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!

Saturday, March 27, 2010

200 FOR ME AND A CHALLENGE FOR YOU

....................200.....................

         
           Sometime, somewhere I had stated that I wanted to reach 200 followers by April 1.  Yesterday I reached that stated goal.  I've tried to find where I made that statement, but I could not find it anywhere in any of my blog posts.  Perhaps I mentioned it in a comment.  I guess it really doesn't matter because I am there.   I want to thank everyone of you who have signed on to follow Tossing It Out and hope that you will continue to stop by every now and then and leave a comment if you have time.  I always like to hear from you.

          Now, I don't do contests or any big whoo-hoos to celebrate my achievement, but I do feel pretty good about it.  Yesterday as I was taking my daily morning walk, I started thinking of something special to do and I came up with an idea for a blog challenge that I am going to do in April.  I would like to invite any of you who are interested to join me in this because I think it could be not only fun, but also an inspiration for your blogging activity.

        Many of you are aware that I've been blogging every day since I first started last September.  April has thirty days with four Sundays.  On Sundays I do my Bible Study and many of you don't post at all.  Since I've got my Sundays covered, that leaves twenty-six more days of blog posts for me to fill--that's one post for each letter of the alphabet.  In April I've decided to do a Blogging from A to Z theme and I'm inviting any of you who think you have what it takes to join me.  In other words, I challenge you to join me--I double dog dare you!

        The challenge would entail that each day participating bloggers post at least 100 words based on the letter of that day, starting with "A" on April 1 and ending with "Z" on April 30.  Does that sound too difficult for you?  Actually I think it gives you a prompt to make inspiration come more easily.  Let me know what you think. I will post more about this on my post coming up this Monday, which will be another in my Blog Boggled series.  I want your ideas on this since I've never done anything like a challenge before.

          If you didn't see my Blog Boggled post last Monday, it was called In a Buggy and Not Even Amish-- okay, I thought the title was kind of clever and if you're curious go back and read the post.  Last Tuesday I talked about End of the World movies .  Next Tuesday I'll be visiting Alaska--on the blog, not for real.  Then on Wednesday we'll go across the North American continent to Toronto where I will talk about some of my memorable visits to that beautiful city.  If you missed my post from last Wednesday, you missed a wonderful visit with L. Diane Wolfe and you must go back now to read it.

         This past Thursday we had a lively debate about taking vacations and we had some really great comments that you might want to read if you missed them. Yesterday I looked at some of the strange creatures that people have claimed to have seen.  Next Thursday begins my Blogging from A to Z  Challenge.   Appropriately, the first post will be A as in April Fools Day and this will be a debate topic.  Friday's post will be B as in Babylon and this will be a topic of mystery.  Then a week from today I will present my weekly blog overview in C Is For Capsulization.  I hope you will be joining me.

And Now Another Award!

                  The Beautiful Blogger Award

           Helen Ginger gave me The Beautiful Blogger Award. Thank you Helen.  Gosh, I'm so embarrassed---blush.  According to the rules I need to link to the person who nominated me for this award (done), share seven interesting things about myself, and nominate seven other beautiful bloggers.

            I've told a lot of things about myself on this blog but I'll try and dig and come up with something, but I don't know how interesting they will be.

1.   I attended the University of Tennessee for 5 years in the early 70s but never graduated.

2.   I got my B.S. in Business Management from the University of Phoenix in 2005.

3.   Dodgeball was my favorite activity in Physical Education.

4.  I was the first chair violinist in my elementary school orchestra.

5.  I've owned two dogs named "Blackie".

6.  I used to drink Tabasco Sauce out of the bottle, but not any more.

7.  I once picked up two hitchhikers dressed in white robes--they said they had sat around a campfre with Jesus the night before.
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Now, to nominate 7 truly beautiful bloggers and certainly more interesting people:

1. Yvonne at  Welcome to My World of Poetry -- she's almost to 100 followers!  Join her blog!

2.  Ron at The Old Geezer  -- he may not look so beautiful, but a lot of folks think the world of him.

3. Leslee at Life at Number 10   she could use some more followers

4. Karen Walker at Following the Whispers  for her caring heart.

5. Greg at Gospel Driven Disciples  -- He puts a lot of thought and care into his posts and his comments

6. Debra at Dream Weaver  she's coming back after a short time away and she's always been so nice

7. Ginny the Sock Monkey  How can I resist a name like hers ----it's beautiful.

Hope everyone will drop by and give these bloggers a word of encouragement.   And you award winners:  relish it, display it proudly if you want to, and pass it on to some others if you want to take the time to recognize bloggers whom you appreciate.

