IComLeavWe: September 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 September list is now closed.  The October list will open 9/27.
  
• 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. Look No Tubes (parenting after IVF)
3. Growing Griswolds (infertility, ivf, thoughts)
4. A Little Blog about the Big Infertility (endometriosis, loss, balance)
5. It’s Just a Box of Rain (parenthood, post-adoption, balance)
6. The Bickerstaff Blog (pregnancy after loss)
7. Gypsy Mamas Misconceptions (ivf, mexico, young)
8. The Infertility Voice (donor egg/IVF, 2ww, first cycle)
9. A Greater Yes (EA, infertility, parenting)
10. The 2 Week Wait (infertility humor TTC)
11. The Unfair Struggle (mfi, speedskating, life)
12. The Question Now Becomes… (donor conception, mfi, life)
13. Ready For My Bundle (ivf, soon-to-be single mother by choice, 2ww )
14. Not a Fertile Myrtle (male factor, adoption, over 40)
15. Non Sequitur Chica (infertility, home improvement, weight loss)
16. A Half Baked Life (food, mindfulness, parenting after loss)
17. Baby Steps to Balance (ivf, healthy living)
18. Bébé Suisse (miscarriage, ttc again, switzerland)
19. It Is What It Is (Or Is It?) (pg w donated embryos, pg @ 46, possible IC)
20. Stupid Stork (ivf, infertility, shenanigans)
21. The Idea Girl (food, family, crafts)
22. Why Not Us? (infertility, general, life)
23. Waiting For Baby (vasectomy reversal, IUI, PCOS)
24. I’m Just Ducky, Thanks (surrogacy, rpl, fear)
25. Breathe Gently (pregnancy, IVF, PCOS)
26. Happiness at the Core (neonatal loss)
27. Journey with Endometriosis (high risk pregnancy, endo, infertility)
28. My Bum Ovaries (premature ovarian failure)
29. Waiting to Expand (ttc #2, infertility, miscarriage)
30. Hobbit-ish Thoughts & Ramblings (parenting after RPL, books, cooking)
31. Unexplained Rantings (infertility, rpl, life )
32. No Baby Ruth (toddler, pcos, ttc#2)
33. Writing for Life (ivf#3.1, expat life)
34. Feeling Beachie (life, humor, husbands and wives)
35. Bun in the Oven…easy…right? (PCOS, ttc, blogs)
36. Our Journey Through This Lovely Life (ttc, adventures, life)
37. what a day for a daydream (FET #1, endometriosis, unexplained IF)
38. MRKH Musings (surrogacy, congenital infertility)
39. Still Trying to Conceive (infertility hope faith)
40. (In)Fertility Unexplained (pregnancy, unexplained infertility, life)
41. Sweet Dreams are Made of This (adoption, recipes, life)
42. Our Adventure through Infertility (IVF, male-factor, life)
43. Reading Each Page (infertility, pcos, life)
44. Life As I Know It (twins, toddler, life)
45. ginger and lime (ivf, infertility, food)
46. A Page In My Book (family, differently abled children, IF/MC survivor)
47. Wandering Wonderment (family, politics, local news)
48. More Room in My Heart (dor, ttc#3, ivf#6)
49. We Are Learning To Make Fire (unexplained infertility, life)
50. Team Harries Beats Infertility (faith, hope, azoospermia)
51. If You Don’t Stand For Something (MFI, geekiness, general life ramblings)
52. awaiting baby w (ivf, fibroids, infertility)
53. Creating a Family (infertility, adoption, adoptive parenting)
54. My IVF Journey (IVF, infertility)
55. My Hopeful Journey (journaling for fertility)
56. IUI to Roux-en-Y (pregnant after WLS)
57. A Journey of Emotions (first IVF, photo challenge)
58. The MomTini Lounge (helpful parenting tips)
59. His plan, our journey (infertility, faith, fur-babies)
60. Just Cycling Along (IVF, TTC #1, endo)
61. Worth The Wait (infertility, ivf #1, nurse)
62. Thought Provoking Moments (life’s lessons unwrapped)
63. Hope in times of uncertainty (icsi ivf, pregnancy, pcoc/hypothyroid)
64. The Barreness (ART, infertility, ponderings)
65. Lori Does Maryland (IVF, loss, parenting)
66. More Salt (loss, miscarriage, TTC)
67. The Quest for the Golden Egg (infertility, IUI#1, TCM)
68. IVF Over 40 (advanced maternal age)
69. MissConception (twin loss, pregnancy, pcos)
70. The In Between (recurrent miscarriage, infertility)
71. Something Out of Nothing (MFI, first IUI, unemployment)
72. Glitter & Rainbows (infertility, life after ART, crafty)
73. Fit to Parent (adoption, parenting, health)
74. Comatised (family, marriage, love)
75. Our Pathway to Parenthood (FET #1, hope, God)
76. Our Growing Gardunn (pcos, secondary rpl, septum)
77. The Journey Through Life (TTC after loss, IUI, parenting)
78. Three Quarters Full (infertility, parenting after IF, life)
79. Whitney & Erick (surrogacy, RPL, travel)
80. All Grown Up (parenting, open adoption, grad school)
81. Hiding Scars in my Yarn (loss, memorial, crafts)
82. The Closet Infertile (IVF #1, secondary infertility, TTC)
83. RollerCoaster To MommyCoaster (mom after infertility)
84. Pretzles and Chocolate (family, photos, thoughts)
85. Infertility Unexplained (IVF, infertility, CCS)
86. The Barren Librarian (clomid, infertility, marriage)
87. for all the things we hope for (endometriosis, infertility, doula-ing)
88. An Engineer Becomes a Mom (adoption, infertility, parenting)
89. One Day at a Time (adoption, life, school)
90. Tales From Our Yellow Brick Road (pregnancy, ivf, rpl)
91. Living Our Miracle (embryo adoption, premature ovarian failure, motherhood)
92. My Hormonacoaster (secondary infertility, 2nd trimester loss, FET # 3)
93. Journey to the Finish Line (IVF, humor, everything)
94. Hapa Hopes (FET, endo, life)
95. From Gutter to Stars (therapist, infertility, adoption)
96. Upper Middle Mom (parenting after IVF, twins, PPD)
97. Wistfulgirl’s World (foster care adoption, infertility, life)
98. Return To Go (medicated cycles, PCOS, unemployment)
99. Dear Finley (neonatal loss, grief, life)
100. I Am The 15% (IVF, life, depression)
101. Who Is This Fertile Myrtle (secondary infertilty, loss, IVF)
102. the September list is now closed.  The October list will open 9/27

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 red, 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.