Arlee Bird—Founder of the A-Z Blogging Challenge

What better way to start off the 2013 A-Z Blogging Challenge than to say “hooray and thanks!” to Arlee Bird.  2012 was my first year doing the Challenge and I’m returning, after addressing some ambivalent feelings (see below).  What a great idea he conceived, and judging from the many hundreds of people who participate, I’m clearly not alone with that notion.  Thank you, Arlee!

Ambivalence

Webster’s dictionary defines ambivalence as “simultaneous and contradictory attitudes or feelings”.

That’s certainly what I felt as the 2013 A-Z Challenge sign-up window drew near.  I participated in the 2012 A-Z Challenge—successfully—but it was indeed challenging at times to post a blog worth reading every day, and I did fall behind at work because of the time I instead invested on the Challenge.  I wasn’t sure I wanted to put myself through that again.

This year won’t be much different—the Challenge competes with another conference; I haven’t yet identified topics for each letter, let alone pre-write many of them.  For a couple of days in April, I won’t even have an internet connection.

Then I thought about what was great from last year’s Challenge.  I did it!—and met a goal I’d set for myself.  I did it with the unwavering support of my sister—love you, Lanie!  (http://www.spontaneoussputterings.blogspot.com)   And I connected with a handful of people, many of whom will do the 2013 A-Z Challenge, whose blogs I bookmarked and followed in the interim.  I found stitchers, dog lovers, and IT technicians— interesting people with interesting things to say.  I find myself looking forward to catching back up with them.

I faced my ambivalence and made a choice among those contradictory feelings.   I will give the 2013 Challenge my best effort. 

Thank you for visiting and please come back!