R - The Raven - Edgar Allan Poe

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The Raven

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What is one of your favorite Edgar Allan Poe reads?

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
"'Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door -
Only this, and nothing more." ...

"I wish I could write as mysterious as a cat."

 -Edgar Allan Poe

"With me poetry has not been a purpose, but a passion."
-Edgar Allan Poe 

... And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming,
And the lamplight o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted - nevermore!

Long post, maybe... well it could have been?
Jeremy [Retro]
Oh, No... Let's Go CRAZY!

QUICK! Let's Do Something Now! (#atozchallenge)

 

Badge from 2012 designed by Ada Z

    Here we are past the halfway mark and I'm still finding some blogs with a lot less followers than they should have.   So today I'd like for everyone to try a little exercise in social media networking.

       Since a big part of the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge has to do with networking, building communities, gaining followers (who you hope will become your regular readers), and discovering new blogs to follow, let's try to give a power boost to everyone we can today.

        Below I've listed some blogs that have a Friend Connect widget.  Some of these are below 50 followers and I like to see us get them to that number.  In the second list there are blogs that are on their ways to 100 followers--let's get them there today.  And if you see that they've already hit today's goal then help them get to the next level.  If you don't see the widget first off then scroll down until you find it.  As of this writing these blogs all had a Friend Connect widget.

         How will it help you besides maybe giving you a good feeling that you helped others?   If you follow any of these, leave a comment letting them know that you've done so and invite them to visit your blog as well.  If everyone is following the blog etiquette of reciprocity then you'll both get a new follower from your actions.

        So how about it A to Zingers!   Give the community a boost today and let's see how much growth we can all experience in our blogs at the midway part of the Challenge.

         Extra Bonus:   If you want to take it even a step further, when you visit a blog to make a comment, visit the other bloggers who have already commented on that blog and join their blogs.  You can see some very serious blog building action with this added step.   This is a bonus move for those who have the time to do it.  I think you may have fun with this one.

      Here are the lists--take a look and spread the blog lovin':

Help these bloggers reach 50 followers:

Little Moments

In My Own Words

Profiling Great Americans

A Devotional Mosaic

CRE8TIV Glory

Diary of the Sunday Visitor

Maui Jungalow

Random Musings from the Kristenhead

Kids Math Teacher

Designs By Row

Me-anders

The Sun Will Rise

Mammajenna Says It

Random Thoughts From a Random Guy

Reading Practice


Help these bloggers hit 100 followers:

The Written Word of Yvonne Lewis

Unveil the Other Side

The Occasional Adventures of a Hermit

Live at the Moment

Lynda Grace An Hour Away

Awakenings and Reflections

Joanne Clancy

The Ruralhood

It's a Joy!

CHill Thoughts

Wilderness

.Naturally Sweet

 
        Is your blog not on this list and you think it should be?   Please tell us in the comments.   Now let's get out there and do some quick networking.   Quick!

        And thank you all for helping make this push today!

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PMA!

PMA - Positive Mental Attitude!

You know what? You’re going to need one to finish the A to Z Challenge. At least finish sane and in one piece.

Yes, it can feel overwhelming. The list is huge and daunting. Your comment section explodes. All these new bloggers start following you. You realize you are falling behind with every aspect of blogging.

Your attitude will determine how you handle it.

You can grow frustrated. Maybe even angry. You tire of trying. Maybe instead of feeling overwhelmed, you are underwhelmed. You want to quit because your efforts don’t appear to be netting any results. A negative attitude takes over, and no matter what happens now, you view the situation through jaded eyes and a closed mind.

Or you can a positive approach. You take a deep breath, determined to take a proactive response and find a solution. No one is visiting your blog? You reevaluate your posts and set a goal to visit even more blogs on the list. More visitors than you can handle? Visit as many as you can and don’t sweat those you can’t. Regardless of the task or obstacle, you are determined to find a way to make it work and on your terms.

Which approach will garner better results?

Your attitude is all you can control. A PMA won’t make the problems go away, but it will equip you to better handle the situation. Choose a PMA whenever possible!

O is for ... Other Blogs!

What? I know I did something similar for L, but so what? It was awesome.

Now that we're over half way done with the challenge, how are you faring? So far, I have posted every single day except Sunday, and have visited at least ten blogs on the list every one of those days. It's a lot of work, but it's also a lot of fun.

Anyway, here are some blogs related to the letter O that I have been enjoying during the challange:

Michael Offut has been posting about Star Wars: The Close Wars, the animated TV series.

Oh Frog It! has been embroidering song lyrics.

Tim Brannan, from The Other Side, has been covering all kinds of monstrous topics.

Duncan, at Our Home Called Kuantan, has a nice series of Keep Calm.

Outside Perception had a lovely tribute to Boston yesterday.

Do you have any blogs you've discovered through the Challenge that relate to the letter O? Feel free to share them in the comments, and make sure to visit my five, follow them, and tell them I sent you. Oh, and you can find my blog here: The QQQE, if you'd like to follow me.

Neck and Neck - #atozchallenge

There are 26 laps on this alphabet track with 14 down and 12 to go. We've traveled far and wide beyond our wildest expectations -- of ourselves and fellow blogathon contenders. Many of us had to make pit stops along the way -- some to adjust and others to regroup. There were even some crashes (shout out to Stephen Tremp workin' that phone and tablet!) that caused a blog or two to spin out of control but many drivers on this track prevailed and remained on the leading lap, as a result.

It does not matter who is in the first, ninth, fiftieth or eight hundred and twelfth spots because everybody is aiming for that checkered flag, or rather -- badge, representing their survival through one of the wildest events to ever hit cyberspace. There's no one winner in this race to the flag. In fact, this isn't even a race. It's more like a multi-caravan cruise along the letters that link us together from different states, countries, time zones, viewpoints, hobbies, experiences and generations.

At times, some of us were way ahead of others while the rest was just trying to keep up. The ones who have perfected their visiting, posting and commenting down to a science have started just coasting along and riding their comfy wave in the winner's circle, but now...

We're all pretty much Neck and Neck.

So, let's keep it that way and meet each other at the finish line!

Your A to Z Challenge Co-Host,

Nicole @MadlabPost on Twitter
www.madlabpost.com