What Is Double Dipping?
Both Lens Artists # 181 and Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge this month have promoted double dipping. That is, they posted photos that linked to another photo challenge as well as their own. I list other challenges that inspire my post each week with WQW, but today I invite you to double dip intentionally.
Thank you so much to Donna Connolly of Retirement Reflections, KL Caley of New2Writing and Kirstin Troyer of Loving Life for sharing their time and talent. Thank you all for voting.
Featured Bloggers for …
Your friendships mean so much. Thank you all for joining in.
- CATH’S CAMERA
- HAMMAD RAIS
- LADY LEE MANILA
- LADYSIGHS
- LOVING LIFE
- LIFE AFTER 50 FOR WOMEN
- SECOND WIND LEISURE (SUNDAY STILLS & FRIDAY FITNESS)
IT’S EASY TO PLAY ALONG WITH #WQW
This weekly writing challenge runs from Wednesday through Tuesday. The only rule is to use a quote. If you want to participate, create a pingback to link your post. Not sure how to do that? See how to create pingbacks here. Be sure to link to the most recent post, not my page. I don’t see links to my page.
#WQW #4 – Topic: Word of the Year or Writer’s Choice
“The most popular choices for Word of the Year in 2021 were Balance, Focus, Brave, Growth, Simplify, and Gratitude.”
Christine Luken
Other Challenges Inspiring this Post
- WHAT’S ON YOUR BOOKSHELF? Debbie – Deb’s World, Donna –Retirement Reflections, Jo – And Anyways, Sue – Women Living Well After Fifty
- CMMC: Pick any topic in my photo
- ODD BALL
- 2022 Word of the Year Link Party
“Selecting a word for your year helps you focus on something important, which is why I do it.”
Christine Luken
5 STEPS TO FIND YOUR WORD FOR 2022
- Write a paragraph visualizing the new you by the end of the year.
- Highlight words that evoke positive emotions.
- Read about other people’s words, like Debbie’s 2021 Word-of the Year – BOLD.
- Read lists if you are stuck.
- Pick one word and write about how it relates to creating a new pattern for your life.
STEP 1-2: A PARAGRAPH ABOUT THE NEW ME
In the year 2022, I see myself becoming healthy and more active in a way that is doable for me. Maybe I will be able to hike longer distances, climb more difficult terrains, e-bike, and kayak. I hope so. Maybe I’ll look up yoga exercises on YouTube and do them in my living room. I’ve moved my computer to the counter where I can stand and an exercise ball at my desk in my office instead of a chair. So, I have options when I blog. I have a lap desk when I need to recline and when I want a chair, I sit at the table where I can talk to Vince. I fill my water glass three times to make sure I drink 64 oz of water a day.
Though it takes discipline, I see myself curating my time to spend more time developing skills, reading, writing, and traveling. With thanksgiving to God for giving me another year, I want to spend meaningful time appreciating my family and giving back to the Prescott and my blogging communities.
Step 5: My WORD for 2022: CURATOR
I read someone else’s post who chose the word curator, and it stuck a cord with me.
A Little Research about Curators
I was on the committee to find a new museum curator for the Tulare County Museum several years ago. The many responsibilities that a curator has impressed and stayed with me. A few years later I was part of the founding of the Woodlake Valley Cultural Museum but not one of the curators.
In my position as the county history consultant, I traveled around the country and visited many museums bringing back sometimes unwelcome ideas. LOL
Curators do more than organize the mess that is dumped on the doorstep of the museum, though I’m sure there is some of that. Here is a list from the Princeton Review on Careers explaining some of what a curator does.
- Acquire, store, and exhibit collections
- Select the theme and design of exhibits
- Develop or set up exhibit materials
- Design, organize, or conduct tours and workshops to educate the public
- Attend meetings and civic events to promote the institution
- Write grants and participate in fundraising to support and expand the museum.
A Sampling from the Wickenburg Cowboy Museum
Most museum curators hold at least a bachelor’s degree in art, history, or museum studies. Some hold PhDs if they work at a national museum.
Museums are not the only use of curators. Music curators get paid to listen to music and create playlists that people will enjoy – like the DJs of old.
“…It’s actually someone’s job to choose the songs you hear when you buy your morning coffee or listen to a playlist on your way to work? That’s right, it isn’t any old random mix of music! It’s been cleverly designed by music curators…”
Music Gateway
How Curating Might Benefit My Life in 2022
I never defined what I do as a blogger, but I’m a curator and you are too. At first blogging was an experiment to see if anyone would read the random thoughts and photos I published. Over the years I took classes on writing, photography and blogging and began to see a purpose for my blog. I was beginning to become a curator. It is easy to imagine much of my effort as curator will go into my blog this year.
