The Reflections Post List Closes Tonight!

        You still have a few hours to put up your thoughts about the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge.   We appreciate all of you who have taken the time to tell us what you think.   Let your voice be heard--good or bad we want to know what it takes to make this Challenge the best it can be.  The Linky list will close at midnite tonight Wednesday May 4th.  Sign up below.

The Linky list is now ready for you to add your link.  Please add the link that goes directly to your Reflections post since we well be referring to it in the weeks to come and we don't have to search for the proper post.   The list will be open until May 4th.   This is a blog hop so you will easily be able to add the list to your own blog site as well.


 Please use discretion and courtesy if you add your name to the list.  We invite all participants of the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge to join us to express themselves.   Others who feel like they have something truly relevant to add to this discussion are also welcome to participate with their thoughts so long as they are constructive in their intent to help and enlighten others.  Those who merely want to offer negative rants that have no constructive value are asked to refrain from joining the list.    We don't mind hearing your negative thoughts just so you are not trying to tear down other people or hurt the reputations of those who mean well.    And please don't add your name to the Linky list if you have no intent to participate and merely want to be seen on the list.  The list is intended to benefit others and not waste anyone's time.




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2011 Blogging from A to Z Challenge Reflections Mega Post

Please copy the Badge and display on your blog to let everyone know that you  finished!

           We made it!  Some never started, a few had to stop early, but as far as I have been able to tell most of you made it to the end of the alphabet.   It was fun, but it was sometimes grueling.  It was a Challenge.

            I want to start by extending my deepest thanks to the A to Z Team who so effectively helped to co-host this event:

Jeffrey Beesler's World of the Scribe 
Alex J. Cavanaugh Alex J. Cavanaugh 
Jen Daiker's Unedited 
Candace Ganger's The Misadventures in Candyland 
Karen J Gowen at Coming Down the Mountain 
Talli Roland 
Stephen Tremp's Breakthrough Blogs 



      These bloggers did a fine job of making the rounds in visiting as many participants as possible and I hope everyone will stop by to tell them thanks for keeping this Challenge going.

       Next I want to thank each and every one of you who made it to the end or at least gave it your best shot.  I have made many wonderful new blog discoveries and met wonderful new friends just like in last years challenge.  I think that several of these new friendships will last a while and may lead to some interesting collaborations.  And I really want to thank the many of you who continually gave me and the rest of the team such positive feedback and words of encouragement and thanks.   Thanks to all of you.

        This year's A to Z Challenge showed even more creativity that the Challenge of 2010.  The many returnees had the hang of the process and showed their mastery of day to day blogging.  There were so many amazingly creative entries for each day from the veterans and the new participants alike.  There were short stories, poems, essays, and informational pieces that were original, thought provoking, and often absolutely dazzling.  Anyone who thought this Challenge would produce a bunch of hack work and trivial blog posts was proven wrong on a daily basis by some of the quality that appeared on some of your posts.

       It was a challenge for sure, but for me it was great fun and highly rewarding in many ways.  For the month of May I will be cutting back extensively on my blogging activity so far as posting goes.  Instead my focus will be on responding to all of you who posted your reflections. trying to keep up with regular daily visits, and attempting to continue on through that monster list of over 1200 bloggers who signed up for the A to Z Challenge.

       My plans at the outset failed and I don't know that I even visited half of the blogs that signed up--I still hope to do so.   I had not expected as many daily comments on my own posts as I had received and now I remember why my email box was so full last year after the Challenge.  This year I have over 1800 emails to get through.   Without daily comments I should be able to go at a faster rate, but still it's going to take some time.

        I want to give a special thanks to Marcus at Writing Investigated for creating the Blog Navigation buttons.   I know many of you had fun with these and even relied on them to a great extent.  "The Next Blog" button has been a great aid for me in keeping track of how far I am on the list.  The "Surprise Me!" button helped break things up for me and skim the list when I was feeling like I wasn't getting along far enough.  Marcus volunteered to do this for us and I hope all of you will stop by to thank him.

        So enough from me.  I want to hear what you have to say.  In a few weeks I am going to try to have a recap post where I will compile some of the best suggestions that you have to offer and things that occurred to me as the Challenge was underway.   There is much improvement that can make the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge better, but I want to assimilate the data first before I come to final conclusions.  So stay tuned for a post near the end of May.

       What about next year?   This Challenge seems to be a hit so we'll definitely consider that option.  But for now I think a lot of us need some down time as far as blogging is concerned.  And maybe even some extra sleep and perhaps a vacation.  I'm going to Tennessee next week for nine days and have time with family.  I'll slow down some during that time.  But like the Terminator--"I'll be back".



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Sign up for the A to Z Challenge Reflections Mega Post

         The Linky list is now ready for you to add your link.  Please add the link that goes directly to your Reflections post since we well be referring to it in the weeks to come and we don't have to search for the proper post.   The list will be open until May 4th.   This is a blog hop so you will easily be able to add the list to your own blog site as well.


 Please use discretion and courtesy if you add your name to the list.  We invite all participants of the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge to join us to express themselves.   Others who feel like they have something truly relevant to add to this discussion are also welcome to participate with their thoughts so long as they are constructive in their intent to help and enlighten others.  Those who merely want to offer negative rants that have no constructive value are asked to refrain from joining the list.    We don't mind hearing your negative thoughts just so you are not trying to tear down other people or hurt the reputations of those who mean well.    And please don't add your name to the Linky list if you have no intent to participate and merely want to be seen on the list.  The list is intended to benefit others and not waste anyone's time.

Linky list can be found here (click link).



        And for all of you who finished (or made a noble effort) Jen Daiker has created a badge for you to copy and add to your site.   Feel free to grab this one --copy image below or the cut and paste code is in my sidebar--let me know if the code doesn't work properly since I don't really know what I'm doing and sometimes I make stuff up as I go:









        Also if you'll visit Elizabeth Mueller she has a whimsical A to Z Blogging Award that you might also enjoy displaying to laud your alphabetical blogging efforts.   Get this award here

         


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II x X = XX

X  

          When I was X the world was magical. Nearly all life before that age was filled with magic, dreams, and imagination. The playful chimeras of my mindscape entertained my idle hours while monsters of doubt and ambiguous unfounded fears rarely haunted me.

