There was a time when I filled my Twitter account with haiku poetry. Some of those haiku made it onto my old blog, in monthly installments of random poetry about whatever was on my mind.
In 2014, I wrote a lot of haiku about being sick and struggling to recover from whatever was making me sick. It seemed more than appropriate to move those haiku over here. Consider this a “snapshot” of what that year was like for me.
And now, the neighbors
Have set fire to something
Allergens in air
January 3, 2014
Now require drugs
For allergic reactions
There goes my whole day
January 3, 2014
I shouldn’t have to
Have allergic reactions
‘Cause neighbor’s burn stuff
January 3, 2014
Fighting a fever
Because my immune system sucks
Hope its not the flu
January 5, 2014
Recorded a podcast
And actually went outside
Despite allergies
January 6, 2014
Really windy out
All manner of junk in air
Not helping me breathe
January 12, 2014
Woke up today
With borderline anemia
Not borderline now…
January 14, 2014
Sinus infection
Productivity destroyed
Until I get well
January 17, 2014
Not motivated
Still too sick to give a damn
About anything
January 19, 2014
Just got glutened
By something I thought was safe
Fucking allergies
January 21, 2014
Why am I awake?
The medications I took
Should have knocked me out
January 24, 2014
Pollen count is high
Neighbors sawing tree parts to bits
Slowly killing me
February 15, 2014
I just realized
The word they’re chopping to bits?
They will burn later
February 15, 2014
There’s the saw again
Chunk of wood falls after “BOOM”
Allergens in air
February 15, 2014
Lucky, lucky me
Pollen count has gone crazy
For the next five days
February 16, 2014
Really windy out
Bad allergy day coming
Try and sleep through it
February 19, 2014
Benadryl, my love
Lowers chance of getting hives
Soothes my itchy skin
February 24, 2014
For first time in days
My stomach has stopped hurting
Gluten allergy
February 27, 2014
Rain has stopped for now
And I sneeze and sneeze and sneeze
Immediately
March 1, 2014
These tweets brought to you
By my severe allergies
And by Benadryl
March 8, 2014
Pollen count is high
Is going to get higher
And thus, so am I
March 13, 2014
Pollen count is high
Neighbors are using buzz saw
More crap in the air
March 16, 2014
Sick as hell today
Allergies taking my voice
Can’t podcast today
March 18, 2014
Falling asleep now
Being sick takes too much time
Away from gaming
March 27, 2014
Officially sick
Went outside to have some fun
Paying for it now
March 26, 2014
Beautiful rainstorm
Cleaning pollen out of air
Breathing easier
March 31, 2014
Up way too early
And running a slight fever
Going back to bed
April 19, 2014
Currently craving
All the foods I cannot eat
Fucking allergies
April 29, 2014
Really sick today
Because I cleaned yesterday
While I was sick
May 1, 2014
Free Comic Book Day
Influenced me to go out
Into the sunlight
May 3, 2014
Bad sinuses now
Went to Free Comic Book Day
Worth getting sick for!
May 3, 2014
An old injury
Is acting up once again
Typing in wrist brace
May 4, 2014
Today on Twitter
All I did was retweet stuff
Too sick to create
May 5, 2014
I am sick right now
Medication side effect
Drug I stopped using
May 6, 2014
Drug stores in fat cells
Every time I lose some weight
Symptoms reoccur
May 6, 2014
Doctor at the time
Lied about the side effects
Said “All in your head”
May 6, 2014
About a decade
After stopping medication
Side effects still here
May 6, 2014
Gonna go outside
Likely not gonna end well
Going anyway
May 6, 2014
I have now returned
From going for walk outside
Now recovering
May 6, 2014
I am trying to
Gather enough energy
To run an errand
May 9, 2014
I’m up too early
And in need of Benadryl
And so it begins…
May 11, 2014
All signs pointing to
Sinus infection again
No strength to fight it
May 16, 2014
Suddenly wheezing
“There’s a fire going again!”
Yells the kid next door
May 18, 2014
And so it begins
Tree allergens in air
Thanks, woodchipper truck
May 19, 2014
I am going to sleep now
Hoping today won’t include
Smoking microwaves
May 22, 2014
No energy day
Let’s see what I can get done
Before sleep claims me
June 2, 2014
Using a weed wacker
To landscape bush in front yard
You’re doing it wrong
June 2, 2014
On a cleaning kick
‘Cause allergic reactions
Are what woke me up
June 8, 2014
Bad allergy day
Gonna be moving slowly
And possibly napping
June 18, 2014
Having a good day
Good things on the horizon
Allergies ok
June 20, 2014
I’m on a Zyrtec
And half of a Benadryl
Yet I am sneezing
June 24, 2014
Have safely returned
From house of puppies and bees
And more allergens
June 29, 2014
Gonna go outside
And hang out at the Renn Faire
Despite being sick
July 19, 2014
Running a fever
Really not enjoying it
Less productive now
July 21, 2014
Spent time with nephew
Who recently had a fever
He shared it with me
July 21, 2014
Windy windy day
Causes big sinus pressure
Medicated me
July 23, 2014
I slept until three
And woke up allergic
Am useless today
July 23, 2014
Having a good day
Working on some new projects
Allergies ok
August 2, 2014
New project is great
My health, however, is not
Allergies plague me
August 2, 2014
Oh hey, there it is
Sinus pressure nemesis
Has found me again
August 13, 2014
Eyes itching all day
Paper towels picked up a scent
From stuff in same aisle
August 14, 2014
Now on Benadryl
Due to all the scented stuff
In paper towel aisle
August 14, 2014
Gonna go outside
This doesn’t always end well
Going anyway
August 16, 2014
I’m floating away
Borderline anemia
Has… um… I forgot
August 16, 2014
Having a good day
And I needed a good day
And now, I have one
August 21, 2014
Am still anemic
Today’s a giant struggle
Literally drained
August 26, 2014
Sinuses are clear!
