IComLeavWe: May

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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: May 2009. 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…), 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 (infertility, twins, books)
2. Geek By Marriage (ectopic, parenting, craziness)
3. Life Induces Thoughts, Mostly Random (grief, acceptance, family)
4. Hobbit-ish Thoughts & Ramblings (ttc after losses, cooking, books)
5. Production, Not Reproduction (open domestic adoption)
6. Baby Smiling In Back Seat (infertility, twin pregnancy, pottery)
7. Happy-go-Lucky (donor eggs, GLBT issues, adoption)
8. Woman Anyone? (primary subfertility, unexplained infertility, rants)
9. The Pitter-Patter (ttc, infertility, marrakesh)
10. My Pathway to Motherhood (TTC, SMC, life)
11. I’m a Smart One (surrogacy, infertility, parenting after infertility)
12. Staying Above the Water (1st time parenting, life in general, rants)
13. A Fifth Season (grief, family, life study)
14. Sticky Feet (twin pg, parenting, giveaways)
15. Baby Manatee (IUI, life, fun)
16. Busted Tube: Adventures in Infertility (infertility, loss, future)
17. Sell Crazy Someplace Else (dIUI, marriage, weight loss)
18. The Johnson’s Have Angel Wings (balanced translocation, loss, feelings)
19. Dragondreamer’s Lair (parenting, secondary infertility, crafts)
20. Infertility is a Bitch (pcos, infertility, love)
21. Infertility Rocks! (infertility, humor, coping)
22. Becoming Whole (emotional abuse recovery, uncertain family-building future)
23. Thoughts by Kim (infertility, spirituality, weight loss)
24. Waiting For Our Pod (mfi, infertility, pregnancy)
25. One Small Wish (infertility, ivf, moving on)
26. Infertile Myrtle (infertility, endometriosis, iui)
27. In Due Time (infertility, pcos, life)
28. May the Road Rise (IVF, marriage, random)
29. Cyster A.C.T. (PCOS, health, life)
30. Exploring Chaos (infertility, weightloss, life)
31. Emilythehopeless (domestic adoption, dogs, waiting)
32. Weebles Wobblog (open adoption, mindfulness)
33. Bang Head Here…. ( lesbian ttc, donor eggs)
34. Barefoot and (Not) Pregnant (pregnancy, ivf, food/wine/tv)
35. Hello Jello (college, animals, family)
36. Musings of a Fat Chick (SMC, fertility, humor)
37. Babymaking 101 (pregnancy loss, recovery)
38. Meepit On Parade (infertility, life, loss)
39. Alana-isms (secondary infertility, family, teaching)
40. Mom Someday (weight loss, PCOS, crazy life)
41. Bella And Her Fella (POF, DE/IVF, thyroid cancer)
42. Learning through the IF Journey (infertility, PCOS, faith)
43. My Journey with Endometriosis (ivf, endo, life)
44. A View On My Life (infertility, therapy, randomness)
45. Sippy Cups Are Not For Starbucks (sarcasm, parenting, life)
46. Not The Path I Chose (secondary IF, pregnancy loss, IVF)
47. This could be anyone’s story (life, love, depression)
48. All Grown Up (domestic adoption, life, random)
49. Hope Endures (infertility, faith, life)
50. Jen’s Farmily (garden, chickens, farm)
51. The Cubicle’s Backporch (engineer, jobless, life)
52. Isn’t TTC Supposed To Be Fun?! (loss, TTC, infertility)
53. Body Diaries by Lucy (PCOS, IF, TTC)
54. Best When Used By (infertility, 40+, life)
55. Baby Makin Chronicles (pregnancy after miscarriage, life, rants)
56. Parenthood for Me (adoption, infertility, coping)
57. That’s My Answer (questions, fun, life)
58. Yes, We’re Parents (infertility, parenthood, life)
59. High Heel Happy (ivf, infertility, life)
60. Life with Endometriosis and PCOS (infertility, endo, pcos)
61. Our Surrogacy Adventure (surrogacy, intended mother, life)
62. Eggs Benedict Arnold (adoption, family, infertility)
63. Making Me Mom (fibroid, mfi, faith)
64. Mama Bear (domestic infant adoption)
65. On The Road to Baby (infertility, loss, metaphors)