          I would have been in grade IV at the time. It was MCMLXI. JFK was the president of the USA. The Cuban Missile Crisis was not yet an issue, but the tension of the Cold War cast a continual pall over the nation's psyche. The threat of nuclear war was taken seriously by the adults, but for me it was the subject matter of apocalyptic films that I found entertaining and a dark curiosity concerning the real possibility that something like that could really happen. In reverent wonder, I would often look at the pictures in the Funk and Wagnalls encyclopedia of the aftermath of Hiroshima.

          Living in San Diego at that time, my summer days were spent playing in the canyons near our house. During the school year I played violin in the school orchestra and always made good grades. I had a strong interest in girls, but I didn't exactly know why--and I was too shy to do anything about it.

          These were idyllic times when the days wafted past like the clouds in the sky, when thoughts were as frivolous as school carnivals, and planning for the future didn't go much further than checking the line-up of horror movies on the Friday late show on TV. My parents let me stay up all night on Fridays if I wanted and sleep until noon on Saturday.

XX

           When I was XX I looked for magic in the world and tried to cram as much of it in my life as I could. It was MCMLXXI and I was in my second year of college. I was working during the summer to pay the very inexpensive costs of going to a state university. Other than that I was "working for the weekend" as the group Loverboy would sing about X years later.

           If I hadn't been going to school, going to Viet Nam would have probably been my only other option. None of us wanted to go to Viet Nam. Fortunately I had a high draft number and wasn't too worried about it. Most of my other friends were either also students, ineligible for the draft, or just waiting to be called. A few went and came back. Some who weren't really friends, but guys I'd gone to high school with, didn't come back. We watched the reports of the war on the evening news and sometimes the students staged protests. There was often some good music at these protests, and there were always young women.

          I had an even stronger interest in girls now and now I knew why--but I was often too shy to do much about it. Most of the time, when I wasn't at school or at work, I was hanging out with my buddies. We would spend hours cruising back roads with gas that cost XXXV cents per gallon. Or stay up late playing music or just talking. Sometimes we'd stay up until dawn and then I'd go to bed and sleep until noon.

My Conclusion

II x X=XX

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           May 2nd is next Monday and in case you haven't heard you that's the day of The A to Z Challenge Reflections Mega Post.  This is when you can let your thoughts about the Challenge be heard.   A Linky list will go up this Sunday Eastern United States time in order to accommodate those of you who are a day ahead of us.   We request that you not add your link to the list until you have actually posted your Challenge Reflections and then enter the actual link to your Reflections post to the list.  Please try to enter your link accurately so we don't have to go back to edit it.   It will be a blog hop and you will be able to easily add the list to your site if you wish.   We hope to see all of you on Monday.



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              Were your dreams at age 20 much different than the dreams you had at age 10?   Were you affected by the Cold War or Viet Nam?   Do you know your Roman numerals?










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After the A to Z Challenge What's Next?

 
       We are now facing the last week of the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge of 2011.   Some of you may be breathing a big sigh of relief that it's ending, while others who are having a great time with it may be wondering what to do next.
      
       Hopefully you have gained some insight from your experience this April and we'd like for you to share your thoughts with us.  That's why after the Challenge has ended next Saturday April 30th, we are inviting anyone who would be interested in sharing these thoughts to join us on Monday May 2nd for the 2011 edition of the A to Z Challenge Reflections Mega Post.

       Tell us about your experiences with the Challenge, both good and bad.  How did it help you?  How many followers did you gain from your participation in A to Z?   What was the most challenging aspect of this event?  What surprised you the most?  Would you do it again?   Why or why not?  Would you recommend it to others?

        We know that not all of you have liked this Challenge and we'd like to hear why.  Did the A to Z Team of event hosts do an adequate job of helping to answer your questions and to offer solutions to your problems?  Was the preparation leading up to the challenge handled well enough and in what ways did the Challenge fall short of your expectations?   What was wrong and what suggestions would you offer to improve it?

        The Reflections Post is also an opportune time to recognize the bloggers you found to be especially outstanding.   Did you discover any new blogs that you will continue to follow and you want to proclaim their achievements to the rest of us?  Did you make any special new blog friendships that have made A to Z more memorable?     Which bloggers deserve special recognition for their posts, their comments, or both?

         Monday May 2nd will be the official A to Z Challenge Mega Post day, but the days before or after will be fine as well if you can't make it on that day.  A special Linky list for this Mega Post will be opened on May 1st.

        Please use discretion and courtesy if you add your name to the list.  We invite all participants of the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge to join us to express themselves.   Others who feel like they have something truly relevant to add to this discussion are also welcome to participate with their thoughts so long as they are constructive in their intent to help and enlighten others.  Those who merely want to offer negative rants that have no constructive value are asked to refrain from joining the list.    We don't mind hearing your negative thoughts just so you are not trying to tear down other people or hurt the reputations of those who mean well.    And please don't add your name to the Linky list if you have no intent to participate and merely want to be seen on the list.  The list is intended to benefit others and not waste anyone's time.

        We hope that all of you who are sincerely interested in sharing your thoughts about the A to Z Challenge will join us for the A to Z Challenge Reflections Mega Post will join us in this interactive event.  I will be linking to today's post throughout the week in my blog comments signature so as to let as many know about this as I can.  

          If you have any questions, comments, concerns, or any other thoughts about the Mega Post or anything else related to the A to Z Challenge, please leave a comment below.




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The A to Z Experience Recap Redux

          Oh yeah, I almost forgot--I'm supposed to post something.  I could say, "Well, after all of that A to Z blogging I need a rest."  But no, I've been saying I'm going to blog everyday until September 21st which will be one year.  Then Rayna from Coffee Rings Everywhere comes along and tells me she's been blogging daily for nearly two years straight.  I don't know if I'm going to match you Rayna-- you are a blogging queen and I may leave you with the title.  But that's not what I'm really here to talk about today.

