Blogathon Haiku Day 2012

Today is Day 21 of the Word Count Blogathon and the theme is HAIKU!

This style of poem, which you can learn about here, is composed of 17 sound units

divided into three parts - one with 5 units, one with 7 units and another with 5 units.

Here is one I wrote in Calligraphy for my pen pal:

Here are some I wrote today while I waited an hour at the DMV:

I love my haikus

They roll off my mind like wheels

Spinning in control

Poetry is life

A writer's means to speak it

A reader's glimpse in

Visual headlines

Written thoughtfully to see

What I am feeling

Haiku anywhere

Sitting in the DMV

Waiting to be called

It's 5-7-5

All it takes to come alive

In the haiku world

Spinning, twirling free

The sun shining down on me

Day after eclipse

The moon blocked her face

We poked holes through paper plates

The same as sixth grade

What a day it was!

I wrote a meaningful blog

And changed perceptions!

Today is a new day!

Full of opportunity

And love in my heart

Thanks for being here,

For reading the poems I write -

An eclipse of mind.

xOx,

Ms. Panda

Some of my favorite haiku posts from the past:

Numbers and weekdays

Mix so nicely in my mind

Imagine, Twosday.

Spiritual toys...
Play with them every day
and watch your light grow.

I see the word "love"

On the phone pole in the street

Just as you call me

She finds prince charming
Only exists in her books
But keeps believing

A moment to think
Of a thing called love, in ink
How shall I write it?

Karma maniacs

Cashin' in and styled out

On universe gifts

Aren't you curious
To know and live God's purpose?
It's why you are here.

Relax and enjoy
Trust that he has brought you here
To show you the way

My Favorite ALL-TIME Haiku:

Honest to a fault
I wear my heart on my sleeve
Like a truth tattoo

10 things I have learned from blogging

Well, I am half way through the month long challenge of blogging every day!!!  YIPPIE!!!
It's been a challenge for me this year, as I feel way busier now than I was last May when I first completed the challenge.

However, as I learned in my favorite blog post by the Blogathon coach, Michelle Rafter, it is better to have a short and sweet 250-350 word post, with bullet points for user friendliness.

So, I am taking her advice.  It's important to listen to your coach.  You will always improve.

So without further ado, here are 10 things I have learned from the Blogathon.

1) Links to other posts in your blog are important!  They keep readers hanging out longer on your blog.

2) Images can drive a ton of traffic to your blog.  Use them ALWAYS!!!  WE live in a browsing culture and  a strong image can be the deciding factor whether someone is going to stop and read, or cruise right by.

3) Find your niche and stick to it. I definitely struggle with this one.  It's hard to be a creative writer and do this.  Discipline is the key.

4) There are a LOT of writers out there.  If you visit other people's blogs and leave comments, then they will do the same.  I guarantee it!

5) You can schedule your posts to go live in the future, which really helps if you need to go on vacation, or take a few days off in a row.

6) Writing at the last minute is not good.   Setting a schedule is important and following through with it is not easy, but nothing that comes easy is worth much anyway.  Try hard to stay focused on posting at the same time every day.

7) Posting at the same time every day will increase your hits. Readers can count on you to publish consistently and that alone can establish accountability with an audience.

8) Look at your most popular posts and determine what makes them so popular.  Then write more like them.  And make sure there are no spelling or grammatical errors.

9) Be more conversational.  It's way more fun and exciting to read a post that feels like the writer wrote it with you (the reader) in mind.  Posts that sound preachy will be left to the sleeping congregation.  Write with more PIZZOW!

10) Creativity is a gift. Even though it's not always appropriate, telling your story and interpretation of things can help a reader relate to the subject at hand, and moreso to you.  Build a relationship with the reader.   Compassion goes far.

Mandinella - Part 2

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS POST...

Revived with energy, we ran to him.

"Look!" he said as he pointed under the only chair left standing.

"Is it food?" Bubba begged leaning his head over my shoulder.

"No, it isn't food, Bubba," I said as I touched the found treasure delicately and placed it in my lap.

It was the most beautiful suitcase I'd ever seen in my whole life.  Diamonds, sapphires, rubies and every other precious gem decorated its entire area.  Gold rope chains embroidered the sides and every edge was marked with a precision cut of black onyx.  Its radiance was so breathtaking and mysterious that it would fit well in an Egyptian tomb.  The latch on it was made of pure gold, and it had a tiny engraving of a flower on it.

"What is this flower, Billabong?" I inquired.

B-Bong studied it briefly and answered, "It's a princess Willow - a flower symbolizing good fortune and prosperity."  He cocked his head, "Hmmm. That's odd."

"What's odd?" Mr. T asked.

Billabong explained, "That particular flower has been extinct for over 2,000 years."

"Well, what are you waiting for?  Open it!" Fabioli insisted.

I pulled lightly on the latch, lifted the case slowly, and found only one occupant inside.  A single lamp of the same caliber of beauty appeared and as the sunlight hit it, rainbows and prisms shined everywhere around our gang.

"Ooooh, I want to see it!" Bubba whined as he snatched the lamp from its priceless home.  Seconds later, the lamp gained life and hummed in the air. It began spinning and a purplish smoke rose from its long, narrow spout.

We all stood motionless and watched the miracle unfold before our eyes.  The lamp lowered to the ground and the most awesome womanly being levitated above it.

Noticing the four lower jaws of the men surrounding me nearly touching the ground, I greeted our new guest, "Wh-wh-wh-what's your name?" I finally spit it out after a few moments of actually realizing that the spectacle was, in fact, real and not a desert mirage.

"Hello there, my name is Mandinella, and my soul purpose here is to grant my master three wishes.  Thou shalt not exceed this maximum and shalt make the wishes respectfully, " she said.

A moment later she added, "and what is your name might I ask?"

"My name is Amanda, and my friends here are Bubba, Billabong, Trykelor and Fabioli," I told her.

Bubba chimed in, "So we get wishes?"

"Yes," she answered him humbly.

"Well then, I wish for..." and before anyone could stop him, he finished, "every kind of food in the whole wide world!"

And so it was done.  For the next few hours, we stuffed our faces with every delicacy known to man.  As we ate we discussed our next wish.

"I think we should wish for a big jumbo jet with five Tempurpedic beds inside, so we can sleep on the way home," Bubba offered his two cents.

"No, I think I am pretty much done with airplanes.  Why don't we ask Mandinella for her help?" I said.

She agreed to help and we simply wished for a way home, leaving the mode of transportation completely in her hands.

Out of nowhere, a magic carpet flew down and swooped us right off the ground into the air!

The trip over the Atlantic Ocean brought us close to all different species of sea life, from whales to sharks and she even dropped us off at a secret secluded island for a mid-flight swim.  We flew swiftly home, with the wind in our hair and smiles spread wide across our content faces.

We arrived back in our city, safe and sound, and thanked Mandinella numerous times for taking such amazing care of us and honoring our trust in her.  But, before we said our final goodbyes, we needed to make our final wish.

Our group huddled together a few moments like a football team, arms laced over each other's shoulders and after a quick gathering we emerged with smiling faces.

Simultaneously, we said, "Mandinella, we wish for you to become human!"

And in that very instant, a huge purple cloud covered us all and the winds blew and the earth rumbled. Once the smoke and dust cleared, we found ourselves at the steps of a huge mansion, built with the same ornate beauty as the jeweled case and the genie lamp. Mandinella stood in the doorway and invited us all inside to stay forever - happily ever after - each with our own room and Tempurpedic beds.

THE END