Return of the Haiku Hustle

Dear Reader,

After a 3 year hiatus, it is with great pleasure that we welcome back the Haiku Hustle: A Haiku Invitational and Challenge.

An Invitation
Please (using the Comments section) submit a haiku (a series of haiku, multiple entries, are welcome). Please review the guidelines at the end of this post.

A Challenge
I will award prizes to the best haiku (best = the ones I select for any reason I choose) in the following categories:
(1) Best September Haiku
(2) Most Humorous Haiku
(3) Best Haiku Series (containing at least 3 haiku)
(4) Most Creative Haiku
(5) Best Haiku about a place
- You are welcome to include an introduction or a note along with your haiku to assist in the judging.

Guidelines
1. Entries must be posted as a comment in order to be considered. Multiple comments, posts, submissions may be made.
2. Poems must be in haiku format. They must have 3 lines in 5/7/5 syllabic form. They do not generally rhyme (no extra points for rhyming. In fact, I may dock you points).
3. Poems do not have to be traditional Haiku, but there are awards in that category. Please note that traditional Haiku are minimalist and nature-themed.
4. You do NOT have to know me to make a submission! :)
5. Rated G please.
6. Deadline = Friday, September 11th. Awards will be issued on Monday, September 14th.

I WILL NOT BE POSTING AGAIN UNTIL THE CHALLENGE IS COMPLETE! Good luck!!!

My sister the magnificent!

My sister Laura just turned 30 on Wednesday and is, impressively, a neuropsychologist, mother, and authoress. Seriously. She writes murder mystery parties, and now, apparently murder mystery novels!

In fact, you can read one of her mystery novels on textnovel.com - which is currently in a contest to win something-or-other. In hopes that you'll go read her novel and help her win, I now introduce you to:

Seller of Soles by Laura Lyle...

Clickitty Clack is the most fashionable shoe shop in San Francisco and November Cole, the owner, enjoys every minute of her success. But when one of her wealthiest clients is murdered for a pair of blood red sandals, November begins to wonder about the mysterious designer who made them. When a second client is killed for a pair of red high heels, the police get involved and November becomes the prime suspect. Who is after the heels and why are they worth killing for?

Mmm, shoes and murder in San Francisco... delightful!

The House by Richard Wilbur

Sometimes, on waking, she would close her eyes
For a last look at that white house she knew
In sleep alone, and held no title to,
And had not entered yet, for all her sighs.
What did she tell me of that house of hers?
White gatepost; terrace; fanlight of the door;
A widow’s walk above the bouldered shore;
Salt winds that ruffle the surrounding firs.
Is she now there, wherever there may be?
Only a foolish man would hope to find
That haven fashioned by her dreaming mind.
Night after night, my love, I put to sea.

Stake Mission Rules

My friend Jennifer gave me these rules that her Stake Mission has outlined. I think they pretty much cover all the bases:

• Get up early; go to bed at a reasonable hour
• Offer regular, frequent and fervent prayer
• Engage in daily scripture study
• Write in your journal
• Exercise
• Look the part
• Keep the commandments
• Freely give service
• Go to the temple
• Don't waste time
• Share the gospel

I am toying with the notion of doing a blog post on my attempts to do each of these with consistency. But we all know how that went with the stress busters..

Isaiah 63:7-9

I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the Lord, and the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord hath bestowed on us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which he hath bestowed on them according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his lovingkindnesses.

For he said, Surely they are my people: so he was their Saviour.

In all their affliction he was afflicted, in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.