          Like I'm sure many of you have already discovered, there are a lot of bloggers who left reflections.  I am trying to read and comment on every one of them and on Sunday and Monday I only got about half way.  I did get distracted by other blog activities, but there are some great reflections posts.  I hope you'll read them all and leave a note for each of the great blog authors who wrote them.  There is not only some very useful information and funny stories, but also inspirational and uplifting accounts of how this blog community came together.  The fact is that there is a lot of reading content in these reflections posts and I'm still reading.

          That being the case I'm going to just carry this thing over for today.   I said in a previous post that I could probably just go on talking about the participants in the Blogging From A to Z April Challenge for the rest of the month of May--there is certainly a lot that can be said and I guess for a while I could just blog about blogs.  However I don't want to get overly redundant here.   The Blog Roll of Challenge participants will remain on my side bar for at least the entire month of April for those who would like to continue to check out these exceptional blogs.

             Now back to one of my favorite topics-- increasing readership through increasing followers.  I know some of you don't care about this topic so you can ignore this. However some of you I know are interested in this.  During April I noticed that C. Patrick Schulze, a novelist whose blog I have been following for a while, did a very good piece about Driving Traffic to Your Blog.   I promised him that I would mention this piece in one of my Challenge recaps.  The post also has a link to a podcast of the article if you're sick of reading for a while and would like to just listen.  You can find this article at  C. Patrick Schulze .  If you leave a comment please let him know that you were directed from this site.

 And now I'll close today's piece with a few more quotes from participants and observers:

I have so enjoyed A-Z blogging, finding common threads, with people I may not have sought out!
Ellie at Ella's Edge

We picked up the same V word, and our posts are so very different, and yet each so true to the word.    The beauty of the A to Z challenge is the way it has got so many such diverse people together.
~ Rayna Coffee Rings Everywhere said to Alex J. Cavanaugh


I wanted to tell you that I think this A-Z challenge was a phenomenal success. You brought together a whole bunch of new bloggers along with some seasoned veteran bloggers. The blogs I visited were fun and creative. You created community, which isn't easy to do, virtually or in reality. Way to go everyone who participated in Lee's challenge. It was great fun watching from the sidelines.
Karen Walker Author Karen Walker... Following the Whispers

I've written so much over the month of April and I believe that you inspired me to up my quality by ten-fold. I learned a lot from the participants and found some great sites I otherwise wouldn't have come across.
Raquel Byrnes 

I really just want to thank you for this Challenge we are in, it has grown me as a blogger and I have made some amazing connections with other wonderful bloggers that I will cherish in my heart forever           Shannon at Faith, Hope, and Love

Thanks for the secrets to blogging! I couldn't have done it without you! 
Wolfie  at Writer Person  --- Okay, this is my niece and she got some special help from me.  I'm really proud of the way she is learning and through the challenge has become a blogging veteran.


 

I am amazed at how the challenge ignited so much good writing. Interesting posts.
Paul C. at Quoteflections



My regret is (not that I didn't participate lol) it is that I found so many of you AFTER your challenge. So I think of all those great A to Z posts I missed! Congrats for finishing! What an accomplishment...
KarenG at Coming Down the Mountain: From Reclusive Writer to Published Author



Thank you for coming up with this wonderful challenge. I'm sorry that my headaches have kept me from writing like I should have. This has been a fantastic experience. I've learned a lot about myself and meet a lot of new blogging buddies. Thank you for coming up with this challenge. Carol Fleisher Carol's Corner

 Lee this was something special and altogether life changing.
 Debra Harris-Johnson  at Dream Weaver


The A-Z Challenge was a wild ride!      Alex J. Cavanaugh

My Reflections of the Blogging From A to Z April Challenge

            The Blogging From A to Z April Challenge has a history--a very short history.  I have posted about this on March 27th  in my blog post where I first suggested this challenge and in a follow-up post on Monday March 29th.  You can go back to read these posts if you want to recapture some of the initial spirit  that inspired the Challenge and see exactly what little promotion went into convincing our mighty band of bloggers into participating in the Challenge.  It was one of those things that literally seemed to come together almost overnight.

           As unsavory as it may sound to some of you, the Challenge was about followers--not completely, and I'll explain that later, but I also have to be totally honest.  My whole reason for proposing the Challenge was to celebrate my 200th follower.  At the beginning of this year when I had reached 100 followers, I set a goal of reaching 200 by April 1st.  Note that I had named April Fool's Day as my target day so in a way I was being whimsical in that I did not seriously think I was going to accomplish it.  However, as the date approached I realized that it actually was going to happen and I made an active networking push to make sure it happened.

          There is a tradition of celebration for many bloggers when they reach milestone numbers of followers.  I didn't want to do a contest like a giveaway or drawing or anything like that because quite frankly they don't interest me that much.  Instead I wanted to do a showy blog challenge that I could invite others to do with me--it did not take long to come up with Blogging A to Z.  I proposed the idea on a Saturday blog post, when I normally have less readers, and indicated that I would be making an official announcement on my Monday post, when readership is usually the highest.  Yvonne at Welcome to My World of Poetry was the first to accept the challenge.  By the end of the day of that Saturday post I could see that there was some definite interest in doing this challenge. 

          I decided that it might be nice to get the participation of 20 or 25 bloggers in total, but I would have to do some work to get that.   Before the Monday post showed up I began networking to some of the more prolific bloggers that I follow to tell them to check my Saturday post and watch for my Monday announcement.  One thing led to another as word began to spread.  By the April 1st start date over 70 bloggers had come on board to participate, and eventually 90 were on the official blog roll.  The real point I want to make is that in order to get the word out I had to actively promote the Challenge with additional help coming from bloggers telling others about it.

