A to Z Challenge Reflection and Celebration-My 100th Post
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Today is Double Whammy Day! I got my A to Z April 2013 Survivor badge, then wrote this reflection post to make my 100th post. Double celebration!
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I participated in the 2012 A to Z Challenge and loved it. I was a new blogger then and needed the push challenge that the A to Z gave me. I didn’t think I had twenty-six ideas to write about, and I didn’t think I could keep up the pace. But I did, and I did.
I continued blogging for six months after the 2012 A to Z ended, then took a break because of family health issues. When the 2013 A to Z Challenge turned up this year, I jumped in the deep end. I love the challenge to write on a regular basis, and the discipline keeps me going. I like this year’s theme focus and decided to write about a not-so-popular topic, grammar. I have always loved grammar and feel bad when people disparage it. I want to make grammar fun and powerful for writers. (This will take a while!)
Like many of us, I have met new friends through interesting blogs. I wish I had so much more time to read what everyone has to say. I love the travel and photography blogs, the cooking blogs, the nonfiction blogs, and the whimsical blogs. I read as many writing blogs as I can, and read through everything that appears in my WordPress reader based on my categories of interest. I love making new discoveries and meeting new people. And I love reading the wide variety of writing styles. Such talented people! I am impressed.
I commented on many posts, but “liked” a lot more. Commenting is good, but I also like to read widely, so I had to work out a compromise on how many comments I could write. Besides answering comments on my own posts took time, too.
New ideas for posts come floating at me as I read other posts. Now I have way more than twenty-six ideas to write about!
For my X post, I wrote “X is for X-It (exit) Strategy,” a reflection post on A to Z itself. I wrote out ideas for how to keep my blog going and how to clean-up my blog a bit.
Special thanks to the organizers of A to Z, Arlee Bird and assistants. I think you have helped a lot of bloggers move from being baby bloggers at the starting point to becoming more mature bloggers. We Are Not Alone (Kristen Lamb). We learn from each other.
Thanks to my new blogger friends. I hope we can keep in touch.
And now, care to join a new challenge? My new friend at The Sock Zone posted about this one, The Blog Every Day in May Challenge, and I jumped right in.
![BlogEverday[1]](https://janiceheck.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/blogeverday1.png)
Now for your bedtime reading, here’s a list of my 2013 A to Z Posts.
Bye for now. =<^;^>= See you in the 2014 Challenge…and hopefully before!
You are braver than me Janice, I couldn’t think about another post-a-day so soon. Well done on completing two challenges! I love your idea of grammar + cats, two topics close to my heart.
I’m not sure brave is the word…more like…well, I can’t think of a polite word for dumb right now. But at least on this challenge my posts will be shorter…supposed to be 250 words. My A to Z posts were often much longer. And I like the brief prompts to get me going. You’ll be happy to know tht I passed on a “Vlog a Day in May” Challenge. I’m not ready for that yet.
And thank you for all of your thoughtful comments. They make the blogging go easier.
Congratulations on reaching your 100th post. The cat photos on your A to Z posts have made me smile so many times!
Thanks, Lynn. I love cats, so I have fun looking for them and posting them.
Thanks. So happy to bring you smiles. They make me smile, too. That’s why I love them.
Congrats on being brave enough to enter AND finish the A-Z.
Thanks, Teresa. And now, foolish me, I have entered another challenge. Blog Every Day in May. These are based on short prompts and short answers, so it should be easier than A to Z. June? Who knows?
Thanks, Teresa. I checked both of your blogs, too. Looks like we might have some similar childhood experiences…rural living, etc.
Thanks, Teresa. Now I am doing another 31 days of blogging…Blog Every Day in May Challenge. Crazy, right?
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Congratulations!! 100 posts and the end of the challenge!! Great job!
I had a great time too. I can’t wait for the next A to Z.
Connie
Peanut Butter and Whine
Thanks. I wondered if I could do it again (I did it last year, too). This year was easier, but I’m not sure why.
Oh you are brave!! Two months of post a day!! BRAVE!!! I have an excuse! I’m headed for a 2 week camping trip. Ahhhhh relaxation here I come!! Congratulations on finishing the challenge. Good luck with the second on!
Connie
Peanut Butter and Whine
Good luck with your camping trip. Take pictures and blog about it!
The A to Z is always a challenge in the truth sense of the word, but it’s also very rewarding!
Well done on your achievement! 🙂
Thanks, Trisha. It’s been fun, in a demented sort of way. But I have made some new blogger friends and that is nice.