Although we’re now firmly established into the month of May and it was in April that I participated in the month-long 2015 A-to-Z blogging challenge along with a thousand-plus other bloggers, we’ve all been invited to now reflect a bit on what our experience was like.
I had a wonderful time, and am happy to claim survivorship in my first year of playing. I can understand why people return to do this year after year after year. A big shout out of thanks to the cadre of co-hosts who kept things organized and running smoothly and checked each and every blog to make sure those who had signed up for the challenge were actually participating.
Why did I do it? Admittedly it required a bit of discipline and commitment, but I do love a blogging challenge. And truth told, I love creating abecedariums. Having discovered this fact about myself, I’ve been blogging several abecedariums each year. So I knew I could do it and that I’d enjoy it, so why not?
I chose to blog with a rather loose theme, journeying along with Tarot’s Fool. Given that we started April by celebrating the Fool it just seemed natural to invite this energy along for the rest of the month as well. And because I normally blog about what curiosities are capturing my attention, what I’m loving in the moment, what I’m tripping over as I skip along on my joy path, it didn’t seem like too much of a stretch to invite Fool along for the journey.
I wasn’t 100% sure I could actually do it though, given that I was away on retreat for 8 days during the month. But then again Fool is nothing if not open and full of potential and that’s exactly the kind of energy I invited in and had so much fun playing in.
I was a bit surprised to discover upon reflection that I’d forgotten some of the topics I’d written about. But after all, given that it was a very full month and every day involved not only writing my own post but then visiting lots of other blogs and reading plenty of fabulous posts, I suppose it’s not all that amazing. In any case, reviewing my post topics left me smiling a bit – it does indeed seem like Fool and I travelled some interesting territory:
- April’s Fool
- bummel
- cartouche
- dianthus
- emicate
- floriography
- goldfinch
- hardihood
- ichnogram
- jazzetry
- kuchen
- luftmensch
- money
- nouns of multitude
- opals
- poetry & persimmons
- quicksilver
- rebus
- soil
- tome
- umbrellas
- vending machines
- where
- xenodochial
- yarrow
- zira
It was a joy to visit other blogs and find new treasures, and I appreciate everyone who stopped by a left comments. Some very delightful new connections were made that I look forward to nurturing and enjoying. And now that the immediate crunch is over, there’s the opportunity to go back and visit even more of the blogs I didn’t get around to, and so yet more fun is sure to unfold. How perfect is that?
I really don’t know how you manage to find the time…but I love it! Keep it up!
I go around chanting “time is my abundant ally” in hopes that extra hours will appear on my clock each day. 🙂 Thanks for the kind words Vicki – I do appreciate them.
I love reading all your abecedariums! I am tempted to do one myself and if I do, I will definitely credit you as my inspiration, okay? I can see that planning is key to the success of them.
Read your post about the full moon, too. What a delicious idea to put out water and drink in the light! I may try that too! Thanks for sharing all you do.
Thanks for the kind words Janet. I’d LOVE to see you do an abecedarium. I think they’re great fun and bet you’d enjoy it as well. And here’s to ingesting moon-infused water and knowing you’re a bright and beautiful luminous being!
It sounds like it was a fun month Deborah – it was enjoyable from a distance reading some of the posts of the lovely bloggers I’d followed from last year and your abecedarians are always fun to follow 🙂
Thanks Fil. I definitely had a fun time. And I actually think I have you to credit with bringing the challenge to my attention in the first place.
I so enjoyed coming along for the ride Deborah with you and the Fool and his dog. Thank you! Well done for this being your first time! Here’s to the next time!
Thanks Susan – and indeed, here’s to next time.
Congrats on completing the A to Z Challenge! Looking forward to next year! See you on the Road Trip!
Mary @ Jingle Jangle Jungle
Congrats to you as well Mary! Thanks for stopping by, and see you on the road trip. 🙂
Hi Deborah – I’m late .. but I’m here! I thoroughly enjoyed your Fool’s journey through April .. brilliant idea – and I need to return to read the posts I missed. I hadn’t picked up on the word abecedarium before this year – so that was an interesting addition to my vocabulary.
And you’re doing the road trip – I failed at that one year … when Tina was alive and setting it off … but I’m happy to be around in the background. Good luck with it – and glad to have met you during this year’s Challenge .. cheers Hilary
Thanks Hilary. I so enjoyed the challenge – both the writing and the introduction to so many fabulous bloggers and their writing. Your series delighted me and certainly makes me want to come visit your fair country, although I’ll clearly need to spend a year or two in order to see a fraction of the things you’ve enticed me with.
I didn’t find you through the challenge. Today I’m here on the Road Trip. I think your idea for the challenge was genius. I am bookmarking this site so I can return to read all the posts!
I’m delighted you found me Paula. And what a fabulous idea the “road trip” is – a little breathing room makes it so much easy to savor all the delightful blogs I missed in the craziness of April.
Loving your theme 🙂 I think it’s really interesting seeing what everyone chose for their themes!
Popping by on the A to Z Road Trip
Debbie
http://www.myrandommusings.blogspot.com
So many topics – so much fun. Thanks for stopping by Debbie and I hope you’re having a delightful road trip.
Hello there.
Congratulations on completing your first challenge! This was my second year taking part. Just meandering through today from the Road Trip.
http://entrepreneurialgoddess.blogspot.com
Thanks so much for stopping by on yor road trip and saying hello – I appreciate it. And congrats on your two years participation badge. What a fun challenge to play in!