My thanks to all who visited today and I hope to hear some input about my Blogging From A to Z Challenge.  Do you post at least 6 times per week?  Are you ever stumped for blog topics?

40 comments:

  1. Congratulations on your 200.(not age of course) also thanks for the award I feel honoured you thought of me,
    Now about your competition I would love to participate but I am better putting blogs in poetry form then straight writing.Do I have to post them to your blog or mine?????? I think it a great idea and get the old grey cells working.

    Have a great week-end, we lose an hour this week-end as British Summer time starts at 2am tomorrow morning.
    Yvonne.

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  2. Congrats to you on 200 and on the award!

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  3. Huge congrats on surpassing 200 followers! Your April Blogging From A to Z is a fab idea -- I love prompts!!

    Have a wonderful weekend!

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  4. Wow, congrats on the 200 followers - that's amazing!

    And I loved (and still do, actually) dodgeball. One of my all-time favourites.

    I'd love to do your blog challenge but I'm not sure my randomness can conform! I'll certainly have a think about it.

    PS - thanks for following my blog yesterday!

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  5. I'll be your avid reader (I think I already am) from A-Z. Congratulations on your 201. I love Yvonne too.

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  6. Yvonne -- Poetry would work perfectly for this challenge. Each day on your blog you would post a new poem themed on the letter of the day. So on Thursday you post a poem about April, Aardvarks, or anything that begins with the letter "A"; Friday 4/2 a poem for the letter "B" as in bathtub, Britain, or something else. Skip Sundays, and continue to 4/30 with a poem about "Z". You would definitely be good at this as I think of your poems about peas and toothbrushes and of course your bus poem (hmm - would that have been for the letter "B" or "P" -- either I guess). Join me and I'll acknowledge somewhere on my blog (on the sidebar perhaps?). I'll see what kind of suggestions I get about doing this.
    Thanks for your comment.
    Lee

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  7. Teresa -- Thank you! And by the way I really like the new "Rural" blog.

    Nicole -- Thanks and join us from A to Z if you wish. I'll write more about it on Monday.

    Talli -- randomness would work perfectly on this challenge. That's what made me think of it--I'm so random. Might as well organize my randomness alphabetically.

    Ocean Girl -- You are so sweet and it's so cool for me to have a reader from the other side of the world from me.

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  8. Lee, I don't know what to say. Thank you for the award and your kind words.

    Thank you for reading, taking note of the thought and care that goes into each post or comment. I don't comment to comment. I feel you have written your thoughts and feelings and they need to be responded to with due respect. Thank you again!

    I will think about it your challenge. My response would be much narrower. My A - Z would be confined to theological, gospel, Christological posts corresponding to the letters. But I may take you up on that.

    By the way congrats on 200. I was going blog on my 300 but didn't realize I had already passed it.

    I post 7 days aweek normally. However, Saturday is given over to exposing my readers to Jonathan Edwards (which I might change off) and Sunday is given over to "Sunday Sound bites." So I just have to find two posts, and write 5 others.

    Yes, when I desire to be theologicaly correct, comforting, inspiring, informative, and even corrective, I get stumped and have to go back to the prayer closet for ideas.

    I am a pure amatuer.

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  9. hey there...

    thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment. i'm thinking seriously about your blogging challenge for April:)

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  10. Congratulations on both counts! Way to go!

    I only post 3 times a week, and sometimes I'm squeezing that in between other things.

    And I never run out of topics--my brain is always whirring with new ideas.

    Blessed weekend,
    Jen

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  11. Greg -- hey, thank you for stopping by already to find your award before I had to notify you. I always enjoy your comments because they have so much to say. I hope you will try blogging from A to Z with me-- theological topics are not really that narrow and would lend themselves well to this challenge I think. I hope I get some company in this blog challenge-- I'm going to post more on Monday about this as I give it some more thought and see if anyone else makes any suggestions.


    Bud -- come on and join me in this blog journey. I hope we can get a few of us at least Blogging from A to Z.

    Jeanette -- Thanks and if you decide you'd like to Blog from A to Z after all then hop on board. The blog train leaves the station on this Thursday April 1 (and no it's not an April Fool's joke) and will be making 26 stops between then and April 30. If nothing else check on us and see how we are doing.

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  12. Congratulations, Lee. Not sure I could do the challenge, but I'm willing to give it a try.

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  13. That's great, Lee! I've been blogging for years and I'm nowhere near that many followers.

    And you must've been GOOD at dodgeball if you enjoyed it!

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  14. Lee - I thought about your challenge and I am going to take you up on it. I also have pre-empted a blog for 31st of March with a response to your challenge.

    See ya in April!!

