Congratulations to everyone who completed the 2017 April A to Z Challenge! There were so many outstanding themes by talented bloggers worldwide!
This was my fourth year in a row and I still haven’t got it right. Intentions to have all entries pre-written before April 1 have been stymied for one reason or another, every time, although this year I was further ahead than before.
You’d think that would make it easier, but once again, I was unable to keep up with blog visits and comments as much as I would have liked. Apologies to those I missed!
As usual, I stuck to familiar subjects, combining music from the ’60s to the ’80s and memoirs spanning five decades. Judging by your response, the theme was well-received. Blog traffic more than doubled from the previous month! Heartfelt thanks to everyone who took the time to read, comment and share. There’s a list of frequent visitors in the sidebar. ►►
Clicking on the image brings you to a summary page of all #AtoZChallenge posts:
Since this is a musical theme, I put together a Youtube playlist for you to enjoy:
(a brilliant idea started by Mary of Jingle Jangle Jungle)
There was a lot of buzz about the elimination of the linky list this year and the A to Z team has asked for feedback. Personally, I haven’t missed it much, because I’ve been doing what they advocated all along. ie. using the #AtoZChallenge hashtag and relying on social media and comments to discover new sites. Between that and reciprocating visits, the month flew by!
WE MADE IT!
Thanks to the A to Z Team,
without whom none of us would be here:Find links to other ‘Reflections’ posts HERE
Have you started thinking about next year already?
Did you enjoy your A to Z Challenge experience?
Looking forward to your comments!
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Dog Mom and (retired) Canine Innkeeper in suburban Toronto, Canada, known as The Doglady. Former corporate workaholic. Writer, photographer, digital creator. Animal lover, music fanatic, inveterate traveller. Eternal hippie/rockchick. History, literature and cinema buff. Hockey and soccer fan. Dedicated night owl. German/Canadian binational, multilingual. Let me entertain you!
26 thoughts on “REFLECTIONS | #AtoZCHALLENGE 2017”
Hello, friend D … my canine friend … meow … smiles … never like to follow any commands like your canine friends do … but will certainly pussyfooting around your blog … Love, cat.
Hi cat! 😀 Thanks for your interest. Pussyfoot around as much as you like.
This is a challenging, yearly blogging event that I participated in for 4 years, but its appeal has kind of worn thin, now. Too much time spent online! There’s more to life than blogging. At least, that’s my current state of mind. I’m not fond of commands either, unlike the dogs. Thanks for dropping in. Purrrr…
Well done for making it to the end of the challenge! I’ve got an idea for what I’d like to blog about next year, providing my IVF treatment works and I have free time on my hands with a newborn. 😉
Cait @ Click’s Clan
Congratulations being a survivor; I couldnt relaly manage visits to your blog during the challenge and hope to read you more now.
I too followed twitter hashtags and the FB page links to follow the blogs I wanted to read and didnt think anything amiss with that!!
Thank you for listing my blog on your sidebar. I enjoyed reading your memoirettes (is that a word?) and enjoyed your musical matches even more. Looking forward to next year.
Oh yes, I’m already thinking of A to Z for next year. I enjoyed many of your posts, and look forward to your offerings for next year. I did miss the list, but I don’t miss all the times I clicked on a link to find the person had already quit, or never started.
Congrats on completing yet another A-Z Debbie! I really enjoyed the posts that I read and thought your theme was fabulous.
Good to hear that you were okay with the elimination of the Linky List.
See you soon for BOTB!
Michele at Angels Bark
Wish I could have stopped by more often for your terrific Tales with tunes that matched. But I totally enjoyed the ones I was able to catch . Just think, a book and a soundtrack…:-)
You made it look and seem like an early summer breeze!
I really enjoyed your posts this challenge. Look forward to your book …..I’m sure it will make a fascinating read. And thanks for mentioning my name in your list of visitors. Made my day.
Already got my theme for 2018, and yes, I enjoyed this year.
