Comments on: The catch-up obligation http://whitneyhess.com/blog/2008/03/04/the-catch-up-obligation/ Improving the human experience one day at a time Sun, 12 Feb 2012 00:24:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Pleasure and Pain — Feed Reader: Inbox Zero http://whitneyhess.com/blog/2008/03/04/the-catch-up-obligation/comment-page-1/#comment-445 Pleasure and Pain — Feed Reader: Inbox Zero Mon, 31 Mar 2008 18:28:24 +0000 http://whitneyhess.com/blog/2008/03/the-catch-up-obligation/#comment-445 [...] I’ve said before, I find it nearly impossible to keep up with the steady stream of information that gets pushed at [...]

[...] I’ve said before, I find it nearly impossible to keep up with the steady stream of information that gets pushed at [...]

]]> By: Alex Rainert http://whitneyhess.com/blog/2008/03/04/the-catch-up-obligation/comment-page-1/#comment-279 Alex Rainert Fri, 14 Mar 2008 20:18:54 +0000 http://whitneyhess.com/blog/2008/03/the-catch-up-obligation/#comment-279 Hey there, I like your 1 in 10 rule - I may give it a shot. I also often get torn between subscribing to an aggregator like Techmeme or going more a la carte - ahh, the malaise of the information addict... To your other point, if only Google Reader provided an easy way to share ones entire reading list (grumble). a Hey there,

I like your 1 in 10 rule – I may give it a shot. I also often get torn between subscribing to an aggregator like Techmeme or going more a la carte – ahh, the malaise of the information addict…

To your other point, if only Google Reader provided an easy way to share ones entire reading list (grumble).

a

]]> By: Grace http://whitneyhess.com/blog/2008/03/04/the-catch-up-obligation/comment-page-1/#comment-246 Grace Wed, 12 Mar 2008 16:29:30 +0000 http://whitneyhess.com/blog/2008/03/the-catch-up-obligation/#comment-246 the sad thing is that we don´t get smarter with the rush... I trully understand you, but it seems as if there is no choice, after all, who wants to go back? the sad thing is that we don´t get smarter with the rush… I trully understand you, but it seems as if there is no choice, after all, who wants to go back?

]]> By: whitney http://whitneyhess.com/blog/2008/03/04/the-catch-up-obligation/comment-page-1/#comment-183 whitney Thu, 06 Mar 2008 14:03:24 +0000 http://whitneyhess.com/blog/2008/03/the-catch-up-obligation/#comment-183 <a class="comment_link" href="http://whitneyhess.com/blog/2008/03/the-catch-up-obligation/#comment-163" rel="nofollow">Danny</a>, I know exactly what you mean. Even when I'm doing yoga or getting a massage, I'm thinking about the stuff I'm "supposed to" be doing. It's like we're still children and going to get in trouble if we don't finish our homework. Yes, vacations help, but I usually bring reading with me so that I can catch up. And when you get back, there's always a huge pile of crap waiting for you. <a class="comment_link" href="http://whitneyhess.com/blog/2008/03/the-catch-up-obligation/#comment-164" rel="nofollow">Clive</a>, I'm really touched by your comment. Thank you so much. And you're right, it really is about discipline. The web has an infinite number of paths and things to distract me, and I often find myself going off in directions I didn't mean to go off in when I sat down at the computer. Narrowing my focus would certainly help, but I'm not sure I have the will to do it! <a class="comment_link" href="http://whitneyhess.com/blog/2008/03/the-catch-up-obligation/#comment-169" rel="nofollow">Alex</a>, yes yes yes, it's definitely about the output pressure as well. I was outrageously tired last night, and as I was reading in bed, something was nagging me that I hadn't written a blog post yesterday. I actually picked up my BlackBerry and started to create a new blog post on my phone! But then I realized I had nothing interesting to say and my time would be better spent sleeping, so I put the phone down. I'm making progress! Yes, I *only* read 42 feeds. I had about 100 until a month ago when <a href="http://whitneyhess.com/blog/2008/02/bloglines-vs-google-reader-a-usability-evaluation/" rel="nofollow">I switched to Google Reader</a> and realized that I can't possibly keep up with them all, and more importantly, they weren't actually interesting to me. I decided that if I wasn't moved by at least 1 in 10 posts, I didn't need to be reading the blog. So I pared down. Additionally, there is definitely some content on the web that I just prefer to read at its site of origin -- like the New York Times for instance. RSS is great for quick scans, but separating the content from the style doesn't always work for me. You can see a list of the UX/Design blogs I read in the sidebar here, under "People I Really Like." I also have a few others I don't publish here because they aren't related, like <a href="http://www.curbed.com/" rel="nofollow">Curbed</a> and <a href="http://www.gothamist.com/" rel="nofollow">Gothamist</a>. I've been reading Gizmodo for years, but I think I'm going to stop. They generate too much content! It would be great to be able to subscribe to a specific tag or category though. Where is your list of 210 feeds? Danny, I know exactly what you mean. Even when I’m doing yoga or getting a massage, I’m thinking about the stuff I’m “supposed to” be doing. It’s like we’re still children and going to get in trouble if we don’t finish our homework. Yes, vacations help, but I usually bring reading with me so that I can catch up. And when you get back, there’s always a huge pile of crap waiting for you.

