Meeting AJ In Real Life

Have you ever had the pleasure of meeting, in person, someone you've me online?  I had that chance for the first time last week.

AJ, whom I met last year, and I met up for coffee last week and we couldn't stop talking.

Her hair is a little less curly, mine is a lot more crazy gold/red, but we recognized each other right away.

Some people make distinctions about "real" friends and "online" friends, but I've stopped doing that.  I've realized that as our society has changed and online is an increasing part of our daily lives, then the "status" of those we meet and hang out with online needs to change also.

Did you ever have a pen pal when you were growing up?  I did.  My Swedish friends and I wrote hundreds of letters that traveled across the ocean so that we could keep our friendship up to date until the next time I could visit Sweden.

I feel like the friends I've made online are like pen pals.  We've shared some deep stuff in the emails and text messages and phone calls we've exchanged. Also, when you're "hanging out" online ALL you're doing is talking.  You're not distracted by the movie you went to see, or by the shopping you're doing.  

You're just getting to know each other, and I think you do so much more quickly than someone you meet in person.  It takes a lot of get-togethers to reach the level of sharing that comes more quickly in an online friendship.

AJ and I got together in a local coffee shop.  Of course we talked "shop" since we're both co-hosts.  (You've heard of this alphabet thing we're doing, right?  If you're new to this, click on the tab above that says A-Z Challenge and go sign-up.  Now.  I'll wait.) That was a small part of it, though.  We talked like real friends talked.

We shared our lives, our struggles, our hopes and dreams and frustrations and were both amazed to see how long we'd been talking when "nature called." That's friendship to me.  Real people.  Real life.

Have you ever met someone you first met online?  Do you think there are "real" friends and "online" friends? Explain.  I'd like to hear your opinion.

~Tina, who is trying to play nice with blogger and composing directly in the window instead of cutting and pasting for OpenOffice, but still gets wonky formatting as a gift...

#atozchallenge Sign-Ups Are Officially Open! Meet Your Co-Hosts Too!

Please read and follow the sign-up instructions outlined below so you sign onto the list correctly!   

The brainchild of Arlee Bird, at Tossing it Out , the A to Z Challenge is posting every day in April except Sundays (we get those off for good behavior.) And since there are 26 days, that matches the 26 letters of the alphabet. On April 1, blog about something that begins with the letter “A.” April 2 is “B,” April 3 is “C,” and so on. You can use a theme for the month or go random – just as long as it matches the letter of the alphabet for the day.

We recommend short posts, turn off Word Verification, and visit five blogs (or more) a day beginning with the one after yours on the list.

To streamline legitimate blogs from advertisement blogs, the Co-Hosts will be visiting each blog on this list throughout the Challenge. Blogs on the list showing no activity once the Challenge starts will be removed.

There are categories for those looking for like-minded blogs. Select ONE category code and enter it after your blog’s title/name. The code applies to your blog, not your theme for the Challenge and is purely optional. However, if your blog has adult content, you MUST mark it (AC) or it will be removed from the list. Codes are as follows:

1. WRITING: (WR)
2. BOOKS: (BO)
3. FILM: (FM)
4. PHOTOGRAPHY: (PH)
5. GARDENING: (GR)
6. CRAFT: (CR)
7. ART: (AR)
8. MUSIC: (MU)
9. CULINARY: (CU)
10. LIFESTYLE: (LI )
11. FASHION: (FA)
12. PERSONAL: (PR)
13. SOCIAL MEDIA: (SO)
14. GAMING: (GA)
15. EDUCATION: (ED)
16. POLITICS: (PO)
17. HISTORY: (HI)
18. SCIENCE: (SC)
19. HUMOR: (HU)
20. TRAVEL: (TR)
21. MISCELLANEOUS: (MI)
22. ADULT CONTENT: (AC)

Be sure to grab the badge and display it in your sidebar so we know you are participating and link to the A to Z Blog.  

For more information we recommend you follow the A to Z Challenge Blog and the hosts:

Arlee Bird @ Tossing it Out 

Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh 

Author Stephen Tremp 

Tina @ Life is Good

Damyanti@ Amlokiblogs 

Jeremy @ Being Retro 

Nicole Ayers - The Madlab Post 

M. J. Joachim's Writing Tips 

Heather M. Gardner 

AJ @ Naturally Sweet 

Pam @ An Unconventional Librarian 

We also have a Facebook page, 

email address is infoatoz2014@gmail.com,

and the Twitter hashtag is #AtoZChallenge.

Sign up below and join us for a month of alphabet fun!

Announcing the Official Blogging A-Z Co-Hosts!

I'm so excited about gearing up for this year's challenge!  It's the best blogging fun around, and the best way to expand your followers and find new blogs!  The people who participate (and lead) are a whole bunch of wonderful folks.  Yes, they're letting me play again.  Must have "played nicely with others" enough last year...


