January ends today, and so does the Ultimate Blog Challenge. Whew! The challenge was to write a blog post each day for thirty-days. Here’s answers to Paul Taubman, the organizer’s questions.

Did you finish the Ultimate Blog Challenge?

I proudly finished the Ultimate Blog Challenge, but I missed three days: 13, 16, and 20. The part that excites me—I don’t feel guilty for missing those three days. The 13^th we went to La Fería Internacional de Las Flores y del Café (International Flower and Coffee Festival). We had a blast there enjoying ourselves and seeing Alejandro Torres, a major music star in this area. I was too tired to write that night but I wrote about it for the next day’s blog.

Again, we returned to the festival on the 16^th. I wondered if returning was a good idea because our first time there on the 13^th was so magical, but we weren’t let down. We saw dancers from Panamá and from over the world. Again, we stayed late, and I fell into bed exhausted that night. No blog post!

As I remember the 20^th, I feel embarrassed! When I got up on the 21^st, I realized I had completely forgotten to do the blog post. Nothing significant happened—oh, well!

But again, I reiterate—I have no guilt about missing them, and I feel exhilarated today in finishing this challenge. That’s new for this perfectionist! To finish a commitment like this reminds me of my determination. After each missed day, I had to continue—no question asked!

Again, I gleaned ideas from other participants to enhance my blog through this Challenge. The daily assignment of reading two other blog posts in the Challenge helped me see choices, personalities come out in playful and professional ways, and the passions we all have! Thank you to each one who participated!

Have You Accomplished Any Other Goals Recently?

On December 21, 2025, I released my tenth book, Time Measured Out!: Navigating Life’s Journey and am so proud of it. It is the second book in a five-book poetry series. During January, I have been promoting the heck out of it!

Also, I have a marketing plan I’m following, so I have been promoting my first book, This Tumbeweed Landed, the month of January. To be honest, I started a little late, but I have already started my promotions for my second book, When Will Papa Get Home?, and I feel so much more organized than I have ever been.

At the end of 2025, I received notification my book, Was It a Dream?: Navigating Life’s Journey Through Poetry, won a bronze award in the Global Book Awards so I have been also promoting that book. It is the first book in the series.

I’ve scheduled a promotional experience with Let’s Fix Stories on February 17. I sent them the first 10-15 pages of my new book project which is an AutoFiction. The tentative title is Eye Witness to Life/Healing. I’m excited to see what they have to say about the beginning of my book. As we know, the reader either gets hooked by then or drops off! I want professional help on making it the best.

Why Did You Joined the Ultimate Blog Challenge?

In November 2021, I participated in my first Ultimate Blog Challenge, and I wrote every day. I gained so much from that challenge, picking up ideas from the blogs I read like the use of headings and subheadings and the use of coloring them. I have adapted these ideas and use them regularly.

Because my blog is on wordpress.com, each post is scored for SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and Readability analysis. When I looked at the other blogs, it spurred me on to be more detail-oriented on my blog, so I investigated the relevance of both of these scores. I realized their importance and work hard each blog post to be sure I receive a “green smiley face” instead of a yellow or red one.

Achieving Your Goals

I believe deeply in goals and have used the idea for years. Goals colored my work as a teacher and the computer coordinator at Washington middle school in Albuquerque, New Mexico. One year, I asked my committee to dream without limits for the next year—brainstorm the ideas possible. When I typed up the list, it was long and ambitious!

The next year, we achieved every goal on that list, even the outrageous ones! That’s why I believe in goals.

So, set some goals. Do something you’ve never done before like the Ultimate Blog Challenge then follow through. See the follow through is the important part. On my dream list at Washington middle school, we submitted our list to our senator, we canvassed him, we showed why everything we listed had importance—in other words, we did the footwork!

Finally,

January ends today. This is the last blog post for this Challenge, but I have my weekly blog post to do tomorrow. I’ve shared some vulnerable truths here, some fun-filled activities and my life in general. I will return to blog readers refreshed and invigorated by this month of writing, thinking up topics and sharing my life with the world. Yes, it was a commitment—a hefty one, but it fed my soul, because writing does!

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My Newest Books

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Buy My Audio Books:

This Tumbleweed Landed

Let Me Tell You a Story 

Hair on Fire: A Heartwarming & Humorous Memoir Audiobook

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