Dear Google Reader,

Hi. It's me, Jen. Or Sprite's Keeper depending on the search engine, browser, dashboard... Yup.

Listen, I've been noticing something lately. You don't like to update my posts in a timely fashion. I have had the habit of posting every day at 7 AM since I began this little ole' site of mine. Come rain or shine, my blog had something new and interesting (to me, at least) right around breakfast time.

All well and good, I also had a blogroll of twenty sites that I checked every day for new content, no matter how frequently the blogger updated. It was a daunting process and took a lot of time, and of course, as the list of blogs I frequented grew longer, so did the daunting-ness of the process-ness.

Until... Casey made mention of a browser named - well, honestly, you know it's you. I mean, your name is two-thirds of my title. Casey raved on about the simplicity of your browser and how it took the guess work out of "Who's going to post today and how will I get my comment love in?"

I signed on, added my list of frequent stalking sites, including my own (which I'm sure everyone else does too. I mean, we are bloggers, yes? We talk about our lives, yes? That has to speak volumes about our vanity, no? Um, yes.), and watched the newly born updates come to life.

Bravo, Google Reader! What an invention! What a time saver! I was able to spread the comment love that much quicker and move onto to other important things like.. life. It was good.

But, Google Reader, (you know there has to be a but, otherwise I would never pen this letter to you. The title should have been forewarning enough.) you've been getting sloppy.

I don't keep such close track of my fellow bloggers, but I do know when my own posts go live as I set the time religiously. Therefore when my 7 AM entry goes live at 7 AM on my site, it should reflect as an update on your reader within an hour's time, correct? Or, if you're really on the ball, it will reflect within minutes.

Yet, every morning when I log on, I check for the updates and notice that mine is missing. Hm, that's odd. I then move on through all of the other updated sites and go on about my morning. Around 11 AM, an update! Someone has updated! Then I check your site and find out it's me. An brand new update at 10:37 AM!! (when in reality, it really posted at 7. Granted, I'm not a math major, but it wouldn't take a wide swing and a miss to figure that you aren't either.)

This hurts me, Google Reader. It makes me feel like a fresh batch of pancakes forced to sit under the heat lamp for hours before being served. And while I sit, I watch the Denver omelets and French Toast pass through the update window, piping hot and steaming for the masses to devour as I grow cold. (Oh, so cold.)

So, to try to negotiate with you for an earlier update time, I began scheduling my publishing to 5 AM. This worked. For a few days. You must have caught on to my devious ways though, because some days, you neglected to alert my updates altogether, slapping my world-wide-wrist for being such an upstart.

Now, I am not writing this letter to you to gain more comments. Nay! I like comments fine, they make me smile and let me know who's been here, peaking inside my head. (Scary in there, right?) Nor am I putting out the plea to boost my stats. Nay nay! I do not advertise on this site, what good would that do? But some of my bloggy friends have noticed this lack of update on your behalf and I can see you've been doing it to them too. How do I know this? Well, they show up as a fresh update in my browser, but when I click in, they already have almost 20 comments. Yes, there are those who stalk sites fiendishly to offer up their "FIRST!", but I'm pretty sure my comment would make the top five if you weren't so slow on the draw. So I know it's not just me.

Are you okay, Google Reader? Has someone hurt you? Maybe a rogue RSS Feeder? Maybe the economy has you down.  

Whatever it is, life is never as bad as we think. So chin up! (If you have a chin... Come to think of it, there's no mascot to relate to. You may want to talk to your site administrators to remedy that. This would definitely make you seem friendlier, like that Twitter bird. Oh, maybe that's it! You could be jealous of the Twitter site! Yes, it has taken off, but the fervor will wear off. Eventually. In the meantime, why don't you look into redesigning yourself? Maybe a fresh face or cutesy animal to brighten up your site? Brighten your spirits? Motivate you to update the feeds like you're supposed to? There are just suggestions, of course.)

Thank you for your time, Google Reader. As always, I remain devoted to your site. I just hope you'll show a little more devotion to mine.

Regards,

Jen

Comments

[Rachel]

Hmmmm. I kept meaning to try that Google Reader business, guess I'll wait a little longer!

