After doing this blogging thing for a while now, I’ve learned that people get their diabetes blog fix for several different reasons. Some people are looking to gain knowledge in the management of diabetes (not from mine, I pray). Others are hoping to see that they are not alone in their struggles with this disease. Some are just looking for a laugh.

But more than anything else, I think people simply want to vent. To vent unlimitedly or vent anonymously (if you so choose to) or vent profanely if that floats your boat. People find comfort in venting their troubles to an accepting audience; one that hears where they’re coming from so crystal clearly. You can only vent about diabetes so much to friends and family. The eyes begin to glaze over like little roasted chickens on a spit when you speak at length about infusion set malfunctions or ketones.

So, I say let’s vent. Let’s vent ‘til our heart’s content. You have the floor. Vent about anything that’s pissing you off about diabetes. Whether you are a lurker who has never commented before or whether you are a blog regular, I invite you to vent away on the subject of diabetes.

"But wait! How can you ask us to vent without incentive?"

"What’s the point in venting if it doesn’t come with a chance to win somethin’ perty?"

You bring up a good point. Your concerns are valid and I hear them loud and clear.

Therefore, we will have a contest for the greatest diabetes vent as determined by Professor Charles "Chachi" Potash and myself. The winner will receive a one-of-a-kind hand-made birdie jewelry necklace to be driven or flown "by hand" and delivered to your mailbox also "by hand" by a United States postal carrier.

Of course there’s a twist.

Your diabetes vent must be in the form of a Haiku, a Japanese poem consisting of three unrhymed lines of five, seven and five syllables. It’s not as confusing as it just sounded. Traditionally, this type of verse invokes an aspect of nature or the seasons, but for our purposes, it must invoke how frickin’ frustrating diabetes is. Remember, no rhyming allowed. Here are two examples.

A herd of boys run (5)

He slurps and watches and waits (7)

"Dad, can I play now?" (5)

Oh diabetes (5)

You can sincerely suck it (7)

You rotten piece of … (5)

Have at it, diabetic wordsmiths! Contest ends Friday, Oct. 16 and is open to all ages and all types of diabetes. And if you just feel like venting without entering the contest, that’s fine too. We won’t discriminate when it comes to diabetes vents.

Good luck!