66. The Not So Secret Life Of Us (infertility, miscarriages, life)
67. My So-Called Life (PCOS, considering living child-free, MTHFR)
68. Faith, Hope & Poop? (parenting, school, adoption)
69. Snarky Kisses (life, personal, ttc)
70. Jason & Amber Patterson (ivf, infertility, life)
71. Through The Eyes Of A Stranger (infertility, adoption, life)
72. Letting It Out (parenting after IF, family drama, twins)
73. Ninapintasantamaria’s Blog (pregnancy, snark, life)
74. Xiolo’s Place (life-in-general, soon-to-be-dad, my life)
75. Looking4#3 (infertility, iui, parenting)
76. Dieting Take Two (life, weight loss, inspiring)
77. OneSmarmyMama (parenting, sarcasm, debates)
78. Heeeeere Storkey, Storkey! (twins, ttc #3, life)
79. Creating a Family (adoptive parenting, infertility, adoption)
80. But a Moment (ivf, hope, new)
81. Our Box of Rain (parenting, lawyering, life)
82. The Long Journey (secondary infertility, weight loss and life)
83. Can You Imagine? (infertility, life, iui)
84. The Maniacal Mommy (infertility pregnancy marriage)
85. Inconceivable?! (azoospermia, sadness, life)
86. Run Amok Amok (infertility, life, marriage)
87. Sparkly Things Distract Me (ivf, life, 40+)
88. Wheresmy2lines (infertility, donor eggs, PCOS)
89. Blondedawn (pcos, infertility, life)
90. Live from the 205 (Gregory, life, death)
91. A Little Hope (infertility, IUI, life)
92. Thinking Positively (secondary infertility, adoption, endometriosis)
93. Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Pampers (marriage, loss, infertility)
94. Michelle’s Messages (infertility, life, ttc)
95. Don’t Scare Easy (hysterectomy, infertility, cat)
96. MeAndBaby’s Blog (smc, infertility, iui)
97. I just want to be a mom (fertility yoga, iui, ivf)
98. My Infertility Journey (IVF/ICSI, male factor, PCOS)
99. Momtography (photography, parenting, life)
100. Page Family Blog (infertility, family, health)
101. Chasing That Dream (hysterectomy, endometriosis, infertility)
102. Loving Thee… And More (parenting, family, life)
103. In Pursuit of Parenthood (infertility, faith, waiting)
104. Ova-EZ (babies, love, life)
105. Baby To Be (iui, ivf, pcos)
106. A New Wheeler for the World? (pregnancy after iui)
107. Tammy’s Journey (infertility, diabetes, christian)
108. Keeping Our Fingers Crossed (ivf, life, infertility)
109. A Virtual Hobby Store and Coffee Shop (entertainment, news, personal)
110. Queen Wilhelmina (pregnant after infertility, incompetent cervix, life)
111. Oh Sanity, Wherefore Art Thou (infertility, loss, life)
112. Scarlet Baby (male factor, pcos, life)
113. Getting There (infertility, PCOS, endo)
114. Dragonfly Mama (infertility, race, spirituality)
115. A Moment in Time… (marriage, infertility, life)
116. Hannah Wept, Sarah Laughed (in the beginning, POF, coping)
117. Twists of Fate (miscarriage, health, life)
118. Elana’s Musings (twins, parenting newborns, randomness)
119. Once Upon a Time (ivf, male factor)
120. Ruminations (parenting after infertility, life, random )
121. Life is Good (fet #1, 2ww, life)
122. Lifeslurper (ivf after 40)
123. Semi-fertile (miscarriage, hope, depression)
124. Anchors’ Aweigh (pregnancy, parenting, navy life)
125. The Unfair Struggle (male-factor, big remodel, friends)
126. My Little Drummer Boys (IVF twins, pregnancy loss, daily life)
127. The Daily Doings of Mr Silly and Little Miss Trouble (twins, surrogacy, infertility)
128. Tales of the Phoenix (IVF over 40, improving egg quality, grief)
129. Chronic Pelvic Pain (pain, insomnia, lupron)
130. Life in the White House (pregnancy, donor sperm, vacationing with in-laws)
131. Add yourself by filling out the form…

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 dark blue, the next month it will be red, 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.