I’m Here To Change Your Blogging Life FOR-EV-ER.

I do my best to be a good little blogger. Really, I do. I try. Sometimes I don’t try hard enough, but that’s kind of the theme of my life. Helping myself be a better anything usually means spending 50% of my time finding ways to make doing what I do quicker and easier. It’s not a perfect formula, but it makes me feel like I’m working towards an accomplished end to something.

Reading my friend’s blogs is somewhere I have been lacking in my “good little blogger” success. I have most of my favorite blogs and blogger’s feeds in my Google Reader, but since it’s been sitting at 1000+ for the last umpteen months, the mockery is getting to me.

I know I can just hit “Mark all as read” and have that weight lifted off of my guilty shoulders, but for today’s exercise, that would be counterproductive. Plus, my self-induced guilty conscience would apologize to everyone silently and hope no one hated me for skipping over their most special blog posts.

Several weeks ago, a light shone down upon me from someone on the Twitter. If I could remember who it was or what exactly they said, I’d send them a dozen roses and a framed photo of me in thanks. Clearly, my lack of memory and forethought is lost on those of you who would receive a framed photo of me in the mail. My apologies. If it was you who spread the love of the Google Reader Next button, please claim your prize.

But that day on the Twitter when I learned of the Google Reader Next button is the day my blog reading changed FOR-EV-ER. Really and for seriously. No exaggeration. FOR-EV-ER or until the next amazing hack comes along.

I’m here to help you, my dear reader friends. It is my duty as an online professional to share the knowledge. You? Are clearly welcome.

First, you need to have your blog feeds in Google Reader. If you don’t already have the feeds of the blogs you read and love in Google Reader, I don’t know how to help you. You’re more of a case than I can help today.

If you’re more of a visual learner like me, I made a step-by-step guide to the Google Reader Next button. If cartoons on screenshots help you learn, I have that as well. If you’re more of a read-the-directions kind of learner, I don’t understand you, but I have that for you, too. I’m a giver.

In Reader, click the gear on the top right, then "Reader settings."

In "Reader settings," click the "Goodies" tab, but don't expect baked goods. Jerks.

Down a few headings, find "Put Reader in a bookmark," click "Next," & drag it to your browser's bookmark bar.

LOOKIT HOW PRETTY IT IS!

Now that you’ve stepped into the world of the magical “Next” button, you’ll want to thank me with a dozen brownies and a photo of you sent to my door.

The Google Reader Next button like having Stumbleupon but only blogs you have told yourself at one point (maybe in a drunken haze) you want to read. If you’re like me, you’ll wonder how some of those blogs ended up in your reader in the first place, but that’s when you just click “Next” and move on to the next. With a little click of the “Next” button, you’ll never have to go into Reader and see that “1000+”mocking you again.

I need to add more excellente blogs to my Reader like I need another hole in my bagina, so if you have a blog, and I haven’t commented on it recently, leave me a comment and let me know I’m an asshole. The more like an asshole you make me feel, the more likely I am to add you to my Reader. Or if you don’t want to make me feel sad, just tell me to add your blog to my reader. I’ll do my very, very best to read it and comment when it shows up in my “Next.”