Saturday, March 31, 2012

And suddenly it's April

The last few weekends we've been wearing shorts and riding our bicycles then it snowed like crazy yesterday and suddenly it's winter again. I have no idea why the tree in our front yard is so darned happy about it.

Everybody's talking about the A to Z Blogging Challenge starting tomorrow and, yeah, I'll be taking part. Me and more than 1,500 other people around the bloggy world. I did it last year and had a riot and made plenty of new friends. And honestly, as far as challenges go, it's not a tough one. Nothing like National Novel Writing Month, for sure.

Most participants I know have themes picked out for the challenge and many already have their posts written. To them I stick out my tongue, make obnoxious raspberry sounds and yell "KEENERS!"

Naturally I have no theme. I have written no posts. The whole concept of doing anything in advance, blog-wise, is as foreign to me as economic policy, how big the universe is and whether or not my cats can make it through the day without horking a hairball on the chesterfield. You might be surprised to learn I am exceedingly organized at work. I have time management degrees from all the best internet universities and, seriously, cannot fathom or put up with lesser mortals who scramble to meet deadlines.

Blogging, though, that's a different kettle of fish. Whatever comes out of my head is what flops down on the page, usually all squiggly, wet and writhing. I have to do it this way, for the sake of my sanity. What's left of it anyway.

I was reading a blog post by Rubye Jack this morning. She is one of the most honest writers I know. Her work is compelling and heartbreaking and inspiring, all at the same time. I admire that about her as I admire that in everyone. Honesty is the most important thing to me. I value it above all other things and when I see it in another human being I can't help but want to reach out and share in some of their spirited light. Dishonesty, on the other hand, makes me turn away.

That being said I can't always be perfectly honest in this space. I don't want to hurt anybody's feelings, first of all, and I don't want to get in trouble with family, friends, or at work. There are times when, more than anything, I'd love to load a blast of shite and level it at my job but to do so would hurt only me and, anyways, 99% of the time I love my job and love my pay cheque and would seriously love to have it continue plopping into my hungry bank account.

Which brings me to the point of this diatribe: while I say I don't have a theme I think I am leaning towards one. A little piece of honesty, a little piece of my soul, for every letter of the alphabet.

Sounds like a deal with the devil, does it not?

We'll see.

***

Now, off to split firewood. It's what I do on weekends in April.
And to my darling son, Angus, I wish a happy 15th birthday tomorrow, the first day of April. Happy birthday also to my Auntie Ellen, a gracious and lovely lady. April Fool's day has produced some wonderful people, including these precious two. Hugs to both.

Note to self: I am number 172 on the list. (It took me five minutes to find myself amongst 1,532 names!) I am going to take Alex's advice and start my tour with the blog following mine, number 173, which (and I just looked this up) belongs to Watercolors by Mimi Torchia Boothby. An artiste. Cool!

19 comments:

  1. First of all, Happy birthday to Angus. 15 is a great year, and I hope is is full of great stuff.

    I'm looking forward to your A to Z blogging. You are the reason I decided to do it this year. I admit, I got a bit of a head start, but if I had any hope of completing the challenge, I needed a bit of a buffer. Life runs away with me sometimes and I don't always get a chance to sit down and write.

    Can't wait to see what you come up with.

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    1. "I'm the reason." All verklempt, here....
      Hope you love it Laurita!

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  2. Okay okay so I'm a keener....I can live with it. Last year I flew by the seat of my pants and it worked out okay but this year I just didn't have that much confidence in myself so I chose a theme. I may live to regret it.

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  3. You are so much more "blog savvy" then I, don't even know what an A-Z Blogging challenge is? I, like you, do not take the time to "think" about what I am going to blog about, until I sit down and it naturally spews out in front of me. Cathy, so glad you are also enjoying the "letters" I write to you every day .... LOL ! I love doing wood, for some silly reason I find it relaxing? The snow we got last night didn't last as yours did; glad I am here on the Bruce Peninsula, and NOT where you live, as I wouldn't be as happy as the guy ya got hanging off your tree there.

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    Replies
    1. Oh lord, I'm remiss here! OK... I will link to it in my post but, in the meantime, if you click on my A-Z "badge" at the top right hand side of this blog, it will take you to where you need to go. You should do it! It's a lot of fun!

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  4. Happy birthday to your son.
    Stick your tongue out all you want! As a co-host, I had to have my act together and posts ready. Going to be so busy next month...

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  5. I forgot about the A to Z challenge... Hmm. And you are supposed to be SANE when you write a blog? That disqualifies me on most days. I am glad that I am not the only one that isn't into fights on the blog. I could do it, but really don't want to...

    Cat

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  6. I was happily reading along thinking how I agree with everything you're saying here and oops, there's my name. Thanks for the compliment Cathy. The thing is I probably have more freedom to be me than many bloggers. My family doesn't read my blog, and only a couple of friends do. I don't work and don't have a reputation to protect as a writer or any other professional and so can be me. Still, I don't write about my son.

    As always at the last minute, I'm starting to think ugh, A-Z. Do I really want to do it? I have no posts written either and am unsure about a theme but I guess one could always do something like A is for absent. We shall see.

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  7. Ok, tongue-sticky-out-lady! (you're not putting THAT back in your mouth, are you? ;-p)

    I may be a 'keener' but last year I felt the pressure to produce daily posts AND read lots of blogs - so this time around in order to visit as many blogs as possible I have pre-scheduled all my posts.

    I also have a theme - daily 100-word segments of a
    thriller, each one beginning with the letter of the day and finishing with the one for the next. Just hope Blogger plays nicely!

    I'm 98 on the A-Z list so If I keep to the suggested 5 blogs per day, I would reach you around the letter 'O' on the 17th.....but I'll be keeping an eye on your posts from Day 1 :-)

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  8. Good luck with the A-Z challenge, I've never done it, perhaps I should, but I never see it until it's too late - next year maybe. Honesty is one of the most things I hold dear in a person that, and compassion. ^_^

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  9. Sorry for the snow. It was all global warming's fault though. We got it too. Good luck in April!

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  10. Generally with things like the A-Z, I do NOT plan ahead. This time I had no choice ;) My hand was forced by my going on holiday for half of April :P

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