Brief plans for curating my blog.
I want my blog to reflect the beauty I see in the world around me. It should be organized, educational, and have easy to locate posts. The 1400+ posts need to be brough up to date or discarded. My blog should include regular poetry, photos and regular participation in many challenges. My forty thousand + photos need to be stored and curated in one location and duplicated in the cloud, tagged with key words, and easy to find at the drop of a hat.
Developing Skills – Including Challenges
Blogging helps me tell my stories. While curating my photos, I finally broke down and took Geek Squad an external hard drive that didn’t work with my computer. I’ve been curating since I got it back a week ago.
On it I was elated to find my 2013 Indianapolis pictures. The second house is the last place we lived before moving to Portland. The street is where we lived before that. In 1958 when we moved into our new house, Broadmoor Plaza had no or new planted trees! It had been a corn field. My brother, Randy and I barely recognized it.
The final house belonged to my grandparents. Being a first grandchild, Grandma Golda and Grandpa Bud. I spent hundreds of happy hours there until I started school and had to stay home.
These photos support Cee’s CMMC Challenge. The captions on each picture tell how I think they relate.
Beyond Blogging into Life
A Life Curator
What about my life? Do I need a curator? To manage the decor at my house so friends see more than a cluttered collection of old stuff. To create a theme for my life. Attend meetings, trainings, and promote myself? What about my life? Do I need a curator? To cull activities that promote my well-being, more time with family. Like more exercise, fewer jigsaw puzzles, more books, less television? To organize the storage rooms filled with everyone's treasures and create artistic displays. What about my life? Do I need a curator? To make informed decisions about health care, medications, doctors, nutritious meals. To keep me mobile, energetic, active. To inform me, continue my learning, and stay dynamic. Wanted: one well-educated curator who loves art and history. Must have the ability to promote Needs to eliminate harmful influences, choose staff and personal relationships wisely. Needs to be open to new ideas, while finding purposes for old ones. Must be able to write. Yes, I need a curator to make wise and artistic choices. The exhibit of my life must be dynamic, educational, and well-traveled. Being my life-curator sounds like just the job for me. free verse ©Marsha Ingrao 2021
“Things start as hopes and end up as habits.”
— Lillian Hellman
To be a true word of the year, the power and influence of my chosen word should extend into my whole life. Curating to me is an active word. Rather than passively letting opportunities come my way, I actively seek out what I think will add meaning, safety, educational, and artistic value to my life. A curator is a manager and also an artist, creating exhibits for others to enjoy.
Managing and organizing is a task I do well, but I often use makeshift methods. This year I purchased containers that would keep items organized, which in the past I might have considered frivolous. The next step might be not to purchase so many items that have to be organized, or to toss things I don’t need or use. I tend to hold onto items because they are there. I want to be more of an artistic curator around my home (and my blogging home).
My sister-in law is an excellent curator of her refrigerator. She buys on a budget, cooks, bakes, freezes, stores, and keeps track of every meal. Her refrigerator looks nearly empty, yet she always has something nutritious to eat and something to offer anyone who stops by. I admire that. Instead of “What’s On Your Plate?” she could host, “What’s in Your Fridge or Closet, or Drawers?” You get the idea! I’ll go there another day!
The artistic part I’m going to have to continue to develop! More lessons, please, Cee! I’m also working on my cooking. What’s on my plate? Beautiful healthy salad.
This year I have been challenged by several bloggers to read more. I am getting in gear to participate in What’s On Your Bookshelf, mentioned above, on a regular basis. Challenges help me curate my blogging so that I post with intentionality to support not just myself but other bloggers. Many bloggers like my friend Terri from Second Wind Leisure and Natalie the Explorer’s Coffee Share are experts at curating their blogs to support many challenge hosts and those who respond to them as well.
I have started curating my reading with books written by participants of Story Chat, the Writing Event that I host each month. So far this year I have read Doug Jacquier’s new book, Raving and Wryting: Bite-sized low wit for our desperate times. Order information on Amazon world-wide.
Those are my thoughts on my word of the year.
Now it’s your turn.
Tell us about your word of the year or choose any topic this week. Thanks so much for stopping by and having fun with quotes.
