“I wish there were an easy way keep up on all my favorite blogs” …ah, but there is!

Once upon a time, when I’d have a few spare minutes, I would sit at my computer and think, “What sites do I like to visit? I’ll go visit them now to see if there’s anything new.”

…Such sites including my friend Brian’s, Marginal Revolution, Original Sound Version, and about fifteen others that I don’t read quite as religiously, but enjoy checking out every once in a while.

The only problem with checking a couple dozen sites is that it’s time consuming, and you have to sort through what’s new and what’s not. This made the site-checking-out become a chore at times, especially if I hadn’t had free time in several days. The task of looking through all the material would become daunting.

And then I learned about RSS feeds.

What is an RSS feed? you ask.

Well, without getting into too much technical jargon, an RSS feed is a small file that a program called an RSS reader can scan to let you know what new things have been posted since your last viewing of the site. In even simpler terms, by using an RSS reader, you can go through posts made on your favorite sites as easily as you go through your email. And that’s really what it comes down to.

I use Google Reader. If you have a GMail account, all you have to do is login to check your mail and click the “Reader” link/button at the top of the page. It loads up Google Reader, and from there, you can add and manage all your favorite sites. It takes about five-ten minutes to set up, and then… no more wearisome site-checking! Just go into Google Reader!