March 16, 2006 | Detritus
I am gripped with spring cleaning fever, even though it’s not spring and I hate to clean. It’s just that every so often I reach saturation on the amount of clutter in my house and become a small tasmanian devil with The Garbage Bag of Doom.
The children do not like The Garbage Bag of Doom, for it signals the end of many of their most significant relationships. I get into this mode, I’m all about shovelling away the random drawings, magazine clippings, happy meal toys, etc. As I gradually uncover actual surfaces, I whip out the Fantastik and wipe down the newly discovered tabletops. And then! It smells nice! And looks nice! And I am happy!
So, in my toxic fume euphoria, I’ve decided to share the joy. Let’s have a contest!
One of the things I came across today in my cleaning frenzy is the press pack for The Mothers’ Group, a new book by M. Elizabeth Clark. And then I saw that the very pretty Mary Tsao wrote a review of that very same book just today. This is FATE, I’m telling you!
Go read Mary’s review, because I am far too inhalant-addled at the moment to say anything useful, but I can tell you that this book has a really nifty cover and if you got a press pack (which I did!) it came with a nice black diaper bag featuring said cover art, plus a matching water bottle. But guess what! I don’t have a baby, so I don’t need a diaper bag! Even one as super-cute as this. But maybe YOU have a baby! Maybe someone you KNOW has a baby! Maybe you have a museum of diaper bags at your house! Or cannot think of a good place to store your collection of pet rocks!
Maybe, you would like me to send this diaper bag and water bottle to you, because I am all about the love and the sharing. And, apparently, adorable promotional items.
So here is what you do: You leave a comment on this post about spring cleaning. Only… let’s make it interesting. I’m feeling nostalgic for the old days of the Haiku Smackdown (must be because it’s almost spring). Write a haiku about spring cleaning by 11:59 pm eastern on Friday. (Why then? I do not know. Because you should be in bed by midnight, I guess.) On Saturday I will pick my favorite haiku, and then we will have our winner for the “The Mothers’ Group” swag.
To recap:
1) Go read Mary’s review of “The Mothers’ Group.”
2) Decide that you simply cannot live another day without cool promotional mommy items.
3) Write me a haiku about spring cleaning, and leave it here in the comments.
4) Possibly win prizes!
5) Even if you don’t win prizes, experience the joy that can only come from the application of Japanese verse.
March 17th, 2006 at 1:29 am
spring cleaning sucks ass.
i try to never do it.
that’s why i had kids.
March 17th, 2006 at 7:35 am
Spring cleaning: not fun
Sitting on my ass: so fun
Guess what I’m doing.
(P.S. crazyjane should totally win)
March 17th, 2006 at 9:21 am
No babies in my house, BUT a pregnant co-worker, so here goes:
Ah! Like winter snow,
the dust has made a landscape
so serene. Why clean?
March 17th, 2006 at 9:41 am
Oh, wow. My entire blog post today is devoted to cleaning products, in tribute to my Spring cleaning frenzy. Great minds think alike!
Haiku, it sucks ass.
Can’t get the hang of it. So -
I won’t even try.
March 17th, 2006 at 9:48 am
I suck at these things, but here it goes:
Lysol, Swiffer, Bleach
The source of clutter gone-
I will miss those kids
March 17th, 2006 at 10:08 am
the LAST thing I need is a diaper bag, but I can’t resist a challenge.
Sore foot, squashed tiny toy.
Vacuum, dust, mop, polish, trash.
Foot avenged, peace again.
or
Time for spring cleaning.
Where’s my pokeman, Barbie doll?
House newly clean, kids bereft.
March 17th, 2006 at 10:22 am
Fucking FlyLady.
I don’t want to wear my shoes.
Shining sinks is dumb.
March 17th, 2006 at 10:26 am
Oh, I didn’t know
that chocolate melted there
since Halloween. Yuck!
