My fourth A to Z Challenge has been completed. How is it even possible that so much time has flown by? I must be having fun.
Well, the challenge is so much fun. Not only do I get to talk about my travels and relive them, I get to learn so much from other bloggers. And this year I got to reminisce about my mid-twenties with blogs devoted to the 1970's.
Unfortunately, I did not get to even attempt to go through the list of participants. I found several new blogs after they found me. Life was just too busy.
My grandson would take one nap a day and then I had my house and yard work to do. My computer is not in an area where I can see him when he is up, so I only came in here early in the morning or at night. I got behind on posts and often did not leave any message after reading. But I did visit.
I thought about books I had thrown away, donated, loaned-out never to see again. Other bloggers mentioned books and stories I have yet to read. My list of movies to see has also increased.
Someone talked about a community not being a community. That is certainly true where I live. Everyone wants their group to be the 'top dog' or most important and feels slighted at the drop of a hat. GET OVER IT! Be the best you can be and stop worrying about what everyone else thinks, or doesn't think, about you.
Reliving my youth, I remembered seeing performers live, like Sonny and Cher in the 1970's and totally forgetting that I saw Cher's farewell tour in the 1990's - or at least her first of a few farewell tours. There were songs that were part of my life and TV shows long forgotten.
And then I realized that some people call all of this 'clutter'. They toss everything old for the new and leave their history as just that - history. But this clutter of books, movies, songs are not junk to be thrown out with the trash. Our memories of our lives should be shared. And that is what happens in many blogs during the challenge.
I'll probably be back next year even if my blogging between now and then slacks off more than it already has. But I doubt that I will have the time to visit and comment on all the blogs out there. There is just too much to do in life that does not involve me sitting at a computer. And Hallelujah for that!
Enjoyed your reflection post. You are spot on with your views. I am glad to have a life away from the computer but I am thrilled with my time at the computer. Hope to see you around!!
ReplyDeleteI follow quite a few blogs, Denise, most of them discovered through the Challenge. What helped me was to set up these posts to deliver to my mailbox once a week, on Saturday, when I had time to catch up on them.
ReplyDeleteHope to see you online from time to time! (I'm already plotting next year's challenge!)
My frustration was finding blogs that did not allow me to get posts by email. Or I had to use Disqus to comment. I spent a lot of time catching up on email links. BTW, just discovered one of your books on my Kindle (I forget stuff) so I will enjoy it on my plane ride next week.
DeleteAgree boooo on Disqus. Glad I only ran across that a couple of times.
DeleteThirdly on Disqus, hate it!
DeleteMars xx
@TrollbeadBlog from
Curling Stones for Lego People
I do so agree with you Denise. I don't have the distractions you do, but I enjoyed some of the new blogs I Found this year.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on getting all the way through - it can be so busy, can't it. Hope to see you again next year :)
ReplyDeleteTasha
Tasha's Thinkings
Great reflections post! I did enjoy your theme and I did get some books to read from it :)
ReplyDeleteIt is hard to get it all done, especially if you are watching a little one plus having the normal daily routines to do. I found this year I did visit a lot of blogs but rarely got return visits and then of course my biggest complaint every year I've done the challenge (4 years like you) is how tedious it is to leave comments on some blogs. I did get some new blogs to read over the next year so I think it was a success!
betty
I enjoyed your A to Z posts, as well as those by a few other participants that I follow. Maybe I'll try it next year. But, I do agree with you about not wanting to spend too much time at my computer and I've been struggling with that because of my blog... we'll see. Also, completely agree with you (in the comments above) about some blogs making it way too hard to subscribe and comment. I don't like to have to jump through hoops.
ReplyDeleteToo much "drinking from the fire hose" for me, too. I subscribe to some blogs by mail and read once a week. And I agree about the hoops some other blogs make you jump through just to subscribe. (Then there are those who shove a "subscribe to me" popup at you before you even start to read - go figure.) Alana ramblinwitham.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteI also like to think of this A to Z as fun which meant, don't stress if you can't look at new blogs. I plan to but over time and I knew I had to chill otherwise it wouldn't be fun.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the AtoZ! Totally agree with this.. "There is just too much to do in life that does not involve me sitting at a computer." Happy to connect and Good luck :)
ReplyDeleteI went searching for new sites this year and sadly missed out on so many cool places... time crunched, work and life... slowed me down too... We made it...Hope you had a great time, thank you for your Reflection!
ReplyDeleteJeremy [Retro]
AtoZ Challenge Co-Host [2016]
T-SHIRTS, MUGS, FREE MAGAZINE... OH MY!
HOLLYWOOD NUTS!
Come Visit: You know you want to know if me or Hollywood... is Nuts?
Good point about real life in the Reflections Post, I realised that if I do a 4th year and still would like a husband at the end of it (my current one, not a new one) I need to prep more and manage my time better... as a FT job, a PT business, some travels and an A to Z Challenge make April a sticky month all round :)
ReplyDeleteMind you I say that on the prep every year!
Mars xx
@TrollbeadBlog from
Curling Stones for Lego People
I know what you mean about life getting in the way, but I do think visiting the other blogs is important for the challenge to work.
ReplyDeleteDebbie
I am thankful for the folks who visited me this year as I found several new blogs to follow. In past years I visited 50-100 blogs a day, but a 2-year old running around the house leaves no time for that.
DeleteThough I have written my reflection, I am still reflecting as I start down the list of reading what the #Challenge participants learned. This was my 4th year and I enjoyed the whole process. I love knowing that in retirement you continue to learn and grow. Me too! You are a great witness to the fact that we keep reinventing ourselves as the chapters in our book go by. I'm with you. The blogging world is another opportunity.
ReplyDeleteHi Denise. This was my 4th too. I didn't go through the list either (always have in the past). Just didn't have time this year and got terribly behind too, but like you, I think all we can do is be (and do) the best we can. I finished and so did you, so bravo for that! I enjoyed your comments at my blogs and the few posts of yours I managed to read. One of the best parts about blogging are the memories we share with others, so keep on sharing :)
ReplyDeleteAMAZING! Love your theme. I always thought I would have like being twenty-something in the seventies. Nice to (finally) meet another A to Z survivor.
ReplyDeleteDo you have any free meals to give away?
ReplyDelete