this stuff happened. But it's kind of slimy, you know? It's competition and everyone jumping over everyone elses back and it's just...

Information overload. It's doing a project a day overload. It's being in a bunch of groups who are asked to join things overload. 

Things have changed. I have had a consult with a "big blogger" before. I wanted to know what all the fuss was about. The things she said I needed to do would take ten Brendas. No way could I do all that. Pin at 8 a.m. Tweet at 9 a.m. Get on Facebook and pick someone's project and say nice things at 10 a.m. You get the picture. It was all so choreographed. None of it was instantaneous and natural.

Things have changed. But, I don't give a whit about the big girl bloggers club. I wear big girl panties and that's enough for me. I'll just stick to what I do and ignore the cheerleader rah-rahs. 

You know how I got rid of the information overload? I turned the volume off and ignored the "grow your blog" stuff and  just do my own thing.

It's just too damned much overload! And to keep myself sane, I have to turn the rest of it off.

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