Congrats on an excellent Challenge! I really enjoyed the tunes and the memories you shared. I planned to use the A-Z hashtag to find more posts, but I ended up not having time to do anything on Twitter except tweet my own posts. I wonder how the team will tweak the system for next year.
I agree with you…don’t sweat it or you won’t enjoy it. I didn’t mind that there was no linky because it felt easier to look through the list. I fell behind…nothing new. I really enjoyed your posts! Thankfully I caught the autocorrect or else you would have read “no kinky” hahahaaa
I don’t guess any of us always gets everything right. I’m still learning new things and still making old mistakes. Oh well, we’re here to have fun and I think you did that.
Great series and a good report about your Challenge experience. Thanks for playing along with us and for providing your reflections about your month of April.
Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out
Well done, Debbie! Four years straight is impressive. In my view, if you completed the challenge, you ‘got it right.’ I look forward to going back and catching up on posts that I missed during April. Thanks so much for visiting and sharing my posts.
I have not thought about A to Z 2018 beyond knowing that I will participate. 2017 was too fun to stop after just one year!
Emily | My Life In Ecuador | A to Z Reflections 2017
I didn’t manage to land on all of your posts, but whenever I did I loved them. Not only because they were entertaining, but because they were different. I planned Amble Bay before I’d even finished last year’s challenge, but I have no idea where I’ll be heading off to in ’18. Thanks so much for your visits to my wacky little village!
nice playlist. I didn’t have a theme and I didn’t use social media so I guess that’s why I have less visitors but it’s okay, there’s always next year. sorry, I missed your blog, maybe I’ll check you next year.
have a lovely day.
I loved your posts and the music you put up! I am not into the SM platforms much, but the absence of the list didn’t make much of a difference to my traffic. It did make a difference to my visiting though. Something for me to address next year.
I missed some of your posts due to time crunch and will be back to catch up. Congrats and kudos on a great A-Z!
Best always,
Nila.
Congratulations on completing the Blogfest, DEBBIE! You turned me onto some good music I’d never heard before.
~ D-FensDogG
[Link:) Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews…
Congratulations! You made it through the whole alphabet!
I loved reading your posts, even I didn’t comment each time.
I really enjoyed your theme this year! Congratulations on finishing the challenge 🙂
Debbie
Congratulations on a successful completion of the challenge, Debbie! I wasn’t able to visit your visit your blog more often due to personal commitments but I am sure you did well and enjoyed the challenge to the hilt. 🙂
Hi Debbie – not being social media savvy … I didn’t (couldn’t) go the FB, Twitter, Instagram et al route … but it was fun meeting up with you … and being able to ramble along your journey of life with its musical accompaniments … cheers and see you soon – Hilary
Debbie,
I enjoyed the way you rolled your memories around a particular song. Your stories were entertaining and at times heartwrenching. Through your theme, you made feel like I was a part of your life which is an awesome accomplishment.
I certainly understand how not having all posts done ahead can impact your participation. It’s truly difficult to post, visit, comment, and respond. Those who thrive under such a tight schedule I admire and wish I could be more like them in that regard. You did a great job keeping up! Like you I didn’t miss the linky but it would’ve been nice to have to find bloggers with similar themes or interests. That I missed. But, whatever the A2Z team does or doesn’t do in the coming years I’m there to support them 110%. It’s all about the fun anyhow. 😀
Congratulations on crossing the finishing line for the 4th year in a row with me, my friend and thanks for being faithful to visit me! You rock!!
PS: My reflections post is on Saturday!
I failed miserably with the A to Z this year and I will make no promises about next year. I’d have to write all of the posts this year! I’ve been away but I’m back now. 🙂
Debbie,
I really enjoyed reading your posts this month. I feel as though I’ve learned quite a bit about you. You are quite the story teller, and I am looking forward to your best seller(s) one day. I love how matched a song for each topic. I felt as though each song set a mood or tone for the day. Get some rest and see you soon in the battles of the bands!
You got that right, Debbie, “the month flew by!”
Nice meeting you!
https://thethreegerbers.blogspot.ch/2017/05/a-z-blogging-challenge-reflection-post.html