Menoculayshunal; Vocational Imperative

As life (and blogging) settle back into a familiar routine, there is just this one remaining task... to reflect upon the AZing experience. Why put it under the label of 'menoculaysunal', which till now has been reserved for the narration of my Sandeepany experience? Quite simply, as much as the spiritual drive gives me reason to live, the outlet of writing is as much an expression - an imperative need - tied to that. 

This year, on the Wild YAM bloggy, I made myself a little more 'naked' than usual, looking back over a personally very challenging year that got all wrinkled up with the COVID crisis... and how much of that craziness came through in the political scene. Those posts served as a catharsis and demanded a certain consistency of purpose, style, and creativity. It's all very well having a spiritual approach to life, but if it does not allow pragmatism and process to assist the management of that life, it serves little more than intellectual hubris. 

In the same vein of being less guarded on the personal level, I undertook a series based on my life in Australia over at My Take photoblog. Far from complete, but glimpses of my beloved other country. Still on the photo theme, I undertook the AZing on Instagram. Whilst not, strictly speaking, a blog, I felt it valid in that I could express the letters creatively and still wrote something about them. That was, arguably, the most fun part of the four places... Four?!

Yes, this glutton for punishment took this opportunity to relaunch the Aatmaavrajanam bloggy. It turned out that I had to truly relaunch with a new URL and setup. The previous one had got locked in some way (can that happen in the ether, rust from disuse?!!!) that I could make no changes to it that I wanted and, more cripplingly, the comments box refused to play. It, naturally, had significantly fewer readers. Still, those who did visit left strong and engaged comments, and in spiritual philosophy, if the difference is made to only one life, it has been worth the effort and presence.

This brings me more directly to the challenge itself. Initiated quite some years ago as a booster to encourage regular blogging and meaningful exchange, I found myself being quite reserved about the blogs I selected to visit. Something I had picked up on in my first attempt three years back was definitely present this year - a certain expectation of doing things a certain way. I get some of it - having the 'badge' present for the duration with the link back to the originating blog is fair enough. But this is little more than a glorified bloghop, and I really don't want to be dictated to how many blogs I should be visiting and that I am obligated to comment in reading an article. I do not expect all my readers to comment and do not feel the need to do so in my turn. I have 80 blogs on my reader; I also have a life outside the ethernet. That said, one of the joys of connecting through blogging is the sharing of views and leaving of meaningful, pertinent comments that demonstrated one has actually read the content, comprehended it, and have something to offer in return. I engage in this activity not for quantity but quality. I select blogs with a view that I will comment on a regular (not necessarily daily) basis. The majority of those bloggers return that compliment. There were a handful of one-off 'fly-bys' dropping a 'nice post' and then links to their own blogs, but mostly the readers who joined my regular buddies have added colour and texture to my comments boxes, and I am so glad to have made their acquaintance. In turn, all who receive a comment from the YAMster will have found out that I like to fully engage - and honour all who read those comments with the wits to follow my profile to reach my blogs without my having to hyperlink here, there and everywhere. (I do link from time to time - but only where it has some bearing to the comment/subject overall.)

I made it clear from the outset that I had selected a dozen blogs from the initial 'announcement' list, knowing what I would be able to manage. (Ended up with sixteen on the list.) I wished to locate bloggers who might have something to add to my already, for me, well-curated range of blogs for daily/weekly perusal. I deliberately look for at least half of that number to be outside my usual area of interest or comfort zone, as I like to think of being online in the same manner as mingling at a large party where one may know one or two, but most are strangers. It's fun to get to know and hear different views and life experiences. It may be only for the duration of the party... but if one is lucky, there may be something more lasting to come of it. I still have four bloggers with whom I exchange readings from my 2018 sojourn in the AtoZ.  I admit there was some anticipation of equalling that. There was a good mix of bloggers from both the popular platforms; I am happy to visit both versions, but I suspect that some on the blue side just will not cross over to the orange...

Of the sixteen I nutted out of the list, three ended up not blogging at all. After a fortnight of consistent commenting from me, two other blogs I dropped as there was no reciprocation at all. That's their prerogative, but I have no compunction about moving on. Of the remaining eleven, three were pals from 2018 AtoZ. They remain valuable and worthwhile places to visit. 

• Pradeep at Time and Tide used this year to tell us about his city of residence, Bengaluru.
• Arti at My Ordinary Moments shared insights into the concepts of Ichigo Ichie.
• Deborah at Temenos delighted us yet again with her amAZing knowledge of obsolete words.

The balance of the blogs being newly explored by me, I shall be continuing to follow (and hopefully build a further connection with) are;

• Anne Higa - whose imagination is second to none! Her short fiction pieces kept one thinking.
• Iain Kelley - a fellow Scot who has a trilogy out (they're in my Kindle awaiting my attention! He's also a fine flash-fiction writer.
• Martha Reynolds Writes - showed us around her residential patch on Rhode Island - a great way to travel!
• Tea, Sigh, Create - Steph kept us on tenterhooks with the story of Holly, the herbalist on a generational ship... Loved this, look forward to more.
• The Old Shelter - Sara (Jazzy Feathers) told us about WW1 and its social ramifications. This was a well-researched and excellently written series. 
• Whatever I Think Of - Jamie's reflections on the last year echoed my own in many ways but were presented in her own personable style.

That leaves two... one is a long-term blogpal, and I loved that Beth decided to take on the challenge for her photoblog - well done, my friend!!! The second is Lissa, The Memory Tourist. I did enjoy the inventiveness and spontaneity of her offerings, but hers is not a blog that I feel the need to maintain on my list. Do visit it, though - it might suit you - and her artwork is delightful.

I particularly wish to thank Anne, Pradeep, Steph and Arti (plus one or two stray ins) for commenting over at Aatmaavrajanam - I am delighted that you all found the posts worth your while. That blog is pertinent to my 'menoculayshunal' journey, so those comments are gold!

Blogging by the alphabet is a great discipline and I thank the originators for getting it going. Will I engage in the full sign-up and kerfuffle of 'the official' again? I might - but as usual, I'll adapt it. It must never become a chore or competition or a numbers game. 

Okay. As you were...