Reflections !!!

March 26th, 2020

I was sitting lazily in my corner of the couch and scrolling through my e-mails. A routine activity more out of habit than anything else. That's when this mail from Blogchatter popped up announcing the A2Z Blogging challenge. Just then S came down after putting our 5 yr old to sleep.

S ( my better half) : Anything interesting?

Me :  There is some A2Z blogging challenge being organised by Blogchatter

S : What's it about

Me : Participants need to post 26 consecutive posts for each English alphabet for 26 consecutive days with Sundays off!!

S: oh that's interesting!!Enrol me

Me : What?!!!  Are you serious? You visit your blog even less than I do... And here I have not given it a thought... And you want me to enrol you?!! Did you even hear what it's about?!!

S: Yes.. I heard it... 26 posts for 26 alphabets in 26 days ....enrol me

Me : Wait a minute!  Do you even have a theme? And what if you enrol and can't even post 5 posts forget 26!!

S : You want a theme... OK wait... Ammmm...fine my theme will be travel... Now Enrol!!

Me: And who will answer my second question?!!

S: Why should I think so much... If I can't post I won't... And what if I can post... Then I will... Simple!! I will enjoy while it lasts!!

Me : Really?!! You think I should also enroll then?

S : Of course!! What's there to think so much?!!

Me : And what if  people don't like what I write

S : Ha Ha that's when they read your posts right!! .....You can put a disclaimer... Read at your own risk :P!!!

Me : What rubbish!! Then what's the point... It will be like writing for myself...!!

S : You said it... That's the point :)!

So, that's where it started for me. I enrolled finally after some thought and decided to go with the flow worrying less on whether I will crash or make it through. But then the Sheldon planner inside me doesn't really love the word impromptu you see!! So, I took an hour or two and chalked down a plan for each letter still undecided on the theme. And the theme evolved on it's own that is exploring the various streaks of life at large.

I having actually got back to blogging itself less than 1.5 yrs back after a long hiatus of 6 yrs (where was I... Lost running the corporate race... Where else?!) and this being my first ever blogging challenge in the blogosphere I was quite unsure that I will actually make it to the end.

I think the encouragement that I got reading the comments from fellow bloggers everyday in the morning kept me going. I didn't expect people will actually  love to read my poems just like I didn't expect I will see the finish line :)! I thank each one of them for helping me reach Z and complete my first ever blogging challenge. And of course not to forget the likes and badges that I got from Indiblogger community  (22 badges for 26 posts) which made each of my day !!

For a novice blogger like me whose track record of posting is probably 26 blog posts in a year to actually completing this challenge is like living in a dream. Yes it still doesn't feel real!! I think A2Z challenge is the best thing that could happen to me. I feel deeply obliged to Blogchatter for organizing this event. It helped me to find so much talent in one single place and that too on such varied topics and areas. The blogs that I read and the bloggers I came across are simply marvellous! Just reading their posts inspires you to write better and read more of them each time. I am just at loss of words to express how good it has been and felt looking forward to the comments, reading and writing all go hand in hand over the last whole month. The best April ever!! So much so that now that the challenge is over I do feel a bit lost!!

So, what next is the question!! While my friends and family are encouraging me to go for the book carnival too I am still pondering if that's a good idea. Being the recluse that I am I feel me having my twitter handle now (again thanks to my fellow bloggers who encouraged and advised me) is itself a great step and a take away from this challenge :)!!Let's see if I yet again decide to go with the flow or just settle down with this and catch up on my reading :)!

I will end my post here thanking once again each and everyone in the challenge the participants, the organizers, the readers and the Indiblogger community . Congratulations to all those who made it through and also to those who participated in the adventure :)! I wish I could read more than I did during the challenge... But yes, better late than never ofcourse!!

PS: A special thanks to the following fellow bloggers for their support and encouragement throughout the challenge.

Sonia Dogra - https://soniadogra.com/

Anagha Yatin - https://canvaswithrainbow.com

Sonia Chatterjee - https://soniasmusings.com/

Tomichan Matheikal - https://matheikal.blogspot.com/?m=1

Navita Bhatia - http://towardsbetterlifestyle.com/

Jyoti Jha - https://myviewsandreviews.in/zealous-city-london/travel-diaries/

Durga Prasad Dash - http://durgadash.com/

Srivalli Rekha - https://sri-lovenature.blogspot.com/?m=1

Nisha Punjabi -http://shimmeringsunshine.blogspot.com/?m=1

Darshana Suresh - https://dashyspeaks.blogspot.com/?m=1

Arti Jain - https://artismoments.blogspot.com/?m=1

Arti Punjabi - https://artipunjabi.blogspot.com/?m=1

Suchita Agarwal - https://talesofsuchita.wordpress.com

Dipika Singh - https://www.gleefulblogger.com/my-z-way-to-happiness/

Dr. Anita Sabat - http://www.anitaexplorer.com/2020/05/zealously-use-and-promote-geographical.html?m=1

Sundeep Dubey - www.rightpurchasing.com

CRD - https://scriptedinsanity.blogspot.com/?m=1

Swarnali Nath - https://thelifeandlightblog.com/

Shweta Suresh - 

https://thesoulsearchersite.wordpress.com/

Shilpa Garg - https://shilpaagarg.com/

And yes, to the one who helped me take the very first step that is participate in the challenge :)

My better half (who luckily scrapped through to Z too!!) - http://milesandexperiences.blogspot.com/?m=1

******************************************

Links to my A2Z blog posts:

A - Apocalypse

B - Beauty

C - The Clock On The Mantle Piece

D - Debris

E - Ego

F - Friendsip

G - Grateful 

H - Hope

I - The Ink Blotch

J - Jigsaw Puzzle

K - Knapsack 

L - Luck Factor

M - Mnemonics  

N - The Nightingale's Song 

O - Obscure 

P - Pastels

Q - Quintessential 

R - Rendezvous 

S - Social Distancing

T - Time

U - Utopia

V - The Venetian Masks

W - Words Words Words

X - An Ex Too Many

Y - Yesteryear 

Z - Zenith

Posted as part of Reflections for #BlogchatterA2Z 2020 challenge