#AtoZChallenge 2022 Dates and New Graphics Team Member Chosen

 

Please give a warm welcome to:

Anjela Curtis

This is our new graphic artist and team member! 

You'll see the winning badge, plus an alternative (non-tribute) badge for 2022, both shown above.

Please welcome our newest volunteer and note the unique name spelling!

Important Dates for 2022

Mar 7- Theme Reveal OPEN

Mar 21- Theme Reveal CLOSES

Mar 30- Master List OPENS -- officially sign up for the challenge

April 10- Master List CLOSES

May 2- Reflections

May 7- Reflections CLOSES

May 16- Road Trip starts

Please Review the April Blogging from A to Z Challenge on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/atozchallenge/reviews/

https://www.facebook.com/atozchallenge/reviews/

🤔 What to say? Here are suggestions:

• Mention how many times you've participated (and won!)
• Provide useful, constructive feedback.
• Did the challenge help you and your blog? In what ways?
• Be honest.
• Leave out links and personal information.
• Mention if you feel the challenge impacts the blogging community and how. Beneficial or detrimental to the blogging community?
• How is it the same as other blog hops? How is it different?
• Do you support the challenge? Would you suggest it to other bloggers? Will you do it again?
• Have you learned anything from the challenge?
• Does it help with blogging goals?
• Keep a civil tongue.

2-22-22 TUEsday Twosday

Twosday: 2-22-22

Hello A to Z Bloggers.  The A to Z Blog had been maintaining a bit of radio silence since last year's doings, so I asked the team if I could write a guest post.  To my surprise and delight, they said yes. Before I get into full A to Z mode, let me tell you about myself.

My name is Dave I'm a 57 year old midwesterner, who's been happily married to my best friend Amy for almost 24 years. a father of 3, an educator, an avid blogger someone who absolutely loves the A to Z Challenge

My first year in the challenge was 10 years ago.  It was the first and only year that I did not have a theme.  On Sunday April 1st I wrote this post about not fooling around.  Since then I have participated in several of my blogs.  At least one year, I did 3 at the same time.  

That's probably a good enough introduction about me for now.  

I love a good palindrome.  A palindrome is anything that is the same backwards as forwards.

I am writing this on January 31st 2022 or 1/31/2022 or 1-31-22.  Tomorrow is 2-1-22 and Wednesday is 2-2-22, a palindrome.  Could you imagine an alarm clock next to a calendar at 2:22 showing 2-22-22? If that's not enough awesomeness for you, it's also groundhog day!

But wait there's more ...

There is another spectacular palindrome filled day coming later in February.  February 22nd 2022 otherwise known as 2-22-22 it's a twosday that falls on a Tuesday.

🤯 (If this isn't a place for a mind blown emoji I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS!!!!!!!) 🤯

So what does this have to do exactly with the A to Z challenge?  Well, let's put it this way:If you guys are going to get back into the challenge  you probably need to do some forward thinking at the same time.  What will you write about?  Who will you invite to participate along with you? How will you make this the best A to Z year ever?

I may do more than one theme this year, but one of them is definitely going to be limericks.  8 years ago between my 49th and 50th birthday I wrote and posted a limerick a day on my facebook page.  For the challenge, I will be recycling about 10 of those limericks, writing about 10 new limericks prior to the challenge, and creating approximately 10 more during the challenge, generally on the day of the entry.

Here is a palindrome based limerick I wrote for this post::

I have a dear friend named Jerome

Who sure loves a good palindrome

on 2-22-22

in a racecar he "flew"

both backwards and forwards towards home.

I am really hyped up about this year's challenge. I hope that many of you are getting ready for it as well.  I'd like to thank the team for letting me do this guest post. 

Shameless Plug:  Please check out my blog Leap of Dave, it was called Home School Dad for many years but since our home schooling days have been over for a few years now, I decided to at long last change the name and consolidate my other blogs into the flagship.  This means that you can see all of my a to z blog entries over the last 11 years in one place.

