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the NaBloPoMo hotwash
By heather | November 30, 2008
(If you are unfamiliar, hotwash is a military term. I swear, dirty minds, all of you.)
I’m not sure why I decided to do NaBloPoMo this year. Maybe because I was averaging one post a week while I was on maternity leave. Maybe just to see if I could, or because all the cool kids were doing it.
Regardless I made it this far and it was both harder and easier than I expected.
What Went Well/Sustain, i.e. the Good
Looking back over the month, I captured some things that I probably wouldn’t have blogged about had I not been trying to blog every day and that makes me happy. Little incidents that would have been forgotten have been recorded for posterity and in 10 years my kids can read about how exciting the new washer was.
I learned that I can in fact post an entry (not a great entry, but an entry) in less than 5 minutes. Well written and thought out entries that have a point can take me HOURS. But as we like to say in consulting world: good, fast, or cheap – pick two. Those entries may not have been great, and someone reading me for the first time probably didn’t drop everything and start perusing my archives but it was something.
I had my best day ever in stats, and it was with an entry that I almost didn’t even post. I wrote it, I stared at it, and finally posted it because I ran out of time to write something else. If I hadn’t been posting every day it probably would never have made it onto the blog.
It also became obvious to me that I need some sort of accountability if I’m going to keep this blog going. I posted more this month than in the previous SIX. Yeeps. Maybe I’ll commit to 3 entries a week? Or 4?
Where We Can Learn/Improve, i.e. the Bad:
My feed reader runneth over. I was so busy writing and remembering to post that I didn’t have as much time to read and comment. I think I probably missed some good posts by other bloggers, and I know that by the time I read some of them it was a week later and I had missed commenting in a timely fashion.
I also wasn’t as quick as I would normally be responding to comments that people left for me. It was kind of like when I was cleaning out my car the other day and found a thank you note for a baby gift from like, JULY, that was obviously never mailed and then I felt like crap.
I wasn’t as good about visiting the blog of the person that commented because, see above (feed reader runneth over). Like all bloggers, I get a little frisson of excitement with every comment notification and while comments were keeping me going, I wasn’t as good at letting the commenter know how much I appreciated it.
Take A Look At/Change, i.e. the Ugly:
I tried hard not to whine about doing NaBloPoMo, after all it was a self-inflicted wound. And it wasn’t like I would get fired if I didn’t post, it was just a personal goal.
But I would like to go on the record as saying I think November is a STUPID month to do this – with the holidays barreling at you full speed, and relatives and turkey and presents and GAAAAAAAHHH. What’s wrong with say, March? Or April? Then we could whine about winter and wish for spring and there is absolutely no holiday pressure that you could use as an excuse not to post.
After Action Items:
Finally, if you did NaBloPoMo (or even if you didn’t), I’d invite you to do what I’m about to do. Post an entry with your 5 most favorite November posts, then tell me about it. I know I missed some good ones on other blogs, so here’s your chance to give your favorites a final airing.
(Incidentally, Vicki does this every week with her other blog, Best Posts of the Week - where she compiles your content in one place…
My Favorite NaBloPoMo posts (with commentary of course, because I haven’t blabbed enough this month):
- this is my heydey - my birthday post, where I wonder when my friends and family are next obligated to shower me with lots of gifts
- i heart hot yoga – writing this reminded me of how important it is to take time for myself and that it makes me a better person in other areas of my life
- meet the tiny diva - I spent hours figuring out how to make the text wrap the picture so I have to once again highlight cutie baby and my mad design skillz
- ocd and me - this post gave me my best traffic day ever…good to know I’m not the only one with annoying charming quirks
- i have a b.a. in b.s. - remember this post when the tech guy on the other end of the phone is trying to make you feel like whatever broke is your fault
I also continue to laugh (strained gurgled laughs) at this one. Because really what is a bad haircut if you can’t laugh at it? Or cry?
Topics: bloggity blog, nablopomo | 3 Comments »
Tags: hotwash, let's do this again sometime, nablopomo
December 1st, 2008 at 4:20 pm
Congrats on surviving the month! I took you up on your invitation, and made a list of my favorites from the month: NaBloPoMoPoMo.
And I agree that November is not the ideal time of year. Of course, they have it go year-round now, but November is now the “traditional” time. (If one can say “tradition” for something that is now 3 years old…)
alejna’s last blog post..NaBloPoMoPoMo
December 1st, 2008 at 4:57 pm
[...] highlights: I’m going to take up an invitation from Heather of finding atman to list 5 posts I was glad I wrote during this past chaotic [...]
December 2nd, 2008 at 7:23 pm
You were braver/crazier than me, there was no way I was doing that again. Glad you made it through.