IComLeavWe: July 2011

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 August list will open on 7/30.
• 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. The 2 Week Wait (TTC, infertility, pregnancy)
3. Here We Go Again (babyloss, parenting, random)
4. Mommy-In-Waiting (pregnant, twins, IVF#4)
5. Cats With Passports (baby after IVF, autoimmune issues, life overseas)
6. Bio Girl (parenting, infertility, endometriosis)
7. As Good As it Gets? (infertility, parenting, TTC/adoption=confusion)
8. Not a Fertile Myrtle (waiting, mfi, endo)
9. A Little Hope in My Pocket (pregnancy loss, infertility, life)
10. Climber’s Blog Gone Mommy (donor IVF pregnancy)
11. Meier Madness (pcos, iui, case of the crazies)
12. Finding My New Normal (stillbirth, grief, donor egg IVF)
13. Dragondreamer’s Lair (parenting, secondary infertility, crafts)
14. Weathering the Storm (domestic adoption, homestudy, waiting)
15. The Journey to Baby G (ivf, anxiety, humor)
16. Hannah Wept, Sarah Laughed (infertility, donor egg, hope)
17. Feeling Beachie (life, humor, pets)
18. Baby, Borneo, or Bust… (travel, parenting, TTC#2)
19. Baby On Mind (IVF, TTC#1, unexplained)
20. Wonderfully Ordinary (parenting, infertility, life)
21. for all the things we hope for (unexplained infertility, nursing school, miscarriage)
22. Trying To Conceive (IVF, pregnancy after IVF, emotions)
23. Creating a Family (infertility, adoption, adoptive parenting)
24. Marriage 2.0 (adoption, weight loss, married life)
25. Because Two People Fell In Love (puppy, loss, life)
26. Wistfulgirl’s World (infertility, weight loss, life)
27. Slowmamma (pregnancy loss, parenting, coping with all of the above)
28. Created Family (unexplained infertility, miscarriage, grad school)
29. Riding the IVF Roller Coaster (TasIVFer) (pregnancy after IVF/loss)
30. My Scarlet Baby (adoption, waiting, life)
31. Les Terres Fertiles (unexplained, infertility, feelings)
32. I’m polycystic inside (beginning fertility treatments)
33. Witty Infertility (infertility, VA benefits, weightloss)
34. Savor the Moment (pcos, life, love)
35. Lifeslurper (over 40, donor eggs, Australia)
36. Becoming Parents (irreverent, ttc#1, ivf/gestational carrier)
37. Mission: Fertile Soul (infertility, adoption, happiness)
38. It Is What It Is (Or Is It?) (domestic adoption, parenting after 40, life)
39. Colours of Cattiz (ivf, male factor, uk)
40. InDueTime (infertility, life, college)
41. Cammie.Me (parenting, unemployment, food)
42. Navigating Cyberloss (grief, loss, cyberloss)
43. The Suburban Princess Diaries (pregnancy, parenting, humor)
44. Eggs In A Row (pcos, infertility, coping)
45. MissConception (IVF, PCOS, twins)
46. First Time Twins (miscarriage, infertility, ivf)
47. My Lady of the Lantern (neonatal loss, grief, newly pregnant)
48. Kate; uncensored (brutally honest life)
49. Survive and Thrive (infertility, hope, waiting…)
50. The Chronicles of Violetta Margarita (unexplained infertility, IVF)
51. Are You Listening (toddlerdom, ttc #2, random)
52. Every Day Is A Country Song (ttc #1 after 5 miscarriages in a row, possible use of donor sperm, faith)
53. Not Just An Army Wife (iui, miscarriage, military)
54. BattleFish (life, infertility, loss of mom)
55. Crunchy Cupcakes (kids, pregnancy, attached parenting)
56. Baby Steps to Motherhood (IVF, infertility, TTC)
57. The Twinners Reviews & Giveaways (reviews, giveaways, weight loss)
58. Elana’s Musings (family, twins, infertility)
59. HimPlusMe (infertility, pcos, life)
60. Trying Times (recurrent miscarriage emotions)
61. The Rocky Road to Motherhood (IVF, pregnancy, life)
62. Chasing Our Stork: Our Journey with Infertility (international adoption, infertility, Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis)
63. Hoping For Baby Graham (miscarriage, hope, love)
64. Bring on the Babies… (IVF, miscarriage, recurrent loss)
65. Cinderella Wore Glass Slippers (infertility, another FET?, adoption)
66. Me, myself and Mom (TTC #2, family, drama)
67. A Little Blog About the Big Infertility (and Adoption too!) (RPL, anxiety from IF, domestic adoption)
