A-Z April 2025 Challenge: Reflection

Here are some ramblings about my experience in finishing the Blogging From A-Z challenge this year. More about the challenge over here. (The theme I had for my alternative a-z badges is beginning or spring so that's why the sun and plant/tree graphics above. You can see the badges here in this post.)

01 - I had picked three words and let the readers choose which one I will be rambling about or if I have an inkling, tell a (fictional) story. This was maybe a good idea but readers don't seem to want to choose so then I decided I can choose the word if it gets too late to post. Since I have to wait for people to choose the words, I have to write/post on the same day so that means just a few hours to write each post which is a bit nerve-wracking but still kind of fun.

02 - I made a list of blogs I was going to visit (from the master list) - a very short list because I want to make it easier for myself. I admit there are many themes I have no interest in but I did visit all the blogs on the master list (except for the adult content ones) just to check them out.

03 - Before the challenge started, I had made coffee mugs with the alphabets so I don't have to think up or make images/graphics for each post which lowers the stress (see above and below).

04 - I debated on leaving a link (to my a-z posts) whenever I leave a comment. I don't want people to think they have to visit me back but at the same time, I want to make it easier for people to visit me. So in the end, I left some links but not a lot.

05 - I did get a little lazy at commenting toward the end. I really do try to leave a comment but my attention span seemed to wane a lot. Plus my wi-fi sometimes had nervous breakdowns just for fun so sometimes I'm not sure my comments went through and I was too lazy to check.

06 - I'm very grateful to those who chose to visit and leave comments - they made the overall challenge more fun and more interactive. Without readers, it wouldn't be as fun so thank you all.

07 - Here are my A-Z April 2025 Challenge posts links:

• awkwardly awesome april • brevity • fiction: criminal • fiction: diva • erase • follow • grumpy • fiction: headphones • impulse • java • fiction: kerfuffle • lackadaisical • mundane

• noodles • fiction: ocean • postcards • quirk • fiction: rainbow • speechless • two • umbrella • vicarious • fiction: witch • xoxo • yatter • zine

08 - Here are  some (new-to-me) blogs I had enjoyed visiting during the A-Z challenge:
• Live and Learn - Toss and Turn > link
Like me, Live and Learn had no A-Z challenge theme but I do enjoyed her takes on various topics.

• Thrift  Shop Commando > link
Tami Von Zalez also had no theme. I enjoyed some throwback to things I otherwise I didn't know or had forgotten such as my ebay account which is gathering dust.

• Pattern Recognition > link
Anne M. Bray drew Fluevog shoes which is a brand of shoes I've never wore but she created a lot of stylish, creative shoes which I would wear if only I actually had style.

• Butterfly on a Broomstick > link
Linze Brandon talked about cheating the muse, about creativity or the lack of. I enjoyed her inputs, advices, and I might had been a bit opinionated about them in my comments.

• Just call me Froggi > link
Froggi also had no themes but I enjoyed her musing about everything. I wish I can be that cool and relax when I get to that age (over 60).

• Temenos of the Blessing Light > link
Deborah Weber's theme for the A-Z challenge is a selection of unusual words where she ponders their meanings, histories and usage. I might not have read all the posts but the ones I did read are quite educating and worth pondering.

• Ya Gotta Laugh About It > link
Rhondi St.Onge Peacock had no theme either but she posted some very interesting things and a few sad ones.

• Story Treasury > link
Sonia Lal wrote about fictional characters, some I know, most I don't because I haven't read the books those characters are in.

• Silvia Writes > link
Silvia Villalobos wrote about running and writing and I thought those two seems to go together. Her posts are like really good pep talks that writers or amateur writers need and maybe want.

Did you do the A-Z challenge and if so, did you enjoy it?