         Now here's the interesting part of my hosting this challenge.   In celebrating having reached 200 followers, during the course of the month of April I gained over 100 additional followers.  And for the most part I'm not talking followers who just wanted to win something or who were doing some kind of linky follow thing, but I'm talking about quality reading and commenting followers.  Yes, I'm referring to you participants. You are the best kind of followers that any blogger can have--followers who are not just numbers, but followers who are blog friends who care for one another, who read, who comment, and who teach.  I will gladly keep ten of you over 100 anonymous followers who will never read or comment on my blog.  I think most of you would probably agree with this sentiment.

          What does it take to get quality followers like these?  The Challenge helped by offering a pool of the right kind of people.   But just like blogging in any scenario, if you want the followers you have to work to get them.  If you're a well-known literary agent or some high profile personality maybe the followers will come to you without effort.  If you do the follow linky days I guess you can accumulate bunches of followers, but are they the quality that you are looking for?  If  you want followers with whom you can have an actual communicative relationship, then you need to reach out, comment, and become friends.  Most of you saw absolute proof of this during the challenge.

           You each have your stories to tell and you will be telling some good ones in these Challenge Reflections posts.  But I would like to give a couple of standout examples.  Yvonne at Welcome to My World of Poetry tells of the years she blogged and never received a comment.  Her following grew little by little in that time, but it was a loyal following.  Yvonne knows how to comment and keep commenting.  She was commenting on my every post prior to the challenge.  Right before the challenge Yvonne celebrated 100 followers, and now at the end of the Challenge she is nearing her next hundred.  How did that happen?  Ask yourself: "Did Yvonne ever comment on my blog?"  More than likely she did.  Yvonne is an amazing commenter and she has learned the value of networking to make and keep friends.  Yvonne is a friend who I, and probably you, want to keep.  She was looking for numbers in her followers so she could have readers and she got them.

           On the other end we have Bud at B-E-ing Transformed.  At the beginning of the challenge Bud expressed his concern about my stressing on amassing blog followers.  We had a discussion and came to an understanding of what we were each looking for.  Bud was looking for very specific blogging friendships in which he could relate to them and they could appreciate where he was coming from.  He found some other bloggers with whom he became very close and began to offer wonderful comments to them--words of encouragement and inspiration, friendly suggestions, delightful humor.  I love Bud-- he is a blogger of heart who has made a real connection with others.

         I'm sorry that I just can't go on about every one of you like this, but this blog post would become extremely long if I did so.  I seriously thought of spending the entire month of May talking about how wonderful each of you were in your own ways.  You all have so many gifts and talents that I become overcome with awe that you all took the time to join me on this challenge.  I don't have anything planned yet for May except for the Fifteen Fantasy Island Favorites post on May 17th, so maybe I can make talking about all of you as my personal May challenge.

         As I said earlier, the April Challenge was not just about numbers of followers.  Like I have indicated in the previous paragraphs the followers we gained are now our friends.  I hope these are relationships that will be maintained and blossom in the months and even years to come.  There are not many things on this earth finer than a good friend.  We may never meet, though I like to think that one day we might, but at least we can share our experiences and offer support in whatever way we can.

         Finally, for me and I know for certain others, the Challenge was about writing.  We are all writers in the sense that we are writing our blogs.  However certain ones of us are looking at writing as an avocation.  We may be building platforms for our career, honing our craft, trying to learn from other writers, or blogging just to talk about our writing projects.  Celebrating followers was an excuse for the Challenge.  I had already challenged myself to post everyday until September 21st, at which time I would reassess my future blog plans.  I wanted to have one year of steady blogging. 

       Blogging in April from A to Z was just a variant to what I've been doing all along.  I formatted the daily blogging into a theme.  It was a discipline that integrated some extra creativity.  The Challenge was about the craft of writing, the art of staying motivated and motivating others, and the business of promoting.  The Challenge was just another step in preparing for my future and I help it helped you in the same way.

         Right now I feel like many of you have said you feel.  I feel somewhat empty like in--now what?  The party is over, the guests are going home and now it's back to life the way it was before the Challenge.  What are you going to do now?   I guess I'm going to think about my upcoming topics.  And then I'm going to start writing and writing some more.   Thanks to all of you for a job very well done.

     

Zzyzx

       Zzyzx?  Some of you may be thinking I'm making this up.  There's no such thing as "zzyzx".  But as anyone who has driven I-15 from Los Angeles to Las Vegas will attest, there is indeed a Zzyzx Road exit.  Zzyzx Road is a four and half mile road that goes to Zzyzx, California which is not really a town but a place.

       Originally Zzyzx was a sort of health spa and tourist attraction founded in 1944 at a natural spring in the Mojave Desert.  In 1974 the land was reclaimed by the United States government.  Since 1976 Zzyzx and its surrounding land has been managed by California State University as a Desert Studies Center.

         Probably few people ever go to Zzyzx, though many see the exit sign for the oddly named road.  It is probably most notable to Vegas bound travelers as the signaling of the last hundred miles of the trip.  It is past the half-way point as the road wearied journeyers eagerly anticipate arrival in "Sin City"-- the city that never sleeps.  Arrival at Zzyzx meets you're getting closer.

          For us A to Z Challengers, our Zzyzx--the letter Z--means we've arrived at our destination.  We've hit the jackpot.   The bells are ringing, the lights are flashing!  We won.   We made it to the end and now we can relax and enjoy ourselves.  We can look back fondly at the road we've travelled and remember the ups and downs of the highway.  The long desert stretches.  And all of the other travelers heading in our direction, us waving at them and them waving at us as we sometimes overtook them and they sometimes sped past us. And now we have arrived in Vegas and our Vegas is Zzyzx.

         Now it's time for the party to begin. It's like a Vegas convention.  We will all convene for our May 3rd Blogging From A to Z Challenge Reflections Mega Post.  Remember that many of the posts will start appearing on what is Sunday for those in the United States.  As you post your May 3rd blog entry don't forget to add your link to the Linky Tool on the Tossing It Out page and then, if I understand this correctly, you can also add that same Linky to your own page.  This will be new for me as I've never dealt with these Linkies.  I've been learning a lot in April.    Welcome to Zzyzx!

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.

