BloTaAcMo -- Please Join Me!

Today marks the beginning of NaNoWriMo, or National Novel Writing Month.  It’s something I have always wanted to participate in, but, alas, this year, is not the year for me to finally try it.  Appointments need to be met.  Piles of things beg to be decluttered.  Homeschooling efforts need more attention.   Plus, to be honest, I have too many nonfiction writing ideas brewing in my mind, which I think would crowd out creative fiction thoughts if I were to sit down with pen in hand or keyboard at fingertips during any pockets of time that I might find this November.  Thus, instead of dedicating myself this month to unleashing my creativity through opening up my imagination in order to craft the first draft of a 50,000 or so word novel with NaNoWriMo, I am going to use whatever moments of time I can carve out for BloTaAcMo.

BloTaAcMo

What is BloTaAcMo, you ask?

Well, it certainly is not as catchy a “word” as “NaNoWriMo”, nor is it one that sticks in a person’s head because it echoes of Mork from Ork-speak.  (Or am I the only one who thought of Mork & Mindy the first time I heard “NaNoWriMo”?)   Nope.  BloTeAcMo is simply an abbreviation for my own “me-time” goal for November:  Blog Task Accomplishment Month.

Blog Task Accomplishment Month

Undeniably, I have come to relish blogging as a way to share, process, learn, reflect and journal.  As such, my mind often simmers with more blog post ideas than I have the time and discipline pour out.

Likewise, I have a long list of things I want to learn about– both about blogging and about topics I like to blog about (homeschooling, special needs, faith formation, parenting, etc.)   I’ve long wanted to carve out some time to figure out how to create a blog button, if there’s an easy way to create and install a drop down menu on a blogspot blog, if Twitter is something I want to be involved with (or if it will just tempt me to spend more time I don’t really have online), if Pinterest will help me organize links and ideas I come across elsewhere, …  Also, I want to read more on Montessori, Charlotte Mason, Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, Motor Development in young children, Speech in young children, SPD and Aspie stuff…  Oh, my lists for writing (reading and learning) go on and on!

Join Me in a 30 Task Goal

Thus, this month, I am setting a goal of crossing off 30 blog posts ideas or personal learning tasks from my list during moments of “me time” I am able to carve out.  If you’d like to join me, please consider yourself invited to do so. 

My thought is that even if we do not reach the goal of 30 tasks accomplished, we can gain a sense of companionship and achievement (not to mention craved-for “alone” time) simply in aiming for the goal.  (Getting real, we all know that sometimes, accomplishing just ONE thing for ourselves each month beyond our role as parents of children – especially of homeschooled or special needs children – is something to celebrate! So, hey, if we are able to tackle only one task during BloTaAcMo, that will be a success in itself.)  

Link Up

To help us encourage one another in our BloTaAcMo efforts,  I’ve set up a linky below that will be open all month.  I encourage you to link up any fun blog posts you take off the back-burner of your brain and put out in blosphere for others to feast on, as well as any tutorials about blogging skills or reflections on personal learning that you  accomplish as a result of your BloTaAcMo efforts.

Now, my few moments of Mommy writing time have ended for today.  Home and motherhood duties must take precedence over PerBloTaAc.  But, yay me, I have just checked off one idea that has been simmering in my mind:  beginning and sharing BloTaAcMo.

P.S.

I began this post with mention NaNoWriMo, not only because it spurned my idea for BloTaAc,Mo but also because I wanted to bring National Novel Writing Month to the attention of those who were not aware of it.  It’s a worthwhile initiative for children, teens and adults to jump aboard with – one that offers motivation and support, as well as a sense of personal accomplishment.  Good luck to those who take the challenge this year.