Friday, April 29, 2011

Yay! We're Almost Through

Yes. For Y-day I'm skimming by. Cutting corners. Taking the cheap route. Slowing down this train. My Y-word is yay as in Yay! We're almost through.  

The A-Z Blogging Challenge has been a learning experience. Dipping my toes in the blogosphere only days before the challenge kicked off, I had no idea what I was getting into. I started this blog and one on WordPress at the same time - as an experiment, to learn about both platforms. I fully expected to spend more time learning how to work within the templates than on the actual blogging. I planned to quietly blog under the radar until I found my footing. Then, and only then, did I plan to get serious about what I would write. I didn't think up cool names for my blogs, whether I should niche or go general, or any of the other smart stuff I would normally do. Nope, these blogs were only for me.

Then a friend learned about the A-Z Challenge and started (virtually) talking it up. With naive enthusiasm, I signed up BOTH BLOGS. Whatever was I thinking?! I didn't even know how to blog and I signed up to post on 2 blogs every day of the week (except Sunday) for a month? Oh, the folly of inexperience.

It's been good. Through this challenge I've learned:
  • how to schedule a post on Blogger and WordPress
  • how friendly and supporting this blogging community is
  • how to remove a captcha code requirement 
  • how creative and smart you people are
  • how to add buttons, gadgets and other cool stuff to blogs
  • that you can't monitize basic WordPress
  • how to use google analytics
  • that you can't use google analytics on WordPress
  • that it's hard to write 2 posts per day and keep up with other writing requirements and a family and other regular stuff...
  • that I've got a lot more to learn but I've gotten a good start
  • that I've met super people and discovered excellent blogs to follow
  • oh yeah, and that I love blogging
... and that I'm glad the A-Z Challenge is almost over. Today is Y-day and I say Yay! We're almost through. Tomorrow is Z-day and we will be through.

It's been a real pleasure blogging with you and I hope we stay in touch.

On a less sappy note, I'm happily accepting Z ideas in the comments section! :)

13 comments:

  1. I have had so much fun reading blogs and getting to know everyone better. This was a great challenge!

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  2. I've really enjoyed this experience and other than scurrying to find the time to be a good reading/commenting blog neighbor, I haven't found it all stress-producing. Yay!

    I have two Z topics in mind. One is pretty decent and the other will be quick and kind of pitiful, but since I'm joining in on the Z-A round, I'm just happy to have two.

    Maybe you could write about getting some z's once the A-Z's are done. zzzzzzzzz...

    I’m A-Z Blogging and my “Y” post is right here.

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  3. Great Y post! I second your Yay!! This has been such a great experience though, and I'm so glad I signed up.

    I'm looking forward to continuing to read your blogs! :)

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  4. I for one am relieved that tomorrow is the last letter. My brain needs a break! Send some of those Z ideas my way too. Lol.

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  5. We had the same Y for Yay, Langley! Thanks for visiting my blog, hope we can keep in contact. You've learned FAR more about blogging than I have.

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  6. Oh big yay from me too. I cannot believe you did two blogs!

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  7. I've had so much fun, I'm doing it all again next month :)

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  8. This challenge has taken more of my time than I expected, but it has also been extremely worthwhile. I have met some great people, I have thoroughly enjoyed the sense of community, and I have learned some neat things too. It has been a pleasure to stop by, and also see your posts on my site!! Best to you. K (http://kbalbify.com/2011/04/y-is-for-yesterday-atozblogging/)

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  9. I've spent more time in this A to Z Challenge reading others' blogs than writing my own--and it's been great! Such a wide variety of topics and bloggers. So glad I didn't miss out on any of it.

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  10. Wow, I didn't even realize you were new to blogging - that should tell you something right there! ;) Congrats on making it all the way to Y!

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  11. I've enjoyed reading both of your blogs, Langley, and look forward to reading more from you. :)

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  12. I've done my Z so I'm finished! Yay! It's been a great experience, hasn't it? And, it's true, we've learned so much along the way. Keep in touch!
    Sue

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