Monday 7 May 2012

A-Z Reflections - #atozchallenge


Dear Reader,

Now the A to Z challenge is over, I've had a little sleep, it was long overdue. Now I am awake again. It seems I spent quite a lot of time during this challenge bemoaning how difficult this was. Some of my friends have pointed out that if I had planned in advance this would have been so much easier. One of these friends is still in intensive care. Apparently getting a flea out of your ear can be quite serious if it has been buried deep enough. Anyhoo...


The Dear Lady Wife has been affected as well. She was often to be found rocking on the sofa knitting A-Z Widow paraphernalia during this task. As a result I have four pairs of mittens, (size: random), two sweaters (size: too large for a human), twelve beanie hats (size: well, not exactly head-size) and a number of other barely started knitting objet d'art. Search for A-ZWidowShop.ebay.co.uk  and see how you get on. She has stopped swaying now and more importantly she has stopped knitting, thank [insert major deity here].

It is only right to thank the people who organized this madness and as a result started me upon it:

 Arlee Bird and his A-Z Team, a big thanks goes out to them! 

Alex J. Cavanaugh (Alex J. Cavanaugh), Amlokiblogs (Damyanti Biswas), Coming Down The Mountain (Karen Jones Gowen), Life is Good (Tina Downey), Retro-Zombie (Jeremy Hawkins), Cruising Altitude 2.0 (DL Hammons), The Warrior Muse (Shannon Lawrence), The QQQE (Matthew MacNish), Author Elizabeth Mueller (Elizabeth Mueller), No Thought 2 Small (Konstanz Silverbow), Pearson Report (Jenny Pearson), Breakthrough Blogs (Stephen Tremp).

An extra special thanks to Jenny Pearson who found the time to pop over and comment whilst undoubtedly doing this for many other blogs as well.

As previously stated, I seem to be a little negative about this whole experience. I don't mean to be. It was hard (for me) but that doesn't mean it wasn't good. If you considered this year and refused, or are considering next year for whatever reason expect some changes to your world. Stats may be required:
  • Visitors per month - doubled my highest month ever. Thank you all.
  • Followers via Google Connect - gained twenty-seven during the month, welcome aboard. I had twenty-five previously so doubled again.
  • Followers via Feedburner - a difficult stat as it seems to go up and down based on some metric that i don't really fully understand. All I know is that I look at a nice graph for the last 30 days it was about a third higher than it was at the start of the month. So, welcome to you as well.
  • Comments - Oh the joy of comments. My dear little diatribe had received fifty comments in the best part of two years. Add another hundred for the last month. All from lovely people too, thank you every one for taking the time.
Whatever the reason you have for writing stuff down, one of the stats above may mean something to you. It is not all about stats though, it is about connecting, which is why the comments stat means so much to me.

On a personal note I posted more things in one month that I did in my first two years of blogging. Which means I have learnt something, although I am not sure what. Once I have worked out what that thing is I will be sure to report to you what it is, if I remember.

More soon Dear Reader

xx

PS: There isn't actually any knit wear for sale, that bit was made-up. Sorry.

23 comments:

  1. Well done a good reflection on the A to Z. It is a little intense. Still I'm sure we will all find it much easier next year?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Maybe i shall plan a little harder next year, or take a month off work. that would do it.

      Delete
  2. Congratulations on finishing the challenge and sharing your reflections. I’m following you now and hopefully, next year, we will do it again!

    ReplyDelete
  3. What, no knit wear? :(

    I tried not to do much complaining.... after all, this was exactly what I'd signed up for! But I should have planned in advance. Maybe next year!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sorry about that :)

      Me and planning in advance don't go hand in hand, but as you say, maybe next year.

      Delete
  4. I planned in advance yet still...what't that quote about the best laid plans...I also didn't get to visit as many of the participating blogs as I wanted to.
    So disappointed about there not really being a store with knitted A to Z stuff, (I'm actually having a contest for a knitting book in the next month so I saw comments on knitting and got all excited!)
    I'm glad that even though you had some trouble with the challenge you still were able to find something very positive about it! (I have to say I loved all the comments too!)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sorry about the knitting store.Maybe you could have this done for next year. I am sure My Dear Lady Wife would appreciate some A-Z widow knitwear :)

      I am still catching up with the comments as you can see.

      Delete
  5. Congratulations on finishing the challenge! Great reflections post, and don't worry, you're not the only person who found it difficult! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, and well done you too.

      Will there be a next time, I hope so.

      Delete
  6. Thanks for your funny A to Z posts! I think I posted more than my first two blogging years too lol.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have now, fallen back to approximately my normal level of output, but it was definitely worth it.

      Delete
  7. Well done on finishing the challenge. I enjoyed your posts enormously.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, well done you too. I am finding more time to read now and you are definitely on my reading list.

      Delete
  8. Visiting from A/Z post challenge reflections; WTG for finishing it! Sounds like it was an interesing adventure for you and that it did increase visitors and comments to your blog! That's always a good thing to experience!! It was a challenge indeed to finish; just not sure about doing it again next year :)

    betty

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If you'd asked me at the end of April I would have said never again, but now, I'm not so sure.

      Delete
  9. Hi! My mission...which I chose to accept...was to continue to visit as many A to Z Challenge participants as I could even after the challenge is over because I didn't want to miss out on any great bloggers out there! Lovely blog...good luck with the rest of the year and I hope you had a wonderful weekend!

    Donna L Martin
    www.donasdays.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Enjoy the ongoing challenge, it is a large one judging by the size of the list.

      Thank you and good luck with the rest of the year too.

      Delete
  10. congrats on finishing the A-Z challenge. As for planning ahead, that would have taken the fun out of it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I should start planning now for next year... Have all my posts scheduled like little ducks in a row. Then I could spend the month on a beach somewhere, logging on occasionally to review some comments and read some other blogs. Where would the fun be in that.

      Delete
  11. congrats on finishing the challlenge. It really is overwhelming the first time around--but you'll be a pro by the time April comes around next year:)
    Nutschell
    www.thewritingnut.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Will the knowledge of what's coming put me in better place next year. I know myself far too well so I doubt it.

      Delete
  12. Update...

    I have caught up with all the kind comments that were left during the A-Z Challenge. Go me.

    Thankfully I have completed this task before the next A-Z Challenge starts

    Thanks to everyone who visited and a bigger one to those that chose to stay

    ReplyDelete