This Is Me--2024 A to Z Theme

My A to Z Themes in the past have covered a range of topics and for 2024 the theme is a personal retrospective that I call "I Coulda Been" which is in reference to my job and career arc over my lifetime. I'll be looking at all sorts of occupations that I have done or could have done. Maybe you've done some of these too!

Thursday, April 29, 2010

You Are Y

        On March 27th I decided to make a challenge for myself to blog from A to Z during the 26 non-Sundays of April.  If it had been left at that I suppose I would have engaged myself in an interesting little endeavor and that some of my readers would have dropped in on occasion with comments and that would have been that. No big deal.  But then I challenged you to join me and many of you did.

        Alone it would have blogging as usual on Tossing It Out, but having you join me turned Blogging from A to Z into something better.  You are why the Blogging From A to Z April Challenge was a success. There is no real debate in this statement.  Thursday is usually Debate Day at Tossing It Out and I would typically have a question up for discussion.  Today I am going to pose some questions, but they are not questions of debate.  You can answer some or all of them in the comment section or you can answer these questions in your A to Z Challenge Reflections Mega Post on Monday May 3rd.

  • What attracted you to the Blogging From A to Z April Challenge?
  • Did you feel intimidated by the Challenge?
  • Did you ever feel like quitting?  What kept you going?
  • What do you think was your biggest contribution to the Challenge?
  • In finishing this challenge, will you be more apt to try other blogging or writing challenges (e.g.--NaNoWriMo)?
  • Do you feel you did your best in the Challenge?   What could you have done better?
  • What did you learn from the Challenge?
  • Will you be blogging any more now than you used to?

          These are some of the questions that you might want to ask yourself on your May 3rd post.  Of course you can certainly take any approach that you would like.  After all, the May 3rd A to Z Challenge Reflections Post is about YOU.

28 comments:

  1. When you made that statement about anyone dare to join me I suspect you thought no-one would, well you didn't reckon on us bloggers.We can be a determined lot when push comes to the shove.Personally I wanted to prove to myself I could do it......I still have to find Z YET.but will explain more on Monday.
    It has been a wonderful month as most will agree,

    Enjoy your day.
    Yvonne, (another Y)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'm going to answer these questions here becasue my mega post is about how I dealt with the alliterative posts. So ...
    •What attracted you to the Blogging From A to Z April Challenge?

    I had only recently started blogging and thought it would be a great way to get to know new bloggers.

    •Did you feel intimidated by the Challenge?

    Not at all. I just felt excited to want to do something that invloved a whole community of writers I had not yet discovered.

    •Did you ever feel like quitting? What kept you going?

    Yes, I did once. I was having a few family problems that was distracting me. but I just wrote a post about it and then said to myself, 'you have never quit anything in your life, why start now' I didn't want to start a terrible habit so I pushed through.

    •What do you think was your biggest contribution to the Challenge?

    Hmmm ... giving others well-deserved support by commenting regularly.

    •In finishing this challenge, will you be more apt to try other blogging or writing challenges (e.g.--NaNoWriMo)?

    NaNoWriMo - NO way. Have too much work that gets in the way. Other less stressful challenges - yes.

    •Do you feel you did your best in the Challenge? What could you have done better?

    I think I did my best - minus a few days where I didn't have the energy to alliterate. Other than that - yes.

    •What did you learn from the Challenge?

    I learnt that blogging isn't easy. LOL

    •Will you be blogging any more now than you used to?

    No. I pretty much posted every day anyway.

    Cheers, Lee!
    PS, i've already written the fifteen fantasy island blog. I got so excited about it that I wasted a whole day yesterday doing it!

    Also, I'm not going to be around to add my link for the mega post thing. I'll have to do it on the day.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I will definitely try other challenges!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I will cover those questions in my mega post.
    But I must tell you, I never thought it would be as hard as it actually turned out to be. Blogging every day is something I always did, but thinking of what to blog about within a letter was tough. Nearly there (though I have absolutely no idea what my Z word is going to be)

    ~ Rayna

    ReplyDelete
  5. Would've been lonely doing it by yourself, Arlee.
    I never felt like quitting. Once I commit to something, I do it. I'm a new blogger, so I knew taking on this challenge would discipline my blogging habits.
    I've made so many new friends because of this challenge. Thanks, Arlee!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I follow several of the participants and they've all appeared to enjoy the challenge. You also taught them a valuable lesson, Lee - consistency and quality.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Glad for the chance to do this, but I'll save my reflections for the 3rd

    ReplyDelete
  8. I didn't join the challenge...it was too much of a time sucker for me, lol, but I'm so glad you did and shared with all of us.

    One more letter and you can say, "I did it!"

    Congrats to you.

    And, I don't know the rules of the blog challenge, but may I recommend Zebra for z? ;-)

    ~JD

    ReplyDelete
  9. ...going to save "the remaining thoughts" for the May 3rd post as well. you see, they've been leaking out of me for a few days in other blogs:)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Arlee: This challenge has been amazing. I will post the answers to your very good questions on May 3. Don't know about the album challenge - my answers change every day. And the desert island part threw me - will we have electricity so we can play the albums? :-)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Yvonne-- I guess I'll have to be careful about what I challenge bloggers with in the future now that I know what they're capable of. You were great Yvonne and really helped make this a big success. Z? There's always "Zoo" with lots of rhymes. Look forward to your May 3rd post.

    AA -- We're all glad that you stayed with it. You did a very amazing and entertaining job with your entries and your commenting was indeed prolific and very supportive. I'm looking forward to your favorite albums post. Will it all be alliterated? I'll look for you May 3rd post -- If you aren't able to add it to the Linky list maybe I can, I'm not exactly sure how it works yet.

