I enjoy reading new blogs, especially when I find one to add to my daily reads. When I’m out to find a new one, I use the following sites:

MT’s recently updated list
Weblogs recently updated list
Technorati’s top 100 blogs
Globe of blogs
Blogrolling’s top 100

I don’t have a specific set of rules, but there are certain features I look for in a blog. The main ones are as follows.

Readable
If the navigation is poor, the layout is confusing, or midi files, popup windows and flash movies are on the main page, I leave immediately. I will also leave if the colors are hard to read, unless I really like the content. For instance, I began reading paperback writer in spite of the bright purple background. Every time I read her blog my eyes took 10-15 seconds to get back to normal, but I enjoyed her writing enough to ask if she’d mind toning the color down. Much to my surprise, she changed the color the next day.

Permanent links and comments
I want to be able to reference individual entries, allowing the reader to easily read previous articles or discussions. If there aren’t any permanent links, it forces the reader to search the site to find the relative article. I like to add my two cents to a discussion, and comments are a great way to make your points known and to hear the viewpoints of others. Movable Type users have both of these taken care of, and have trackback to boot, so if they blog is using Movable Type, it gets bonus points.

Frequent updates
I read blogs once a day. If the blog is only updated once every few weeks, I’ll soon become bored of reading the same entry day after day.

Good content
This almost goes without saying, but I have to enjoy what they’re writing about or at least the style in which they write it.

Common interests
If I share interests with them, it shows they have good taste (kidding, kidding). I have an eclectic mix of interests, so finding someone with similar interests is rare. If I do find one it makes for an entertaining read.