Call for More Guest Posters!

Greetings fellow A-Zers! I'm just dropping in to remind you that you are welcome to guest post here at the A-Z blog! It can be a post about any topic that would be of interest to your fellow alphabet friends, or if you're feeling shy, I've written a questionnaire that you could answer as your post.

Last year, as we were gearing up for the challenge, each of the co-hosts answered a set of questions so that all of you could get to know us better. This idea is similar, but the questions are a bit different. It's in the vein of Alex's every other Wednesday featuring a participant. However, he interviews them each personally, and this would be something you do on your own.

Guest post go up on Mondays and Tuesdays since we have regular features the other days of the week. If you're interested, please email me (Tina) at tndowney (at) gmail (dot) com. The info@ email address is about to just bounce everything directly to me anyway as we make the transition to the 2013 info@ address.

Here are the questions you can use to base your post on, if you'd like some guidance:

1. When did you start blogging and why? Tell us a bit about the kind of blog you have.  Be sure to include the name of your blog and the link.
   
   
2. How did you find out about the challenges, and how many have you done? What was your favorite part of participating?
   
   
3. What suggestions would you have for visiting new blogs during the A to Z challenge?  What blog visiting strategy has worked for you during the challenge?
   
   
4. What topics or themes would you like to see other bloggers cover during the challenge? What types of content (poetry, short stories, writing tips, photos, reviews, etc.) would you enjoy reading during the A to Z Challenge?
   
   
5. Please tell us something unusual about yourself – don't be shy. Check out my revelation from last year here.
   
   
   
   
6. Are you joining the challenge in 2013? Are you doing a theme? Please share any plans you have. We promise not to steal your ideas.
   
   
   If you'd like to guest, leave a note in the comments AND email me. I'm hoping for a bunch of brave participants so that we can have all our Mondays and Tuesdays filled until 2013. It's always good to have goals...
   
   
   Tina

Alphabet Soup - Cinematic C's

This word puzzle is brought to you by Nicole at The Madlab Post...

As the current Alphabet Wizard, Caitlin at Happy Hootenany won the choice of the letter for Today's Alphabet Soup game. Since there hasn't been a selection at the time of this writing, however, I'm just going to work with the Letter C, as that is the initial of her name. C is for Cinema - Unscramble the following Cinematic terms that start with Letter C. The first commenter who correctly unscrambles all or most of these cinematic terms, at best, wins this week's Alphabet Soup game. Answers and the name of the winner will be posted here at the A to Z blog during next week's "Friday Fun Time - Alphabet Remix."

1. iterapngmhyCoa ________________

2. ctsuCgnhoiCa ________________

3. esdnigirlCsotC ________________

4. Cyitnotuin ________________

5. oiroCtl s________________

Have a Fantastically Fun Friday Everyone!

Nicole

Also @MadlabPost on Twitter

Sign up for the Monday Movie Meme, a weekly group blogging series that inspires discussion about entertainment in a whole new light and provides recommendations for your DVD, on-demand or theater fix. New topics are posted every Monday at The Madlab Post!

Do you Hate Google Word Verification as much as I do?

January next year, I would have blogged for 5 years at Amlokiblogs.

I'm not the most disciplined of bloggers, I post when the mood takes me, I return comments as much as I can, I browse through blogs I follow. I'm mostly content.

But recently, one thing has begun to get my goat: Google Word Verification.

I read a post that is intriguing, and I have something to say. It takes me a minute to type my comment, look at it again to ensure I haven't made any gaffes, and then I hit publish.

Which is when I see the blurry dancing letters of google verification, jostling each other as if in a mad rush to get on that last airship leaving the planet. Approaching middle age, my vision is trying to decide which way to go downhill. So I pore and squint, dance my head about for better perspective, and finally I think I've got it: the magic code, the mantra of numbers and words.

I type it in. No joy.

The word you typed in does not match..blah blah. 

Refresh, repeat, curse colorfully in all the languages I speak, tell myself to keep calm, persist.

By the time I leave the blog I want to curse Blogger, Word Verification, the poor blogger.

Why the hell can Google not make it a little easier on my poor eyes?
Why can the blogger not have Comment Moderation enabled instead of Word Verification?
Why should I be required to jump through hoops to post a measly comment?

When I hosted the A to Z Challenge last year, I posted a message the first time requesting the participant to remove WV. The next time, if they still had it on, I skipped the blog.

But as a visitor, I think it would be rude of me to do the 'pointing out' to a blogger I'm possibly visiting for the first time.

So. Deep Breath. Onward and forward I go, trying to prove I'm not a robot, making my eyes go blind that much faster.

Do any of you feel this way? Any words of advice?