68. We’re Making a Baby (twins, pregnant (again), home)
69. Holly’s Narrative Dream (secondary infertility, coping, life)
70. Zygotta (early pregnancy, PCOS, IF)
71. TTC A Modern Medicine Miracle (loss, donor sperm, military life)
72. Flogging the Muse (art, painting, creativity)
73. This International Life (travel, expat life, Europe)
74. It’s Just Us Chickens (ivf1, ttc, mfi)
75. Annoyed Army Wife (armywife, infertility, pets)
76. A Field of Dreams (parenting, weightloss, humour)
77. Pink or Blue: Either will do! (infertility ttc information)
78. Life As I Know It (twins, life, infant)
79. Tippy and Tidy’s Tumultuous Trip to Toddlers (ttc#1, unexplained, donor egg)
80. A peek into our journey (IVF #1 2ww)
81. The Stork Drop Zone (infertility, humor, life)
82. Adventures of a Nomadic Housewife. (Ttc#2, life, weightloss)
83. MoJoWorking (IVF, infertility, miscarriage)
84. Buy a Baby? (military, frustration, humor)
85. The Ladies in Waiting Book Club (infertility, books, community)
86. Lil Family Blog (motherhood, lesbians, adoption)
87. Searching for the Missing Piece (adoption, repeated miscarriage, creativity)
88. The Pursuit of Pregnancy (RPL, autoimmune, DOR)
89. Paradykes (surrogacy, cards, life)
90. The Unfair Struggle (mfi, speedskating, life)
91. Rainbow Making 101 (TTC, clomid, trigger shot)
92. Infertile is the New Black (infertility, IVF, relationships)
93. I Want to be a Daddy (male infertility experience)
94. All About God’s Grace (infertility, marriage, faith)
95. Hearts Joined, Hands Fast (ivf, mfi, hope)
96. The Barreness (earth, art, infertility)
97. Zero Guarantees (miscarriage 9x, now suro is pregnant)
98. Cradles and Graves ( cord-related losses, rainbow any day? )
99. His & Her Infertility (Just Like The Matching Towels) ( PCOS, azoo, international adoption )
100. A New Song ( parenting after infertility, ttc #2, life )
101. Great Expectations ( PCOS, clomid, humor )
102. IUI to Roux-en-Y ( weight loss, surgery, my journey )
103. Taking the Long Way ( rpl, ectopic and miscarriage, currently pregnant )
104. The Army Doctor’s Wife ( pcos, life married to a new medical intern, daily rambling )
105. A Miracle in the Works (infertility, loss, ttc)
106. Adventures of Endo in the Arctic (endometriosis, IVF, infertility)
107. TTC Baby E (ttc#1, pcos, clomid)
108. Wishing and Hoping and Thinking and Praying (pcos, 1st pregnancy loss, teaching)
109. Storm in My Teacup (on-hold IVF #2)
110. Everyday is a Winding Road (first IVF, infertility)
111. Digital-Damita.net (frugal, green, ttc)
112. The Sun’ll Come Out Tomorrow (I Hope) (baby after RPL)
113. A Freckled Life (infertility marriage life)
114. One Day: Ill get my baby bump (recent 1st M/C, finding my feet again, life)
115. Lissie’s Luck (PCOS IVF hope?)
116. Historias Secretas (ivf, pregnancy, expat)
117. GoTeamBaby (IVF, infertility, hope)
118. Carney Exploits (infertility, remodeling, life)
119. Walking An Unknown Path (infertility, miscarriage, life)
120. Just Us and the Cat (fets, life, husband)
121. IFSerenityNow (pregnancy, IF, life)
122. The One in Eight Couple (unexplained infertility, IUI #1, hope)
123. Ambition: Motherhood (mfi, diui, renewal)
124. Embracing the Rain (natural cycle ivf, dor, rpl)
125. Not Exactly What I Had Planned (severe mfi, IVF #2)
126. Buck Up, Buttercup (FET, travel, grief)
127. Then Comes the Baby in the Baby Carriage (TTC# 1, miscarriage, tcm)
128. Our Life Journey (infertility, embryo adoption, life)
129. Traditionally Nontraditional (life, infertility, humor)
130. Daydreams And… (daydream, military, strength)
131. Just Stop Trying and It Will Happen (infertility, life, snarkiness)
132. Bohemian Transplant (photography, infertility, food)
133. Watering Faith’s Seed (fet, faith, ttc #2)
134. Always Looking For Something New (ttc, fitness, food)
135. The list is now closed.  The August list will open on 7/30.

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 blue, the next month it will be yellow, 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 around 11 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.