During this Slice of Life challenge, I’ve added reading blogs and writing to my morning routine. It’s only because I don’t have those long morning commutes that I’ve been able to do this. But I still have work to do so I generally limit myself to reading and commenting on just three posts before I write or finish my own. Each day though, I find myself saying, just one more. I’m going to read one more post. And sometimes I do; sometimes I read even more than that. Usually I look at the time and I move on.
It’s been such a wonderful way to start the day–getting glimpses into people’s lives, reading about places across the country and the globe. I’ve seen the many ways we’ve had similar experiences whether we live in the same city or across the ocean and the ways in which even just a state away can feel like a foreign land. With just one week left of the challenge, I’m already starting to feel the loss of not having this morning ritual. Luckily spring break is around the corner and I’ll be able to read just one more for the last few days.
Just one more…
March 24, 2021
I love how your title appeared in the final sentence, and I am also anticipating a loss of some kind when this challenge is over. However, I do know something positive happened and will come about. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the challenge.
I always feel a sense of withdrawal when something big ends, which, of course, this month is. I set a high daily commenting goal for myself this year and last because retirement allows me to do more. In April I’ll be writing a poem each day w/ Dr. Sarah Donovan snd other teachers on her site, Ethical ELA. Think about joining us. There’s a form on ethicalela.com where you can sign up for the daily prompts.
I’m so interested in this April poem challenge! It sounds daunting
I only began writing poetry in 2018. The April challenge is daunting only if you make it that way. We get a prompt in the morning. Write when we want. Post at any time during the day. Suggestion is to spend 10-30 minutes at most on the writing. Comment on at least three poems. Prompts are almost always suitable for use w/ students. Drop in and out as you want. Some never post publicly but read and snag the prompts. I’ve had emails from teachers who grabbed my prompts and taught w/ them. We share hosting duties and write together throughout the year (5 days a month but every day in April).
I’m going to check it out, Glenda. It’ll truly be the move that pushes me out of my comfort zone! I like the “drop in and out as you want” because I sometimes I feel too much pressure that I won’t even start the commitment. Thank you for the details!
I absolutely experience the same thing. I follow new blogs (yours) and then suffer real guilt pangs if I don’t get to them every day. Yesterday I had to put my guilt on hold—and it was a good thing. I, like you, make this a part of my morning routine. I’m so glad for both of us and everyone at TWO TEACHERS for the opportunity.
A bond forms over this month of writing. We reconnect with old friends and make new ones. This is such a supportive community. As you point out, we all share similar experiences. I hope you consider continuing with the weekly Tuesday Slice of Life once this challenge is over.
That’s my usual routine too, unless interrupted by the unforeseen — down to the always reading at least one more (more like 2-3) before starting notes or rough draft (more free writing many days). I used to count them but I don’t anymore. Then aftering posting, I read and sometimes comment on few more to make sure in case I forgot about getting interrupted.
What a lovely morning routine! I tend to put my writing first, and do my browsing through blogs at the end of the day. (Though today is an exception!) I agree with you about how wonderful it is “getting glimpses into people’s lives, reading about places across the country and the globe.”
I don’t realize how much this month of writing in community has given me until it’s over. And you describe so well that impulse to read just one more post. At this stage it seems that the challenge forms bookends for my days. A short check in or catch up in the morning, then an evening sit-down to write my own and see what others have been up to.
Every year that I have participated in SOLC, I don’t realize how much I like this community until it is over. It’s such a weird feeling. I admire your morning routine. I try to get a post out early in the morning and comment later in the day.
I love that you have this as a part of your routine….I tend to let it take over, checking in several times throughout the day and reading a blog or two!
When April hits I go for a good week thinking that I forgot to do something. It does become a habit you look forward to.
Our morning routines sound similar, and I often find myself saying just one more when I really should be writing my own piece! I love to read everyone’s writing this month and always feel bereft and unmoored for a bit after the challenge is over. It’s also a reason I usually do a daily poetry challenge in April.
I say this every single time!! “Just one more” I’ll check in the morning, then during conference/lunch, after school at a stoplight on the way to daycare, and then again after putting toddler to bed. LOL. It’s insane how little I’ve been on (or cared about) social media because I love reading the blogs. I, too, am already feeling a sense of loss
This reminds me of a gamer shirt one of my students used to wear that read: “Just one more level. Just one more level. Just one more level…” This post completely captures how I feel about absorbing slices. I’ll start with my requisite few, but OH! There is so much amazing writing out there int he world, and I don’t want to miss ANY of it. I have so much to learn from everyone in the community. It’s hard to limit myself…
I agree, I am already mourning the end of March. I should just try to focus on the time we have left.
>It’s been such a wonderful way to start the day–getting glimpses into people’s lives, reading about places across the country and the globe.<
This is why I love this challenge so. It gives me insight into the lives of people who AREN'T me. Those in cities and countries and far away places who have such different experience from me. Yet, we are similar in our love of words and writing. A single connection to tie us all together.
Thank you for allowing us to be your "one more". 🙂