IComLeavWe: August 2010

Welcome back to IComLeavWe. It stands for International Comment Leaving Week, but if you say it aloud, doesn’t it sounds like “I come; [but] leave [as a] we”? And that’s sort of the point. Blogging is a conversation and comments should be honoured and encouraged. I like to say that comments are the new hug–a way of saying hello, giving comfort, leaving congratulations.

Here is the vital information, pure and simple (a more detailed set of rules follows below the list):

• The list opens the 1st of every month. It remains open until the 21st. You can add yourself at any point. The list is open to everyone in the blogosphere–blog writers and/or blog readers.
• Add yourself to the list by filling out this form: the list is now closed.  The September list will open on 8/31.
• Click here to cut-and-paste this bit of code to add to your sidebar (if you have the old code from another month, remove it and replace it with this one). You need to add the icon or a link to the current list on your blog (see below) and will not be added until it’s up.
• Commenting kicks off every month on the 21st. Please mark it somewhere (calendar, post-it note taped to your computer…), though I will be sending out an email reminder on the 20th. Commenting week runs from the 21st to the 28th. Every day, leave 5 comments and return 1 comment for a total of 6 comments. You are highly encouraged to choose the blogs you comment on from the participants list below, but this is not required.
• I will send a second email on the 28th to remind you to remove the icon from your blog.
• Read below if you want to find out about Iron Commenters.
• The commenting ends on the 28th. We catch our breath and the whole thing starts again the next month on the 1st. Drop in and out according to what is happening in your life between the 21st and the 28th.

