IComLeavWe: February

The February List is now closed. Check back in a few days to sign up for March’s IComLeavWe Week.

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: Current IComLeavWe List (this link was removed on the 21st of the month). I will move the information from the form into the post (usually within 24 hours).
• 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…). 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.
• Read below if you want to find out about Iron Commenters.
• The commenting ends on the 28th. We catch out 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 (infertility, twins, books)
2. Baby Smiling In Back Seat (infertility, philosophy, pottery)
3. The Fertile Infertile (secondary infertility, parenting, crafts)
4. Musings of a Fat Chick (SMC, life, fertility treatments)
5. Portraits In Sepia (endometriosis, adoption, life)
6. Trying for a Baby (ttc, endometriosis, feelings)
7. Life and Times of Kimbosue (pregnancy, IUI, randomness)
8. LaRay’s Crazy World (parenting, life, weight loss)
9. There’s a Baby at the End of This, Right? (azoospermia, donor gametes, waiting)
10. Sticky Feet (secondary infertility, baking, giveaways)
11. A View On My Life (infertility, weight, randomness)
12. Birds and Squirrels (infertility, pcos, low morphology)
13. Adventures in Parenting (kids, parenting, marriage)
14. Rose’s Daughter (TTC#1 after miscarriage, new job,life)
15. To Baby and Beyond (infertility, miscarriage, PCOS)
16. Broken Bits (IVF/ICSI, PCOS, craziness)
17. Hello Jello (college, family, animals)
18. Bottoms Off and On the Table (IVF, ranting, sarcasm)
19. The Steadfast Warrior (TTC, miscarriage, life)
20. Faith, Hope & Poop? (parenting, books, life)
21. Not The Path I Chose (secondary IF, life, weight loss)
22. In Due Time (infertility, PCOS, life)
23. Trying to Make 3 (m/c, TTC, marriage)
24. Sell Crazy Someplace Else (male-factor, weight loss, life)
25. Bloggin…InStyle! (adoption, life, scrapbooking)
26. Life and Love in the Petri Dish (IVF#4, RPL, couples’ perspective)
27. Lifeslurper (infertility, IVF, ttc over 40)
28. The Not So Secret Life Of Us (infertility, RPL, emigration)
29. The Olsons (infertility, miscarriage, teaching)
30. MoJo Working (formerly NotSoFertile Myrtle) (infertility, marriage, faith)
31. Awake in the World (infertility, grief, body acceptance)
32. Mom to Twins Plus One (infertility, twins, crafts)
33. Maybe its Just Me… (marriage, PCOS, random)
34. Are We There Yet (ttc, MFI, healthy living)
35. No Yolk (SMC, TTC/IVF, loss)
36. Elana’s Musings (infertility/pregnancy, twins, randomness)
37. Being Infertile (infertility, living, cooking)
38. Heeeeere Storkey, Storkey! (twins, ttc, life)
39. All Grown Up (IVF #3, adoption, random)
40. A Fifth Season (infant loss, bereavement, reason/religion)
41. I Just Want to be a Mom (IUI #4, daily life w/a hubby and dog)
42. Eye Heart Internet (IUI, endmetriosis, expat)
43. Mommy In Waiting (infertility, adoption, faith)
44. Restoreth My Soul (PCOS, faith, TTC)
45. Unquestionable Love (injectables, acupuncture, weight/running)
46. Square One (PCOS, secondary IF, getting ready TTC#2)
47. Bella And Her Fella (DE/IVF, POF, thyroid cancer)
48. Making Me Mom (male factor, luteal phase defect, faith)
49. In Vitro Veritas (IVF, endo, stupid life)
50. Life In A Holding Pattern (miscarriage, pregnancy, our dog)
51. Child Bearing Hips (unexplained IF, IVF, parenting)
52. A Woman My Age (infertility, adoption, life)
53. My Pathway to Motherhood (SMC, TTC, life)
54. Mrs Spock (parenting, health care, infertility)
55. On The Road to Baby (infertility, PCOS, waiting to adopt)
56. Learning To Accept My Infertility (infertility, IVF, acceptance)
