Refelections on the A to Zed Challenge

Arlee and his wonderful troupe of assistants asked those of us who participated in the A to Z challenge to give some reflection back and I'm a good doobie so here goes:

It was a positive experience for me. As long time readers will know, I like the carrot and stick approach to discipline and this was that. I said I'd do it and even if no one gave a care or even noticed - I'd darn well do it. Once I figured on a theme I was good to go. My theme was the abcedaria of a writer and it made life fairly easy for me. I thought of other themes but the reason I have this blog is that I want to explore my writing life so I thought I would just stay with that. Within those parameters the sky was the limit. I wrote on such divergent ideas as discipline, knitting, lamé and quiddity.

Getting around was a tough one. I had a lot going on in April - I went to the other coast for a visit and also had a more local trip going on. I know, I know, everyone had their thingy. I did manage to meet lots of lovely bloggers but I didn't manage to keep up my energy in order to visit the amount of them I wanted. But that was OK too. Sure, part of the exercise was to increase followers and get more people reading your blog BUT I'm not all together both of those things are the same. Let me explain.

I think, even in this virtual world, friends are not someone who says I'll sign on to be your friend. Friends actually friend (yes as a verb). For instance, when I was distraught about a rejection, I emailed the Tartlette (Confessions of a Watery Tart) so I could moan without censure. I know I can do that with her nakedness because she and I are actually friends, although we've never met. I know her mind and she knows mind. I'd let her take care of my grandchildren. Get it? I think I met a few more of those on this blogfest but just a few. Because being a friend means both parties need to spend some time building trust, learning about each other and then that magical other - that recognition of essence.

So, once I'd made my two hundredth follower I did slow down. I lost that panicky urgency to connect connect connect. I still did the 'surprize me' button but I didn't stop to join or comment if I felt no simpatico with the blogger (or it was light writing on black - I'm old, people).

And, I must admit, I was searching for those folks who had something similar to me going on - someone who was writing or at least thinking about it, someone who had lived a bit though that wasn't firm, and someone who had turned their word verification program off!!! GAWD THAT WAS ANNOYING! And there are subjects I'm not much interested in - I'm sure it is the same for you. I won't mention them because I've decided I'm going to be nothing but nice for the month of May but I just don't have the equipose for some topics that I might have at an earlier age.

I also, as always, loved being surprised - like when I discovered the Queen of English on my trips around - or she discovered me! What fun - someone who knows about commas and can make it interesting. Or when I found Sue at Jumping Aground with her crazy posts and her dear heart. And Rae at Fresh with her wonderful descriptions of family life and a recipe for vinegar pie!  Well, I could go on - and I will in future posts - about the lovely new friends I've met. And the ones who weren't doing the challenge but came by anyway or the ones that were and still managed to visit me, their ole pal.

This blogfest does remind me, as Arlee says, of a party. And it took me a while to remember what I always tell myself when going to a big ole 'do' - if I have one or two really good conversations then the getting ready was worth it!

So April flew by - visits to the t'other coast, learning to knit socks and making new friends. All good. I'll do it again but my priorities might be slightly different going in!