What's Next?

May 3rd A to Z Challenge Reflections Mega Post

        As the A to Z Challenge winds down I'm sure that many of us are thinking about WHAT'S NEXT?   The most immediate thing on my mind, and I hope on yours as well, is the May 3rd A to Z Challenge Reflections Mega Post.  I think most of you are aware of this, but if anyone has missed what this is then I will once again explain.  On Monday May 3rd we are hoping to have anyone who would like to join us, challenge participant or not, to post their thoughts about the A to Z Challenge.  Just tell the rest of us how you felt about it:   How it helped you or hindered you, what you liked or didn't like, your favorite posts or blogs--anything the you would like to say about this challenge and if you would like to do it again some time in the future.

       Now I am not a very technological sort, but hopefully I've correctly installed a McLinky in my Side bar that also has a Blog Hop feature.  From the way I understand this, if you will be participating in the May 3rd Mega Post then enter your information onto the list, which will open Sunday May 2nd, and if you would like you can add the same McLinky so it will appear on your blog with the same information.  Theoretically all participants should be able to hop from one blog to the next to see what is being said in the Mega Post.  If I don't have this right then please let me know.  Those of you with McLinky Blog Hop experience may want to check what I've done and let me know if I got it right or need to fix it.  You should be able to add your name to the list until May 5th to account for any stragglers.  I'm looking forward to learning some new things about blogging and hearing some fun stories on Monday May 3rd.

And After the Mega Post?

         What's next for me?   It's back to what I was trying to do before this Challenge suddenly flew into my life.  I plan to continue to post daily on my regular schedule at least until September 20th, which will be my first blog anniversary, after which I will have to reassess whether or not I want to keep up a daily schedule.  I want to at least be able to brag say that I blogged everyday for one full year.

          I will try my best to continue visiting the blogs I follow and commenting on them.  As you are well aware this is a daunting and time consuming effort that can interfere with other projects, but I do want to maintain my contacts with all of you.  Of course, I will always try to acknowledge those who comment on my posts first, so I hope you will try to stay with me as well.

         Then I have my father's autobiography that I was supposed to compile back in January.  This is a project that became delayed when I "lost" the manuscript.  I finally found it again at the beginning of March and began scanning pages.  I still have a way to go on that project.  I'm also behind on completing my 2009 NaNo novel, A Desert Place, which I'm really hoping to have wrapped up by the end of June. I'm sure I could find more to do, but that should keep me pretty busy I'd say.

        How about you?  What are your plans now that you will not have the challenge to take up your blogging time?  

How About Another SMALL Project for May?

         Before the A to Z Challenge even came into my mind, I was working on another collaborative effort with my blog buddy Stephen T. McCarthy.  Stephen had proposed a comparative blog study of our fifteen favorite music albums-- not just a list, but an in depth examination of the fifteen albums that we would want with us on a desert island and why.  Stephen and I, as well as many of his regular readers, enjoy music and we enjoy hearing about what other people like because it broadens our knowledge of music.  This was the plan that Stephen came up with back in March and I have been working on my list since then.

        We have had such a good time blogging with all of you A to Z'ers that we've decided to extend an invitation for all of you and anyone else who likes this idea to join us in the blogfest, FIFTEEN FANTASY ISLAND FAVORITES,  on Monday May 17th.  We would like to limit the list to fifteen but if you can't think of that many then 12, 10, or whatever number you can think of will work just fine.  It will be your blog post so you can certainly do whatever you like, but if you would like to have a guide like we will be using you can refer to Stephen's Best Album Cover Post .   It would help that for each album you post a photo of the album's cover, the album's title, artist, and date of release, followed by a brief paragraph explaining WHY you have chosen it and maybe a short description of the type of music it contains.  As far as genres are concerned, everything's acceptable: Classical, Country, Rock, Jazz, Blues, Movie & Broadway Theater Soundtracks, "Greatest Hits" and "Best Of" compilations, you name it.

        Presentation can be in any format.  You can be as creative as you care to be.  Turn your list into poetry or a short story if you like.  Make it an autobiographical account of how this music has influenced your life.  Create a video of yourself talking about it or put together a photo or art montage that tells us about your list.  It all comes down to one day's post and you can make it as simple or complex as you like.

        We want to learn about some music we might have missed.  I already know that there are a lot of music fans in the A to Z Challenge because many of you have done posts about music already.  Now let's focus on getting to know one another better by the music we like and what that music means to us.  Are you with us?  I hope so and I hope we can get a lot more folks to join us on this one since the time commitment is nothing like Blogging From A to Z.

        If you would like to post on the May 17th FIFTEEN FANTASY ISLAND FAVORITES you can leave a comment below.  Later you can add your name to the McLinky that I will put up after May 7th (if I got that McLinky thing right).  We hope you will all join us and spread the word!
 
Monday, May 17th Fifteen Fantasy Island Favorites   A McBirddogg Production

Time

             The Old Man awoke earlier than normal.  He had to go into the living room to look at the only clock in his house.  The clock was an inexpensive plastic clock that ran on two double A batteries and it hung on a wall next to a calendar.   He saw that it was nearly nine a.m., which was about two hours earlier than he normally would have been out of bed.   Usually it didn't matter what time the Old Man woke up.  Time didn't really matter anymore.

            Today, however, he needed to be ready.  It was his 80th birthday.  Family members were going to be coming over at noon to celebrate the Old Man's 80th birthday.  He was happy.  He was excited.  There was going to be a party for him.  He ate a simple breakfast of toast with butter, a cup of black instant coffee, and a banana.  He then went to take a shower and get dressed.

           His oldest daughter arrived before the others so she could get things ready for the party.  She usually came at least once or twice a week to help clean the house, take her father to shop or run errands, and spend time with him talking.  He would see his other children, grandchildren, and great-children at other times throughout the year, but not too often.  Each visit was a happy occasion that came and went.