Marsha Ingrao - Always Write 
87 responses to “WQW #4: Word of the Year or Double Dipping”
Okay, checking out this a little late.
First, that Salad!
Looks so scrumptious 🙂
Next is your free-verse!
Very well said and I enjoyed reading it 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing this amazing post with my challenge, Marsha 🙂
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Hammad, you are so kind. 🙂
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[…] Several people in the blogosphere had selected a word to inspire them for 2022. One of the best such words I’ve encountered is curator shared by Marsh Ingrao of Always Write blog. You can read her post here: https://alwayswrite.blog/2022/01/26/wqw-4-word-of-the-year-or-writers-choice/ […]
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Thank you for the kind word, Traci. 🙂
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[…] Shared with: Bushboy, Touring My Backyard, Marsha-Always Write […]
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Hello Marsha. I am new to your blog. I found it through the Word of the Year Link Party. It’s nice to “meet” you. I love your choice of words, curator, and your free write summed it up nicely. Good luck to you in this coming year. I look forward to hearing how you incorporate the intention to curate into your life.
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Thank you for your kind words, Christie. It’s great to meet you, too. I’ll be by soon to check out your word of the year. 🙂
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[…] Marsha’s WQW, the topic is {Word of The […]
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Great mural, Cath, thanks for linking. 🙂
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Hi again Marsha, I’ve joined you this week and included a pingback from my #sundaystills post. Hope it’s OK! I think I’m also double dipping but not sure what to do about that 🙂
https://debs-world.com/2022/01/30/hot-wet-dirt-and-rustle-for-sundaystills/
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I love that you double dipped. Double up any time, my friend. Terri and I do it constantly. 🙂
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Marsha, I love your word and how you explained it. Especially the part about being an ‘active’ curator as opposed to letting things come to you. What is life without engagement? Thanks for including all these wonderful challenges in your post. Double-dipping has become a regular thing for me as it saves on creating multiple posts. Win/win for everyone. Thanks for encouraging that practice.
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I love double dipping. 🙂 I was thrilled when Tina endorsed it in her last post. 🙂
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[…] of Always Write, says “Pick one word and write about how it relates to creating a new pattern for your life.” […]
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[…] Marsha has #WQW (Writers Quote Wednesday) where the only rule is you must include a quote, so I’m linking to her post as well. […]
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[…] WQW- Writer’s choice […]
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[…] WQW #4: Word of the Year or Double Dipping – Marsha Ingrao – Always Write […]
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I love your word Marsha. Such a great one. I need to read this deeper.
here’s my link finally.
https://troyerslovinglife.blogspot.com/2022/01/wqwtheme-word-of-year-unfolding.html
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Great word and post, Kirstin. You will inspire me with that word all year long. 🙂
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Hi Marsha,
Here’s my post;
http://lifeafter50forwomen.com/2022/01/28/my-word-for-this-year-hope/
Thanks
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Sadje, your word fits you so well. You bring hope and cheer to those around you. I’ll look forward to how that plays out for you this year. 😍😍😍
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Thanks Marsh. I hope that we all stay positive and optimistic.
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That is a great driving force, and you will lead the way this year, I’m sure. 🙂
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Thanks Marsha.
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[…] Written for;WQW #4 – Topic: Word of the Year or Writer’s Choice, hosted by Marsha […]
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Hi Marsha – your enthusiasm is felt throughout this post and that is a nice thing. I like the idea of a curator with your blog.
– I am still chewing on my word for this coming year – and will get back with you on that! in the meantime, I linked your post because I loved it so much – and especially liked that quote from Vern McLellan (is that how the last name is spelled? My spell check wants to add a C to the name)
“What the new year brings to you will depend a great deal on what you bring to the new year”
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Hi Yvette, you can link whenever you feel like it! I found a cute picture of you when I was curating my old photos last night. 🙂 I must have posted it in 2016.That’s a great quote. Sad for those who don’t bring much to the New Year, though.
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well not everyone finds January or the start of the year as the time to ponder and plan – I know some folks who do this in august and September –
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True – based on the start of their fiscal or school year. Kiwanis plans in August or September because the new year starts in Oct. I plan Story Chat in Sept. because the new year starts in Oct. It depends on finances usually.
