I’ve been intrigued by the 31 Day Comment Challenge that I first spotted on the Library Trainer blog. I’ve been taking this challenge but not following the guidelines set out for the it–I like the inspiration, but not the rules. And that’s working for me. I was flying out comments tonight and thought I’d give myself a really intense challenge. Send out 5 comments in 5 minutes. (I even brought in the kitchen timer to make sure I stayed in the time limit). What I found out was that the act of writing comments goes rather fast for me. Reading posts and actually formulating a meaningful response takes longer. I finished 1 and a half comments before the timer went off. But, I kept right on commenting and made 8 comments total within about 28 minutes. So, the news here is that it takes me at least 28 minutes to locate 8 posts of interest and them write 8 (quick) comments.
This all made me wonder a little bigger. How could my personal 5 in 5 challenge work in other, broader areas? What are 5 meaningful communications or actions we can make in 5 minutes? Is it even possible? I’ve read that time constraints can often assist in bringing forth the best end product (think: Project Runway). Anyone want to take this challenge–or build off of it?
5 in 5! Ready, set…
Yes to Know 
Five comments in five minutes?
You must type faster than I do (and my days as a newspaper reporter have my fingers flying).
Now you may disagree, but how in-depth are you getting in five comments in five minutes? Is it just hit and run? Have you returned to the posts and continued the dialogue? Just wondering.
I like that you are in the challenge, but forging your own path forward. That is how it should be.
Your suggestion for other 5 in 5 is intriguing. I am blank right now, but I will think about it.
Take care
Kevin
Hi Kevin,
Yes, indeed, I wasn’t going for deep commenting in this little self-challenge. It was completely about speed. Speed-commenting, you could say. The little challenge gave me a bit more insight into how time consuming it can be simply to read a post and then leave a small thought behind. Perhaps this is why less commenting is going on now that there are so many more blogs to comment on.
I’m still thinking about my own “5 in 5.” I am leaning toward the idea that one must have a system in place (or at least a really good to-do list formulated before they can ddo the 5 in 5.
Thanks for your comments!
Tony
Hi Tony – I think its a really useful exercise because it does, as you say, point out the difference between how long it can take to write a post compared to a comment. Plus for some people having the time limit may help them address their issue with having to make their comment prefect 🙂 .
Hi Sue,
You’re right! There is something about simply getting the words on the screen–from mind to fingertips–that is sharp, quick and generally unedited. Giving ourselves these personal challenges can really help us understand how we “tick.”
Good to hear from you!
Tony
You’re right — there may be value in starting up a discussion and getting more involved.
tick tick tick
🙂
Kevin
Kia Ora Tony.
This is a funny one.I guess it all boils down to what you accept as a comment. Michele Martin has recently challenged her commenters to take on this challenge but also to put substance into the comment. This makes having strategy important to performing the whole thing, like using notepad to hold the comments in separate files. That way any normal human being can have some time to think about what they put in the comment. Another avenue is to also have each blog site up on a separate tab. When the clock starts it’s a case of:
paste – data – submit across all the tabs.
Ka kite
Hi, Tony!
To me, it is being difficult, right now, to stay within the time limit. As I was taking a walk in the park of my little town, I wrote four small messages about some conversations I’ve been following along the Challenge; it didn’t work, for we must comment posts today not other comments, but it was very nice to walk along the park in inner dialog with all this new Community I’ve discovered during the Challenge!
Ines
Hello Ines,
I love that you share the idea of creating commentary through your inner dialogue while taking a walk. I do this type of thing all the time. If my inner dialogue could immediately be drafted into posts and comments, many screens would be filled hourly!
Great to hear from you.
Tony
This is going to be a real challenge for me since I’m just learning to use my MAC. Neat ideas and would be interesting to try similar idea with student to get them blogging.
Hi Brenda!
You’re right on. The fun of a “challenge” can really get minds turning and fingers on the keyboard! I think it helps set a very obvious goal and builds a fire beneath our thoughts and puts them into action!
Thanks for sharing your insight!
Tony
@Sue – Well, I guess the balloon sailed right overhead together with the notepad and tabs in its basket. Oh well. On to the next task I suppose 🙂
Ka kite
@Tony I managed to do 3 in 5 minutes (not my best quality comments) — and forgot to read all the clauses when I did it about ensuring good quality (OOPS). But I was interested in the time limit because I take too long to write comments.
@Ken What does “balloon sailed right overhead together with the notepad and tabs in its basket” mean? Is it another New Zealand saying?
@Sue – I like your style, a pragmatist to the end 🙂
Aren’t words great?!