"O God, I could be bounded in a nut shell and count myself
a king of infinite space,
were it not that I have bad dreams."
- Hamlet Act II scene ii
29 December 2020
Awards
Click on the above for Laughing Horse Awards background music. With apologies to the hard of hearing, you are humbly requested to play the music as you read the following:-
History: "The Laughing Horse Blogging Awards" were launched way back in the mists of time following a random meeting between the author of this blog and Larry Page - one of the founders of Google. Back in the summer of 2007, Larry was enjoying a seaside holiday in Withernsea, East Yorkshire when your genial host literally bumped into him causing Larry's vanilla cone to tumble to the pavement. Larry was most displeased but they made up over a few pints of Tetley's best bitter in "The Spread Eagle" and that's when the idea of annual awards for excellence in blogging was conceived. Incidentally, Larry is now worth an estimated $76.5 billion whereas the host of this blog is worth peanuts. How did that happen?
Previous Winners: Each year there are several sub-awards but of course the most coveted prize in the international blogging scene is to become the overall Laughing Horse Blogger of the Year. Here are the twelve esteemed recipients from past years. Some of them are still very much active in the blogosphere and you may recognise their blog titles but others have fallen by the wayside - unable to cope with the stresses of worldwide fame:-
2008 – Arthur Clewley for “Arthur Clewley”
2009 – Daphne Franks for “My Dad’s a Communist”
2010 – John Gray for “Going Gently”
2011 – Ian Rhodes for “Shooting Parrots”
2012 – Kate Steeds for "The Last Visible Dog"
2013 – Tom Gowans for “A Hippo on the Lawn”
2014 – Meike Riley for “From My Mental Library”
2015 – Lee George for “Kitchen Connection”
2016 – Steve Reed for “Shadows and Light”
2017 - Keith Kline for "Hiawatha House"
2018 - Mary Moon for "Bless Our Hearts"
2019 - Jenny O'Hara for "Procrastinating Donkey"
2020 Arrangements: Tragically, this year's ambitious awards ceremony arrangements have had to be curtailed because of some pesky virus. The event was going to be held in The Royal Albert Hall in London, hosted by Paul McCartney with live musical contributions by The Rolling Stones and Lady Gaga. Invitations had already been accepted by Prince Charles, Princess Ivanka Trump, Dame Judi Dench and the world's best footballer - Cristiano Ronaldo. Nominees from around the world were going to be flown in with their travel and accommodation generously funded by the aforementioned Larry Page. There was to be free champagne and thousands of golden Yorkshire puddings in beef gravy.
Sadly all of that had to be cancelled. Instead, the awards will be announced in this humble but strangely awardless Yorkshire blog on New Year's Eve. I bet you can't wait...
We will have to keep our own bottles of champagne ready and raise our glasses as the ceremony begins, and maybe the winners‘ speeches can be streamed via zoom. I am sure if the awards included a Readers‘ Choice, your blog would be top on many a list.
If the show was to happen as planned there would indeed have been two litre jars of pickled eggs in various locations throughout The Royal Albert Hall. You could have had as many as you wanted.
Never mind the free champagne - but Golden Yorkshire puddings with beef gravy, AND pickled eggs - oh boy, what have we missed! You certainly know how to titillate our taste buds YP!
Oh, this cursed covid! It would have been grand, although I would have had to decline if Ivanka was going to be there. The greedy thing would have been striding around in her fancy shoes looking like a laughing horse just to steal the show.
It's too bad we won't be able to get together for this year's awards. I had already purchased a flowing silk taffeta gown by Oscar de la Renta for the occasion. It now sits in my closet, unworn, waiting for another award ceremony as magnificent as the Laughing Horse Awards. It's criminal what covid has done to the world this year.
I ALSO had purchased a flowing silk taffeta gown by Oscar de la Renta -- so it's a good thing the events were cancelled! Lilycedar and I would have had an intense fashion rivalry!
As a proud previous recipient, I can't wait to see who the newest Laughing Horse blogger will be, even if, alas, we can't gather for our usual star-studded gala.
Can you award it to yourself, a la Donald Trump and a presidential pardon?
I thought you would be wearing a faded vintage T-shirt, khaki shorts, flipflops and a massive camera bag Steve. With regard to your final remark, comparing me with Donald Trump is like comparing the state of Florida with a banana.
That's a bit like reading a list of Nobel Prize in Literature winners. (However famous they may be, I've usually only actually read two or three of them...)