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🙂
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[…] As January winds down, I hope we all are ready to continue moving into 2022 with intention and maybe even a word for the year. If you need ideas for this – check out Marsha’s recent post WQW here […]
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[…] Several people in the blogosphere had selected a word to inspire them for 2022. One of the best such words I’ve encountered is curator shared by Marsh Ingrao of Always Write blog. You can read her post here: https://alwayswrite.blog/2022/01/26/wqw-4-word-of-the-year-or-writers-choice/ […]
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Well done Marsha, this is an excellent post about WOTY with so many other valuable bits woven through it and all fitting the double dip[ping and WQW themes – very creative of you!
I must say your WOTY and your explanations of Curator are fantastic – clear, precise and just perfect for you! I do hope you’ll link up to our link party and share these words of wisdom. Thanks so much for the mentions too, you are so thoughtful and supportive!
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Is the link up. I guess it is Friday there! 🙂
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It will be open in about an hour and a half from now.
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Good to know. 🙂
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So good to have you join us Marsha! Thanks for the plug too 🙂
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you’re such a great curator, Marsha 🙂
https://ladyleemanilablog.wordpress.com/2022/01/27/wqw-4-word-of-the-year/
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Yay! Thank you, Lady Lee. That’s my goal this year. 🙂
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[…] For: https://alwayswrite.blog/2022/01/26/wqw-4-word-of-the-year-or-writers-choice/ […]
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Curator is a great word, and one that suits you. I also love the new logo, it looks very professional.
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Thank you so much, Janis. I like the logo, too. I think letting those who are more talented in areas that I lack is part of curating. I was thrilled to get some entries and to have so many people helping out by voting.
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Curate is a fabulous word. It’s both about refining and prioritising, as well as growing and promoting. Great choice.
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Thank you, Jo. I like your description, “refining and prioritizing, growing and promoting.” I’m going to use those words.
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Go for it!
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🙂
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I would so like that magical key worded photo collection, each one at my fingertips! I’m more inclined to use the delete button at the moment. Throwaway photos- why not? There are always more. Except for that special few, of course. Family, and never to be repeated places.
Good looking salad! And those pink blossom trees look like some that grow quite close to my home.
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Hi Jo, I have deleted thousands of photos in my curation project. LOL Blurry photos, photos with fingers in them, duplicates, uninteresting photos of people I don’t even know. (I have thousands of them) Some of them I keep because there’s something fun about them like a baby with an outie belly button and a big smile or a teen with blue hair and a big smile. I photographed hundreds of meetings. Very dull. Some of them I can’t even get rid of – LOL. Thanks for the kind words about my salad. It was delicious. 🙂 BTW, Cee has been teaching me about using Adobe Bridge to label and fix my photos. It has been a huge help in this process. I get at least one tidbit every time we talk whether it is about photography or the weather. 🙂
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I know several people have offered advice on photo storage. I tend to go blank when the subject comes up and escape to play Wordle. Off I go- haven’t done today’s yet.
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You are soooooooo funny! My favorite escape at the moment is still everyday jigsaw.
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Congratiulations to Bansi Lai Ketki. That is an awesome logo.
“Curator” is an great WOTY. I love everything that you are doing with it and look forward to following your progress on this.
Thank you for the mentions of the Word of the Year Link Party which goes live tomorrow afternoon (Jan 27 in North America, Jan 28 in Australia). We look forward to you (and all those who are interested) in joining us there!
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I will post to it then. 🙂 I figure we follow up on the word once a month or so, but I can feel it’s effects already in everything I do. It’s amazing. 🙂
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First off I love the new WQW logo. I’ll borrow it from your blog and add it to my own to show my support of WQW! I think curator is THEE perfect word for you, Marsha, and will define you for the rest of your life. The word allows for creativity and focus, as well as underscoring the value of educating you hold so dear in your life. Mine will be much more simple and will have a two-fold meaning, which I will share this Sunday. Thanks for breaking down the steps on how to choose a word, I found that very helpful.
So happy you found your old pics, that must have been a relief and I’m sure helped you remember those fond memories from long ago. Thanks for the shout-outs, as well.
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I can’t wait to hear your WOTY. I think this is going to be such a great year for us – both blogging and personally. I’m so looking forward to getting together again and bringing a few more bloggers along with us!
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Check your email LOL! Oh this will be a fun year for us!
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oooooo, I’m on my way over there. 🙂
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The answer came to me while eating lunch –acrostic!
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Good thing you didn’t have to wait on me. I was sidetracked and so slow. At least we got the same answer. LOL All I could think of at first was alliteration, which is a little bit right for the first word in the acrostic anyways. LOL.