           As noon approached, family members began to arrive. Hugs and warm greetings were passed among them.  They brought folding chairs and tables, balloons and decorations, and an array of foods and drinks.  Soon the living room was filled with tables and chairs and with people carrying plates piled high with food.  The room was awash in busy chatter and happy laughter, people eating and children engaged in play.  A whirl of sound and activity swirled about the delighted Old Man. 

            After everyone had finished eating, the assemblage broke into cells of conversation with individuals drifting from one group to another catching up on news.  Some clustered attentively around the Old Man as he talked about days gone by and other memories.  Much of his past life now seemed to him like stories he had read in a book long ago.   Children scrambled about the room and into other rooms while a few adolescents sat by bored on the couch as though waiting to make an escape.  Talk, serious and silly, was swapped as the passel shoshed about the room like a bowl of people soup carried on a tray.

            Then after a rousing version of "Happy Birthday" and  the eating of cake and ice cream, family members scurried about cleaning the kitchen and straightening the house.  Men left with tables and chairs and empty casserole dishes.  Gradually the attendees began leaving with sad good-byes, hugs, kisses, and handshakes.  The oldest daughter kissed her father good-bye and told him that she would stop by the following day.   The Old Man watched through the window as the last family members climbed into their cars and left.  And then they were all gone and the Old Man was alone.

           It was not yet 7 PM, but the Old Man felt tired, yet not sleepy.  He would probably not go to bed for several hours.  It didn't really matter what time he went to bed.  He didn't have to wake up at any particular time.  He didn't have to go to work or be anywhere special.  Time didn't mean anything to him now.  Time wasn't that important.

         The sun sat sullenly on the horizon as it waited to make its departure. As the stark shadows enveloped the room, the Old Man turned on a lamp.  He walked over to the calendar on the wall and carefully marked an X on this day that was about to end-- his birthday.  There were 365 days until his 81st birthday.


         This is a short story I wrote for the letter T.  Perhaps I'll go back eventually and polish it up since I wrote it pretty quickly.  Any thoughts about this story? 

          Time for the A to Z Challenge is winding down--only one more week to go.  And most of you have hung in there.  There are a few more difficult letters coming up but I have no doubt that you can finish with a flourish.  Savor and enjoy these last few days as you make them your very best.  Be thinking about what you want to say in your May 3rd post.  Perhaps there was a certain special post that another blogger did that you want to recognize.  Or maybe you want to feature some of your own work that you were proud of.   You might even have quotes of comments you received from other bloggers.

          The May 3rd Mega Post is your time to tell about your experience with the Blogging From A to Z April Challenge on your own blog site.  I know that this student of blog science, as well as many other bloggers, want to know what you learned from this experience.   Try to be creative and as informative as you can.  What you do is up to you and I for one am anxious to see it.

Savings and Investment

         Have you ever seen one of those fancy RVs with the bumper sticker that reads:  I'm spending my children's inheritance?  Most of us probably do not have the Rockefeller kind of wealth to leave to our heirs and we probably haven't lived on an inheritance that anyone left to us.  You and I for the most part have worked hard to sometimes barely get by or at least live pretty comfortable lives.  From a young age we have heard the admonishments to save and invest our money--save for college, save for marriage, save for retirement.  These are certainly good bits of advice, but to what extent should we make sacrifices in the now to save for the uncertain future?   Here is today's question for consideration:

          Is taking advantage of present opportunities more important than saving for an unknown future?

             Saving and investing took a hit in recent years as many with 401Ks and other retirement and investment accounts saw their values plummet.  Many retired senior citizens found themselves having to return to the work force because they no longer had the funds they had counted on to keep them in their accustomed life styles.  Others on the cusp of retirement were forced to remain in the work force to compensate for lost savings. Some even suffered health problems arising from stress or even committed suicide. The financial crisis that has been sweeping the world has had a devastating effect on the savings that people had put away.

             Perhaps our values have been misplaced.  Perhaps our children don't really have to have the education from the more expensive college or we don't really need to have more house than we can realistically afford.  Most of us would probably agree that going into excessive debt is not a sound financial plan, but could it be that setting savings goals that do not conform with our present budget might be equally ludicrous--especially when we look at the uncertainty of conditions in our world.

          I'm not advocating hiding money in a mattress or just frivolously frittering away our finances.  I'm suggesting judicial spending with some allowance for fun, fancies, and philanthropy.  Don't deprive yourselves of enjoying life now because you have to save for a future that may or may not exist.  Aren't we somewhat presumptuous to be counting on having something we don't have yet?  Sure saving for something may allow you to have something in the future that you don't have now, but then again it might not.  The only thing we ever know that we have for sure is the present, and the future is really a big maybe or maybe not.

         Sure, it's a good thing to have some savings set aside for our retirement in our current societal form.  Many years ago people often didn't live as long as they do now and families often lived together and took care of the older members.  Our thinking about families has changed to a great extent.  We rely more on government care through the programs like medicare and social security.  The alienation of familial interdependence has been supplanted by government care and the private resources of how much one has saved.   Is our modern society sacrificing something very important?

          The Bible teaches us not to worry about money and needs, and not to store up treasures on earth but to lay up treasures in Heaven.  Now whether or not you accept Christian beliefs, if you really dwell upon this concept you might see the practicality of it.  Number one--worry will make you sick, sad, and uncomfortable.  You should do what you need to do to take care of yourself and do your best to take care of others. The second point is what I have been saying--treasures here on earth are temporal and subject to loss.  If we disregard the religious aspect of the statement, we can see that intangible treasures could also be memories, traditions, and relationships.   My suggestion is that one be realistic with the money and possessions that one has, but don't depend totally upon them to the exclusion of enjoying life. 

           From the standpoint of the Blogging From A to Z April Challenge, what we have been doing is time consuming, but I have seen it as a sort of investment.  At the outset, some bloggers stated that they would like to do it but they didn't have the time.  I suppose any of us could have made this excuse.  My question would be why do you blog?  What is the purpose of blogging?  For many of us we are trying to establish a "platform" as they say.  I was already blogging every day so the A to Z Challenge did not really take up that much extra time in the mere act of posting articles.  Commenting did.  It was an investment to me, but how about you?   Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comment section of this post or if you wish this might be part of what you would like to talk about in the Blogging From A to Z Challenge Reflections Mega Post.

