So, on the day when voting opened for the UK Blog Awards, I’d love to be able to report back and say that everything’s gone swimmingly, but come on, this is my life! Of course things haven’t gone without a hitch, in fact if ever a day was designed to send me over the edge and rocketing head first into the hob-nobs, yesterday would be it. Just…AAARGH!!!
Have you ever asked yourself the question why is nothing ever easy? Let me tell you that at quarter past midnight last night I was deep in email exchange with Gemma, the very patient Managing Director of the UK Blog Awards, who I’m sure is already regretting the day she ever heard of my blog, and is almost certainly wondering why I’m not accompanied at all times by a responsible adult.
Not only had I managed to enter our blog into the wrong category, I’d managed to lock myself out of my UKBA account too whilst I was in the process of trying to put it right. And after consultation with the posse over the last couple of days, I was ready to call out the two most voted-for posts – Part Woman, Part Ostrich, and What Would You Keep – but the ‘place holder’ ones that I dropped in when I filled out the entry were refusing to budge! Not that they’re bad ones, just not the ones we all picked. So that took a bit of faffing around with too…I’m knackered!
However, that said…voting is now OPEN!! It’s all very exciting…everyone is allowed to vote once per day. I’ve already cast mine, and I know a few of you have too, so we’re officially off the starting blocks! I did think about setting up an email account for the dog so he could join in the fun and we could bag a few extra votes but my sense of fair play prevailed and rallied against it, dammit. However, you can cast your vote HERE 🙂 And if you think your friends and family might like to join in too, well even better! It’s the top option in the drop down voting box, which casts a vote in both of the sections we are nominated in.
The reality is, I’m going to be rubbish at this campaigning malarkey…it’s already grating against every good nerve in my body that I’m asking for votes. I can feel my palms getting sweaty, and I sense the asshole in my mind limbering up to place a few choice words…yeah go on, ask again…you’re guaranteed to piss everybody off if you keep banging on about it…people will stop reading, they’ll switch off in droves…get over yourself.
Is that a fat thing, or a me thing do you think? I suspect a bit of both…if you cast your mind back, in the ‘Police, Fire, Ambulance, Me’ post I talked about how I rarely ask for help, and this is sort of the same thing, right? Asking for stuff from other people is just something I struggle with, big time, so I suspect our campaign might be a bit more low key than some.
I’ve got to tell you, it was a very strange feeling seeing our blog up there, pitted against dozens of amazing entries…that’s the moment I’ve been waiting for you know? And the feeling didn’t disappoint, it feels awesome. Look what we did! When I started writing the blog, it was for the sole purpose of keeping myself accountable. 90,000 words later, I could never have imagined it would develop into what it’s become. You lot are awesome, do I tell you that enough?
So anyway, let me put my excitement about the blog awards to one side for a moment, guess what else turned up this weekend…yes, my cross-trainer. What I wasn’t expecting when I opened the box was for it to come in four thousand different pieces. I thought the hardest part would be actually getting fit, I didn’t realise I’d need a PHD in knobs to put the damn thing together before I could rustle up a single bead of sweat, I mean come on.
One look at the instructions and I could practically taste those hob-nobs. Fortunately a knight in shining armour offered his services, so he’s coming over to assemble it for me tonight. By the skin of my teeth, no hob-nobs were consumed in the meltdown which followed the opening of the big box, and now help is on the horizon the urge to eat has melted away.
All told, it was quite a stressful day…the kind of day where six months ago I would have eaten my own bodyweight in chocolate. Instead of which, last night I went to bed with a couple of points left unspent.
How about them apples!
Voted… Hopefully I didn’t crash the system 🙂
Of course you won’t! Thank you 🙂 🙂
Hi, guys, I’m slowly piecing the finer points together – it does say, You may vote once each day. &, although i managed to vote first (i think because) before midnight my time, it won’t let me submit my daily ( ? ) vote now, although it’s past midnight there in the UK.
MOST IMPORTANT, Dee, is the 2 entries come up as we read them online, beautifully bracketed by other posts that are nomination-worthy! …Hey I’m excited!