VOTE Please - Graphics Team Member #atozchallenge

We have two wonderful contenders. Please cast your vote:

Contender 1

• Has done the challenge (2, 3, or 4 times)
• Creates graphics for a living
• Uses Facebook and Twitter, and might create an Instagram for us
• Wants to act as a full-fledged team member, creating posts and whatnot
• Is willing to create merchandise (shirts and such) 

1A 1B

Contender 2

• Has done the challenge more than 5 times
• Is a graphic designer who also designs other things
• Not into social media
• Would join us just for graphics
• Would allow the team to create merchandise (but not do it themself)

2A 2B 

Each has presented us with two possible graphics for the 2022 challenge. Please cast your vote for the contender of your choice, and the badge (A or B) you prefer. 

CLOSES FEB 18

NEW GRAPHICS TEAM MEMBER SEARCH

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE spread the word about this! Share everywhere you can.

Covid has taken Jeremy away from us. With heavy hearts, we must find another volunteer to do the A to Z graphics.  

PLEASE READ THE ENTIRE FORM BEFORE YOU APPLY.

https://forms.gle/i3aXBLtWA6r1z1NM8

In the event the team likes more than one applicant, we will hold a contest on Feb 16-18 showcasing the offered badges and ask the A to Z audience to vote.

You will need to create one badge to apply. 

width="250" height="250"

Form set to close Feb 12.

Jeremy Hawkins Tribute

On January 3, we lost an amazing guy – Jeremy Hawkins. http://www.beingretro.com

Today, February 2, we pay tribute and give back to one who was so giving and involved in our community.

To honor his life and support the family he leaves behind, on that day:

·       Create a blog post a story or memory about Jeremy.

·       Create a blog post with photos of Jeremy.

·       Create a blog post to share some of the graphics he made for you.

·       Post a photo of you wearing one of the t-shirts he designed on social media.

·       And to support his family, please purchase his t-shirts https://www.neatoshop.com/artist/Jeremy-Hawkins, art https://society6.com/izombie , and his books https://amzn.to/3rNVlnH

Spread the word and let’s pay tribute to one of the most supportive and loyal guys ever to cross our paths, Jeremy Hawkins.

https://society6.com/izombie/collection/a-to-z-challenge-survivor-2016-collection

If you are posting a tribute on your blog, I invite you to leave a link in the comments. If you share your post on Twitter, please include the #atozchallenge hashtag. 

#atozchallenge After Survey 2021 RESULTS

Thank you to the 46% of bloggers who filled out the survey.

Almost everyone enjoyed the challenge this year.

"Visiting the blog in March, April, and May" is the most popular way to follow us. Our Facebook page is the second most popular. 

Most said they'll be back next April, or probably will. No one answered that they definitely won't.

Nearly everyone who took the survey said they completed the challenge.

90% got on the Master list this year. Only 2 bloggers said they didn't share links anywhere, including to their own followers.
Half posted links to their blog onTHEIR OWN Facebook page or profile, and half posted links to their blog on Twitter using the #AtoZchallenge hashtag.
Over 90% did not use a linky ran by another site to join this challenge.

Only 30% of you don't want Instagram added as an optional follow social media option on the Master List sign-up, so that will likely be included next year. (Instagram itself will not be allowed as a blog.)

However, over half were strongly opposed to the email option. 

Categories (that we don't already offer) requested include:
Author/ Writing mixed-bag (also requests for storytelling, flash fiction, and poetry to have their own sub-categories), Brand Management and Marketing, Finance and Frugality, Heritage and Culture, the Quilters requested their own sub-category under crafts, Inspirational, Music as a sub-category in Entertainment, Names, Current Affairs as a sub-category of Politics and News, and Random Blogging.

Most people responded that we have plenty of categories and they're happy.

Were you given enough time to sign up for the challenge? Almost 90% said yes!

30% use the HTML codes and find that helpful. (7% don't know what that means.)

Thanks to the 70% who read the daily posts written by the team!

Only 7 people said they weren't visited by a co-host. 39 said they didn't visit one of us.

