Day One

I took a very short professional development class today.  Well, yesterday, since it's now after midnight. It was on inspiring kids to write more in class, and much to my surprise it was actually quite good.  Nothing really new or earth-shattering, and at the end she wanted us to all state a goal for ourselves, and I wrote that I'd write something every day this summer.  We're supposed to tell our students to do that, to write every day.  So, here goes.
I didn't say I'd actually share it with anyone, but I might, so why not make it a blog?  If I feel like telling people to go read what I wrote, then I can, without too much effort.
Lately, I've barely had enough creative energy to think of something witty and relevant to post on Facebook, and that's what, 30 words?  All day long I make silent observations in my head that would sound amusing as a status, but when I finally sit down to type something, nothing surfaces.  I'm boring even to myself.
The thing is, I really like to write.  I'm good at it.  Not as good as a lot of people, but better than your average bear and I enjoy it.  I enjoy re-reading and editing what I wrote.  I'm pondering right now whether I should keep that bit about me being a better-than-average writer, or of that just sounds egotistical so I should edit it out.  The point is, though, that this is something I like to do, and I don't actually ever do it.  Just for fun, I mean.
J and I used to sometimes talk about story ideas that we had floating around in our heads.  So maybe I'll take one of them and write it out.  I'd like to write more drabbles.  I like drabbles.
One thing our teacher had us write today in the little class was called a "Feeling Poem."  Sounds more hokey than it is.  It's meant to be accessible to kids.  Came with an editing checklist and all.  The examples she gave were poems called "Fear" and "Joy."  The idea being that you write 10 - 24 lines that express what evokes those feelings in you, trying to create words that flow and sound good read aloud, and the last line(s) are a little summary of the meaning of the poem.
It's an impressive little bit of assignment for kids because it can work for almost any level of writer, and has a good bit of content in it for such a small piece of work.  I was in a sad state of mind, but didn't want to be, but didn't want to write some sappy-happy poem for no reason, so I decided on "Surprise."  'Cause that can go either way.  We had about 5 minutes.
Here it is:

Surprise

Surprise is the feeling of a fresh hairball, oozing under your toes
Surprise is an hour long nap when you intended to lie down for only a minute
Surprise is a naked baby, butt in the air, fast asleep in a crib full of pulled-out-wipes
Surprise is a freshly cleaned kitchen when you come downstairs
Surprise is waking to find your four-year-old standing six inches from your face
Surprise is a startled cat, leaping off your lap with clawed hind legs
Surprise is the thrown-together meal that everyone in the family will eat
Surprise is a lovely spring day after weeks of cold rain and blistering heat
Surprise is a dinner date when you'd been expecting to make hot dogs
Surprise is a friend request from someone you'd long forgotten
Surprise is discovering how much you actually wanted a change, after being told you can't have one
Surprise is giggles, laughter, shock, groans, shrieks, and sometimes sadness
Surprise is just around the corner

Every day is filled with
its own everyday
surprises