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Such a thoughtful post about the ways you are incorporating your new word of the year into your blogging and life. Enjoyed the photos of your past homes, the trees and more trees…something we don’t have a lot of in El Paso. The new logo is quite clever. Hope to join you for more of these WQW posts. Hoping to make at least one Wednesday a month a writing Wednesday in my corner of the world.
Still enjoying the photos from the museum. Going to approach PC about a road trip to visit it. We need a getaway so badly. That would be doable for a weekend.
Off to write!!
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Let me know if you come this way. I’d love to meet you! Thanks for your kind words. 🙂
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What a comprehensive post Marsha and I would love to join in WQW. Your word of the year Curator is excellent as it is quite different and yet fits perfectly with your blogging. I hope you will join in our 2022 Word Of the Year Link Party on the last Friday (Brisbane time) of the month. Thank you for mentioning it and also our What’s On Your Bookshelf? Link Party. Enjoy your week and hope to participate in WQW.
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I look forward to having you participate in WQW. I have a list of topics on my page covering the whole year, so you can plan ahead if you like. It is such a perfect connection to you because you read all the time and it’s a great way to use the quotes you want to remember. I love the interviews and all you are doing on your blog. I will be spending more time exploring it this year.
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Thanks Marsha I will check out the topics. x
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Thanks so much.
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Yay! you made it to the WOTY Link Party. Thanks for joining in and also mentioning in your post.
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Yay, I did! You guys have done a fabulous job with this.
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Curator is a great word, Marsha! Brilliant post and photos.
My WOTY post is here: https://new2writing.wordpress.com/2022/01/01/word-of-the-year-2022-edition-woty/
But I’ve also completed a writer’s choice for this week too:
https://new2writing.wordpress.com/2022/01/26/life-is-an-adventure/
Take care. Looks like you are curating an exciting year ahead for us. 🙂
KL ❤
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Thank you so much, KL. It’s going to be a month for you with Always Write. Your post goes live on Tuesday, February 8th. Here’s a link to my page with the first announcement. https://alwayswrite.blog/story-chat-year-two/
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[…] WQW – Writer’s choice. […]
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Well, I tell our guests that I’m the curator of this museum. Short of grant writing, I fit the description. OK, now that I’ve done that for 27 years, I need a new word. Can’t think of any…
This blog was the most impressive and mentally energetic you’ve ever done, in my opinion. I need to have a meeting with you to jog me into thinking of something new…
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You are an excellent curator, my dear friend. We need to get together soon. You know Vince got a fairly mild case of COVID. He’s not contagious now, and the doctor even told him he can go without a mask. We went to the Grouchy Sicilian yesterday for lunch as a treat but we are still being cautious and staying in most of the time. He is pretty tired still. I’m hoping we can get over there by April. I want to see the roses this year in full bloom. Let’s talk soon. You need a new word, one that will cheer you up and light your fire! I think you might be missing your European connections.
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Curator is a very unique choice of word, Marsha, and I really like the way you have related it to your blogging.
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Thanks, Roberta. I liked it when I read someone else’s choice. It’s management with an artistic flair. 🙂
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My word is patience. I will try and get a post written about it today and link to yours.
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And you did, and it’s a great post. I shouldn’t, but I love that you scream in frustration at a computer that can’t keep up with you and you tie it in knots. I have done that so many times and it is soooooo irritating! 🙂
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Cheers to a fellow computer confuser! My boys tell me off.
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Marsha, I love the verb Curate and your WOTY Curator. Curating is an ongoing process so pace yourself, enjoy the process, and celebrate every small win along the way. Thank you for the mention and for thinking of me as an expert in curating my blog. I’m still experimenting and learning, and that’s part of the fun in blogging. I do want to support fellow blog hosts while staying true to my blogging style. Have a wonderful week!
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I think you do an excellent job of it. Considering that you have so many themes and ideas to tie together, it’s a time-consuming and difficult process.
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Wonderful to see how the right words can shape your thoughts and in turn shape your days. Terrific post as usual. Discovering so many challenges through this. Also that unusual pic for the oddball challenge was really fascinating.
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The green oddball was in the Natural History Museum in Mesa, AZ. The tin can animal was in a museum in Wickenburg, AZ.
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Love the new logo.
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Thanks Sadje – simple, understated even, clever. I would not have thought of it in a million years.
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Yes, all of these.
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🙂
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👍🏼
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Oh what a wonderful post. Your photos for my challenge are terrific. 😀 😀
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I’m so glad you like them. I had something really weird that happened to some of my photos. They had colored lines or huge white squares on them. Have you ever seen anything like that?
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