Dee? They’re gonna short-list you just to have your company, & “oh, lookie,” the dressy affairs are more than a month in the future!!! & the ratio of weight to self-consciousness is moving every day. Love, F
Aw Fleury you wonderful wonderful bean, you never fail to make me smile 🙂 Yes! You can vote daily, I’m just about to do mine for today!! It is exciting…I’m enjoying all the drama! D x
I’d forgotten that when we ordered our treadmill (long since given away, given back, given away again and then we moved so they can’t give it back hah!) it came in a few pieces. The construction process really showed the differences in my personality and my husbands. He worked slow and steady, reading the instructions, until it was done. I would think: this was easy, no doesn’t work, too hard, lets give up, there is something wrong with it, this is impossible.
Oh my days, my friend has just left and it was a mammoth task…I can feel a blog post coming on 🙂
lol! oh! sorry, Dee… you’re making me laugh…!
not that i don’t know how frazzling all this is, but that Launcelot the gleaming behemoth of a cross-trainer would be delivered to the house, to make the chaos complete! bust-laugh! – worse, he’s as yet unassembled, (it crossed my mind that your supply of sour cherries might be crouched in ambush at this juncture – GAAA!)
well, i voted! in spite of my own small fumbling thru the UK Blog Awards’ baffling site…. nevermind that your category is “Movie/Storytelling” this is a movie scene.
big hugs, fleury
Thanks Fleury, gotta laugh right?! The category is the first option in the drop-down voting box, that way we get movie/storytelling and Health and social care in one hit, because we’re in both categories.I’d best amend the post to reflect that since it’s a bit confusing! Thanks lovely lady…it’s all very exciting 🙂
I voted! You’re the best!!!
Happy 2016, Dee!
Julie
Thanks lovely! Happy New Year to you too 🙂
Voted!!!!
Off on my few days away after work today; unfortunately not as early as I’d like because our new head has slapped on a one hour staff meeting after the kids leave (I work in a school). Husband is non-plussed by my action in taking a few days away and is worried what people might think. I told him that was their problem, but it seems that wasn’t the right answer, anyway we’ve made up and parted on good terms at 5.45 this morning when I got up and he left for his own work.
As far as food is concerned, I always take a packed lunch to work but i was a bit concerned what to have for dinner ‘cos I really want to stay on track (haven’t managed very well so far over the last few weeks, but don’t want this little trip to be an excuse to hit the chox etc.), so slipped out to supermarket at lunchtime and bought supplies that will allow me to food optimise tonight. Tomorrow will take care of itself.
Took my courage in both hands and weighed myself this morning – I was really dreading it – but was pleased to see that I’ve only put a teensy amount on over the festive season. Don’t want to put on another ounce, just want to lose, lose, lose until I’m skinny again.
Thanks for your blog, Dee, and good luck with the competition.
Bagpuss x
Well I”m glad you didn’t take as big of a hit as you thought…well done you. Have a wonderful recharge over the next few days…I hope it helps 🙂
Just voted. Not sure which category I was supposed to pick? I put the health one. It didn’t confirm my vote, was it supposed to? Make sure you put that little red HERE on your post every day so I can click on it to vote again.
Good luck, Jo.
Hi Jo! Yes it’s a little confusing isn’t it…the category is the first option in the drop-down voting box, that way we get movie/storytelling and Health and social care in one hit, because we’re in both categories. I’ll amend the post to make it a bit clearer 🙂
Those are special apples, and i’ve voted (if it worked, i’m not sure, i’m a computer idiot). Good luck!
Thanks Meems 🙂
I think it’s the law of nature when everything goes wrong when it is also all going right! Glad you got it all sorted! Have fun with the cross-trainer! Those things are hard as.
Thanks…I will approach it with trepidation and determination with equal measure!
Vote done! Very exciting and remember, you’ve already won the bigger battle!
Thank you 🙂 And yes you’re absolutely right…I’m a bit scared of the spotlight if I’m honest, the traffic through the blog with the raised profile has been very busy which is what I wanted really!