Thursday, May 5, 2022

A to Z Reflections 2022 #AtoZReflections #AtoZChallenge

Winner, winner, chicken dinner!

Another April has come and gone and it's time for reflection. 

No, not this type of reflection.

Rather this type of reflection.

Here are my Reflections on the 2022 Blogging from A to Z Challenge. 

When I look at my 2021 Reflections, my thoughts are so similar.  Too similar.  Way too similar.  So similar, in fact, that I am going to use the same format (and some of the same words) as last year.

So What am I Reflecting About?

Along with hundreds of other bloggers, I participated in a blogging challenge this past April which involved blogging about something beginning with A on April 1, all the way to Z on April 30, with breaks only on Sundays. (26 letters = 26 days of posts). My theme was ""From Florida to Vermont With Stops In Between". 

This year, similar to last year, I decided to participate at practically the last minute, meaning I had to scramble to write some of the posts. So what else is new?  It's a big mistake, by the way.  You really have to write most of your posts in advance, and not change your mind 50 times.

But I did complete A to Z despite some challenges life threw my way.  But people have overcome challenges that are way more challenging than I've faced, so:  no excuses!

The People Who Keep the Challenge Running

Arlee Bird (founder)Tossing it Out

J Lenni Dorner (captain) of Blog of Author J Lenni Dorner

Zalka Csenge Virág of The Multicolored Diary

John Holton atThe Sound of One Hand Typing

Jayden R Vincente (spreadsheets)at  J R Vincente Erotica Writer

Anjela Curtis (graphics)at  AnjelaCurtis.com

Let's give a shoutout to all these fine people.

The Challenge Itself

As I tend to do, I changed my mind about certain letters at the last minute.But, unlike past years, I found myself constantly changing topics for some easy letters, such as P, R and S, and that wasn't that necessary. It wasted a lot of time.  Why was I so indecisive?

The Fun

Part of the fun of this challenge is finding new blogs, and rediscovering blogs I read during previous challenges but didn't keep reading past April 30 for one reason or another.  This year, I didn't do much exploring, including some blogs I had followed just to read some of their posts.  

Social Media

Increasingly, A to Z is utilizing social media for chats, posts, and so forth.  I'm trying to limit my social media presence.  It's a time suck and I want to do a lot more reading of books.  So no, I didn't participate.  Did it limit the number of people who read my blog? Probably.

Statistics? 

I rarely look at my stats.  I am not blogging for business reasons, or to be an influencer.  Right now I'm in a comfortable spot with my blogging and readership.  That, of course, is always subject to change.

The Apology

Once again, I didn't do much exploring.  If you did find me, I did reciprocate, though -I hope.  I like that the blog challenge signup gave you the option of telling readers, in advance, how much exploring you would do.

I didn't depend on the participant list that much after the first couple of days, because I've found (in the past) that I seem to pick blogs where the author abandoned the Challenge after the first several days.  Maybe that wasn't true this year, but several times burned, twice shy (or something like that).

What About Next Year?

In past years, I tended to be so energized that I was tempted to do an A to Z on my own for May.  Not this year.  Tired.  I hate to be a downer, but  I don't think I'll participate again.  On the other hand, April 2023 is a long time away.  

So, please check in with me in March of 2023.

The Thank You

If you discovered my blog through A to Z, either this year or previous years, and are still here reading this, I thank you.

Last but not least...I hope you'll stay and keep reading my blog

I've been blogging daily since 2011 (I started blogging in2009) so I hope you'll stick around and check out my regular programming:  Music Moves Me on Mondays, a Wordless Wednesday (not that wordless) on Wednesdays, and Skywatch Friday on Friday.

Finally,

THANK YOU, MY READERS.

12 comments:

  1. ...A to Z sounds too complex for me.

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  2. I always love your blog, Alana. It is a little spot of peace in my world. (and interesting, and fascinating and fun!) And I am in awe of you meeting the A to Z Challenge. Yow!

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  3. I think I found you through one of the challenges. I don’t participate anymore, but I found interesting blogs when I did.

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  4. I agree with you about social media. It is a time suck and you can get drawn into a rabbit hole and never find your way out again.

    I have never participated in A to Z because I just don't have anything to say every day or about any particular letter, but I admire your participation and your being able to find relevant topics for each letter. And I always enjoy reading your blog.

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  5. Challenges can be a challenge when they don't align with the endeavors that matter most to us in the moment. I rise for some, pass for others, not due to any scale of merit regarding the challenge, but rather due to my "whereabouts" when the challenge is revealed to me.

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  6. Congratulations on making it through. It was the blog hop aspect that finally got me to not take it up again. For now. It sure can be a time suck.

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  7. The A to Z was a great opportunity for expand readers, improve writing. I stopped when we moved, decided I needed to focus on writing. But there were some good writers out there.

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  8. I totally get not wanting to expand the various social media, all of which takes time and focus and more things on the to-do list. Whether or not you participate again next year, I hope you'll make the decision that feels good and healthy for yourself. And congratulations on completing this year!

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  9. Congratulations on completing the A to Z Challenge!

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  10. Congrats on finishing the challenge! Maybe April 2023 will be just as last minute as this year and the one before it...

    Ronel visiting for A-Z Challenge Reflections 2022

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  11. Like you, I started last minute and frazzled my way through the month. Sorry I didn't stop by - I believe I may have visited in previous AtoZ's (?) but like you, my visiting was not up to my usual par this year. Congrats on the win!

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