I feel more than humbled and honored for being promoted into the same category as @hartfloe, @acousticsteveo, @marlyncabrera and @zeleiracordero, to name only those in that column whose work I've read.

I thank @acousticsteveo for taking the time to critique (this word has a bad connotation in Spanish but not so much in English) my poems and appreciating them, and I acknowledge that I haven't been completely reciprocal. I also consider him a teacher. Thanks my friend.

I thank @marlyncabrera for her enthusiastic words of encouragement.

I thank @zeleiracordero for being so appreciative and thoughtful.

I thank Mr. @d-pend for this challenge. It's inhumane. And also makes you grow.

I thank all donors and voluntaries that make this challenge possible.

I hope I can complete the challenge. This is a huge undertaking that has not being easy in any way. It wears and tears. It's taxing. But as I mentioned before, those are growing pains.

I ask forgiveness to all the followers that stopped visiting my blog because now I publish poetry everyday and not humorous stories as I used to, but there are only so many hours in a day.
I will resume writing humor after the challenge, although I will try to make time for an odd humor post here and there. Strangely enough, drawing caricatures every other day, or even everyday, is less taxing even when you have to post-produce them digitally to add colors, shades, etc.

I congratulate all contestants who made it into this new phase.

I salute with respect those who didn't.

I write poetry.