1. Stirrup Queens (twins, books, writing)
2. believing in june (IVF #2, marriage, hope)
3. As Fast As My Baby Can (unexplained infertility journey)
4. Baby On Mind (TTC#1, IVF, unexplained)
5. It’s Always Raining (life, ttc, foster parenting)
6. It Is Tuesday, Right?? (motherhood, ivf, sarcasm)
7. Can I Get Some Sugar with These Lemons? (Korean adoption, endo, infertility)
8. Hope Is A Four Letter Word (infertility, IUI, injectables)
9. Life in the Last Frontier (open adoption, PCOS, infertility)
10. Maybe Baby . . . (or maybe the loony bin) (infertility, life, ivf)
11. In The Middle With You (infertility, adoption, random thoughts)
12. Salvageable (work, family, pregnancy)
13. Our Stork isn’t Great with Directions (pregnancy, ovarian drilling, male infertility)
14. Baby Dreams (TTC#2 with PCOS after loss, my son, life)
15. Baby Magnesi (infertility, ttc, mfi)
16. My Infertility Woes (infertility, fibroid surgery, life)
17. HimPlusMe (infertility, pcos, iui)
18. Barrenista (infertility, adoption, fancy cupcakes)
19. Find Joy Now (infertility, life, adoption)
20. Lifeslurper (over 40, IVF, donor eggs)
21. Raising Cain (someday) (ivf, coping, life)
22. Show your AMOR (single mama by choice, baby, cloth diapering)
23. Cradles and Graves (IVF, cord-related losses)
24. Hobbit-ish Thoughts & Ramblings (pregnant after losses, cooking, books)
25. Chasing Mommyhood (iui, endo, single)
26. Eating Myself to Life (pregnant, scared, weight loss)
27. InDueTime (life, infertility, pcos)
28. Dragondreamer’s Lair (parenting, secondary infertility, crafts)
29. Every Now & Then (marriage, kids, autism)
30. Mommy in Waiting (mfi, ivf, infertility)
31. The Infertility Doula (infertility, advice, support)
32. Iscrapandco (scrapbooking travelling randomness)
33. The Big Green Easy (earth-friendly, green, family)
34. Kir’s Corner (twins, IVF/ICSI, marriage)
35. Adventures in Baby Waiting (pregnancy after IVF)
36. Blogging MoRe (life, love, marriage)
37. Ambivalent Womb (mfi, what next?)
38. Little Steps to Baby Steps (IVF #3, miscarriage, god)
39. Infertile Revolution (infertility, politics, feminism)
40. A Long And Winding Road (faith, hobbies, marriage)
41. The (In)fertility Diaries (adoption, life, ttc)
42. Hope Springs Eternal (MFI, infertility, photos)
43. Simplified Mom (parenting, advice, laughter)
44. Parenthood for Me (infertility, adoption, coping)
45. Barricades & Brickwalls (IVF, infertility, endometriosis)
46. Our journey, but not our plan… (adoption, placement, miracle)
47. Body Diaries by Lucy (parenting, pcos, infertility)
48. Surviving the Secondary Infertility Madness (if/sif, pcos, loss)
49. Someday (male factor, mariage, azoos)
50. Waiting Lisa (waiting, domestic adoption, infertility)
51. Beauty for Ashes (infertility, adoption)
52. Finding Her Way (infertility, depression, leaving fundamentalism)
53. Searching for the Missing Piece (fet, pcos, unexplained ivf failure)
54. Chois-R-Us (adoption, life, infertility)
55. The Road to Happily Ever After (life with comedy)
56. The Miss Ruby (living childless, longtermttc)
57. Cheese Curds and Kimchi (Korean adoption, life, humor)
58. All Aboard the Pity Boat (infertility, running, life)
59. Infertility Unexplained (unexplained infertility, acupuncture, treatment options)
60. MoJo Working (marriage, infertility, multiple miscarriages)
61. A Space of My Own (ttc #2, my son, life)
62. Leave It To the Beavers (TTC, loss, life)
63. Your Great Life (fertility, infertility support, decision-making)
64. Infertility And Me (male factor infertility)
65. Alex’s Adventures (infertility, miscarriage, coping)
66. Dreams of a Baby (ivf, fet, photography)
67. Raising Miles (baking, babyraising, randomness)
68. Rotten Eggs? (unexplained infertility, ivf, coping)
69. Outside My Head (family, marathon, movies)
70. That’s My Answer (question of the day, fun, life)
71. Creating a Family (infertility, adoption, adoptive parenting)
72. On Tap for Today (life, humor, boston)
73. Whitney & Erick (infertility, IVF, miscarriage)
74. A little blog about the big infertility (ectopic/loss, bad eggs, hope)
75. Tillie (TTC, life, randomness)
76. Infertility Instability (PCOS, MTHFR, pregnancy)
77. Spermination Station (infertility, random, coping)
78. The 2 Week Wait (TTC, humor, infertility)
79. The Road Less Traveled (infant loss, IVF, grief)
80. Lily in the Valley (infertility, marriage, stepparenting)
81. Time Well Wasted (infertility, IUI, injectables)
82. Mommy ‘Hood (family, life, love)
83. Allison’s Wonderland (infertility, loss, IUI)
84. Some Kind of Ride (adoption, kids, life)
86. We Wait in Joyful Hope (adoption, fun stuff, waiting)
87. Riding the IVF Roller Coaster (14th IVF stim cycle)
88. Our Uphill Battle (ectopic, pcos, infertility)
89. Inconceivable?! (NOA, FET, hope)
90. I Spy A Family (adoption, motherhood)
91. Blawnde’s Blawg (pcos, infertility support, IUI)
92. Fertility Nation (IVF, egg donation, infertility treatments)
93. Here’s to Unwavering Hope (IVF w/ ICSI, hope, love)
94. No Baby Ruth (infertility, pcos, IUI)
95. Dandle Dreams (ttc#1, ivf, science)
96. This Girl Will Never Be The Same (baby loss, grief, faith)
97. Not a Fertile Myrtle (life, azoo, pcos)
98. Inspired Ima (multiples, parenting, photography)
99. Our Family’s Little Journey (my son, ivf #3, ramblings)
100. The Infertile Mind (inspiration, coping, e-class)
101. My Niche of Solace (life, hope, infertility)
102. The Bushey Life (infertility, life, TTC)
103. The Egg Drop Post (infertility, adoption, motherhood)
104. Getting There (adoption, life, waiting)
105. Buzz Off Infertility (infertility, rpl, future)
106. Relaxing Doesn’t Get You Pregnant(crass, twisted, secondary)
107. Waiting For Our Miracle(IVF, ICSI, PCOS)
108. Wistfulgirl’s World(infertility, books, life)
109. The Adventures of a New Mom (new mom, TTC #2, pictures)
110. Inconceivable! (infertility, family, struggles)
111. My Walking Path (nature, gardens, life)
112. Going For It (failed IVF, azoo, future)
113. Baybee Luv (tips, reviews, motherhood)
114. The Eternal Guestroom (infertility, IUI, thoughts)
115. Fertility Foibles (infertility, adoption, humor)
116. Savor the Moment (love, life, infertility)
117. All in God’s Time (embryo adoption, domestic adoption, hope)
118. My Ordinary Miracles (success after infertility, toddler, twins)
119. My Lovely Lady Bump (first pregnancy journey)
120. In Pursuit of Parenthood (iui, follistim/gonal-f, faith)
121. Fox In The Hen House (infertility (POF), elder care, photography)
122. Wanna Bee (waiting, adoption, loss)
123. A Woman My Age (adoption, infertility, parenting after 40)
124. Awaiting Our Miracle (MFI, PCOS, IVF)
125. Pollination Chronicles (IVF abroad, ectopic, hope(full/less)ness)
126. Waiting For Our Miracle (IVF, ICSI, PCOS)
127. Jamie and Us Now and Forever (daughter age four)
128. Flogging the Muse (art, painting, creativity)
129. Waiting for a Baby Bump (IVF, infertility, MF)
130. Knocked up by Another Man (DE-IVF, bedrest, Alaska)
131. Magnolia Queen (weddings, life, family)
132. Planting a Pumpkin Patch (loss, ttc, humor)
133. ThePunkRockMom (life, love, art)
134. We Got Hitched. We Bought the 4 Bedroom House. Now What??? (parenthood after infertility, twins, randomness)
135. Cape Girl’s Journey (pregnancy, IVF, stillbirth)
136. ErnieGirl (pregnant infertile birthmother)
137. Exploring Chaos (parenting after IF, TTC #2, life)
138. Attempting to love life without her (infant loss, foster/adoption, faith)
139. Circus Children (miracle, pregnancy, azoospermia)
140. Capturing the moment (miscarriage, dogs, favorites)
141. Trying not to scream (infertility, loss, life)
142. Dear Stevie… (stillbirth, hope, pictures)
143. Journey to the End of the Rainbow (pregnant, ivf, hope)
144. Adventures in Infertility Land (infertility, baby loss, relationships)
145. Happy Hopefuls (infertility, etsy, family)
146. The Encouraged Egg (ivf, fertility, conception)
147. Losing IF (pregnancy, infertility, hope)
148. Hope Is Ours (azoospermia, ivf, adoption)
149. My Camo Kids: An Army Wife Life (army, family, deployment)
150. A Little Bit of Life (pregnancy, marriage, life)
151. You Call Me a Bitch Like It’s a Bad Thing (ivf, pgd, fibroid/myomectomy)
152. Infertile Follies (IVF, ectopic pregnancy, infertility)
154. Return to Innocence (PTSD from IF, PPD, life)
155. Enchilada Sunrise (knitting & spinning, bipolar, life)
156. Ah… My Married Life (newlywed, ttc, life)
157. Heeeeere Storkey, Storkey! (twins, life, ttc)
158. My Path to Insanity and Beyond (infertility, ivf, trying to conceive)
159. A Half Baked Life (pregnancyafterloss, food, life)
160. The Fertilely-Challenged Black Sheep (ttc, infertility, life)
161. A Greater Yes (embryo adoption, pregnancy, faith)
162. The Dreamer and The Realist (writing, husband, bitchy)
163. A Nuttier Life (TTC, life, randomness)
164. The Infertility Overachievers (success after IVF, toddler, IVF #2)
165. Ready To Be A Mom (pregnant after ivf/fet/miscarriage)
166. Musings of a Hormonal Egg Basket (pregnancy after IVF)
167. {meant to be} MAMA (moms, kids, info)
168. My Violet Thoughts (male factor infertility)
169. Funny Little Pollywogs (embryo adoption, food)
170. The Ros’ Bowl (pregnancy after infertility, ivf)
171. Lauren Vs. The World (clomid, unexplained if, life)
172. No Suzy Homemaker (IVF, RPL, stillbirth)
173. Floss Baby (infertility, IUI, life)
174. the list is now closed.  The September list will open on 8/31