        So without further ado, say hello to The 2013 A to Z Team:

The A to Z Team 2013!

Arlee Bird      Tossing It Out                           @ArleeBird
Damyanti Biswas      Amlokiblogs                    @damyantig
Alex J. Cavanaugh      Alex J. Cavanaugh        @alexjcavanaugh 
Tina Downey     Life is Good                          @TinaLifeisGood
DL Hammons         Cruising Altitude 2.0             @DL_H
Jeremy Hawkins       Retro-Zombie                  @iZombieJMH
Shannon Lawrence        The Warrior Muse         @thewarriormuse
Matthew MacNish       The QQQE                      @MatthewMacNish
Konstanz Silverbow       No Thought 2 Small      @KonstanzS
Stephen Tremp        Breakthrough Blogs            @StephenTremp
Livia Peterson       Leave it to Livia                  @LiviaGPeterson
L. Diane Wolfe        Spunk on a Stick                 @SpunkOnAStick 
Nicole  Ayers      The Madlab Post                      @madlabpost

Who Are the New Team Members?

         Livia Peterson started her blog Leave It To Livia last May, heading full force into the blogging world to make her presence known in many ways including landing a place on the A to Z Team.  Her blogging niche includes movies, entertainment, and, of course, writing.  She's ready to take the blog world by storm so be sure to head on over to her blog and become friends with her now.  We think you'll like Livia.

         L. Diane Wolfe was already in the blogging circle that I fell into nearly four years ago and I feel honored to be a part of her blog circle of friends.  Diane is an expert on writing, public speaking, marketing, and promotion.  In other words, she's a valuable contact to have.  You can find her at Spunk on a Stick.  If you're not following her blog, then now's the time to head on over and do so.

        Nicole Ayers from The Madlab Post is probably a very familiar name to A to Z'ers by now.  In fact you may be wondering, "Isn't she already on the A to Z Team?"   Nicole has been responsible for our Friday posts over the past several months as she sat in as an unofficial Team Member.  Now it's official--Nicole is part of the Team.  If you are looking for some inspiration about A to Z themes you may want to check out some her previous Friday posts on that topic.  And be sure to follow her blog if you aren't doing so already.

Follow The Leaders

      The links to all of the Team blogs can be found in the list above.  If there are any that you are not yet following then hop on over to their blogs and click the "Follow" button.   You will want to check in with all of these bloggers on a regular basis for the latest A to Z Challenge news and for helpful tips about the Challenge and blogging in general.

Where's the linky?  Where do I sign up?  What do I do now?  Patience, my young padawan, patience.  The list opens 1/30.  It will be at the main A-Z Blog, and there's room for everyone.  We will not leave you in the dark, and you don't have to camp out for tickets.  Just hit the linky starting 1/30.  There is no advantage to being early on the list (except bragging rights, which of course I'm into...) but we divide the list to make sure everyone gets lots of visits, and then after the challenge is over, many of us keep going until we've been to see everyone.

OK, so what can I do until 1/30????  Pick a theme for your posts (if you want), start writing posts and scheduling them early (we'll have a tutorial about that coming soon) and SPREAD THE WORD!

P.S Yes, that's really me.  Now on Twitter. Yes, that was also me who when it first came out said, NEVER...but I also said that about facebook... I was the last to join, so you can say I gave in to peer pressure. Or that I hate being left out, or that it was time, or...yeah, the peep pressure thing is most accurate. I've read some of the tutorials...downloaded the app, set my notification, tried tweeting, but don't know if anyone got it...so I'm learning Windows 8 and Twitter at the same time.  I will admit,  I'm now following Bruce Springsteen.  Can't wait to hear from The Boss!

~Tina

P.S At the main blog is an announcement similar to this one (because I stole parts - not the other way around) that has a contact us page.  If you write to the info@ email, it comes to me, so feel free to just write me at my regular address you'll find in the sidebar!  Ask away - I'm ready to help you navigate this adventure!

Digging Up The Dirt: What Do You Want to Know?

Today I'm asking for your help. Even if you're not going to be in the April 2013 A-Z Blogging Challenge, you can still contribute greatly, and the entire team of co-hosts will be grateful for your creative, goofy, or pin-em-to-the-wall input, if that's the case.

We are putting together this year's “Get To Know Your Co-Hosts” questionnaire, and need your help with questions. What would you like to know about us? What have you been wondering about me? If we get enough questions, each co-host will choose which to answer, so we'll have some variety.  For what you already know about me, see the "About Me" tab above.

Please do me the huge favor of heading over to the A-Z Blog today if you'd like samples of what our questions and answers were last year. You can also see what questions have already been contributed.

Or, if you're ready and short on time, leave your question in my comments here. Either way, we sure appreciate your help.

~ Tina