Every night when I log on to the **Straight Dope ** I browse exactly the same way:
(1) Cafe Society
(2) Mundane Pointless Stuff I must Share
(3) General Questions
(4) In My Humble Opinion
(5) Great Debates
(6) The BBQ Pit
It never changes. That’s all. Out. 
Unless there’s a thread somewhere else that’s got me absolutely captivated, I start in Cafe. Then it’s usually GD, Pit, IMHO, MPSIMS, GQ. As you go down the list the order gets more variable, though.
I load the main page in Firefox. I open up in new tabs, in order, GQ, IMHO, MPSISM, and then click the Pit to fill the existing tab. There can be no deviation from this plan.
I click ‘New Posts’, then do a vanity ‘Advanced Search’ limited to the ‘Last 2 Weeks’, then it’s back to ‘New Posts’. I never select a single forum anymore.
I used to just stay in MPSIMS, with an occasional foray into GQ. Now, it’s all good.
It’s this way everytime…
It used to be:
1)MPSIMS
2)IMHO
3)GQ
4)Cafe Society
5)BBQ Pit
6)GD
But now I’ll check ATMB first or second, simply for the bannings.
I’m a “View New Posts” kinda gal. The one disadvantage is that you don’t get to read the Announcements/Stickys unless there’s been a recent response.
Maybe it’s because I’m still a bit wet behind the ears, but I check GQ first, every time, and open all the threads that look interesting in new tabs. Then I check my subscribed threads, to see if there’s been any activity in those or if (more likely/common) I killed them all.
Then I check MPSIMS, then maybe Cafe or the Pit.
CS
IMHO
MPSIMS
GQ
The Pit
GD could cease to exist for all I care., except that then it would all spill over into the areas I do care about. 
**
(1) The BBQ Pit
(2) Mundane Pointless Stuff I must Share
(3) In My Humble Opinion
(4) Cafe Society
(5) Great Debates (Sometime I skip this forum)
(6) General Questions
(7) About This Message Board (Often skip this too)
**
New Posts. I used to check the forums one by one, but I, uh, don’t anymore.
I stay away from the Pit and Great Debates, since they tend to angry up the blood, and that ain’t restful.
[ul]
[li]BBQ Pit[/li][li]MPSIMS[/li][li]IMHO[/li][li]Cafe Society[/li][li]General Questions[/li][li]Great Debates[/li][li]ATMB[/li][/ul]
I browse individual forums from the bottom up, and apparently picked up that habit with regards to forum order as well. I usually skip the last three on that list though, unless something catches my eye.
The BBQ pit
MPSIMS
IMHO
Sometimes, if I’m bored, I’ll check out GQ.
All the other forums don’t really grab my interest.
Max.
Only ever ‘new posts’ for me. Actually, the ‘do=getnew’ link is what I have stored on my bookmark toolbar.
I always open up GQ, then open up all of the posts I want to read in tabs. When that’s done, I go to MPSIMS and do the same thing. I usually don’t have the time or desire to read other forums.
I click on “New Posts.” I almost never go to a single forum anymore. Which is why I sometimes stumble into GD or the Pit when I don’t really enjoy hanging out there.
I always check my user Control Panel first, since I subsribe to all the threads I post in, and any other interesting threads I want to follow.
After that, the usual order is:
(1) BBQ Pit (daily)
(2) Cafe Society (daily)
(3) General Questions (daily)
(4) MPSIMS/IMHO (check a few times a week)
(5) Great Debates (maybe once or twice a week)
(6) ATMB (visit seldom)
(7) Comments on Cecil/Staff Reports (almost never visit, unless there’s a particularly interesting column up on the main page)
I just start at the Pit and work my way up to Cafe Society. I usually stop there. Every week or so I’ll check out GQ and Great Debates. I don’t check up on ATMB or the comments very often.