In ways five years is not a long time.
Sometimes it feels like a lifetime ago.
While searching online for something totally different this morning, I somehow came across this:
The people behind the blogs say hello, please.
That one little sentence brought bloggers out of the woods… like a colony of ants on a sunny day. Well over forty of them stood as if at an AA meeting to recite their names and share their blogs.
Looking down that list, they were all familiar names to me, most I had met in real life. A fun bunch of people, quite a few were younger than my daughter. Only one that I know of, has been taken from us and the woes of this world. RIP Debbie. Many have moved on to other more instant distractions like Facebook and twitter, but quite a few continue to blog.
I had met the questioner across a crowded room a few months earlier. Bloggers, meetings, social events, they all went hand in hand. I was often heard to say back then: The wonderful thing about blogging, is that you get to know the person from the inside, without the distraction of the outer wrapping!
Our friendship grew and we have remained friends. I think!!!!!
Why am I mentioning this today, you may well ask. As Ramana would say: Serendipity!
It has come to my notice that Blog Awards Ireland 2013 announced the date for the awards event on 12th October 2013 in the Osprey Hotel in Naas. Nominations are now open.
Anyone from around the globe, can nominate their favourite Irish blog for one of the thirty one categories.
In previous years all nominated bloggers needed to be resident on the island of Ireland to be eligible. This year there is a new category:
Best Blog From The Irish Diaspora
This category is open to any blogger who has Irish roots and lives overseas. It can be about any topic and must be a good quality blog. Open to those blogging in all countries.
I do notice an extra question for this category: From which county in Ireland does the blogger hail from? An answer is required in order for the Nomination to be accepted. So sorry, being third generation Irish will not help. 🙁
You can add a ‘Nominate Me’ Button to your blog sidebar.
Nomination button for Blog Awards 2013
Full instructions of how to do so can be found on the link above.
Now before you go rushing off to nominate all your sisters, cousins and aunts, I would advise you read the list of criteria. Three of the twelve are below:
- Are blog posts written consistently/updated regularly?
- Interaction on the blog in the form of responding to comments and engaging in conversations.
- Attractive design and ease of navigating.
The Blog Awards are a wonderful platform to discover new friends and sure you never know whose bed you might end up in… even if like me, you get to sleep in it alone!
As we say in Ireland: Have a think, then go nominate and don’t forget to book your bed while you are at it!
Ramana would indeed say exactly that! It also gives him great pleasure to nominate this blog for an award. He does that every year any way.
Thank you, kind Sir! I was not canvassing for myself, more passing the word, especially with the new category allowing Irish folk abroad, who blog on a regular basis, to take part!
Good morning, I have popped over to say thank you for solving my ridiculous font in miniature problem and discover that you have been blogging for years.. and that you are irish and that you are a lovely writer. Good luck with your wonderful endeavours and take great care and once again.. thank you!! celi
Cecilia, I am glad it worked for you. I find it very handy especially for Facebook chat.
Do you find it all a bit much any more, I sure do! What with blogging, FB, texting, twittering… etc. What do people with their phone in hand, have to talk about for hours on end, while ignoring the person their with!!!
Hope your up for awards again can’t think of anyone more deserving.
Brighid, there are times when the words stick, so I take off, for a day or two. talking to people often triggers a story or topic. On other occasions, several ideas come to mind on the one day so I write and save them in draft for the right time.
Very often I too get an idea for a new blog when I talk to others, read something interesting, even from comments readers leave on Wintersong. But I still feel bogged down and when I overdo my searching around the web–click click clicking–the arthritis in my fingers flares up and makes it difficult to do ordinary tasks (like fastening buttons), so I’m learning to curtail my online time. I do think reading someone consistently helps you get to know them from the inside as you say. I think I need that these days now that the world seems so divided. It reminds me that most people are good at heart, I’m happy to nominate you again–too bad there isn’t some sort of ambassadorship blogger awards, or “exemplary blogging manners” awards among the lot. You’ve taught me a lot.
I agree, inspiration often comes from our interaction with other people. I share what I learn from others. In the last hour, I had a lesson from ‘Dr Elly’ over the phone about a problem I had at the back end of the blog. Now I am about to have dinner and since I had a medication and pain free day, I will wash it down with a glass of Guinness. PURELY MEDICINAL, you understand! 😉
Alice, you make me blush, and thank you for the nomination. I see that while Elly was teaching me about blogrolls, she sneaked a link into the sidebar for the Blog awards nomination form. Honestly, I never know what she is up too!
You’re officially nominated (personal blog) as of yesterday! 🙂
Thank you, Alice. I am so fortunate to have friends to think me worthy of a nomination, when there are so many great blogs out there!
Have you been nominated? What category?
Nancy, it sounds like Ramana & Alice are thinking about it, nominations only opened yesterday. ;lol: Since my blog is a bag of mixed veg, I really only fit into one category – ‘Best Personal Blog’.
Yay! Good luck with the Best Irish Blog Awards!
Thank You, Nancy.
Does the foreign nationals section have a catergory?
Barbara, it is: Best Blog From The Irish Diaspora. Go to the nominations page and scroll down. I think all foreign correspondents come under the one heading, no matter what their blog is about. Don’t forget to download a button/badge for your sidebar.
Done 🙂
WWW, Brilliant!
Om my finally the diaspora is on stream!! Will post to sidebar…. and nominate my bestie, GM!!!
Wonderful! Now let the fun begin!