...And so ladies and gentlemen, another successful year in the blogging industry draws to a close. It has been a year in which we have seen consolidation married with innovation. Some formerly effective members of the blogging community have suffered from "burn out" - withdrawing to various rehabilitation centres to recuperate. Fortunately, the gaps left by their absences have been purposefully filled by an new cohort of up and coming graduates from the international blogger training programme.
Now we come to the main business of this evening's gathering, here in the marble grandeur of Pudding Towers - the presentation of our industry's much-coveted Yorkshire Pudding Laughing Horse Awards for 2010. These prestigious awards entitle winners to copy and paste the award widget (shown at the head and end of this post) into their own blogs. As in previous years, this year's widget is a unique designer artefact that will be admired for years to come. I repeat that only registered winners are allowed to copy and paste it as it is subject to stringent copyright regulations.
In no particular order, here are this year's winners...
Australian Blogger of the Year - Helen at "Helsie's Happenings"
Award for the Advancement of Art Through Blogging - Katherine at "The Last Visible Dog"
Best Blogger in Sloughhouse, California - Jan at "Cosumne Girl"
Best Blogger in his street in Canton, Georgia - Robert at "Rhymes With Plague"
Best Blogger in The State of Ohio - Sam at "The Golden Hill"
Second Best Yorkshire Blogger - Daphne at "My Dad's A Communist"
Nicest and Most Polite Blogger - Jenny at "Demob Happy Teacher"
Award for the Advancement of History Through Blogging - Elizabeth at "Well This Isn't Gettin T'Ens Fed"
Foremost and Funniest Welsh Blog - John Gray at "Going Gently"
Best Blogger on the Island of Westray, Orkney - Malc at "Edge of Nowhere"
Best Mancunian Blog and Best Designed Blog - Ian at "Shooting Parrots"
Award for the Advancement of Photography Through Blogging - Michael at "In Sydney With an Old Leica"
After much deliberation by our team of knowledgeable judges, it has been decided that the overall Blogger of the Year for 2010 is..... (drum roll and ad break)... is Mr John Gray at "Going Gently" whose self-deprecating blog entries make hearty entertainment from the mundanity of everyday life in Trelawnyd, North Wales. His affection for his dogs and various fowl is matched only by his abject and incomprehensible hatred of starlings!
Editor- "Cue theme music. Roll credits!"
Dear God! Spoken (a) in amazement at how the mighty have fallen (I, that is, from "Best American Blogger" in 2009 to "Best blogger on his street in Canton, Georgia" in 2010) and (b) in horror at the comment preceding mine and in the hope that Lord Pudding will remove it as soon as he becomes aware of it ("it" referring to the comment preceding mine, not to my comment)
ReplyDeleteOh, and thank you. I don't want to appear ungrateful at your kind and gracious recognition of my meager efforts (is that obsequious enough?)
ReplyDeleteI am overcome with gratitude once again, YP. Many thanks, kind sir. (The cheque is in the post.) ;)
ReplyDeleteI am very touched (sobs gently into a hankie)
ReplyDeleteand would like to thank all my readers,......starling hunters from all over the world.....and Joan Rivers.........
thanks pud!!!!
John is a worthy winner. His tales of Constance alone are worthy of a Pulitzer
ReplyDeleteI agree with your choice of overall winner for 2010. John's blog always makes me grateful that I only have 40 chickens and a few cats.
ReplyDeleteThank you for my award YP. Very kind, and a pleasure to have my efforts realised.
ReplyDeleteMay I just reverse the compliment for a few lines and say how much I enjoyed looking at the award art work. I presume it was done by your esteemed self, or perhaps a member of your family?
It is noteworthy as an example of the Art Brut style - or 'Raw Art', some calling this a subset of the Naive movement. It is an outstanding and contemporary example of...
"... those works created from pure and authentic creative impulses – where the worries of competition, acclaim and social promotion do not interfere [and] are, because of these very facts, more precious than the productions of professionals. After a certain familiarity with these flourishings of an exalted feverishness, lived so fully and so intensely by their authors, we cannot avoid the feeling that in relation to these works, cultural art in its entirety appears to be the game of a futile society, a fallacious parade." - Jean Dubuffet
John Gray - 'Sobs' gently into hankie? I don't think so. Sounds like a Yorkshire fix to me... 'Welsh' indeed... (mumble about mendacity...) Actually, I think it is well deserved! I would have awarded it myself, if I had set up the institution!
ReplyDeleteHuzzah! Well done sir, a very fine award. John's blog always brightens my day.
ReplyDeleteMy goodness had I known about these awards I would have prepared an acceptance speech!
ReplyDeleteMany thanks YP, I am finding enormous enjoyment from this blogging world and the interesting people I am meeting there.
Cheers
Helen
Just found - and enjoyed - the winner's blog for the first time, so thank you!
ReplyDeleteAnd thank you for my award. Going off to write my speech now.
You chose wisely, it won my vote :)
ReplyDeleteJohn is wonderful. Thanks for honoring him.
ReplyDelete"Gosh! What can I say." (holds up hand to acknowledge the applause)
ReplyDelete"This is so unexpected." (cries of hear, hear) "But this award isn't just for me, it's for everyone who made this possible."
"My mum and dad, and my beautiful wife," (wolf whistles) "and the hundreds of people that make up Team Shooting Parrots."
"And my close friend and mentor, Nelson Mandela," (loud ovation and stamping of feet)
"Not fogetting my dog Jack," (chokes back a sob)
"And all at Pizza Express and the Open Later Saver for their tireless support." (Applause starting to peter out)
"I must also mention for the man a Bredbury tip for his patient encouragement and critical eye." (Yawns in the audience)
"And the girl on aisle 16 at Morrisons supermarket who always knows the best BOGOF offers." (Total silence)
"Finally, I'd... yurk!" (Dragged off stage, his two minutes of fame ended)
Your contract has been terminated!
ReplyDeleteDear Boothroyd,
ReplyDeleteTo win one of these highly valued awards, you actually have to blog! Your blog has often remained stagnant thereby excluding you from nomination. To win an award in 2011, more regular posts will be required. Perhaps you could blog about how the new English teacher ran amok with a red pen after joining the red shirts at the airport.
Your etc.
Y.Pudding