I hate blog awards!
There, I said it.
Hate is a strong word.
I abhor, despise, detest, and loathe blog awards.
I realize I have just lost half my readers with that statement.
I never realized how much I strongly disliked blog awards until last week when I received about a hundred of them.
Okay, it was more like three but it felt like a hundred.
It was the Sunshine Award from Linda that pushed me over the edge.
The Sunshine Award is awarded to bloggers whose positivity and creativity inspire others in the blogging world.
Positivity.
Linda, you know I love you like the mother I always wished I’d had (oh, the shopping we could do), but if you give me one more fucking award I will, I will… I don’t know what I will do but it will be bad. Mark my words.
There was actually a time I liked blog awards. It was probably a month after I started blogging and I actually had a reader or two. I was given an award, I don’t remember which one because there are so many of them, and I was thrilled. I followed all the rules. I divulged 25 things about me and then dutifully passed it on to bloggers I thought were great. And then I was inundated with emails from bloggers who asked me, not so very politely, to never give them an award again.
I learned an important lesson that day. If you want to make friends in the blogosphere don’t give them awards.
Don’t get me wrong, I like the recognition and I appreciate that someone thought of me. However, I am not convinced receiving an award is a sign that someone likes you, in fact I would hazard a guess that getting a whole bunch of awards means that people don’t like what I have to say and want to potentially stop me from writing my stuff. If I have ten billion awards that I have to write about I can’t possibly find the time to talk about my squirrel problem or the blogs I hate. I’m pretty sure I am winning these awards because some people want me to shut up.
Here’s the problem with blog awards. You get one and then you have to do something with it. First of all you have to go get the award, that part is easy. But then you have to copy and paste the award into a blog post, publicly acknowledge the award (again, not difficult) and often reveal something about yourself. Something like which celebrity you’d shtup if the stars aligned and your significant other was okay with it, or 10 things about you that nobody knows. We’re bloggers for crying out loud, we reveal everything about ourselves, what don’t people already know? Nothing, that’s what. After the tell all part we are then required to pass the horror on to 7 or 10 unsuspecting blogging friends.
When I stop at a blog and see the award at the beginning of a post I start to pray that they didn’t give it to me.
Please don’t let me be a recipient, please don’t let me be a recipient.
I suppose I could just leave the site, before anyone notices that I have been there, but that is bad form, and besides, most people know how to read their stats and can tell if I have been to their site.
Once you pass the award on to your dearest friends, and thus severed ties with them, you are required to visit their blog and make it official:
“Hey, just stopped by to let you know there’s something over at my blog for you”
(Oh, what could it be? Cookies? I fell for this the first time. I actually thought there was something over at their blog for me. It wasn’t cookies.)
You aren’t supposed to comment on the actual post, just leave the annoying comment which officially and publicly passes the burden and responsibility of the damn blog award to someone else, anyone else. It’s like a hot potato.
At least that is the right way to win a coveted blog award.
You can do what some bloggers like JD from I Do Things does and just make a page with all the awards she has won. I have to give props to JD for this, she doesn’t bother to copy and paste the actual awards, she just lists them and the giver. Of course she did an awful lot of linking and that takes some time.
Alternatively you can acknowledge the award, state how happy you are to receive it and then never do anything with it. Which is what I usually do. Though I did try to be a little honest over at How Much Longer Friday:
Thank you so much for the award! I didn’t know I was your first. I feel all proud about that. I know a lot of the bloggers you picked like Buggys and Linda, who both rock, but I don’t know the others. I’m excited about going over there and meeting them. Thanks again for the award. This is where I lie to you and tell you I will get right on giving it out but we both know I won’t get around to it because I am really very forgetful and unorganized. I mean to, I really do, I just don’t follow through. You should see the pile of library books that are way overdue that are sitting on the table waiting so patiently to be returned.
Of course what I really wanted to say was:
Thanks for the fucking award, now I have to remember that I got the award, write a cute and wonderfully grateful post about the award which incidentally other bloggers will read and then think I actually like to get these damn awards thus causing me to get more and more of these horribly wicked things. Do you hate me?
But I would never say something like that.
So from now on I am going to donate all my blog awards to less fortunate bloggers. Bloggers like Dooce and The Bloggess who aren’t getting nearly as much recognition and blog love as they deserve.
HAHAHAHA!
“Please don’t let me be a recipient, please don’t let me be a recipient.”
I have to admit, this same thought runs through my head too.
Thank you for saying what we're all thinking. I bet Dooce would love my Arte y Pico award.
I hope you liked my glass poo award though 😉
BABS! Are you kidding! I freaking LOVE LOVE LOVE my Glass Poo award. Why else has it been proudly displayed in my sidebar? No, the Glass Poo Award is the exact opposite of what many of these other bloggy awards are about. It is awesome and special and one-of-a-kind and hilarious.
I will treasure it always.
You know, I knew you liked it really. It's so………you 😉
I love the sound of the phrase “glass poo.”
I don't know why.