    Swimmer-- Hope you will give us your 15 favorite albums on May 17th.

    Rayna -- You were an absolute delight and a real asset to the challenge. So you're saying right now you have zero ideas for z? You'll think of something.

    Alex - I am glad I had such great company and I ditto what you said.

    Diane -- Thanks for being there for so many of us. As they say "practice makes perfect".

    Will -- Look forward to your Monday post.

    Justine -- thanks for following at least. I think Zebra is definitely a good Z candidate.

    Bud -- I'll be watching for the May 3rd wrap up and i must say you have really been all over the other blogs lately-- I can't even keep up with you!

    Linda -- That's why it's "fantasy island"-- sure we'll be able to listen to albums somehow. You said the same thing I did when Stephen first proposed this challenge. I've been honing it down to 15-- not my definitive list, but credible for the favorites post. Hope you'll be with us on May 17th.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Can't wait to read everyone's post on May 3rd. I honestly thought more people would throw in the towel. Its been great to see so many bloggers finish the challenge! This was a great idea, Arlee.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I was not involved because I hadn't "met" you yet but I will say that I think this was an inspired idea. I follow many of the blogs who got involved and it was always fun to see what people came up with.

    Thanks Arlee.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Raquel -- the stick-to-it-ness of those who hung is very commendable. Congratulations to you. Looking forward to your thoughts on the May 3rd post.

    Matthew -- And the commenters like you made the whole challenge all the more special.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Such an interesting and inspiring challenge! I wish I'd seen this earlier - I think I might have joined in.

    ReplyDelete
  16. I'm going to post my thoughts on your questions on my May 3rd post. This has really been something else.

    Thank you Arlee!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Hey, Lee,
    I am looking forward to the days ahead...I will not be able to do the Linky thingy and interact with other bloggers, but will post my answers very early on the 3rd or late on the 2nd since I am leaving for Texas on the 3rd.
    More later.
    Best regards to you, my friend.
    Ruby

    ReplyDelete
  18. No not going to alliterate it. I've done something pretty special though :)

    ReplyDelete
  19. I am so glad that others joined you and spread the word! One of the best parts of this challenge is that we have all come together to encourage each other. I'll write more on Monday as well... but can definitely say now that I won't be participating in NaNoWriMo! Now maybe if someone comes up with a contest for nonfiction... :)

    ReplyDelete
  20. Already have my wrap up May 3rd post in the can and put to bed. I have also included a paragraph for you. Thanks for all you have done and all your encouragement!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Arlee, did you see Jamie's post tonight? (Mithril Wisdom) It's really cool.

    ReplyDelete
  22. This challenge has been a lot of fun to watch from the sidelines. I've met several new bloggers & I now follow their blogs. It's been fun waiting to see how widely the topics for each letter will vary. :)

    ReplyDelete
  23. Great questions. I will refer back to them on the 3rd.

    I'm so glad that you presented this challenge. The reason I joined was because it seemed like a good idea to write every day. Plus, my good friend the Watery Tart was doing it and she's one of the cool kids. haha!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Belle -- Well if we do this again please jump on board. And by all means think about joining us for the May 17th Favorite Albums post.

    Lisa -- thank you for being a part of A to Z.

    Grammy --I'll be watching for your post and have a great trip! And tell us all about it when you get back.

    AA-- You're always pretty special!

    Melody --Hmmm! NaNonFicMo-- there's an idea. See you Monday!

    Gregg-- you have put up some great posts with real content. Thank you!

    Alex-- Thanks-- I checked it out and left Jamie a note.

    Jemi-- just what you needed-- more blogs to comment on.

    Marjorie -- you added something really special so I'm glad you did it. And besides, it's cool to be cool.

    ReplyDelete
  25. I have managed to ramble more this past month than I have in all the time that I've had this blog. Thanks Lee. I'll have more info and thoughts on Monday...

    Hmmm...now as for Z...that is for tomorrow.

    Be blessed. Be a blessing.
    DJ GlenMC

    ReplyDelete
  26. I wouldn't call want you've been doing rambling-- at least not in a negative aimless way. You've put up some pretty cool stuff. I look forward to what you'll have to say on the Monday post. And of course Z.

    Lee
    May 3rd A to Z Challenge Reflections Mega Post

    ReplyDelete
  27. Unfortunately I missed your challenge but will keep my eyes open for future challenges.
    "Z" is not at all a difficult letter in my oppinion but then my surname does end in Z. Countries that have Z in their names in africa are numerous such as Zimbanwe, Zaire, Tanzania, Zanzibar (not realy a country anymore but now part of Tanzania. Even South africa is refered to as Z.A. if you fly or in currence; Zar. A nice challenge for those of you who don't come from Africa though.
    God bless you.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Thank you, thank you Arlee bird, for putting this out here. I never imagined i could do it but i did. Thanks for your kind comments. It has been a fun ride. I do see myself writing more...maybe not every day but certainly a few times a week.

    ReplyDelete

Go ahead and say something. Don't be afraid to speak your mind.
I normally try to respond to all comments in the comment section so please remember to check the "Email follow-up comments" box if you want to participate in the comment conversation.

For Battle of the Bands voting the "Anonymous" commenting option has been made available though this version is the least preferred. If voting using "anonymous" please include in your comment your name (first only is okay) and city you are voting from and the reason you chose the artist you did.

If you know me and want to comment but don't want to do it here, then you can send me an email @ jacksonlee51 at aol dot com.

Lee