I hope that 2014 is beginning well for you. Looking back at my first year of serving as your president, I can honestly say it was one of the best years of my life. A big reason for ranking 2013 so high on my list is that I was able to participate in ten conferences, where I met, socialized, and 'talked haiku' with poets around the country and abroad. The climax for me, conference #10, was the well-attended, productive, and fun HSA meeting that we held last month in my own home town of New Orleans (now that I've lived over half my life here, I've recently begun to call it 'home;' sorry, Omaha!). Expect a full report, with pictures, in the spring edition of Ripples, but for now I'd just like to thank all who came from far and wide to participate.

Another highlight of 2013 was our move to electronic elections, which not only saved money and trees but also significantly increased voter participation. Again, expect a full report from our outgoing secretary, Angela Terry, in Ripples, but for now I'd like to share just a few numbers. Last year's paper ballot election, at a cost of well over $500 for mailing candidate bios and ballots, yielded in a 17% participation rate. This year's electronic voting more than doubled that number: 38% of members who were e-mailed their ballots voted. Interestingly, we mailed hard copy bios and ballots to members who don't have e-mail addresses and to members whose e-mail addresses were no longer good at the time of the election (at a cost of something over $150), and of that group of 114, only 18 ballots were turned in: a rate of 16% that closely mirrors last year's paper ballot results. I'm starting to think that we should phase out paper ballots this year, not only because it would save a bit of cash for the association but, more importantly, because it should result in broader participation. Members without Internet access could be asked to open e-mail accounts at their public libraries, if voting is important to them (and I certainly hope that it is!). In any case, this is something that I want to discuss with the Executive Committee this year, so if you have a strong opinion either way, let me know.

Looking forward to this year, our first quarterly meeting is scheduled for March 21-23 in Atlanta. The agenda is taking shape nicely, with presentations scheduled (so far) by Jim Kacian, who will talk about Haiku in English: The First Hundred Years; Lee Gurga, who will lead a haiku-writing workshop; Stanford M. Forrester and Ben Moeller-Gaa, who will discuss the ins and outs of making chapbooks; and Tom Painting's middle school students, who'll present their amazingly good work. We will also be inviting other presenters in an attempt to strike a better gender balance on the program (yes, ladies, we noticed!). If you would like to attend and have an idea for a presentation, let me know or send it to my fellow members on the Planning Committee, Tom Painting and Terri French. The conference will take place in the Artmore hotel at a special rate of $135 per night (add $15 if you plan to bring a car and will need parking). When you register, be sure to mention HSA. Here's the hotel's website:http://www.artmorehotel.com