Most people reported commenting on 1 to 50 blogs. 

"How many comments did your blog get in April?" The most popular answers fell between 11 to 150.

Nearly everyone prefers replies posted in the comment section, email being liked only if it's a private matter. Also popular was just visiting the blog of the commenter and saying hello on one of their posts. (Also known as comment-reciprocation.)

Most joined the road-trip. Over half checked out the shirts, and at least 10 said they bought one this year.

Time for the Post-A to Z Challenge Road Trip!

It's time for the Post A to Z Road Trip 2021! This is a great opportunity to catch up on the many blogs you would have liked to have spent more time visiting, but didn't during the Challenge, and a chance to visit the blogs of people who did the Challenge that you never got to. And, if you're one of those people who did the Challenge but didn't get a lot of visitors, this is a way to let people know that you'd appreciate a visit.

Here's what you do:

1. Sign up for the Road Trip. There's a place where you can put in the URL of a post that you would like visitors to read first. I used the address of my reflections post because there's a list of all the posts I did with links. Just a suggestion!
2. Get copies of both the Road Trip List and the Master List. Both will be useful.
3. Start with the Road Trip list and visit the blogs of the people who signed up there. Take some time to read their blog and their Challenge entries. Leave comments where you feel led to do so, and make sure you identify yourself as a Road Trip participant. Leave a link to your blog so they can return the favor.
4. Then, if you have the time and inclination to do so, visit some of the blogs on the Master List that you didn't get the chance to visit. Even if they didn't sign up for the Road Trip, I'm sure they'd appreciate a visit.

There's no set time limit to the Road Trip (i.e. no specific end date), so if you wanted to, you could visit everyone who was part of this year's Challenge between now and the start of next year's Challenge. If that's what you want to do, go for it! Most importantly, have fun!

Happy Motoring!

#atozchallenge Reflections 2021

    

Taking the after-survey can help gather your thoughts before writing your reflection post! https://forms.gle/qUZogGKvMDVHd5rN6 That's also where you'll find the WINNER badge.

What did you like most and least about the challenge this year?

How did you do? What did you learn? Did you get out more, less, or as much as you put in?

Any thoughts on the shirts? Care to thank any team members?

Did you "double down" this year?

SIGN UP with your REFLECTION link HERE: 
https://forms.gle/dkgBqbk2hDxWWEmj6

(Closes May 8!)

VISIT the REFLECTION posts of OTHERS: 
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1rSKvaUj7QxIRdODfzXn2Cy6H4nGlX2nXGWZZcy5Mu-I/

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Did you do the scavenger hunt from A? On your reflection post, you can share with everyone how well you did and on what participating A to Z blogs you found the items on the list! Here's a reminder: 

• A is for — Apple 🍏 
  
• B is for — Bear 🧸
• C is for — Cobweb 🕸
• D is for — Dragon 🐲
• E is for — Evil 👿
• F is for — Flowers 💐
• G is for — Game 🎲
• H is for — Hat 👒
• I is for — Island 🏝
• J is for — Jewelry 💍
• K is for — Key 🔑
• L is for — Leaves 🍂
• M is for — Men 👬
• N is for — Nuts 🥜
• O is for — Orange 🍊
• P is for — Pen 🖊
• Q is for — Questions ❓
• R is for — Rainbow 🌈
• S is for — Scissors ✂
• T is for — Tiger 🐯
• U is for — Uniform 💂
• V is for — Velvet 🧶
• W is for — Whale 🐳
• X is for — X-ray 🦴
• Y is for — Yellow  💛
• Z is for — Zipper 🤐

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How many of you used a dictionary of some kind to find words for the challenge?

Did you stop to think about what it took to create a dictionary?

Sean Penn and Mel Gibson's 2019 film The Professor and the Madman explores that, while delving into the lives of two real people who were largely responsible for the creation of what would become the Oxford English Dictionary. 

