Reflections on my first ever A to Z Blogging Challenge (unofficially)
I was encouraged to participate in the A to Z Blog Challenge – unofficially, by Mindful Digressions, who has since left the blogging arena. I think this challenge has been a great experience. Every night I came home after work and typed away furiously, coming up with my next post. So here is a recap of April’s posts
A – Abercrombie & Fitch – From Camping to Campy. I thought this was a pretty catchy title, I sensed others didn’t share my enthusiasm.
B – Boys – Getting the “Gains”. I received a good amount of views on this post. My boys really appreciated the post, it made them feel good that I recognized their incredible accomplishments.
C – C is for Courtesy. Nobody seemed very interested in this.
D – Drought – Dry, Dusty, Depressing, Debilitating. This was quite a hot topic.
E – EEK – I think I have a Tufted-Ear Bird Dog. It turns out my kids are right, anytime you have a post with a picture of a cute a** puppy, even if he is the unusual tufted ear bird dog, it‘s guaranteed views and comments, because no one can resist a puppy.
F – Facetious. Oh this was met with a fantastic reception (uhh – being a bit facetious here).
G – Garden, B.P. Nobody seems to care about the state of disrepair in which my gardens stand as much as I do.
H – Haunted house in the mountains. Surprisingly, I thought this was one of my better posts, but it didn’t get many views, but the ratio of views to comments were 1:1, except I think half of those comments might have been my own.
I – Ingratitude. A slightly warmer than tepid response, people seem to be interested in posts referring to issues of the road.
J – Just another day – and that’s okay, in fact….it’s perfect! This was a post about me watching my husband watching the Masters on our 19th Anniversary. Nice responses and comments, it seems people like to know there is hope for the institution of marriage.
K – Karma. My one and only poem, about Shaken Baby Syndrome.
L – Latitude. A post about allowing your teens to grow and learn. Interesting comments.
M – Microbes – A Love/Hate Relationship. It turns out people have a lot to say about bacteria.
N – No – Not Today! My post about a really awful, horrible day and how just coming home can erase all of that angst away from the day. Seems like other people have awful days which really aren’t so big a deal once they get home.
O – Orange you glad you blog? I am!!! I wasn’t the only one who thought this was kind of catchy. I couldn’t think of another thing to do with ‘O’.
P – Paranormal – The Bodie Curse. People like stuff about ghost towns, curses, and the paranormal.
Q – ‘Quarium – I totally and undeniably cheated on this one. Q had me stumped. But I posted some pictures of cute a** fishes. Doesn’t seem to have quite the same appeal as cute a** puppies.
R – Rebuttal and Road Rage – I roped my oldest into doing the majority of the post and in the end he ratted me out for several minor episodes of road rage (okay maybe threatening to dismember a tailgater is overdoing it a bit).
S – Sleepy time is the best time. A post about sleeping. I have gathered that people enjoy reading anything that has to do with sleep. Sleep is a big issue.
T – Television. I did a quote here, it seemed kind of lame, I think everyone agreed (it was lame). I’m not a quoter, don’t have that quoting finesse others do.
U – Universe: A Boring One. My youngest feels very strongly about this. He wrote about how we are constrained by the physical laws of our Universe, which makes it a boring a** one because there are no dragons, we can’t be invisible and no one is capable of flying. This may have been a bit too deep and out there. I thought it was great.
V – Violence in Health Care – I have to say this is one of my better posts. I had no idea violence was such an issue in health care until I started doing the research for the post. People had some really strong feelings about this topic.
W – Winchester House – The House the Spirits Built – A post about the house Mrs. Winchester built to keep the spirits happy in hopes they would leave her alone. Fascinating story and a really interesting place to visit if you happen to be near San Jose, CA.
X – Xeraphina – How She Became a Xanthocomic Xanthippe. I had great fun with this one. Just found 3 words which began with X, and told a story. I love this one, I think it is my favorite. Everyone who commented seemed to enjoy it as well.
Y – Yawn. I became so tired and sleepy writing this one on interesting tidbits about yawns. I yawned and the cooling fan of my brain turned on.
Z – Zed. I thought this was a good little story. It was really about how unnoticed the letter ‘Z’ is especially in Scrabble. No one seemed to find it as fascinating or as clever as I did. Oh well, live and learn.
What have I learned from this month? Don’t skimp on your posts, because nobody likes that. Cute puppies are always a draw. Everybody loves to discuss bacteria and sleep. Ghost stories are good, if not too long. Quotes are not for me. People don’t always get a warped sense of humor, or perhaps they are being polite. Finally, I can’t believe I stuck it out and posted every single day. Now that I’m all warmed up, I guess it is time to start that second book. As my dear old Dad say, the world awaits!
Thanks to en.wikipedia.org for the photo.
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Categories: A to Z Challenge
Even if you were only unofficially doing A to Z, you pulled it through to the end! I’ll have to go back and check out the posts that I have not read yet.
Thank-you!!! You are the best!!!
maybe not the best… you are welcome 🙂
I know this is random, but every time I log on to your blog, that picture @ the top catches my eye..(bird and dragonfly) tell me more about it! 😉
I am so glad you asked about this!!! Because I love that photo. Two summers ago, these two, the Dragonfly and the Hummingbird would come to sit on a stem of the Trumpet Vine every evening. At first, I thought it was just a coincidence, but they met there every single evening. It became a ritual to see if these two would show up. And they did, over and over again. Right before the sun set, there they were. So that is actually a Hummingbird. Very interesting friendship. Thanks so much for asking, because this is one of my favorite photos. I have never seen them since that summer.
