While I spent all of April participating in the A-to-Z blogging challenge, we’re not quite done yet. Everyone who played is invited to write a reflections post.
This was my third year participating, and once again I had a fabulous time. I love abecedariums and any excuse to create one delights me.
There was a big tweak to the mechanics end of the challenge – eliminating the linky list and requiring daily link posting. There was certainly some agitation when the change was announced and I imagine now that we’ve all had a chance to try it out there will be opinions all over the map about it. Frankly I didn’t really care – my stance is the hosts absolutely get to choose whatever makes them happy, and we get to choose if we want to play along or not. I’m curious though about the numbers of players – I suspect it was very significantly lower this year. Change, even the simplest things, does not bring many humans to their happy place.
That aside, I really enjoyed everything. I loved writing, and although I had to prepare a few posts ahead of time because I was away on retreat for several days, I’m definitely not interested in having all my posts written beforehand – I like being in the creative flow of the current moment. I equally enjoyed visiting other blogs, and really made an effort to get around. What an assortment of absolutely intriguing things folks chose to write about including palmistry, shoe illustrations, snail tales, herbs, Arabia, and so so much more. I found lots of new blogs and fabulous folks to follow, and delighted in posts from old friends – how fun! While there are too many to mention here, you know I love to share treasures so no doubt I’ll be pointing you in the direction of some of my faves in upcoming posts. In the meantime, I want to extend big love and gratitude to everyone who stopped by and commented. Not only was the support and camaraderie delightful, but there were some really thoughtful and insightful comments offered that have invited me to think more deeply about some things, and of course, led me down some wonderful rabbit holes as well. Thank you! I’m also offering a shout of thanks to all the members of the A-to-Z hosting team – kudos for your work.
I loved writing my way through the alphabet as an ambassador of pronoia (the belief that the universe is conspiring to shower us with blessings), quiety (serenity) and peace – all through the lens of unusual, obscure, or simply delightful-to-me words.
I wrote about ataraxia, benison, cloudland, dedoleate, esperance, firgun, githerments, hesychastic, ianthine, jargogle, ka’ohi nani, lotus-eater, microsmatic, noctilucy, ondinnonk, pacation, quoz, riant, smultronställe, translunary, umbfold, veriloquent, walleteer, xanthic, yagiment, and zakka.
And there you have it. I’d love to hear what you think. Will you join me in my mission to be an anchor of loving-kindness, peace, and serenity in these particularly tumultuous and challenging times? Have a favorite among the words? Considering playing in next year’s A-to-Z challenge. Do tell – you know I want to hear.
I enjoyed your theme. It was different from others I had seen.
Thanks. And I really appreciate your frequent visits and comments.
Hi Deborah – I enjoyed all your posts as they are thoughtful ones getting us to look more kindly and gently into our lives and thus the way we approach others …
I admire that you can write as you go – I definitely couldn’t .. but then I need to research/ look things up etc … as I don’t write from the heart on heart-things … I’m not sure re next year … to be thought about!
In the meantime I know I’ll see you around – Cheers Hilary
I’m always astonished at the level of research and depth in all your posts Hilary – truly extraordinary. So when I think of the effort involved in the A-to-Z challenge my mind simply reels. I do hope you decide to play again next year though, despite all the effort. Daily doses of your words are delightful.
Thanks for the kind words about my posts, and as you say, be seeing you soon.
I really enjoyed your theme this year, and I learned a lot of new terms and concepts from it! I heard about pronoia before, but never got into it, and I found your explanations intriguing and reassuring 🙂 Thank you!
The Multicolored Diary: WTF – Weird Things in Folktales
Oh I’m so happy to hear you’ve opened to the idea of pronoia. I get that it can seem like such an airy-fairy Pollyanna concept, but I absolutely believe we are empowered in both how we perceive the world and how we navigate in it. And I will forever encourage us to do so with open hearts and awareness of all the beauty that surrounds us.
Loved your abecedarium this year! My favorite words were jargogle, noctilucy and walleteer. I didn’t care about not having a main “Linky” page this year either as last year I found the list of so many blogs to be overwhelming. Having a link up on facebook for each individual letter served me much better. Aren’t there some interesting people/stories out there? I’m thinking already about next year as I don’t want to have to skip any letters 🙁 Have a wonderful week, Deborah! Thanks for stopping by my blog and giving me your words of encouragement!
I totally agree Janet – what fascinating people and fabulous topics the challenge treats us to. There a whole lot of goodness out there in the blogging universe! And I love that now that April is over we can explore more deeply at a somewhat more leisurely pace. 🙂
Congrats on finishing A to Z this year and thanks for visiting/commenting on my blog during the challenge. I am kind of with you on writing during the challenge, as opposed to ahead, to go with the flow. But I wish I had at least written some posts ahead as a buffer for those times when I needed a break. That said, I agree with you — it was a fabulous experience, though there were significantly fewer participants this time. Still, I met new folks, learned new things — so it was quality over quantity for A to Z 2017. Good luck with your blogging endeavors and hopefully see you next April!
Beside the inherent joys of the challenge in getting to meet knew people and being exposed to interesting posts, it’s always great when we get to learn something about ourselves. So yay to knowing that a buffer of written-ahead posts will feel better to you next time. It’s always great when we figure out that perfect balance point of crazy good fun and a sustainable nourishing pace.
I learnt a heap of new words here. And a lot of gentle wisdom. Much required in the world. Kudos on a great A-Z and a well written Reflections post. Agree with many of your points but that bit about hosts choosing the format they want and players choosing whether they want to play along is exactly what I feel too.
I deeply admire all those who write spontaneously for the challenge, I tried doing that for the first year and it wasn’t a particularly good experience 🙂 I have to schedule all my A-Z’s otherwise the panic management systems seize up completely 🙂 which is strange considering all other months I am a pantser.
It was great finding your blog and you through this A-Z.
Best wishes,
Nilanjana.
Thanks for the kind words Nilanjana. And you certainly had me laughing at your comment about panic management systems seizing up. April brings more than one set of challenges doesn’t it. 🙂 It was such a delight connecting and I look forward to more of your fabulous writing.
It’s “shoe illustrations” here! Want to thank you for your comments.
It was a crazy month, to be sure. I didn’t have time to explore your A-Z then, but now I do! That is an intriguing list of words, which I relish reading about.
I’m so glad you stopped by Anne, and I hope I haven’t embarrassed you by staring. I wanted to see what shoes you were wearing. And of course I wanted to verify your identity – you can’t be too careful around someone who introduces you to faux personas and the concept of International Fake Journal Month. 🙂 Needless to say I’m swooning in appreciation of such delights.
Smultronställe was probably my favorite word. 🙂 I’m always amazed with the variety and creativity of posts people come up with during the challenge. It really does add to the enjoyment of it all, for me, anyway. Glad to have met you, Deborah, and congrats for a challenge well-done.
Thanks Sara, and I share your delight in the wondrousness the challenge invokes. And I have to confess I’m pretty partial to Smultronställe myself. May we all always have our secret special places that fill us with delight.
Thank you for jargogle and yagiment Deborah.
I’m making sure I use these two (new to me) words everyday–that’s how much I love them:)
I’m so glad to have found my way to your peaceful blog. I save my visits to you to the very end, when I’m about to log out of the virtual world of my laptop because I know your words will keep me in a happy place for the rest of the day.
Reflection Post
What kind words Arti – you make my heart happy. And I LOVE that you’ve embraced those couple of words. I’m sure they are delighted to be moved out of the realm of obscurity into daily usage! They certainly deserve it I think.