Clive, I’m really touched by your comment. Thank you so much. And you’re right, it really is about discipline. The web has an infinite number of paths and things to distract me, and I often find myself going off in directions I didn’t mean to go off in when I sat down at the computer. Narrowing my focus would certainly help, but I’m not sure I have the will to do it!

Alex, yes yes yes, it’s definitely about the output pressure as well. I was outrageously tired last night, and as I was reading in bed, something was nagging me that I hadn’t written a blog post yesterday. I actually picked up my BlackBerry and started to create a new blog post on my phone! But then I realized I had nothing interesting to say and my time would be better spent sleeping, so I put the phone down. I’m making progress!

Yes, I *only* read 42 feeds. I had about 100 until a month ago when I switched to Google Reader and realized that I can’t possibly keep up with them all, and more importantly, they weren’t actually interesting to me. I decided that if I wasn’t moved by at least 1 in 10 posts, I didn’t need to be reading the blog. So I pared down. Additionally, there is definitely some content on the web that I just prefer to read at its site of origin — like the New York Times for instance. RSS is great for quick scans, but separating the content from the style doesn’t always work for me.

You can see a list of the UX/Design blogs I read in the sidebar here, under “People I Really Like.” I also have a few others I don’t publish here because they aren’t related, like Curbed and Gothamist. I’ve been reading Gizmodo for years, but I think I’m going to stop. They generate too much content! It would be great to be able to subscribe to a specific tag or category though.

Where is your list of 210 feeds?

]]> By: Alex Rainert http://whitneyhess.com/blog/2008/03/04/the-catch-up-obligation/comment-page-1/#comment-169 Alex Rainert Wed, 05 Mar 2008 15:00:18 +0000 http://whitneyhess.com/blog/2008/03/the-catch-up-obligation/#comment-169 As a fellow lifelong New Yorker, I can very much empathize with what you're saying. I find it also interesting that the overload comes both on the input side (as you describe) but also on the output side (photos with my iPhone vs. digicam vs. digital SLR, blogging, twittering, etc.) There's so much good stuff out there and I would be remiss if I didn't trying and do it all! :) I go back and forth a lot about trying to "fix" it and just embracing it. Needless to say, I tend to go with the latter. -a ps: How do you only have 42 RSS feeds? I'm jealous, I just pared down my list to about 210 feeds and that felt significant. As a fellow lifelong New Yorker, I can very much empathize with what you’re saying. I find it also interesting that the overload comes both on the input side (as you describe) but also on the output side (photos with my iPhone vs. digicam vs. digital SLR, blogging, twittering, etc.)

There’s so much good stuff out there and I would be remiss if I didn’t trying and do it all! :)

I go back and forth a lot about trying to “fix” it and just embracing it. Needless to say, I tend to go with the latter.

-a

ps: How do you only have 42 RSS feeds? I’m jealous, I just pared down my list to about 210 feeds and that felt significant.

]]> By: Clive Sweeney http://whitneyhess.com/blog/2008/03/04/the-catch-up-obligation/comment-page-1/#comment-164 Clive Sweeney Wed, 05 Mar 2008 05:44:28 +0000 http://whitneyhess.com/blog/2008/03/the-catch-up-obligation/#comment-164 Just subscribed to your blog a few days ago and I'm already so glad I did. You probably speak for many of us in this post, but certainly it's something I'm constantly aware of -- can't keep up, can't keep up, there's so much everywhere. But then I have to remember that being set free in an intellectual amusement park is really a good thing. It just takes discipline. I'm learning. Just subscribed to your blog a few days ago and I’m already so glad I did. You probably speak for many of us in this post, but certainly it’s something I’m constantly aware of — can’t keep up, can’t keep up, there’s so much everywhere.

But then I have to remember that being set free in an intellectual amusement park is really a good thing. It just takes discipline.

I’m learning.

]]> By: Danny http://whitneyhess.com/blog/2008/03/04/the-catch-up-obligation/comment-page-1/#comment-163 Danny Wed, 05 Mar 2008 05:06:19 +0000 http://whitneyhess.com/blog/2008/03/the-catch-up-obligation/#comment-163 Being another 'information junkie', it's a difficult addiction. Even during a yoga session, it's hard to turn off that little nudge in the back of your head. The only way to really get away from it is nature; a weekend camping trip, 10 day adventure. But even then, I'm thinking, "This scene would be so good on my flickr." Maybe we've all reverted back to being 2 years old again; "Input, Input". Being another ‘information junkie’, it’s a difficult addiction. Even during a yoga session, it’s hard to turn off that little nudge in the back of your head. The only way to really get away from it is nature; a weekend camping trip, 10 day adventure. But even then, I’m thinking, “This scene would be so good on my flickr.”

Maybe we’ve all reverted back to being 2 years old again; “Input, Input”.

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