AtoZ April Challenge 2016: Theme Reveal

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It’s time for the A to Z Blogging Challenge 2016 and for all those who are participating, preparations are already under way. I’d heard so much about it last year, but since I was new to blogging, it was challenging enough to come up with regular posts every few weeks, given the paucity of time, so I was happy to give it a miss! This year, though, I decided to be brave and face it head-on. 🙂

The decision to take up the challenge was purely based on a momentary impulse as I felt tempted to join, seeing the long list of sign-ups!! I am going with the flow and eager to see if it is really as much fun as it is made out to be (!) So, if you are anything like me, you’ll know the jitters I’m feeling at the moment, along with the sense of something exciting that will show up, but which I’m clueless about, right now! But, I’d still say, if you haven’t been a part of it before, this is your chance to give it a try. Sign up to participate here.

I know there are zillions of things that might get in the way, but I’d still like to complete the Challenge. I’m sticking to a theme, and will try and keep my posts short, to ensure I can manage to schedule posts in advance. I’m really indebted to the Blogging from A to Z website and to all my fellow bloggers who have been insisting how important it is to schedule posts in advance and keep them short. A special thanks to Corinne who has collated brief nuggets of wisdom in her post from all those who’ve taken up the challenge in the previous years.  This has certainly helped me to formulate my own strategy as I already have too much on my plate, what with the usual responsibilities of home and work and not feeling energetic enough as I recuperate from a respiratory condition!

Feeling very, very challenged, as time is also very tight. I can barely manage an hour of blogging a day, at the moment. While I agree that in order to successfully complete this challenge, themes may not be mandatory, I’m hoping that the concept of a theme does make things a little easy for me to create posts that line up from A to Z.

So, here’s my theme for the 2016 A to Z Blogging Challenge – Pins on the Map of my Memory! While you keep guessing what that might mean, I shall begin rummaging and scouring the depths of my inner recesses to get past my Theme Reveal Blogpost  and get started.

And, if, ever, at any point, I get cold feet and think of pulling out of the challenge, I shall remind myself – being challenged in life is inevitable, being defeated is optional! There will be loads of posts to read beside the mandatory five and I have no clue how I’m going to keep up with so much reading and commenting every day for an entire month!!! But, that’s why this is so interesting because I will be pushing my boundaries and re-prioritising my work schedule, (Just don’t ask me how ;-))

If you are following this blog through April, please do send in your comments/feedback on my posts through your likes, shares and follow-ups and encourage me to keep on track.  I am looking forward to connecting with many new bloggers alongside the known faces! Can’t wait to see you all in April! 🙂

 

(Linking this with #Monday Musings and the #AtoZchallenge.)

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39 thoughts

  1. Pingback: #Reflections on the A-ZChallenge2016 | Soul Talk

    1. I purposely left it at that when I wrote the theme though I’m mainly writing about places that I have a personal connect with! Thank you so much for your support, Anamika. I do need them 🙂

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  5. Hi, here from the reveal, and like the presentation of your theme! Hope the challenge goes well, and all the very best.

    Nilanjana.
    Ninja Minion, A-Z 2016
    Madly-in-Verse

    Reply

    1. Thank you so much Vasantha! The best part about the blogger groups is that we all learn from each other, don’t we? Happy to know you’ll be there. Thanks again…hope I can live upto the expectations 🙂

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  7. Good for you for signing up for the challenge! Keeping it short and simple is the best way to go 🙂 It is a wild adventure but its my fourth year of doing it and I keep coming back, so it must be somewhat fun 🙂

    betty

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    1. Thanks so much, Sue! Yes, hopefully the theme will make some sense to the readers when they read my posts. Good to know you will be there. Best wishes for yours as well. Will look forward to catching your posts too!!

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  10. Thanks, Parul! So glad that in spite of the odds, we are in it! Talk of cooking…I know how challenging that is when you have work and home to balance, but am sure, you will do it and will also come up with superb posts each day! We already do a lot of juggling on a daily basis…this one just has a name, that’s all! Don’t tell me you’re already thinking of 2017!!! You are way too ahead, girl 🙂

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  11. Welcome to A to Z (my second year). It is scary, but you’ve done the hardest thing – signing up. You have good support through Write Tribe, and you are doing the right thing by scheduling short posts. Don’t worry about keeping the theme if you can’t. See what other a to z’ers are doing. You can do it!!

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    1. Alana, thank you dear for your warm support! Yes, banking on Write Tribers to see me through this with their constant encouragement and support! Please know that my best wishes are also with you and I ook forward to reading your wonderful posts through April! Cheers to exciting times ahead:-)

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  12. I like the ring of your theme and I will be around Esha to cheer you. Hope your health gets better soon and don’t you worry about feeling jittery. I am in for the second time and equally nervous and worried. Same issues – work and home. Adding to it – my help will be out throughout April so I will have to cook which is never my space to be in. So I am already scared. But, we need to give it a shot and try our best. It’s a rewarding challenge and I am already thinking of themes for 2017 🙂
    Good luck!

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  15. Ha ha..don’t believe a word Guilie says, Esha! 😉
    You’ll do just fab. The best thing is to use a note book with a page for each letter of the alphabet and start to pen down your ideas. Keep as many posts as you can ready to go. It’s usually the second week that’s the hardest.
    I’ll be looking forward to reading all your memory pins!
    PS: Much easier to read on white. 🙂

    Reply

    1. Forewarned is forearmed, Corinne 🙂 – so, am thankful to Guilie for pointing the downside! But, I’m taking it all in my stride and bracing up to face the odds…since I know it isn’t going to be a smooth ride all the way. But, I’m preparing myself for it in advance!
      Thanks for the great tips – started with jotting down notes already so I can see what all is going in on each of the days on a particular week (taking it one week at a time!) Its the reading and commenting on the posts that I find more challenging as time goes!
      Jay (my hubby) has been insisting on a white background for the blog, so when I came across your advice for Kala, I thought of switching over to white! 🙂

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  16. Awesome, Esha! So glad you decided to jump in and join the A-to-Z madness. You’ll love it. Halfway through April you’ll be wondering if you made a mistake, by the 22nd you’ll be wishing you’d never joined, and by May 1st you’ll be wishing you’d never heard of blogging at all. But—and this is a promise—by the middle of May (if not sooner) you’ll start checking the calendar to see how much longer before the sign-up list opens for 2017 😀 It’s addictive. And enormously rewarding.

    Looking forward to following your April Pins!
    Guilie @ Life In Dogs (and member of co-host Damyanti’s team, D’s Company )

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    2. Hahaha Guilie, have gone past that fear when I jumped into it! AND I haven’t read anything except the last two sentences…:D !!!! I am hoping to enjoy this and the prospect of connecting with so many bloggers is a very rewarding experience any day 🙂 See you in April!

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  17. Welcome to the #AtoZChallenge and best of luck! This is my third year, and my first with a theme. It’s a lot of fun, and making it through feels wonderful! Your theme sounds intriguing…..

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    1. Thanks and wish you the same too! You must be a pro by now, so I definitely take your word for it when you say it’s going to be fun! I do intend to make it through as well, that’s the challenging bit for me 🙂

      Reply

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