Once again, I have arrived to the party late. I am always that person, the one who finds out about everything at the last minute or after the fact. Usually, this includes events or classes that I would liked to have participated in or a television event or series that I would liked to have watched. I either miss out on them completely or I miss too much information after something has started making it difficult to catch up to the rest of the group. Is there any hope for me to arrive at any party on time?
Well, maybe there is. Yesterday, I received an invitation to accept the “Blogging from A to Z April Challenge”. This is an annual challenge that began in 2010 and encourages participants to post every day in April (except Sundays; apparently, bloggers get that day off for good behaviour), totalling 26 days of posting. The kicker? Each of the 26 posts has to match a letter of the alphabet. For example, April 1st must begin with the letter “A”, April 2nd the letter “B”, April 3rd a “C”, and so on. While not mandatory, it is recommended that a theme be used by each blogger adding further interest and stimulation to the challenge. Personally, I see that recommendation as more of a dare – oh, yeah? Just watch me theme it! – which makes me want to participate even more.
The premise behind the challenge is to have fun (definitely up for that), to create a blogging habit of writing every day (definitely need that), and to make new friends (definitely interested – have you ever checked some of the blogs that are out there in the blogsphere? You never know whose path you might just cross.). This sounds like a win/win opportunity benefitting both those participating in the challenge and for those reading the blogs.
Registration for the challenge began back in January and yesterday was the last day for it. In the past, I would have decided to pass on such an invitation feeling that I was too late to jump onto the party band wagon. But YC’s voice was going off inside my head reminding me of my promise to try something new and step outside my comfort zone. Soooooooo, I decided to register with only 14 hours remaining so that I would at least be registered. If I decided closer to the April 1st start date to not participate, it would be easier to withdraw rather than trying to get in on the challenge.
Being rather pleased with myself for actually registering for something under the wire, I sat back and began considering what my theme would be. That’s when I realized what the date was and, according to the challenge calendar of events, yesterday was ‘Theme Reveal’ day. This is when bloggers post what their theme is going to be for the 2016 challenge. Friggin’ hell, I had appointments and a supper date ahead of me so I knew that I would be revealing nothing except that I had arrived late to the party. Oh well, at least I was registered, right?
Sooooooo, I have decided to go with the old ‘better late than never’ adage and post my big reveal tonight. Never one to do things the easy way, revealing my theme tonight is having an unexpected side effect. I am feeling somewhat like a rebel, a rule breaker, an A to Z Challenge bad ass. I am woman hear me roar!
Now for the big theme reveal. Drum roll please …..
Since I have already begun my #365grateful gratitude challenge, I have decided to combine both challenges together. For the month of April, I will write about something that I am grateful for that begins with the letter of the alphabet for that day. However, rather than being grateful for something obvious, such as “Today I am grateful for apples” for the letter A, I am going to challenge myself to think outside the box and write about something not as obvious as apples such as aardvarks, Adirondacks, armpits or something like that. Hopefully, you get my drift because I am not exactly sure that I get my drift. Somebody has to be the better person here and I am counting on you to be that person. You. Can. Do. It.
So there it is. My big reveal. I’m not sure how big of a revelation that it amounts to, really, but I am pleased that I have at least decided to forge ahead and not just dismiss it until next year like I normally would. This is big for me, people, this stepping outside my comfort zone and participating in something that will have over hundreds of other bloggers actively participating in as well.
Now I am off to figure out how to add the 2016 Challenge Badge to my blog. After that, I am supposed to use some sort of Linky Link List to visit other blogs participating in the challenge; bloggers who arrived at the party early and who revealed their themes yesterday. This part of the challenge is to create an “opportunity to meet up with fellow bloggers, create links to one another’s sites, scout out and bookmark themes that we will look forward to, and lure in wandering participants with our awesome theme”. While I am not so sure that my theme is worthy of the adjective awesome, I do hope that it is of interest to some and will bring a smile or two to my followers, especially YC, for I need to get his voice out of my head for a wee bit.
Anyway, I must run and get going on this challenge party business because, goodness knows, I want to arrive to the April 1st blogging A to Z Challenge party on time. Wish me luck!
A to Z Challenge Bad Ass: 1
Late slip: 0
Can’t wait to read your entries!