The critics mostly dislike the film. I thought it was good. If you're a blogger who loves words, or if you've ever been curious as to how a dictionary was compiled, or you just want to see a movie with a workaholic and someone getting treatment for mental health issues (in the 1870s), here you go. The movie is actually based on a book that is considered a biography. 

📕 🎥

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Be sure your blog displays a participant badge so everyone knows they're in the right place!
Please consider getting a t-shirt.

The AtoZChallenge 2021 AFTER SURVEY #atozchallenge

Fill it out here, or go to: https://forms.gle/FhjZGTynxQmH4gaS6

The AtoZChallenge AFTER SURVEY 📋

Your winner badge is inside, along with the answers to yesterday's Z post. 

SURVEY CLOSES MAY 8.

Check back on MONDAY, MAY 3 for the REFLECTIONS sign-up. 🔮


Plus, sign-up for the Roadtrip on MONDAY, MAY 10. 🚗

Please consider getting a t-shirt.

Z is for... #atozchallenge

Z is for...Let's find out!

Let’s have some fun! Unscramble these words that start with the letter z:

1. maoznib
2. pepriz
3. mnaiozoa
4. cihnuczi
5. tzengis
6. grneiz
7. ndoze
8. imboz
9. peplsnzei
10. gzagzideg
11. liloniearzi
12. fictionaombiz

We hope you’ve had a great time with the A to Z Challenge! Get ready to write your Reflections about the month. Reflections will be open May 3rd-8th, and then the Road Trip will open on May 10th where you link up to your one favorite post of your own!

Looking forward to seeing you then!

And if you fill out our survey that opens tomorrow, the answer key to today’s puzzle is at the end!

The Yes Game #atozchallenge

Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person by Shonda Rhimes

The YES game was a challenge given to Shonda Rhimes. The rules are simple: say "yes" to opportunities for a year. Say yes to positive experiences and thoughts.


Can you keep your blog going all year? YES

Can you spend the rest of the year visiting every blog that signed up in April? YES

Can you use what you learned this month to make your blog more appealing? YES

Can you promote your blog by giving readers more of what they want? YES

Can you double-down on more self challenges for your blog this year? YES

WILL YOU BE BACK NEXT YEAR FOR ANOTHER APRIL BLOGGING FROM A TO Z CHALLENGE? 

(Say it, say it, say it... 🎉)

Be sure your blog displays a participant badge so everyone knows they're in the right place!
Please consider getting a t-shirt.

Get a copy of the Master List so you know who is officially participating! 
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1mvSm8FsuFVkOQulQ0EgzslGiNd8CZWWrqaRhCG8Sv4o
Please come back on SATURDAY for the AFTER SURVEY. 📋
And on MONDAY, MAY 3 for the REFLECTIONS sign-up. 🔮
Plus, sign-up for the Roadtrip on MONDAY, MAY 10. 🚗

X in Noughts and Crosses #atozchallenge

Noughts and Crosses, or Tic Tac Toe, is a very old game. There is some debate among historians as to when it first began (ancient Egypt or ancient Rome) and what was originally used to make the board and pieces. (It's suggested that it was four sticks, pebbles, and coins.) As it evolved, it became a game of unity between Christian and Jewish children.

The X represented Christianity, as it came from chi. (The Greek letters for Christos, chi (looks like an X) and rho (looks like a P), is an early symbol for Christianity and for Christ Himself. Emperor Constantine is likely responsible for crafting the letters together.) The o or 0 is a kikel, a circle in Yiddish. Many Jewish immigrants used an O rather than an X as their signature in the early days of Ellis Island. The 0 is also known as a nought. The name tic tac toe wasn't given until the 20th century.

The object of the game is to get three of your symbols in a row. Players take turns selecting one of the nine squares. Statistically, the player who goes first has the greatest chance of winning. Marking in a corner first is considered the best move. 

Be sure your blog displays a participant badge so everyone knows they're in the right place!
Please consider getting a t-shirt.

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The Master List - know what blogs are officially taking part in the 2021 challenge:  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1mvSm8FsuFVkOQulQ0EgzslGiNd8CZWWrqaRhCG8Sv4o