Reputation

            Do you think about your reputation?  We may have "a reputation" on many different levels.  There is the reputation based on morals and integrity.  Related to this is reputation based on behavior and dependability.  Some of us may have a reputation of being the life of the party while others may have a reputation of being shy and withdrawn.  Our reputation may vary from one circle to the next based on demeanor, ability, or even appearance.  Sometimes reputation can make us or break us.

           When I was a teenager I recall how my parents would often remind my sister to be careful not to ruin her reputation.  I don't really recall ever receiving this admonishment myself.  Young men were given a certain amount of crazy space because they were guys, but girls who engaged in certain behaviors were at risk of gaining a bad reputation.  It was important not to be "that kind of a girl".

           Later, as we moved on from school to the world of work and careers, we would begin developing our professional reputations.  We might have a reputation for always being late or being sloppy in our work, or we might have a reputation for being the go-to person to get a job done or a person who would go far in the world.  Some of us cultivated and guarded our reputations, while others didn't care.

           In the first century B.C, Publilius Syrus made the observation, "A good reputation is more valuable than money."  This has been the case throughout the centuries and even to this day to a great extent it does remain true in most circles.  However there has been a disturbing trend for certain people to capitalize on their bad reputations.  The romantic notoriety of certain criminals in the past has not been uncommon, but the wrong was recognized as these individuals met their ill-fated consequences.  The recent decades have given rise to a class of thuggery and misbehavior in entertainment personalities, sports figures, and politicians.  This type of behavior which in the past might have been the downfall of a public figure is now often treated with a wink and a lame excuse and at times even as expected behavior, while these figures reap a generous living based on the acceptance of their bad behavior.

          Then there are those whom we expect to have higher standards who are caught in their indiscretions and yet come out unscathed after their time in the limelight going through treatment and public apologies.  Some of them exit the ordeal with reputations sullied and end up paying for their improper behavior with unpleasant consequences.  This is how it rightfully should be: Bad reputations should face negative consequences while good reputations should be rewarded.  Unfortunately this is not always the case.

          What kind of reputation do you try to cultivate for yourself?   What steps do you take to shape your public image?   Do you impress the importance of reputation on your children?  If you are a writer, do you consider the reputation of your characters and, if so, how do you show this reputation?

           In blogging you have probably run across many types of other bloggers to whom you have attached a certain blogger reputation.   What are some of the qualities that you would associate with a bad blog reputation?   A good blog reputation?   In the Blogging From A to Z April Challenge you have probably come upon many bloggers who have a very good reputation as far as you are concerned.  In your May 3rd post you might want to give special recognition to some of the bloggers whom you held in high esteem and tell us why they had a good reputation in your eyes.

         I hope you visit Tossing It Out everyday, but I hope you will make a special point of stopping by next Tuesday April 27th when my topic for the letter W is What's Next.

Q is for Quotes : What People Have Said About the Blogging From A to Z April Challenge

           Since April 1st nearly 100 bloggers from 8 countries have been participating in the Blogging From A to Z April Challenge.  During this month these hardy bloggers have been posting on topics themed on the letters of the alphabet from A to Z six days a week.  The participating bloggers have posted on a whole range of different topics in their individually unique styles.  We have amazed others and sometimes even ourselves with our creativity, persistence, and resilience. 

        We are now on the downside of this challenge as we near the end on April 30.  When all is finished we will have posted nearly 2000 blog posts to all our sites.  Some of these participants are veteran bloggers while some are new to the world of blogging.  On April 30th most of them will be able to walk away with a sense of satisfaction in completing a significant blogging feat.  On the following Monday May 3 we hope that all of our fellow bloggers will join us as we celebrate this feat.  I will tell you more about May 3rd, but first here are some quotes of what some of the participants have said about the Blogging From A to Z April Challenge so far:



Wow... this has been an interesting and wonderful week! I can't believe we have already accomplished one weeks worth of blogging to the A to Z challenge.I want to thank Arlee @Tossing it Out for hosting the A to Z challenge... it has been such an excellent experience meeting new people and reading so many incredible blogs!   Lee- I'm so glad you started this challenge, I am meeting so many wonderful new people... It's discouraging to write and not know who your audience are... you have a gift of networking! Amazing!
This Journey Called Life  Tori Cooper

I don't know if the participants are doing a good job or not (though I do think they are), but you did a Grandastically, Great job by starting this challenge. Never before have I come across so many such diverse blogs with their own unique take on things.  THANK YOU!!!~ Rayna     coffee rings everywhere

Arlee - like I've said on numerous occasions, this challenge has been so much fun, albeit challenging at times. :) The challenge for me is to put more thought into my posts as I'm very much a quick poster and don't usually do a lot of research about or put a lot into what I'm going to blog about for that day. I'm working on changing that and trying to be more deliberate about what I write. So thank you. I'm a lifelong learner and have been taught so much through this endeavor. Thank you everyone! Lisa at Bombastic Bandicoot


I am so glad you started this challenge. I needed something to get me back into writing again and I'm loving the opportunity to get to know some amazing writers and bloggers.   Melody Green at Melody's Musings

Thanks Arlee. I have been having fun doing the blog challenge -- I am increasing my writing which is the point. Thanks for hosting it. Kathleen at Kath Ink


Okay- okay....Truth be known- yes! I want someone to read my blog! But the good news is- after almost two years and five or six followers, I finally reached the double digits because of this challenge.    Rae at Porch Ponderings by Rae



I am so pleased that I decided to join in also, it can be quite the mental challenge when we can't always just talk about whatever we want to talk about!
I love your little bios on the different participants too, please keep doing this periodically. It really is tough to catch them all, but I'm doing my best!
I am clueless as to how it is exactly that we are now halfway through this A to Z challenge! Does anyone else have a clue how this has happened? I swear we just got started. I don't want it to end...I think we should just start right over again after we get to the letter Z!
Trudy at Third Times a Charm

.....you should definitely try the challenge it's fun but also gets you mind going.  All In The Mind of a Belbin by Belbin 9.