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  15. you're on, Lee. i'm going to do it. a hundred word minimum is easy. glad you didn't limit it to a hundred words.

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  16. Congratulations!

    I only post 5 times a week if I can help it. My weekends are for me and writing and loved ones.

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  17. Alex -- okay, come on, do what you can!

    Diane -- I was good at staying under the radar I guess--athlete I was not. I guess nobody ever thought I was a threat and I'd be one of the last left standing. It's been my philosophy in life-- If you hang in there long enough, eventually you can be the one in charge of everything.

    Greg and Bud -- Great! Now to get a few more takers. Yeah, I figured 100 words is nothing. Most of my comments are probably at least that long.

    Palindrome --It's only 100 words per day at minimum. You could do that.

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  18. A to Z challenge - sounds like a great idea! I don't know if I can commit due to some pending stuff, but will give it some thought and see if I can work it out.

    Congrats on the award, and congrats to the new winners.

    Have a great weekend,
    Karen

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  19. congratulations on your award and for reaching 200. I hope you always enjoy blogging and post many more for us all.....:-) Hugs

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  20. @arlee - one challenge at a time ;) I'm focusing on 50,000 words right now.

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  21. Congrats on the 200!!

    I like the challenge idea, but I only blog a couple of times a week. I may just devote a couple of posts to the idea in support though! :)

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  22. Kudos, kudos, kudos! And hey - any blogger named "The Old Geezer" - The Old Silly HAS to check out, hmm?

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  23. Congratulations Lee! I never had a doubt you would reach your goal!

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  24. I am looking forward to youyr Blogging from A to Z challenge.

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  25. First time to your blog. Love your writing, persepctive and sensibilities. Thanks for paying me a visit this afternoon. Next time join me in some cheer!

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  26. btw arlee. i'm curious as to wether or not you are going to allow us to make up our own words. the reason i'm asking this is because there's two words that i could easily use on A day. anger and attitude. i'd combine these two words to create the word "angitude." know them both only too well. at this point in time, "anger" will probably be my start.

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  27. Karen - Hope you will try and of course we'll understand if you have to bow out - - It's just a bit of blog fun.

    Bernie -- as long as there is someone there to read, I'll write-- you know how that goes I guess.

    Palindrome--- I understand-- I've done the 50,000 word challenge in NaNo, although actually I kept up my blog and comments at the same time, but I didn't have a job at the time either.

    Jemi --- With support like yours we'd be bound to succeed.

    Marvin -- We "old geezers" need to support one another.

    Tamika -- You've been there with us most of the way!

    Cheryl -- Does that mean you're going to join us? Hope so!

    Steelxmag-- Enjoyed my visit to your blog as well and I propose a toast--"To many more great posts in the future--cheers."

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  28. Bud -- This will be our challenge for ourselves so you're free to make up any word you like and present the post in any way you wish -- funny, intellectual, fictional, spiritual, or whatever comes to mind. I'm not going to be authoritarian about it (ooh an "a" word). You could even just post about the letter itself if you wanted. Time for creativity! 26 days of infinite possibilities and it will be a blast to see where each person goes with it!
    Lee

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  29. Thank you brother Lee for bestowing a beautiful blogger award on such an undeserving Old Geezer as me. I am truly humbled.

    God bless you,

    Ron

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  30. Count me in for the A-Z challenge! 100 words is simple enough. :)

    Have a blessed week!

    Lisa

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  31. By the way, congratulations on 200 followers!

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  32. Learned about this challenge from a couple of mutual blogging friends and I am very excited to take part with you!

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  33. Congrats!

    And thanks for the award!

    And, heck yes double dare! I take this challenge. I shall try my hardest to be inspired by the alphabet during the month of April... just hope this isn't some kind of April's Fool joke...

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  34. I am trying to write an article on A to Z. That brought me to this blog post that started it all.
    Nrao - NRao Blogs
    @knoltweet
    NRao Blogs - 2016 A to Z Challenge Blog Posts
    Management Theory Review

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  35. Very cool! Yes, this is where it all began. The rest of the history is when it all got a whole lot bigger.

    Let me know about your post and I can help you promote it.

    Lee

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  36. I joined the A to Z again this year & I just keep forgetting where everything is at... you know like the pages with the letters etc.or a page with everyone who has joined this year :( Congrats on your award. What a fun thing to do. Have a great weekend.

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    1. Not sure how you found this old post, but fortunately I still get notifications for comments.

      You can find what you're looking for at A to Z Blog.

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  37. Congrats for your 200 followers. I am not surprised though. Although I don't comment often I do read your posts :)

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    1. A comment on an older post is always kind of exciting--or interesting. Thanks for visiting.

      Lee

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