Yes, I know. It isn't March 8. It isn't even close.
It's been a hard year for a lot of bloggers. I've plowed on, but I am feeling mentally exhausted.
Every year since 2015 I have joined a wonderful blogging challenge called Blogging from A to Z. Every April day (excepting Sundays) we blog about something according to the letters of the alphabet - A on April 1, B on April 2, and so forth. 26 days, 26 letters. The rules are simple - blog about something reflecting the letter of the day. Photos, artwork, fiction, non fiction, all are welcome. Just try to come up with 100 words per blog, but there are no word count police out there.
I just wasn't feeling it this year. But, this morning, I finally made up my mind. I'm going to join the challenge, and see if I can challenge myself to last the entire month.
For me, the writing isn't the hardest part - I've blogged daily since late April, 2011 (yes, for almost 10 years.) It's the visiting other blogs. I've met some bloggers over the years and I still read their blogs. But it is a strain, visiting blog after blog. I also admit that I have fallen in love with several blogs over the years, only to find that they rarely blog outside of A to Z. But that's life.
What I finally did was look up my themes from 2015, and started to reread some of those posts with pleasure. Here are my themes, and you can see a pattern here: I've admitted it before. I'm a photo hoarder. I have well over 11,000 photos on my iPhone SE first generation. This month of April is when I strive to show some of those photos the light of day (or my blog).
2015-America the Beautiful (my travels).
2016 - Days of our Lives (no, not the TV soap opera)
2017 - Traveling Through Time and Space
2018 - Florida Outside the Theme Parks
2019 - Finding America Through Photos
2020 - America the Beautiful (I never realized I repeated my 2015 theme!)
In 2020, I made a trip to Florida in January, and then..well we all know what happened in March. I have not been outside my home New York State since we returned home from the January trip to Florida. So the theme was easy:
Theme for 2021 - New York State
It actually fits in with one of my pet peeves - people who think New York State and New York City are the same thing. Trust me, they aren't the same thing. I won't bore you with my love/hate relationship with my native New York City, but I want to show you some of the beauty of New York State, both outside and inside New York City (mostly outside).
I left New York State as a young adult, and returned almost 35 years ago. It's my home. It has flaws but I love it.
(Except when it snows)
This is a perfect theme as I continue to stay near home. Some pictures and topics will be related to the pandemic, and some won't be. I think this theme is what I need to re-energize myself.
Now I just need to write the posts. You really do need to write most of them ahead of time.
I hope you will join me in my leap of faith.
Great! I look forward to seeing some of those photos! 11,000? I REALLY need a newer phone with more storage. I k now what you meant about visiting blogs. Someone wrote in some comment somewhere (good luck ever finding things like that again!) that years ago there would be a few thousand participants! Last year's 510 were more than enough for me. But, you know, I don't check in on all of those. I can't. I don't visit the ones that I really have no interest in. Most of the short stories, all the genealogy (really, I think those are only interesting to relatives), "adult" content... Sometimes I think it would be fun to have a blog about whatever hits me that day. But, I have enough to do with what I have, and I already have a few off-topics added in now. Have a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteI admire you for your daily blogging and I look forward to your A to Z posts. Several years ago I blogged daily for about three years, but my blog has evolved over the years and I don't feel compelled to do that anymore.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great idea! Looking forward to reading it!
ReplyDelete...I love New York State too!
ReplyDeleteGreat theme (:=)
ReplyDeleteBetter late than never. I think theme reveal day is just a suggestion, anyway.
ReplyDeleteI've given up officially doing the A to Z due to the visiting. I may try. But it struck me as more trouble than it was worth. This is why last year I decided not to officially do it (before the shutdowns, so that wasn't a factor). This year I'll do the same. I'll write to the letter of the day on the days I write (meaning I won't be adding in Saturdays).
Good luck. Sounds like I'll learn a lot from your theme.
I love the theme. Looking forward to your photos
ReplyDeleteI haven't quite thought about the difference between New York State and New York City. I may drop by to see wha you'll post. Good luck with the challenge.
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely day.
Well, I'll be reading your posts, but not always commenting. I haven't done the challenge for the last several years. Good luck.
ReplyDeleteGreat new theme, looking forward to your photos!
ReplyDeleteMy 2021 AtoZ Reveal
I always enjoy reading challenges about cities, I don't knwo why. so I'll definitely read you along ;-)
ReplyDelete@JazzFeathers
The Old Shelter - Theme Reveal - The Great War
New York State is a good theme. We have enjoyed visiting Upstate NY .... Clayton and Sackets Harbor. We sailed over from the Canadian side on one trip. Nice. Enjoy.
ReplyDeleteGood luck, hope you manage to stick with it and keep inspired. Ive visited NYC, but not much outside the city, so looking forward to learning some more.
ReplyDeleteAlana,
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you decided to get in on the A to Z action and I appreciated your stopping in to learn about my theme reveal for April. Like you, I wasn't getting into the blog fest right up until I decided to run with it. Ever since I started sharing my art, I looked for other artists but the field of interest for this genre is narrow. I definitely try to connect with my regular buds like you who take part. I'll be anxious to tour your home state through each photograph you share. We'd love to visit the Adirondack mountains someday. Sometimes, I think I'd like to visit the Big Apple, as well Ellis Island. There's so much rich history and such diverse people but the crowded, busyness of the city makes me anxious so I'm not sure how much I'd actually enjoy walking on the streets of NYC. I'll just enjoy it from afar for now. I can't wait to see you photos!
Sounds great to me - I look forward to your posts. And I hope you find yourself re-energized as well.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to your posts. My theme is Life in Florida :)
ReplyDeleteHi Alana - this will be fun ... looking forward to seeing them. I've given up with the A-Z ... all the best - Hilary
ReplyDeleteThere are so many things to see and do in New York State. I hope you enjoy writing your posts and getting re-energized by everything your state has to offer. Weekends In Maine
ReplyDelete