Q: What if I miss a day?

A: Catch up the next day by doubling your comments–12 comments instead of 6.

Q: What if I have two blogs? Can I sign up twice, listing both blogs?

A: Yes, but you also need to double your comments. If you have two blogs listed, you should be leaving 12 comments per day.

Q: What is an Iron Commenter?

A: Not for the faint-of-heart. People who wish to be an Iron Commenter and be entered on the Iron Commenter honour roll need to leave a comment on every blog on the participants list (exceptions are blogs that require you to have a special log-in, such as some LiveJournal accounts or other similar situations). You can spread out this commenting any way you wish over the whole week, but the final comment needs to be left by midnight on the 28th (EST). Reaching Iron Commenter status is done on an honour system. Please email me if you earn Iron Commenter status so I can add you to the wall of honour.

Q: Why do I have to add that bit of code to my sidebar?

A: The code is the latest icon (the icon changes colour every month so you know that you’re on the right list). This month, the icon is purple, the next month it will be green, etc. The reason is two-fold: (1) it enables more people to find out about IComLeavWe and (2) it gives you easy access to the current list once the commenting week actually begins and better ensures that you’ll use it. Too many times, people sign up and forget to actually do IComLeavWe and this icon gives you a daily reminder (with the dates on it) every time you open your own blog. The icon is linked back to the current list. On the 28th, remove the icon from your blog. A new one will be created for the next month.

Q: It’s the 23rd and I just saw this for the first time on my friend’s blog! I want to join the list–why can’t I?

A: Because IComLeavWe happens every month, once the list is closed, it’s closed. If you’re finding out about this on the 23rd, you can’t join the current month. But leave yourself a note to check back in a week on the 1st and you can sign up for the next month.

Q: You said the list closes on the 21st. Well, it’s still the 21st where I am. Why aren’t you moving my information onto the list?

A: All dates and times are U.S. Eastern Standard Time (UTC/GMT -5 hours). The list closes at 11:59 p.m. EST on the 21st.

Q: What if no one comments on my blog and I have no comments to return?

A: Well, that really doesn’t happen for the most part, but in that case, simply choose another blog and add an additional comment. The goal is to hit 6 comments daily as a minimum. Going over that is fantastic and encouraged.

Q: Mel, my question wasn’t covered at all. What do I do?

A: Email me; I’m quite friendly. It helps to place “IComLeavWe” in the subject line. You could also check this post which contains the history of IComLeavWe and see if you can glean anything there.

Looking for the comment section? It has been closed on this post. Use the form in the directions to add yourself to the list.