That is an awesome story 😉 worthy of a blog post (hint hint, if you are ever looking for something to write about) It’s rare to see a humming bird resting on a branch as well…normally, they are so high strung, they don’t take the time to sit down, although I’m sure they do. what an unlikely friendship. Also, speaks highly to you, that you are living life @ a slow enough pace to pay attention to that kind of detail….(and then to cherish it) I can see why that would be a favorite picture of yours.
I spend a lot of time on the patio just looking at our jungle of a garden. We are very fortunate to live at the end of a street in a cul-de-sac with only 3 houses. So once you get in the backyard, it is like a different world. Even my teenagers and their friends love to come sit back here and just stare at the plants because it is so calming. My husband says our backyard is its own ecosystem, because everything blooms about 2 weeks later than the neighbors’ gardens. I am so excited you asked about the photo. That is really cool!!!!
I loved your wrap up (cute puppies and bacteria sell and your quotes don’t 🙂 I realize I have missed a few too since we met about the middle of A to Z. I will have to return to those earlier posts. Interesting story about the humming bird and the dragon fly! I wonder where they are now. But my favs of yours were the ghost stories. Loved them!!!
Thank-you. I wish the Hummingbird and the Dragonfly would come back, but I sense that was a once in a lifetime friendship. I love ghost stories too – because I think there is so much going on around us that we choose not to see or appreciate.
Absolutely and just like your humming bird and dragonfly… others might not have seen them ever. You did though.
I’m tinkering on wanting to do this challenge ….I started off good with the 30 day challenge but lost interest 2 weeks in…I think it was because I’m not particularly fond of being given topics all the time to write about
Me neither, that’s why I liked the A-Z thing because I could come up with whatever I wanted, and even if it didn’t really fit the letter, I made it fit. (Maniacal giggle)
Very good, and fully agree with your advices above, especially “People don’t always get a warped sense of humor, or perhaps they are being polite.” Cheers!
I love your honesty. Good luck with book two!! 🙂 And don’t use blogging as your procrastination tool . . . most of us do, even though we’ll never admit it.
I know, have already caught myself doing that, blogging to procrastinate. I think to myself -must be disciplined, must have a schedule, must adhere to it. Thanks for the advice!!!!!!
Have just started to follow you so will be going back to the blackboard so to speak and reviewing A to Z! Looking forward to it. Cheers
Thank-you. I hope you enjoy them (oh except for the quotes – which I really suck at).
I’m putting off going out to get more boxes for packing up my house and reading your blog post. This was fun to read how each post was received. I’m surprised that people enjoy ghost stories as much as I do. I put a post up back in December about the ghost living next door, and it seemed people were skeptical. I’m not surprised “Courtesy” didn’t get a lot of clicks. It seems the world is lacking in it these days. ;-P
I case you’re interested in the ghost next door.
https://loreezlane.wordpress.com/2014/12/01/jamaican-juju/
Oooo!!!! I loved it, it brings back a story into my mind that I had buried deep in the recesses. Must blog about it. It’s interesting that a family so much the same should move into the house. Very cyclical, wonder if something drew them there? Thanks for telling me about that post, I really enjoyed it. And thanks for triggering a memory, I must go write a post. Shouldn’t you be packing or something. Isn’t the big move coming up pretty soon?
Sometimes I think spirits (ghosts) draw the energy of what they need to a house to help them move on. I think my “juju” ghost needed to care for a family similar to his to help him move on. He may have felt he abandoned his family. But, shhh, don’t tell anyone I think this way. 😉
Yes, I commented on your blog to put off going to buy more boxes for the move. I just got back, now I’m off to packing.
Oh, and thanks for coming over to read it. Glad you enjoyed it.
I wanted to participate in this – but it just seemed so daunting. Maybe next year!
I should do this next year..
You should, it seemed rather daunting at first, but it was kind of like going to the gym every day (something I don’t do – but should). It was really painful at first, but then it got easier and easier, like my brain was getting in shape. Now that it is over, I really miss it, but I don’t think I have the discipline to post every day like some do, without some kind of push.
Yeah you are right 🙂
I like this a lot…just read until “C” though. Looking forward to reading more. Think I might try this too.
Thank-you for reading my little posts. I am glad you are enjoying them. The A to Z Challenge became a little burdensome right in the middle, it’s hard to come up with stuff that other people might be vaguely interested in, but in the end it was a great learning exercise (I think I learned something – how to write on the fly)!!!!
I enjoyed wandering through your thoughts, and I read through the comments hoping you had said something about the photo on the top of your page , I love it… it speaks of a summer romance between two different worlds 🙂
wonder what they talked about, wings are their similarities which are all drawn too, their diversity must have been a great conversation between them 🙂
Thank you for sharing you and your thoughts…. (and the photograph )
Take Care…You Matter…
)0(
maryrose
Thank-you so much. I’m so glad someone appreciates the photograph as much as I do!!!!!!! (and the oddity of it)
Hi SD, I loved all the posts I was able to catch, and will hopefully now have more time to browse after the insanity. 🙂 Congrats for making it through to the end!
Thanks Sue, for taking the time to read them. Hope everything is going well in your world (or at least heading that general direction).
It’s busy, but good, so I can’t complain!
That’s good!!! I’m glad!!!!!
Good to see this wrap-up from you. I could check a few!