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What a challenge it's a great ride. Met many new friends and amazing blogs! I am honored and humbled to have met such fine and talented people. I've almost doubled my "followers" during this challenge.        Debra Harris-Johnson  Dream Weaver

Thanks Arlee for hosting this blogfest. Not only am I learning to be more disciplined in my blogging, but I've discovered some great blogs to follow. Wonderful idea. ---Raquel Byrnes

I am really enjoying this challenge. It is really getting me to stretch my imagination. Thanks for this. It's really the kick in the pants I needed to get my blogging back on track. 
Marjorie from Everything Emerald

This is me, trying to catch up on some of the commenting I've been lacking. Thanks so much for sponsoring this. I can't believe I've yet to miss a day and I've been learning so much about myself, other bloggers and developing a voice.So thanks again!           Rebecca T. at Sonshine Thoughts

Taking this challenge was like joining an elite club of fun friends! Awesome!  Rae Frazier at Porch Ponderings by Rae

Through this challenge I feel like my family has slowly begun to expand. And I love it! There's a warming up period, as in real life when you meet people, but I can feel the friendships beginning to blossom, just like the beautiful flowers. Spring has sprung in our hearts!! :) 
  Lisa at Bombastic Bandicoot

Love it. The A-Z challenge is challenging me to think about my beliefs, my journey in this world (today's post), and has brought great joy to each day.   Linda at Whit's End

Thanks so much for all you're doing to make this challenge the awesome experience that is! Having a lot of fun and meeting some great new bloggers! :)   Beth at  Beth: A Work in Progress


Thanks for encouraging all of us to continue! I am enjoying reading blogs I might not have found, if it weren't for your challenge!    Ellie at Ella's Edge


.....after this A to Z is over with i'm going to begin writing again. you've only seen the tip of the iceburg
Bud Ezekial H at B-E-ing Transformed



My take-away from A-Z challenge is the wonderful new friends that I can count on for wisdom, humor, and the variety of topics we talk over. This has been such a fun month.   Linda at Whit's End

God bless you Ruby, I am so glad I have found you through this challenge...you are just an absolute peach my dear!   Trudy at Third Time's A Charm

The number of people following my blog has doubled since we began this challenge - in fact, there was a huge spike the week before. I've learned so much from blogging, too.  It's taught me consistency, especially participating in the A-Z Challenge. I've had to think through each post and tried to maintain some semblance of order - and quality.       Alex J. Cavanaugh  

I have thoroughly enjoyed this challenge and made many new friends in the process! Learning something new every day!  Beth at A Work In Progress

I, like you can't believe we;re half way through A to Z, It has been an excellent challenge and have loved every moment.   Yvonne at Welcome to My World of Poetry

I appreciate the challenge it has been loads of fun. I have "met" some folks I would probably would have never met. 
Gregg at Gospel Driven Disciples


I wanted to thank you for starting the A-Z Challenge. .....It has been a lot of fun and I'm really enjoying it so much. I've met a lot of wonderful people too!    God bless, Jane at Kierah Jane Reilly

I'm a person who loved the idea of learning something new every day, and running and reading these blogs have given me so much information and new learning experiences. Doing the A-Z challenge too has been a learning experience, since I now need to keep an idea concise and interesting despite the limitations of it. The number of followers basically equals the number of people who consider your thoughts and opinions worthy of reading and publicly support you. It's a great feeling when you get that one extra follower to a blog (thank you to everyone doing this challenge who has followed me blog as a result!). It's a great sense of achievement            Jamie Gibbs at  Mithril Wisdom

Although I'm a late "Challenger" I've enjoyed the mental challenge. Can't wait for the mega on Monday May 3.   Carol  from  Grandma's on the Go

This challenge has definitely changed a lot of things about the way I blog. Marjorie at Everything Emerald

         Throughout this challenge we received support and encouragement from many in the blogging community who did not actively participate in posting A to Z, but were there for us nevertheless.

Quotes from supporters:

To Box O' Whine
You are indeed doing quite well.  Your grit and determination to hang on is wonderful. I congratulate you.
Joseph Pulikotil  of  Man on the Move

Great challenge. Wasn't brave enough to join in but I have enjoyed it. 
  Ann at Inkpots and Quills

You really started something big, Lee!  
  L. Diane Wolfe Spunk On A Stick

hehe i love that you're keeping up with this challenge! what a great idea -- and i learn something new every time!!     Tahereh  commenting on Writings, Musings, and Other Such Nonsense


What an interesting challenge "arlee" - you have certainly spurred on a fair number of folks! AWESOME! :)
In My Humble Opinion      Paula Slade



A to Z Challenge Reflections Mega Post

          After the last A to Z post has been entered on Friday April 30th, we will take an opportunity to reflect upon this challenge.  On Monday May 3rd, on their own respective blog sites, participants will be talking about their own personal experiences with the challenge.  They will tell us how it helped their writing, how it increased their followers, and how it affected their comments.  We will hear about some of the special new friendships that came about as the result of the challenge.  Participants will be relating how much of a challenge it was and how they dealt with it--everything and anything that they encountered from the start of the challenge all the way to April 30th.

          I invite all participants to tell us your story so we can learn from your experiences and possibly gain some new insights about blogging, writing, and networking.    This is an opportunity for us to educate each other and to be educated.  Also, if you were not a participant in the challenge, but were following the action, even if you joined in late, I'd like to hear your observations and opinions about what was done in this challenge.  Whether what you have to say is negative or positive it is all valid and we'd like to hear your voice.  I invite all bloggers to join us on May 3rd for the A to Z Challenge Reflections Mega Post.  I will be posting some final details about this Post on Tuesday April 27th so join me there and please keep checking out all of our posts until the end of April.   There are still some great posts left.


Thanks for getting us in touch with each other. It's been wonderful. And yes, I'll definitely be participating on May 3rd. 
  The Alliterative Allomorph