I was so inspired and pumped-up by the Fab Fatties’ fitness challenge that they issued last week. They challenged friends and readers to either bike 50 miles or run/walk 15 miles in a week and then report back. The Twittersphere was buzzing with people who were at various staged in the challenge – it was really cool. I participated, and came up with 21 miles of running/walking for the week. Yay me!
I was trying to think of a similar challenge that I could issue on my blog. I was mulling this around. And then it came to me: a writing challenge!! Some of you may not know this, but I am a writer, have been a writing teacher for 15+ years, and am an editor. Lately I have not been teaching writing — too many other things going on – and I really, really, really miss it.
So I’m going to issue a little writing challenge here. Everybody knows that eating healthily should probably involve vegetables. Some of us really love vegetables. Some, not so much. So I would like this challenge to be in appreciation of some vegetable: either one you’ve always adored, OR a new one you’re trying for the first time (and maybe are a bit suspicious of) or one that you used to hate and now enjoy.
Please do a freewrite on your vegetable. Or any-kind-of write. It can be prose or poetry. It can be as simple and sweet as a haiku. (remember? 5-7-5 syllables)
Tender artichoke
Reveals its succulent heart
to prying fingers.
Georgia Terrell, Houston
Pop open pea pods
Set free some plump round voyeurs —
Peeping toms in green.
Jane Butkin Roth, Bellaire
It can be as elaborate as Pablo Neruda’s Ode to Tomatoes.
the tomato,
star of earth,
recurrent
and fertile
star,
displays
its convolutions,
its canals,
its remarkable amplitude
and abundance,
no pit,
no husk,
no leaves or thorns,
the tomato offers
its gift
of fiery color
and cool completeness.
(swoon) Isn’t that beautiful? (I meant that as inspiration, not as pressure! None of us are Neruda!!)
So. Please choose your vegetable, contemplate it, taste it, smell it. Pay close attention. Then write! I will pick a winner and announce it next Thursday, May 27th. A prize will be given! (not sure what it is yet) Either post your entry as a comment here, or email it to me. The winner (and possibly some honorable mentions!) will be published on this blog.
Healthy living involves so many different aspect of ourselves: moving our bodies, eating well, and doing some mental/psychological work. This is a challenge in mindfulness. Have fun! I can’t wait to see what y’all come up with. I’ve already been very impressed and moved by the comments I’ve seen in the laptop-bag giveaway contest. (WHICH, by the way, is still accepting entries!!)
May 21, 2009 at 12:18 pm
Not really an entry since I cannot write but the way my husband cooks bok choy, my favorite vegetable, make the angels sing.
May 21, 2009 at 12:25 pm
Gayle! Of course you can write. Anybody can write. It’s true.
Look, you almost wrote a haiku right there.
Husband cooks bok choy
My favorite vegetable
Makes the angels sing.
Beautiful!! I consider that an entry.
May 21, 2009 at 4:07 pm
Here’s a haiku for the first veggie I thought of when I read your post:
Sungold tomatoes
Tiny orbs of liquid joy
Sweeter than candy
I first became aware of sungold tomatoes two summers ago. They are a gorgeous, golden-orange cherry tomato grown by the CSA where our family has a participating share. They are sweet tomatoes with very low acidity.
I remember the first time I bought a pint of them from the farm’s roadside stand. My oldest sons, ages six and four, were sitting in the back seat of the van with the bag of sungolds on the seat between them. Before we made it back to town, they had gobbled up every single tomato – no one else in the family even got to try them! I can still picture my six-year-old, with a huge smile on his face, telling me, “Those were better than jelly beans!”
May 22, 2009 at 1:23 am
Okay you know you are not going to get “swoon ” out of me. lol My son and I came up with this tonight while we were supposed to be watching a baseball game.
Potato, potato your not a tomato
You make me tell lies when I eat all your fries
Now my butt is sumbarine size!
You’re perfect for breakfast, your perfect for lunch
You’ve made my love handles grow a whole bunch!
I love you baked, I love you fried
I’ll probably still love you after I’ve died! 🙂
My we are so creative! Lol thanks for the challenge it is fun. We even came up with a fab faties rap. We will share it with you when we get it together.
XO FabFattie Shannon
Shannon
May 28, 2009 at 7:48 pm
Roasted veggies
You are cool
Even when you’re hot.
not a haiku but running out of time. 🙂