A to Z Reflections 2023 #AtoZChallenge

Welcome to my Reflections on the 2023 Blogging from A to Z Challenge. 

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 Sunday (except April 30). (26 letters = 26 days of posts). My theme was "Exploring South Carolina and the Eastern United States."

I have a love/hate relationship with this Challenge.  I always make up my mind to do it at the last minute.   I was planning to take a trip in mid April for an event several hundred miles away, so had to scramble to write posts in advance.  Fortunately, I had the time (and energy) to do that.

I usually don't write all posts in advance, but this year I did, and it's the only reason I was able to stay in the Challenge.

In our Reflections post, we are supposed to reflect on the April Blogging from A to Z Challenge we just completed, and let the A to Z team know what worked, what didn't work, what our experiences were.  But I hit an unexpected bump in the road, although I was able to finish.  More on that shortly.

I'm just fortunate that I picked a good theme, enough to (mostly) carry me through.  I took a trip to South Carolina in February of this year, and I would have taken more (and some different) pictures I knew.  Fortunately, I had South Carolina pictures from past visits. 

As you've probably figured out by now, photography is a large part of my blogging.  I hope you enjoyed what I did.

It always seems, though, that I do variations of the same theme year after year.  Travel and pictures.  Rinse and repeat.  A part of me wants to be original.  Another part just plain likes what I am doing, variations and all. Next year?  As someone I love likes to say "I'm not worried about that".

Part of the fun of this challenge is finding new blogs, and rediscovering blogs I read during previous challenges.  I'm not going to name any blog in particular because I don't want to inadvertently leave anyone out.

To you all, I offer a virtual bouquet (not my tree) of cherry blooms.

In past years, we were expected to visit as many participating blogs as possible.  This year, we had the choice of  visiting only blogs that had visited and commented on our blog. I know the latter choice factored into the decision of one blogger who had stopped participating to participate (and she finished).  I chose the latter, too, and it was a good thing I did, because....

The Real Challenge of April Wasn't A to Z but....

On April 6, spouse and I both tested positive for COVID. Both of us were symptomatic. And, I had a rebound so I had double the pleasure, double the fun (NOT!)

I will spare you the details, but they were both (medically) mild cases and we both are fine now. I already had posts written so was able to stay in.  Thank you, participants who wrote short posts or had mostly pictures.  You saved me on the several days I couldn't concentrate enough to read longer posts.

The experience reminded me that life doesn't always go as planned, and you just have to do the best you can under what life throws at you.  So, if anything, that is the best lesson this year's Challenge had for me. 

At least two blogs I already knew and liked had to drop out for varying reasons.  Sometimes, life is like that, too.  Another lesson we can all learn:  be flexible.

Statistics? 

Didn't check.  So, if you followed me or read me a lot, I want to say "Thank you".

If you did find me, I did reciprocate, though -I hope. See "The Real Challenge of April" above.

Now, let's give a shoutout to those who comprise the Blogging from A to Z team:

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 of The Sound of One Hand Typing

Jayden R Vincente (spreadsheets) of J. R Vincente Erotica Writer (note, this links to an "adult" website.)

Finally, the unknown Graphic artist who decided to remain Anonymous (graphics) (and A to Z is looking for someone for 2024)

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 in 2009) 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.

THANK YOU, MY READERS, NEW AND OLD.  I WOULD NOT BLOG WITHOUT YOU.