Reading the list of previous award prize winners, I wonder - where have they gone? So few names now resonate....Have they, like so many, tasted a moment of fame and faded into the background, overcome with the celebrity of it all? It's a hefty weight you place on their shoulders YP.
Mr Pudding welcomes all genuine comments - even those with which he disagrees. However, puerile or abusive comments from anonymous contributors will continue to be given the short shrift they deserve. Any spam comments that get through Google/Blogger defences will also be quickly deleted.
This is very suspenseful! How can I wait?
ReplyDeleteYou could get drunk and then fall asleep.
DeleteIt's good to see three names who I know in the list, John Gray of Wales, Steve Reed and Jenny O'Hara.
ReplyDeleteThey are humble bloggers who would never boast about their achievements.
DeleteWe will have to keep our own bottles of champagne ready and raise our glasses as the ceremony begins, and maybe the winners‘ speeches can be streamed via zoom.
ReplyDeleteI am sure if the awards included a Readers‘ Choice, your blog would be top on many a list.
Oh you sweet talker Meike!
DeleteWhat's on the menu for vegans?
ReplyDeleteApples.
DeleteWill there be pickled eggs and make sure that YP gets an award for his photographs?
ReplyDeleteIf the show was to happen as planned there would indeed have been two litre jars of pickled eggs in various locations throughout The Royal Albert Hall. You could have had as many as you wanted.
DeleteJust send me my free champagne and I shall be very happy to imagine all the festivities.
ReplyDeleteAlcoholics Anonymous
DeleteLoch Promenade
IM1 2LY Douglas
Please could you re-post the Zoom link.
ReplyDeleteThat will not be possible my good fellow.
DeleteNever mind the free champagne - but Golden Yorkshire puddings with beef gravy, AND pickled eggs - oh boy, what have we missed! You certainly know how to titillate our taste buds YP!
ReplyDeleteThe Committee had even ordered in some smoked piglets' ears especially for you CG.
DeleteOh joy!!
DeleteOoh, I could go a golden Yorkshire Pudding .. you do mean solid gold I hope?
ReplyDeleteNo. Fluffy, crispy gold.
DeleteOh, this cursed covid! It would have been grand, although I would have had to decline if Ivanka was going to be there. The greedy thing would have been striding around in her fancy shoes looking like a laughing horse just to steal the show.
ReplyDeletePrincess Ivanka is a role model for American womanhood.
DeleteThe question is how do you choose? And have you ever won;) Not going to the Award ceremony if everyone has eaten pickled onions though.....
ReplyDeleteI don't choose Thelma. It is The Awards Committee that does that. The process is modelled on The Oscars.
DeleteThe music is BRILLIANT! I love it. And yes, of course we are all on tenterhooks.
ReplyDeleteGood job you are on tenterhooks and not butcher's hooks!
DeleteIt's too bad we won't be able to get together for this year's awards. I had already purchased a flowing silk taffeta gown by Oscar de la Renta for the occasion. It now sits in my closet, unworn, waiting for another award ceremony as magnificent as the Laughing Horse Awards. It's criminal what covid has done to the world this year.
ReplyDeleteYou would have been the belle of the ball Cinders!
DeleteI ALSO had purchased a flowing silk taffeta gown by Oscar de la Renta -- so it's a good thing the events were cancelled! Lilycedar and I would have had an intense fashion rivalry!
ReplyDeleteAs a proud previous recipient, I can't wait to see who the newest Laughing Horse blogger will be, even if, alas, we can't gather for our usual star-studded gala.
Can you award it to yourself, a la Donald Trump and a presidential pardon?
I thought you would be wearing a faded vintage T-shirt, khaki shorts, flipflops and a massive camera bag Steve. With regard to your final remark, comparing me with Donald Trump is like comparing the state of Florida with a banana.
DeleteI'm sure you looking stunning in your frock Steve.
DeleteOnly with expertly applied cosmetics.
DeleteThat's a bit like reading a list of Nobel Prize in Literature winners. (However famous they may be, I've usually only actually read two or three of them...)
ReplyDeleteIncredibly, Winston Churchill won The Nobel Prize for Literature with his historical works - not really Literature at all. This was back in 1953.
DeleteReading the list of previous award prize winners, I wonder - where have they gone? So few names now resonate....Have they, like so many, tasted a moment of fame and faded into the background, overcome with the celebrity of it all?
ReplyDeleteIt's a hefty weight you place on their shoulders YP.
Only the strong endure CG... and people like me who can't find anything better to do with their time!
Delete