I just doo.
It's the little things isn't it? You crack me up!
“Where's Kathy?”
“I don't know, last time I saw her she was sitting in a corner saying “glass
poo” to herself over and over again.”
Ha ha ha! Glass poo…… glass poOOOo…….. Glasssss poo…….. Glass POO!!
I wanna play!
GLASSPOO GLASSPOO GLASSPOO
(it's fun!)
When I don't have much to do
I like to pass a nice glass poo
How can it be? you may well ask
That you can pass one made of glass?
It's not that hard a thing to do
One thing she doesn't do for you.
Just visit JD's blog and you
can pass a glass poo too!
Brilliant! I want the glass poo award now. I would proudly display it on my
sidebar and would or would not pass it out to everyone who wanted it.
Babs, is there anything you aren't good at?
I will happily do a glass poo for you……. er…… I mean draw a glass poo for you 😉
I have been laughing my ass off to you and your poo all day. I got the poo you sent me, thank you so much! I will proudly display it on my sidebar. I am honestly honored to receive it even if I didn't doo anything to get it. (did you notice the 'doo' in there?)
Oh I noticed the 'doo' At first I thought it was one of these
American spellings, like so many use the word 'to' instead of 'too'
You don't have to do anything for this award, except be a tad mad.
You know, I can't even remember why I made it for JD now. Maybe she
remembers. I think it was to do with yet another poo post she'd
written. After commenting about the poo award, I went to JD's blog
and what did I see? A POO POST!
Babs x
http://beetle-blog.com
Well, you know, #FecalFriday is coming up soon.
'to' instead of 'too' is just wrong, that's not an American thing (well, the
wrong part might be).
Fecal Friday? 🙂
It's on Twitter, we have been trying to get one phrase *trending* on
Twitter. It hasn't really caught on like we had hoped it would. Basically
you promote your poo stories using the hash tag #FecalFriday or just talk
about poo, it really doesn't matter, there aren't any rules except to use
the hash tag.
BWAH! Babs, is there no end to your myriad of talents?
I am the typical 'Jack of all trades, master of none'
You are definitely a master craftswoman with both the poo and the furniture.
You've started something now!
I tried to click on your arte y pico award but it was a dead link. I Googled it and found this http://arteypico.blogspot.com/ but my Spanish isn't very good unless I need to find a bathroom. Donde esta el bano, por favor? Except I don't have all the accents and upside down question mark on my keyboard. I'm still not sure what it means. Does it mean your blog is really tacky?
That freaking Arte y Pico award existed ONLY to bring exposure to that damn Arte y Pico site. So NOW who's tacky?
Isn't that how all of them started out? And yes that is tacky.
BTW, I wasn't suggesting your blog was tacky, just so you know.
Oh, no, I know. But I do feel a little tackiness from the Arte y Pico award rubbed off. I think it's time for me to do a little pruning on my Awards page.
I also have an Awards page in which I explicitly state that I will NOT pass it on or write lists or follow rules but you're welcome to bow to my awesomeness if you want.
But that's me.
I do bow to your AWESOMENESS! Every time I read you blog I bow to your awesomeness. Hulk is pure genius.
I don't mind blog awards meaning that if it's what floats other people's boats, go for it. We all blog for different reasons, you know? Some people really enjoy the social aspects and more power to them.
What I dislike is when people CHOOSE to feel insulted because it's not something that you're into doing.
They are just like the people who CHOOSE to get huffy puffy because you don't want to go to their Pampered Chef party.
Or the people who CHOOSE to think that you are a snob because you invited somebody else to meet you at the playground and decide that you deliberately excluded them.
On the flip side, if somebody gives you an award or links to you or comments on your blog, most likely they don't mean to burden you. I hope that everyone understands that I link to people because I think they are worth reading and I comment when I have something to say. No reciprocation necessary.
Although, and this is a rant for another day, if your blog gets 7 visitors a day and you're just sitting there wondering why nobody has discovered you and you're not famous yet but YOU aren't visiting any other sites and networking and getting your little booty out there, it's your own dang fault.
I don't care if someone comments on my blog or not, but if the only substance of the comment is to announce that they gave me an award, then that means they didn't even read my blog post, they are just looking for 10 or 15 or 137 people to “dump” this award onto to absolve themselves of guilt because they probably hate getting awards too. And if they don't even read my blog, why are they giving me an award? I think you're right. These awards are ironic and only the people who hate you give them to you.
You should get some sort of award for writing this post. 🙂
Ha! Talk about ironic.
CraP.. and I just left you like a crap load of awards over at the castle.. I'll hurry back and trade them in for gin..
OMG! You weren't kidding! Give them to Dooce, you an even say it was donated by me.
Now that's funny!
Brilliant! Simply brilliant!
I have gone from the early days of passing an award on, to accepting awards and saying “I don't re-gift,” to closing my eyes and saying a little prayer when a blog I regularly read posts an award.
This post should be mandatory reading for all beginning bloggers!
