Monday, March 21, 2016

Catch Me If You Can

One of my most, very favorite writers is Dr. Seuss. He had a story and title for almost everything. My high school and middle school students appreciated his verse more than any elementary student. His book, "Oh The Places You Will Go" sums up my sentiments of blogging.

I will admit, I began blogging to create a platform for a book. Unfortunately so much advice winds around selling a book you plan to write and not how to be a good writer. You would think my blog has been a waste since I have yet to produce a book.
Louise is a water dog. She wants to splatter in the puddles, and raindrops don't bother her. 

I've learned to write leaner and to write what people want to read. I will confess that my blog is more a reflection of what is going on around me.

What is the best thing about blogging? I've learned about things I never knew of or thought about. I knew I was a Canadaphile. What has been surprising is the volume of good books out of India. I am currently reading a dystopian romance, The Many Lives of Ruby Iyer, by Laxmi Hariharan.

Indirectly, I have met Australians on their own turf. I love it when they post a recipe. I try to think of what we make that is similar. I have always wanted to go to Australia but know that will probably not happen. Which is another unexpected benefit of my blog. I've met some great people and enjoyed writing and getting comments.

Comments were difficult for me at first. I never volunteered to answer questions in school. As an educator, I knew I had to win the hearts of my students to get the best from them. I also knew I had to avoid ruffling feathers of parents. So I avoided opinions at all costs. I shared a classroom with a teacher who shared fairly strong opinions. Some I agreed with. None were appropriate to preach to a captive audience.

So making comments was a hurdle. Then to make a relevant comment. I remember children running into me in the grocery store. I know they must have thought I stepped in a magic changing closet at the end of the school day until the next day for their class. My favorite comment was, "I like cherry soda too."  Good thing I had not stocked up on beer and cigs.



Anyway, my theme for the A to Z challenge will be My Favorite Stories, Jokes or Memes. I promise to keep everything short. Besides, I plan to try to catch all the blogs this year. Catch me if you can.

41 comments:

  1. Your theme sounds great for the challenge :) I really truly believe short and sweet is the way to go; I'm doing something similar with pictures sharing the great state of Arizona (which if you have told me five years ago I would be living here, I would have laughed :)

    The secret to commenting is to actually read (or skim quickly) through the entry and then finding some relevant thing to comment on. I think people want others to actually read what they wrote and reflect that in their comments left. I have tried to incorporate that in how I leave a comment on someone's blog and I think it is for that single reason (and not for the silly dribble I write, really, how could people consistently comment about my MANY posts on quail this past year) if it wasn't because I leave relevant comments and also I don't blog excessively (less than once a week unless during April through A/Z) but pretty much try to comment consistently on blogs I am following.

    betty

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    1. I'm definitely going to find my limits. One thing good about helping, it gives me a jumping off point to explore other blogs. I have specific blogs I always read and then I look around. I think less is more when it comes to blogging. We all have such busy lives.

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  2. Stories, Jokes and Memes - sounds like a most entertaining theme. Can't wait to see what you have chosen for each day.
    See you in April.
    Tasha
    Tasha's Thinkings | Wittegen Press | FB3X (AC)

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    1. I'll get to use a lot of funny email stories from when we first began using email at school in the late nineties.

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    1. I hope everyone enjoys it. I enjoy a good laugh or yarn.

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  4. Sounds like a great theme indeed. Blogging can sure take one everywhere and you can't top Seuss.

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    1. You come close to someone cutting a little Seuss loose. lol Thanks for being my friend Pat.

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  5. Lovely theme. Stories is all we need to keep going in life. All the best and I will see you around.

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    1. Thanks for coming by Parul. I remember fairy tales as a child. Our stories change very little.

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  6. That's the beauty of blogging - like reading, we get to travel the world.

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  7. Fun theme!
    Yeah, good thing you didn't have a cart full of beer at the time...

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    1. My dad always joked, "Never fear, we've gone for beer." He was a lifelong teetotaler. I have a post dedicated to his dadisms planned.

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  8. Nifty theme! Relate so much to the commenting being hard part...have a great A-Z!

    Best wishes.
    Nilanjana.
    Madly-in-Verse

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    1. Thanks for visiting Nilanjana. Your blog is super. I look forward to visiting as many blogs as I can during the challenge.

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  9. Sounds like it will be a fun theme to read :) I am interested in memes from a pop culture research standpoint, I am curious which ones you'll use :) Cheers!

    @TarkabarkaHolgy from
    The Multicolored Diary
    MopDog

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    1. A lot of them were neat emails I got at work from 2001 until 2005. Back when everyone played a little on their computer at work. lol. I saved many and came across them the other day.

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  10. Here's a theme that calls to me. I will return in April to enjoy our time together.

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    1. I hope I can live up to the hype. I have of yet to finish my posts.

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  11. We'll look forward to good jokes, memes and stories:)

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    1. lol, good is a perspective. Thanks for coming by Sandra.

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  12. I started blogging in 2006 as an outlet. I'd already written books at that point but none had been published. I really think blogging helped build my confidence and taught me a lot about writing and readers.

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    1. I was surprised to find I had a confidence problem. It is more a desire to get along with everyone which is a needed skill when you work with the public.

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  13. " I began blogging to create a platform for a book." So did I, and then I got hooked on blogging to the extent there was no time for anything else. Hope to get back to the books eventually. Nice to know you're a Canadaphile, Ann. ☺ I'm looking forward to your A to Z posts.

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    1. I love Canada. I can see myself moving there. But, I have a home. Hopefully we won't get a President we all stew on the idea. lol

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  14. Nothing in writing is ever wasted, unless you fail to learn from the mistakes. Writing a blog is hard, so well done. Looking forward to your A to Z posts too!
    Jemima Pett

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    1. Thanks Jemima. I have been surprisingly slow in my progress. But then I think, slow down an enjoy the journey.

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  15. Will look forward to a few giggles in April :)

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    1. Good. I hope to have something short and fast so everyone can move on to the next blog. Thanks for visiting Ginni.

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  16. Catching all the blogs is a more lofty goal than writing them, I think! But what a great goal.

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    1. I know. I am guessing 2000 of them. I am making a list of daily visits to regular blogs. Then divide 2100 by 30 and you have 70 a day. It's a goal but maybe not a destination. Whoo doggie.

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  17. Louise looks quite content in the rain! I figure if you've got Dr. Seuss and cherry soda, you have it made ;-) Could it be that your book is destined to be a memoir? Perhaps you've been writing it all along.
    I look forward to your posts!

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    1. I'm afraid my life is too boring for a memoir. It is a funky little mix of things I've written. My big issue is finishing them. It is so easy to bite off more than you can chew. I have thought of writing about my sister's schizophrenia if it could help other families. Thanks for the encouragement Diedre.

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  18. Thanks for coming by Nrao. I look forward to reading your blog during A to Z.

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  19. Lovely theme, sweet and short and fun! Catching you here and hopefully throughout April! Good luck!
    https://riandurants.wordpress.com/2016/03/22/a-to-z-challenge-theme-reveal/

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  20. Fun theme and there are so many options you can go with!
    Joy @ The Joyous Living

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  21. Wow, I'll be visiting your blog, not everyday but do love some fun.
    CarmelG from
    Library Currants
    Earlier Years

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  23. A big thumbs up to your idea of short and sweet posts! Good luck :)
    @yenforblue from
    Spice of Life!

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  24. Yum! Cherry soda! ;)

    Best of luck on A-Z! Great theme! :)

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 A to Z theme reveal. Well this theme is pretty weak. It is Dogs I have loved, fairy tales, myths, cats birds and what grows in my yard...  ...