Such a rare experience
Must be recorded
August 28, 2014
Running a fever
Acupuncture day today
Might help a little
September 8, 2014
Fighting bronchitis
Expect nonsensical tweets
Refrigerator
September 9, 2014
Going to sleep now
Am still fighting bronchitis
Hoping to win soon
September 11, 2014
The bastards denied
My disability claim
Now the war begins
September 13, 2014
Slept for 14 hours
And yet, am still exhausted
Yay, chronic illness…
September 15, 2014
Gonna spend the day
On massive allergy drugs
Thanks to all the neighbors
September 23, 2014
Trimming trees today
In more than one location
In mobile home park
September 23, 2014
Tree trimming noises
They have started up again
But farther away
September 23, 2014
Half a Benadryl
Can’t avoid the allergens
Severe sinus pain
September 23, 2014
Two tree chipping trucks
Drove past my home, left the park
My house smells of trees
September 23, 2014
Funny smell outside
Smells like dust from construction
Something being built?
September 24, 2014
Grocery shopping
Only time I leave the house
Low energy me
September 27, 2014
Taking Benadryl
So I can dust all the things
Kill the dust bunnies
October 1, 2014
Chainsaws chopping trees
Chipping wood into the air
It must be Monday
October 6, 2014
Woke up anemic
This is how it goes sometimes
Today’s a struggle
October 7, 2014
Low energy day
Act of taking a shower
All energy gone
October 8, 2014
Took very late nap
And woke up dehydrated
Guess I’ll make some blogs…
October 10, 2014
Woke up in midst
Of allergic reaction
Don’t know what caused it
October 10, 2014
HTML code
Not so easy to read when
I’m high as a kite
October 14, 2014
Yet another day
Of bad allergy problems
Due to dust in air
October 17, 2014
Air cleaner has died
House full of construction dust
Gonna be rough night
October 19, 2014
Brand new air cleaner
Helping me to breathe better
Eyes don’t burn no more
October 19, 2014
Someday, I will learn
I read things wrong on Twitter
On allergy meds
October 21, 2014
Really sick today
Will be able to podcast
Fall apart after
October 21, 2014
I woke up today
Face and eyes a bit swollen
Or: “allergy face”
October 21, 2014
Running a fever
Fighting bronchitis again
…Totally normal…
October 22, 2014
Woke with sinus pain
Gave in, took allergy meds
Sinus pain still here
October 22, 2014
Yesterday I cleaned
Today I’m paying for it
Allergy central
October 25, 2014
Very windy out
I’ve got a new air cleaner
Likely will sleep well
October 27, 2014
Construction projects
Kicked dust into air all day
Now on Benadryl
October 27, 2014
Has “allergy face”
Neighbors doing construction
Made me wake up sick
October 29, 2014
Neighbor mowing lawn
As other builds skirt for home
Trying to kill me
November 3, 2014
Now need Benadryl
And that will likely be true
Through all of Blizzcon
November 5, 2014
My allergy meds
Kicked in REALLY strong today
I have stuff to do
November 5, 2014
Just woke up from
A Benadryl induced nap
Now, to get stuff done
November 5, 2014
Going to sleep now
Doctor’s appointment later
No, not for “Con Crud”
November 11, 2014
Not sure if “Con Crud”
Or if I’m feeling sick now
For other reasons
November 12, 2014
Going back to sleep
Hours in doctor’s office
Drained my energy
November 18, 2014
Being productive
Despite not feeling so good
That’s my day today
November 20, 2014
Back from kid party
I was outside in a park
I am exhausted
November 22, 2014
Fuck! I got glutened!
Exhaustion makes it so hard
To… What’s the word?… think
November 24, 2014
Very windy here
Messing with my allergies
No rain as of yet
December 11, 2014
Awake once again
Allergy medication
Dehydrated me
December 12, 2014
Not ok today
Extremely low energy
Sleep doesn’t change it
December 12, 2014
Been sleeping weird hours
On much antihistamine
The days become blurred
December 17, 2014
Got some writing done
And now going back to sleep
Depression has found me
December 18, 2014
Cleaned, and took shower
To wash the dust off of me
Got soap in my eye
December 22, 2014
Am now waiting for
Ibuprofen to kick in
C’mon, C’mon now
December 22, 2014
Pretty collie dog
Walked up and gave me a hug
Now on Benadryl
December 23, 2014
I survived Christmas
At the house of allergens
Back home, and drugged, now
December 25, 2014
Going back to sleep
Fighting against allergens
That’s how today goes
December 26, 2014