-this FIRST (unless someone sneaks in while I'm typing this) comment has been brought to you courtesy of an old fashioned "Favorites" drop down menu :)

[The Dental Maven]

It's actually called "Google Slacker."

[Casey]

Heh, not to get all geeky on you here but if you want your posts to show up in GR ASAP, look for your updater service somewhere in your Typepad settings and add the following:

http://rpc.pingomatic.com/
http://rpc.technorati.com/rpc/ping
http://blogsearch.google.com/ping/RPC2

My posts show up in Google Reader in under 5 minutes and it's because those updater services get told whenever I post something.

I've noticed that your site never shows up in my reader until way later but I know you're like clockwork and I can count on you every day at 7. Well, except Sundays since you've been taking them off (a much deserved break). Didn't think I noticed?

[sherendipity]

That'll learn 'em.

[WickedStepMom]

Google Reader has been doing that to me too. I say we offer it a chocolate bunny.

[Jan]

I have to agree with Casey on this one - register with Technorati and they will ping your site on a regular basis, and your site will update more quickly in Google reader.

I have not subscribed to my site, but by golly - I think I will. Just to make sure it's all working properly, you know.

[Chris]

I'm assuming that your post today went up on time and now Miss Jen looks like Miss Liar. *giggles*

Mine does the same thing with taking its sweet time hit the googler thingy. Those hours suck because I start thinking "oh no. What if NO one comments today??" *gasp*

[Laufa]

Hey Jen, I'll give you some comment love. Guess that guy that is supposed to push the update button at Google, likes to sleep in.

[Cameron]

Shame on you, blaming Google Reader for you own hang-over tardiness!!! I oughtta tell on you :)

Jen, here's my addition to the Spin Cycle:

http://getthestinkoff.blogspot.com/2009/04/greatest-movies-of-forever-official.html

[Robin]

Now that I am noticing, your posts do show up later in my reader than you posted. But they're always ready by the time I do my ritual morning read, so that makes me happy. (Really, it's all about ME, now, isn't it? LOL!) But I can see why it would totally piss you off.
Someone suggested you ping your site... not sure about the why and hows... but that should help.

[Wendy]

I could not do all this without Google Reader...lousy or not. But I agree.. late is never good.

[Melly]

8:25 AM CST here, and here you are! Making my morning sunnier! =)

[Michele]

Gee, on West coast time you show up before 7 am. Damn, that is 10 your time. I have to agree with the others. Technorati is the bomb.

[bex]

i love your long parentheses. i have trouble with this google reader as well... hmmm....

[HeatherPride]

YES!!! I have noticed this phenomenon as well! What's up, Sprite's Keeper? I always looked forward to reading your posts with my morning coffee, and now it appears as though you don't post until mid-day, and then I pop over and see you posted at 4 am! Grrrr.....

[Peggy]

I use the Feedly reader...blogs show up in a magazine style format...it's pretty neat! (My Bobby Brady word TM) I don't know anything about getting blogs to show up in a timely matter though...just reading them! :)

[Middle-Aged-Woman]

Did it to me for awhile, too. Now, it picks me up instantaneously. No idea why. I tried the same 5 a.m. trick! Great minds...

[Arwen]

I could recommend a good mascot company...

[Pseudo]

I use the blogspot follower and it seems to let me know right away if my friends pu tup a new post.

Hope google reader reads your letter....

[Adlibby]

it totally annoys me too!

[K]

I've also had issues lately with new blogs I try to fellow.

They randomly appear whenever Reader is in the mood. Sometimes like a week or more later.

[Lisa]

I've noticed this with yours and mine. Could it be typepad?

Also, your subscribers has decreased. I'm not sure why I even noticed that but I know you have more than 3 and in my reader it says you have 3 readers. At one point mine said I had 3 too and later it went back up. I have no idea what is going on

I'm going to try Casey's suggestion too.

[Life with Kaishon]

I don't have a google reader : ). I just click on my favorites on my blog. I'm not cool yet.

[CDB]

Wow, first, Casey is a huge geek and on the ball. Second, I do think that Twitter bird is very cute. And third, working on my spin now, getting ready to link up. Hope G'Reader makes up with you soon.

Happy almost Friday!

[Emily]

You crack me up. Seriously.