Reflections on My Third A to Z Experience

This is my third A to Z Challenge.  I cannot remember whose blog I was reading when I first discovered the Challenge, but I thank them for mentioning it.  I have thoroughly enjoyed all three years.

Each of those years has been a travel blog.  The 2013 Challenge allowed me to revisit some places I hadn't thought about in years.  In 2014, I covered my then recently finished tour of Switzerland and Germany, with side excursions into neighboring France, Italy, and Liechtenstein.  This year?  My Russian Adventure, with stops in Helsinki, Finland and Tallinn, Estonia.

I really learned this year to have everything written in advance, for the most part, and scheduled. Then I just went back and edited before publication.  Of course, I also had my bonus posts of Middle-Earth, so I had to make sure those YouTube videos were still working (one wasn't).

As for visiting other blogs, I managed to visit over 300 bloggers.  While skipping those with the label AC, I had several thoughts while traveling the list.  My top ten are as follows:

1.  First, since blogs are able to choose labels, how about one for religion.  I am not  a religious person, so just as I skip the adult content, I'd just as soon skip those who are spouting religion.  Incessantly.  No offense taken, but it would be nice to choose to skip.

2.  Some bloggers are way to wordy.  I do not care to read a short story in an A to Z post.  Not enough time for that.  OTOH, some bloggers give me 'photo envy'.  WOW, is all I can say, and I did many, many  times.

3.  Some bloggers never got off the ground, or just gave up.  It made me wonder why they bothered to put their name on the list.  Plus, it wasted my time and I'm sure the time of others.  Or maybe I am just too crabby, lol.

4.  One blog was limited to 'invitees only'.  What is up with that???  And Captcha and comments awaiting moderation are really annoying.  Nuf said.  (I do understand spamming, but fortunately I've only had to delete a few comments over the years.)

5.  Some blogs had such glaring backgrounds I couldn't get past the first few sentences.  The backgrounds may be fine if there is nothing else on the page.  But....

6.  One blogger was so angry in all of her posts that I actually left a comment and told her to chill before she had a heart attack.  Blogs are a great place to vent and I certainly have done that.  But on a daily basis?  And during the Challenge?

7.  I discovered that there are tons of writers out there.  I have often told stories about my life growing up in a poor, lower-middle class neighborhood.  Everyone tells me I should write about it and I tell them that first, most of that crap was covered in 'Peyton Place', and second, Eminem, who grew up nearby, (though many years later) told about it in the movie 'Eight Mile' (I lived in the first house off of Eight Mile Road in Warren, MI and I would never want to raise my children there.)  I give these writers a lot of credit.  I have a hard enough time just blogging.

8.  My 'Thanks' to blogger A Tarkabarka Holgy for discussing 'Signature' on the A to Z blog page.  Too bad it wasn't on A for 'Affixing Signature'.  I will definitely remember this for next year.

9.  I am already thinking about next year.  It will not be about travel since nothing is planned between now and then.  It will be consistent with some of the things I talk about during the year.  And no, I will not post pictures of my adorable grandson for 26 days, lol.

10.  All in all, I love this experience.  While I do not get a ton of new followers, I am happy with the faithful ones I have who visit and post interesting comments.  If I missed replying to anyone, I apologize.  I've got several new blogs to follow, assuming they do not disappear after the Challenge, which has been known to happen.

Hopefully you will stay with me over the coming year.  Recipes, pictures of my garden,  more travel photos and of course, Charlie, are all up and coming.

And again, Thanks to everyone for reading this rant.  Yes, I did rant up top.