So Goes Bloglines

As of October 1, Bloglines will be no more.

Most of you are probably saying, "Huh? I have no idea what that is," while the rest are thinking "Why aren't you on Google Reader already?"

Well, now I am. For YEARS, probably since around 2004, I've been using Bloglines to keep up with my favorite blogs by subscribing to their RSS feed. (Gaines got me hooked on it originally, I think.) But now that blogging is dead, so goes the RSS readers, I suppose. I'm hoping Google keeps theirs around for those of us who actually like to organize what we read rather than get it all through Facebook or Twitter. Though I can't say I like the format as much.

Since I never kept up a real blogroll here at Team Redd, my Bloglines list has been the place I've visited daily to keep up with the outside world. I have bookmarked 297 blogs to date. I have categories called "All People We've Met in Real Life" (to keep it at the top of the alphabetical list) and "Theology-Minded Blogs" as well as "Home Decor Ideas" and "Bookish Blogs." Some of my go-to categories are "Musicians," the ever-present and not-as-boring-as-it-sounds "Favorite Blogs," and my latest addition: "Hutchmooters." Of course, I never have time to read the dozens of new posts each day, but it's nice to know they are there if I need them.

All this seems so mundane, and frankly, unimportant in the grand scheme of things. But still, I mourn its passing. The end of a digital era. Just like BASIC and floppy disks. Perhaps a better metaphor would be card catalogs in libraries. Remember those?

However, like many things in life, I choose to view this change with a positive outlook. This is my chance to determine my priorities, clear out the clutter, and knock down my list to a respectable 250. Or not.

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