57. Bugaboo Envy (ivf, life in general, musings)
58. Thinking Positively (secondary infertility, endometriosis, adoption)
59. Production, Not Reproduction (open transracial adoption)
60. Project Kjetil (subfertility, ttc, two-mom parenting)
61. In Pursuit of Parenthood (infertility, faith, waiting)
62. Wheresmy2lines (depression, multiple IVF’s, varicocele)
63. May the Road Rise (IVF, unexplained infertility, family)
64. Overeducated Mommy (stillbirth, grief, life)
65. In Search of Biscuit 2.0 (secondary if, parenting, daily life)
66. The Long Journey (secondary infertility, weight loss and life)
67. That’s My Answer (fun, questions, life)
68. My Hope My Faith My Love (secondary infertility, pregnancy, toddlers)
69. Inconceivable?! (MFI, NOA, IVF and life)
70. Offmymind.but from my heart (adoption, parenting, ttc)
71. Life Induces Thoughts, Mostly Random (life, grief, random)
72. Be Still and Know (adoption, faith, endometriosis)
73. Schroedinger’s Zygote (general IF)
74. ISO the Golden Egg (SMC, donor FET, 2WW!)
75. What IF (male factor, endo, MESA/IVF/ICSI)
76. Along Life’s Little Journey (life, ivf, family)
77. Infertility Rocks! (infertility, IF treatment, humor)
78. Infertile Myrtle (infertility, endometriosis, suppression)
79. Here Is To Another Day (unexplained IF, books, random thoughts)
80. Equal Opportunity Hater (IVF, endometriosis, random sarcasm)
81. Building Heavenly Bridges (grieving, stillbirth, writing)
82. The Bear and The Comedian (parenting after loss, angel sisters, humor)
83. The Life of Liv (infertility, IUI, life)
84. BagMomma (secondary IF, donor egg, parenting)
85. Were You Looking for Me? (infertility, IVF, family)
86. Do Without Doing (waiting, IVF, work)
87. Trying For Two (PCOS, secondary IF, TTC#2)
88. A New Wheeler for the World? (PCOS, IUI, infertility)
89. Where is That Special Water (finally pregnant, fear, random)
90. Getting There (infertility, life, future)
91. …Might Just Be Enough (pregnancy, life, marriage)
92. Mom + Mom + Lilian = House of Pink (motherhood, depression, weight loss)
93. The Real Bean (child loss, IVF, daily sketches)
94. What Wuz I Saying? (kids, adoption, life)
95. Mustard Seed Baby (endo, faith, ivf)
96. Loving Thee… And More (co-parenting, children, randomness)
97. Hobbit-ish Thoughts and Ramblings (miscarraiges, life, cooking)
98. Baby Making Journey (azoospermia, waiting, infertility)
99. Isn’t TTC Supposed To Be Fun? (ttc, loss, infertility)
100. Strong Blonde (IVF/ICSI #2, PCOS)
101. Twice the Fun (but Half the Sleep) (twins, premature, infertility)
102. Oh Hey (news, celebrities, shopping)
103. My Adventures In Reality (secondary IF, military, homeschooling)
104. The Maniacal Mommy (infertility, pregnancy, musings)
105. Conceive This! (MFI, IVF/ICSI, sarcasm)
106. TandCookies (PCOS, marriage, teaching)
107. Seriously?!?! (pregnancy, daily life, sarcasm)
108. Life in the White House (donor sperm, random, pregnancy)
109. Finding Her Way: The Story of a Princess (marriage, insanity, ttc)
110. Communique (infertility, life, family)
111. Can You Imagine (miscarriage, TTC, life)
112. Little Bluebirds Fly (late loss, infertility, HELLP/pre-e)
113. Two Shorten the Road (preemie, infertility, life)
114. From Such Great Heights (pregnancy after long ttc, life decisions, family)
115. Yes, We’re One of Those Couples (azoospermia, ivf, uncertainty)
     

Q: What if I miss a day?
A: Catch up the next day by doubling your comments–12 comments instead of 6.

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 pink, the next month it will be purple, 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).

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.