March 17th, 2006 at 10:37 am
Animal crackers
Ground deep into the carpet
Damn vacuum cleaner
March 17th, 2006 at 10:43 am
wildlife in the spring
dust bunnies in the sunshine
i must get a maid
March 17th, 2006 at 10:53 am
SPRING CLEANING (A Haiku)
Stir up dust bunnies;
clumps of God-knows-what. Swiffers
are genius. (Cough, cough.)
March 17th, 2006 at 11:14 am
Even though I’m 5 months pregnant,I can’t say I’m hankerin for a diaper bag. But I love reading the haiku and I have to say, Amanda…BWAAAAHahahahahaha. I wrote that down and pinned it to my mirror.
March 17th, 2006 at 11:29 am
Um…I would love to carry something cuter than what I have for a diaper bag…but the littlest one should be trained in a few months, and I don’t want to be a bag hog…and…the babies are all White…what’s up with THAT? HA
And I don’t have a haiku in my bag o’ tricks today…I’m making an amazing butterfly bday cake instead…creativity has its limits.
Chewie
March 17th, 2006 at 1:11 pm
My baby’s due
Now spring cleaning too,
Achoo, achoo, achoo
Ok, I am lame. My due date is 9/17/06 and I love to read your blog. You make me smile, everyday. :-)
March 17th, 2006 at 1:16 pm
Any rules on multiple entries???
Windows caked in grime,
Baseboards sporting furry coats
Oh yuck, spring cleaning
(Cleaned that one up a bit for you.)
or
The neighbors were stunned
to hear the desperate cry,
“I hate spring cleaning!”
or
take walks, play baseball
go run wild with the wee ones
hell with spring cleaning
March 17th, 2006 at 2:06 pm
I have a baby, and love free stuff, so I was going to participate, but…
I just know I can’t write anything about spring cleaning that sums it up like Zuska did. Plus, she’s got the Haiku rhythm down. She’s your winner!
bec :D
March 17th, 2006 at 2:34 pm
Spring is not the time
for cleaning. Open windows -
Let the fresh air in!
March 17th, 2006 at 2:37 pm
But today is really all about the limerick!
My house is a mess of dirt and dust.
On my hands and knees Swiffer I must
All through day and through night
I must look a right fright
While the kids get to play! Its unjust!
March 17th, 2006 at 2:55 pm
Sort, toss, scrub, scrape (gross)
Dust (blink blink) and polish (cough)
Martini time (aaaah)
March 17th, 2006 at 3:03 pm
I have another one:
Clean, clean, vacuum, mop,
Kids in backyard make mud pies,
This will not end well.
March 17th, 2006 at 3:32 pm
I agree with bec 36. Zuska’s is great.
March 17th, 2006 at 3:39 pm
clean floors avoid
tripping over iambic pentameters
haikus rule
Hey, I’m not even eligible for “The Mothers’ Group.
March 17th, 2006 at 4:18 pm
Okay,I tried to resist but I thought of a really good one.
To Clorox and Pledge,
Swiffer, Mr. Clean, I say
MAZEL TOV, SUCKA!!!
Dang, I’m good. And to top it off, I’m 5 months pregnant.
March 17th, 2006 at 6:35 pm
Spring-clean this here house?
Whyever would I do that?
My kids still live here.
March 17th, 2006 at 7:18 pm
A small apartment
Shouldn’t get this full of junk
Yes, sir, three bags full
March 17th, 2006 at 9:44 pm
Ass Dragging, Cleaning
Better Than a Root Canal,
But Not By Much, Eh?
There you go, a Canadian Spring Cleaning Haiku… and I’m 4.5 months pregnant!
March 17th, 2006 at 10:43 pm
Dust motes dance in a
sunfilled line. I’m happy to
see sun. I don’t mind.
I’m sure I’ve broken upteen rules here - but if you like it, donate it to a shelter for me, would ya?
March 20th, 2006 at 5:23 pm
Eat Ramen Noodles
Hire a cleaning lady