So, how’s the “trying a new thing” every day going?

What can I say? I’m doing my best.

Since I decided to try doing the simple acts described in my agenda, my daughter came home (again) with the flu (again) stayed for a week, and managed to give me same.  I feel pretty terrible, which explains the haiku I wrote. (Yep. One of the things I did this week.)

Before I put it up, believe me when I tell you that I DO NOT write poetry. I remember trying to write some for high school English, and then again for a university English course.  Always with the same result.  One or two lines of meaningless gibberish, and then, as the character became real in my mind, longer and longer “lines of poetry” that eventually morphed into a story.  Sigh.

So, the idea of writing poetry was a teeny bit intimidating, to say the least.  However, we are talking haiku here.  3 lines.  A grand total of 17 syllables.  No way this can get away from me.  So, here we go.  My first attempt at a haiku.

My poor stomach roils/Nasty furball spitting cat/Please stop hurting. Please

My inspiration for the haiku

All right, so not great.  But I do feel quite terrible, so cut me a teeny bit of slack, please!

Other suggestions for this week were:  Set up a block party for the neighbourhood (I thought these were supposed to be simple?) sing in the car (when I get out of bed, I will, I promise, even though I don’t sing anymore. Not even “happy birthday,” for heavens sake!) and record a cheerful message on your voice mail. (We did this.  My mother hung up repeatedly without leaving a message, certain she’d dialed the wrong number.  We changed it back — but hey we did give it a go!)

One that was not suggested, but which I did none the less, was join something called the “A to Z April Challenge.” (You can find it at Arlee Bird’s tossingitout blog ) A whole bunch of bloggers sign up (over 800 so far) and the deal is a person (that would be me) will be connecting with as many bloggers as I can in the month of April. (At least, I THINK that’s what I’m supposed to do. Somebody, let me know if I’m wrong.) What a cool, terrifying idea.  This can be my version of setting up a block party.  I’ll let you know how it goes.

I hope I get well soon. (And I really mean it!)  I’m heading down to Calgary this weekend, to a Calgary Spoken Word Festival sponsored  writing workshop “Bring Jazz-Style to your writing w/ Quincy Troupe.” (Doesn’t that sound cool?). Then, on Sunday, I’m going to a panel discussion. How sci-fi and fantasy can be used as a mirror for reality. (This is being put on by Pages at Kensington, and it doesn’t hurt that I know all three panelists: Robert J. Sawyer, Billie Milholland, and Barb Galler-Smith)

I’m so looking forward to both.  If I can just stop my stomach from spitting like a fur ball riddled cat.

Please.