IComLeavWe: May 2012

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 closed.  The June list opens on 5/31.
  
• 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. Adrift on a Dandelion Breeze (stillbirth, secondary IF, IVF)
3. A Page In My Book (humor, boys, special needs)
4. Llife As I Know It (twins, toddler, life)
5. Breathe Gently (IVF #1, TWW, PCOS)
6. The 2 Week Wait (infertility newborn humor)
7. Follow Every Rainbow (male factor infertility)
8. Feeling Beachie (life, humor, family)
9. Emma in Mommyland (motherhood, baby after miscarriage)
10. I’m Just Ducky, Thanks (RPL, adoption, surrogacy)
11. Our Pathway to Parenthood (IVF, infertility, hope)
12. Lessons from an Infertile Social Worker (adoption, parenting, breastfeeding)
13. Somewhere in the Middle (infertility, DIA, waiting)
14. Waiting For Baby (pcos, vasectomy reversal, ttc #1)
15. Baby-Making Merry-go-Round (IVF#1, TWW & results, teaching)
16. Modern Medicine Miracle (military, donor sperm, pregnancy loss)
17. Syringe Sisters ((fet, ttc #1, ramblings))
18. Our Growing Gardunn (secondary rpl, clomid, septum)
19. My Pathway to Motherhood (SMC T42 life)
20. When ‘We’ Becomes 3 (infertility, injectables, iui)
21. Within Reach (pregnancy, twins, toddler)
22. A Woman My Age (adoption, infertility, parenting after 40)
23. A Blanket 2 Keep (IUI, life, hope)
24. My Bum Ovaries (premature ovarian failure)
25. The Elusive Second Line (TTC #1, miscarriage, PCOS)
26. It Is What It Is (Or Is It?) (pg w donated embryos, ttc#2, pg over 40)
27. Journey with Endometriosis (endometriosis, ectopic, ivf)
28. Bébé Suisse (miscarriage, ttc again, switzerland)
29. Created Family (unexplained IF, acupuncture, social worker)
30. Waltzing in Galoshes (adoption, waiting, infertility)
31. The Bickerstaff Blog (loss, coping, life)
32. Infertile Myrtle (parenting after infertility)
33. From Gutter to Stars (therapist, infertility, how to deal)
34. Nest Building 101 (life, hobbies, infertility)
35. The Road Less Traveled (infertility, baby #2, parenting)
36. MRKH Musings (born infertile, surrogacy)
37. The Brooding Woman (ttc, weight loss, anejaculation)
38. The Idea Girl (kids, crafts, cookery)
39. Creating a Family (infertility, adoption, parenting)
40. My Onederful Life (only child, hypophosphatemia, parenting)
41. Glitter & Rainbows (infertility, pcos, what’s next?)
42. The Daily Miracle (parenting a singleton and twins after IVF, trying to adjust to being a family of five )
43. Inconceibable! (donor egg, step-parenting, life)
44. The Hopeful Pink Lady (infertility, IUI, hope)
45. Bloggers for Hope (donor, loss, adoption)
46. Return To Go (PCOS, medicated cycles, unemployment)
47. all i ever wished for… (if, ivf, life)
48. Baking & Babies (ttc, infertility, baking)
49. Tales from the Waiting Room (IVF, TTC #1, unexplained IF)
50. Wanted: Family of Three (ivf #1, MFI, hope)
51. Living With Endo (and Infertility) (infertility, endo, life)
52. Not All Dreams Are Free (preparing for IVF, male factor infertility, miscarriage)
53. Doping For Baby (ivf, yoga, gratitude)
54. If You Don’t Stand For Something (MFI, geekiness, general life ramblings)
55. The Childless Mom (ivf-icsi-fet, humor, pregnancy #1)
56. Tiny Bits of Hope (IVF, TTC #1, teacher)
57. Lori Does Maryland (IVF, multiple losses, parenting after loss)
58. Marilyn and Thetan’s little Angel (ivf, hope, pregnancy)
59. She’s Gone Crunchy (parenting after infertility, greener living, cloth diapers)
60. The Walk (endometriosis, implantation failure, IVF, failed treatments)
61. The Pussy Palace (TTC#1, IUI, life)
62. from IF to when (adoption, infertility, waiting)
63. MissConception (FET#1, twin loss, PCOS)
64. Dragondreamer’s Lair (parenting, secondary infertility, life)
65. Unglamorous (ttc #2, finances, family)
66. Half Baked Banana Bread (parenting, HELLP Syndrome, preemies)
67. Dwelling on Dreams (pregnancy after loss, miscarriage, grief)
68. The Redhead Files (IUI, miscarriage, endo)
69. Our New Normal (adoption, life, diy)
70. Who Is This Fertile Myrtle (IVF secondary infertility)
71. Living Our Miracle (embryo adoption, premature ovarian failure, motherhood)
72. Worthy Of A Miracle (infertility, ivf, unsupportive spouse)
73. A Virtual Hobby Store and Coffeehouse (news, life, neat finds)
74. Hope in times of uncertainty (icsi ivf, pregnancy, pcos/hypothyroid)
75. The Infertility Voice (donor egg/IVF, coping, empowerment)
76. Witty Infertility (unexplained, starting treatment)
77. Getting There (adoption, parenting, infertility)
78. Lovely Transitions (infertility, recent ectopic pregnancy, FET#1)
79. The Pursuit of Pregnancy (rpl, immune, endo)
80. 1000 Oceans (twin loss, ivf, grief)
81. Believing in June (marriage, fertility treatments, TTC #2)
82. Cease and Decyst (pcos, anovulation, irreverence)
83. Looking For That One (IVF, waiting, ttc again)
84. Loving Our Life Together (adoption, parenting after IF)
85. Holly’s Narrative Dream (infertility, life, writing)
86. Conceptionally Challenged (life, love & everything in between)
87. Something Out of Nothing (infertility, mfi, sperm!)
88. InfertileFirstmom (infertility, IVF/donor eggs, birthmotherhood)
89. TheStorkDiaries (30-something, IUI failure, TTC 2+years)
90. Journey to the Finish Line (infertility, life, humor)
91. Carneyexploits (IUI, gardening, life)
92. Living In A Fertile World (pregnancy, life, infertility)
93. (In)fertility Unexplained (pregnancy, IVF, unexplained infertility)
94. Hapa Hopes (IVF, decision making, waiting)
95. Things Couldn’t Be Better (infertility, embryo adoption, crazy people)
96. Not a Fertile Myrtle (adoption, 40’s, male factor)
97. The list is closed.  The June list opens on 5/31

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 yellow, 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 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.