OK, so as everyone has seen by now, I did win the 2011 Baltimore Sun Mobbie award for best Howard County blog.
I accept this honor with humility, but of course, I also accept it with all the attitude and machismo that the Marshmallow Man can offer! So this post will try to straddle the fine line between the two.
Note that the award is a popularity contest on the Sun's web site. Here was the finishing order for the award:
1. 53 Beers on Tap
2. HowChow (who won the Mobbie for best food blog)
3. Tale of Two Cities
4. Well and Wise
5. HoCo Rising
6. Sarah Says
7. Columbia 2.0
8. Rocket Powered Butterfly
9. HoCo Connect
10. Green Business Matters
11. HoCo Politico
So, what are the Mobbies? Well, they're unscientific, as I've mentioned. They're the Baltimore Sun's awards for Maryland's Outstanding Blogs.
Do I think my blog is outstanding? I think it's pretty damn good. Do I think I'm Howard County's best blogger? I think I'm pretty damn good. I think we're blessed with a lot of great writers in the local blogosphere-- Dennis Lane, Tom Coale, Sarah Hussain, Maureen O'Donnell, and many others are fantastic writers.
My blog, I think, is solid. I don't go out looking for news; rather, I prefer to comment on the news that's presented. I may not be the best writer, but my English teacher at Howard High School, Virginia Pausch (mother of Randy of "Last Lecture" fame) didn't educate any idiots. Well... maybe a couple. : ) But she did teach me to be a good writer. Yes, I use language therein that is provocative. And I'll use language that will needle. But I am not accusatory.
So how do I attribute this victory? Other than some Facebook posts I never actively campaigned for this. And several of the blogs in Howard County that were nominated (even a couple that were not) would be worthy to be called the Best Howard County blog.
As Blanche DuBois would say, I rely upon the kindness of strangers. I thank all my friends, near and far, for making this victory possible. I certainly thank the consumers of the local blogosphere for recognizing that this blog has credence, beneath the bluster and occasional (?) pedagogy.
As to the next year-- of course, The Beers will go to new levels that were heretofore thought to be the realm of legend-- indeed, the province of the gods. If you all thought I was bad now--- whoo-hoo, you ain't seen nothing yet!
Thanks again for the award, true believers! I will ensure that I will be a worthy recipient of this honor! Be afraid, be very afraid.