Linda, I don’t know how you came across my God forsaken blog but I think we’re going to great bloggee pals. I’m putting you on my A to Z’er list but I have an inkling that I’ll be moving you to my “tribe” list very soon. Count me in as one of your faithful stalkers now. And just remember, it was you who found me.. Hahahahahaha. 😀
Yee haw! I’ve always wanted to have a great bloggee stalker pal 🙂 I found you when I was looking for like-minded people on the A to Z’er blog list. Lucky you, huh? I am truly honoured to be put on your A to Z’er list and, I am wondering if breaking a toilet recently (check out my post ‘the day the toilet died’) would be a requisite for making it on to your “tribe” list sooner rather than later hahahaha. Looking forward to stalking you, too. Have a great day!
You never know where your bloggy path will lead you. Followed you after you appeared from nowhere and commented on my blog and I landed here and decided you are my kind of people. I am grateful I did not know ahead of time about this challenge. I may have accepted it and driven myself crazy in the process. I’ll live vicariously through yours this year anyway ~Linda #2
I knew that you were my kind of people when I spotted your comment over @TheBlogess. I followed you link and, well, the rest is history. We are definitely going to have some fun together! Thanks for stopping by the patch. Next time, we’ll have some bread-uh.
Love you already.
I got a Liebster today and have to nominate 11 other blogs. Can I include yours? I would love to keep them within my tribe (I added you to my blogroll today).
I must tell you that being included in your tribe is the biggest thing to happen to me since Oprah discovered bread. I am feeling super duper special; thank you very much for including me.
You ARE me. Ha!
What a great theme! I’m looking forward to following along this month!
Why, thank you! It’s going to be quite a challenge and I hope that I can rise up to it without much disappointment. The only thing I can guarantee is that it is going to be quite the ride and that is will definitely be outside the box. Looking forward to following you, too. Thanks for dropping by to the Cabbage Patch!
Seriously you NEED to write about armpits! No, really…I know it is odd, but seriously if you don’t I will be forced to and I so wanted to write about stinky feet instead……PLEASE?????
Hahaha! Funny thing is that I went from armpits to assholes in one giant leap and wrote an entire post about the importance of having assholes in our lives. I hope that I don’t disappoint you. Feel free to write about armpits. I can serve as your go to reference source if you’d like. Thanks for dropping by!
oh even better! congrats for wildly exceeding any expectations I may have had! lol
Hi, here from the A-Z reveal. Gratitude is the beginning of happiness. Great theme. Hope the challenge goes well for you, all the best.
Nilanjana.
Ninja Minion, A-Z 2016
Madly-in-Verse
Thank you for dropping by the Cabbage Patch. Looking forward to the challenge; this will be my first time participating. Have fun with your challenge. I hope it goes well for you, too! 😊
Okay, I’m so into this! Way to go, jumping in last minute! That took nerve, or the absence of control, something! Adore, adore the graphic with the little guy!! Glad you jumped in!
Revisit the Tender Years with me at
Life & Faith in Caneyhead
I think it took a complete and utter disregard for my sanity! Looking forward to not only the challenge of it all but, most importantly, to having some fun. Thanks for dropping by to the Cabbage Patch; looking forward to seeing your posts.
Welcome to the #AtoZChallenge! This is my third year (gulp), my first with a theme (gulp), and from your tone, I can tell you’re in it for the write (erm right) reasons: to write and have fun!
I look forward to seeing what you come up with! And no cheating on the hard letters either! (Just kidding. I’m totally cheating on Y.)
@dSavannahCreate from
dSavannahRambles
#AtoZChallenge2016: dSavannah Defects
Why thank you for your nice welcome! Looking forward to the challenge (I think 😳). I told myself that I wasn’t doing it unless I was having fun! But I feel like I should warn everyone as some of my posts may end up being rather twisted. Looking forward to following your posts and to us cheating on Y together 😉
The twisted-er, the better. 🙂
Your reveal sounds awesome! Better late than never, right? I probably was late in signing up my first year. I thought the sign-up list didn’t close until April 3rd, though? I try to be in the loop, but sometimes my brain doesn’t stay with me!
Stephanie
http://stephie5741.blogspot.com
Why, thank you! I could have misread the sign up deadline though (that would be so like me 😳). I’m not sure how great my posts are going to be as I went through the alphabet and chose my things to be grateful for and there’s not a damn normal post in there anywhere. I can’t help myself; I’m just weird that way. Hopefully, I won’t get banned from participating in future challenges. Thanks for dropping by. I’m heading over to check out your blog now.
I posted my LIebster Award post. I made you #1. Duh.
I saw that…thank you! I’ve always wanted to be #1 in somebody’s mind. I probably won’t get at mine until the weekend; this week has gone off the rails for me and I haven’t been able to get a minute to myself. Thanks again you crazy woman you.