The last vote has long since been tallied and the outcome determined. On Thursday the Illinois Times will name the Best Local Blogger in their annual Best of Springfield contest. I respectfully concede to the winner this prestigious and coveted title.
It was here, on a lonely May evening back in 2005, that I posted my first blog entry. Inspired by the wondrous opportunities inherent in this new technology, I set out with little to guide me but a vision. A vision that in its quintessence would offer a better way for everyone in our community, borne from the humble insights and observations that would pour from my figurative pen.
And with your generous comments and my ever rising hit counts, you let me know that you believed in the dream as well. Together we would make BlogFreeSpringfield a harbinger for a new day in public discourse in our town. A place where every voice could be heard, and then put down in a flurry of personal insults. A place where people could gather in anonymity and spout opinions that good taste and decorum would prohibit them from saying in public. A place where Angelina Jolie could be exalted and James Blunt scorned. Compared to the intelligentsia that would gather at BFS, the Proustian salons of Paris were filled with a pack of Jerry Springer guests
It was never my intent with this blog to win a popularity contest, focused as I was on the loftier goals of community enlightenment and uplift. Until, that is, the IT added a blogging category to their populist survey. At that point, being coronated by a people who think that the Olive Garden is fine dining became my mania. My raison d'etre. But tonight, I have come to accept it isn’t to be.
It would be easy to look back on my past blogging miscues as the reason that our dream fell short this year. From my sporadic posting schedule, to my tiresome polemics, and on to that unfortunate encounter with Dr. Doriginality, my failures as a blogger are many.
Perhaps my biggest downfall was cleaving to the courage of my convictions in my mission to shed light on the criminal activities of the Red Hat Society. In them I made a ruthless and formidable enemy, who no doubt used every weapon in their illicit arsenal to upend my candidacy. I will not be Best Blogger. I regret nothing.
But as I ponder my own shortcomings, it occurs to me that the real reason that someone else is being bestowed with the title Best Blogger is because you people probably never bothered to actually pick up a damn ballot and vote for me. Sure, it’s good fun to come here and spout your opinions about the ethics of police detectives or the plight of the moderate Muslim, but it’s apparently too much to actually log on to the IT’s Web site and cast a vote for the person who provided you the forum for your rantings.
Thanks for nothing.
10 comments:
There is always 2007.
And you won't have to worry about Dr. Doriginality. I hopped the red eye after your quarrel and paid him a little visit. Lets just say he and I came to an understanding..........at least I let him keep the thumbs.
If dat's not support, den I don't what is. You know what I mean?
Besides, a vote for you means that I would validate the IT's tired, silly little exploration in retarded journalism.
Sorry, I tried, couldn't do it. The "Monk" (that's what the kids are calling him these days) has his principles.
No you didn't get my vote!
Well I never even voted - even for myself - so don't feel bad.
I just didn't feel right about voting for "Best Blog" as there are too many good blogs, and each one seems so different that a valid comparison doesn't really result in a single "best" blog - more likely - a favorite blog?
Your blog is incredibly worthy.
JP
Hey, ya got runner up- that is something to be proud of - right?
Thanks to everyone who did vote for BFS. I have a feeling that there aren't too many votes separating me from the rest of the local bloggers, although I'm sure Rich Miller left me in the dust. I visit his blog everyday, usually several times, and he is certainly deserving.
Jerome,
You're right, of course, about trying to determine who has the best blog. For the same reasons you give, I didn't vote for anyone either.
Monkey Boy,
Thanks for going Luca Brasi on Doriginality. That is worth more than a vote.
Thanks for commenting,
Dan
Dan-
Nice work here and congrats on the runner up. In my opinion, you're the winner. I LOVE Rich Miller's blog, and I read it religiously. That said, I think of his as more of a newsy website and not so much a blog. To each his own. You certainly fall into what I would call a "blog," and I think you do what you do quite well. Nice work.
Well look there! Presumably without Muslim, pedophile or Red Hat support, you still pulled off a respectable second place. It's all yours next year. Congratulations!
I'm not much for contests like this. I only knew of it because of this blog, which I read every time you post.
I didn't even think I was in the running. I figured it would be awarded to a Springfield blogger who writes about Springfield. Not that I'm complaining, but it is a bit surprising.
Blog on.
This topic really goes back to your last terrorism related blog Dan and shows that when the Pope does chastise the wrongful acts of others, the world does in fact listen with bended ear. Whether the timing was right or not...when is the right time to speak out against radical Islam? Yes, the same radicals did commit heinous acts following the remarks, but the great outcome may be the fact that moderate Islam is now willing to sit down at the table at a open forum at the Pope’s request. Convincing moderate Islam to step up to the plate is key. I don’t know about you but I am starting to like this guy.
As for the SJR editorial cartoons, it would sure be nice to see two cartoonists to give the paper more of a balance just as channel 20 should with "The Point".
Oops, I posted that on the wrong topic...my bad!
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