Note to self…Don't give Jen any awards. Bwahahahahaha. You crack me up.
Have a terrific day. 🙂
Same note here. 😉 But honestly, I don't pass 'em on, I'm happy to say thanks and move on. If someone wants one, take it from me, if not, no worries. It's all good. 🙂
And now for the “I'm being totally honest with you award …” or the “Telling it like it is award …” or the “Why are there so many blog awards award!” 🙂
Thank you for not giving me any awards, I really appreciate it.
A post I've written in my head a thousand times. The only time I accept (as in add it to a post) is because I like that blogger and don't want to hurt their feelings. Something I worry about far too often. I think it's a trend that's been done to death, and needs to do just that…die. And the only thing worse than no comment is a comment which only says “I have something for you on my blog”.
I certainly don't count the number of awards that are plastered all over a page before I read a post or follow a blog. Does anyone?
No, and to be completely honest I'm probably a bit less likely to read a blog with left and right sidebars completely filled with awards and badges extending 30 plus inches down the sides.
On the other hand, I am a friendless, commentless bitch so who am I to judge?
Then you shall have The Sunshine award!
That's just it. I like all the bloggers who give me awards and I don't want to hurt their feelings but I can't possibly write a post for the awards. The other day I was visiting all the bloggers who had left comments on my last post, every single one of them were giving out awards. I wanted to comment but it feels silly saying “congrats to the winners!” (and thank you for not giving it to me) over and over again.
You had me laughing so hard as I read this. I don't do blogging awards, and over time most of the bloggers that I connect with have stopped doing them too. I usually leave a comment politely thanking the blogger who gave the award, especially since many are new bloggers and I think that the mean well. I do let them know in my “oh so polite” comment that I appreciate their kudos but that there are just too many blogs that I follow to pick a handful for an award so I won't be posting it on my site.
Everyone should be allowed to give out one award, because they just don't know any better. But after that first one they know what they are doing.
They are silly and mindless, and that is coming from a guy who still cracks up like a 12 year old when anyone uses the word “hard” in a sentence. Cheers!!
I crack up when I see that word too, I'm all about silly and mindless but blog awards are a lot of work. If I wanted to work I wouldn't bother blogging.
I probably shouldn't send you those ten awards I have been saving just for you. You do crack me up. And you have got guts talking about our award system. Hope we don't have to boycott you.LOL I actually feel the same as you do.
Hey Jen! Okay, I must be the exception. If someone has taken the time to think of me and my blog, I'm grateful. We're all here to talk to an audience, and if one of them likes what I do enough to publicly say it, I'm going to damn well say thank you too. I understand awards are not to everyone's taste, which is why I never post about them directly; posting about an award is not a substitute for an entry. I simply add a brief supplemental entry after my blog which people can skip if they choose, and add a mini-version of the award in my sidebar. It's possible that nobody has ever read a single one of the supplements, but that doesn't change how I feel about them. The same is true of my main blog entries. Nor do I slavishly follow the “rules”: I share what I'm comfortable sharing, and pass them along if there's someone suitable to give it to. There are exceptions to everything, except Courtesy. And it's a minor point, but awards tend to be started to promote a blog; it's a simpler, viral way of getting your name out there. Fundamentally, it serves one of the basic functions of a blogging community. And I'm very much in favour of those. Indigo
Indigo, you are such a sweet and innocent soul. I agree with everything you have said but I am much more cynical than you. I am all about promoting others on my website. I give link love like a hippie and I don't use condoms. I don't want to have to do it because I won an award that often doesn't reflect me at all. I give out links because I think they well written and people need to know about them not because they gave me an award.
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAH! Most AWESOME POST EVER! Everything I have ALWAYS wanted to say. Every single word!!! I stopped getting awards I think when it became clear that I'm so freaking forgetful and disorganized (sound familiar) that it would likely be a cold day in hell before I even got around to cutting and pasting.
This post is so brilliant, if you come over to my site–I have something for you. And it isn't an award graphic with a horrifically cutesy and grammatically incorrect tagline either. OK, maybe it is.
No. Not really.
xo
I stopped by and there wasn't any thing there, not even an award. Now I'm feeling kinda foolish.
I don't like them either. I don't pass them along or do them on my blog, so I always feel bad when someone gives me one, and I have to tell them thanks but no thanks.
I used to do awards to but realized that they were probably boring to everyone who hasn't actually been acknowledged (the post is boring even to them, but at least they get a link out of it). Since I have a number of readers who aren't involved in the blog world (and they are the ones who will actually assault me at the grocery store), I stopped doing awards when they started asking me what the hell I was talking about. It is nice to feel popular but the agony I feel about whether the giver will be offended when I don't do anything outweighs the positive feelings of popularity.
I'd rather give out links because I like their posts. I think that has a little more meaning to it. But that's me.
I hereby grant you an award for being the most honest blogger. Fortunately for me, you must leave me a comment and send 600 ppl to my blog in order for this award to be valid.
I can add you to my donate list with Dooce and The Bloggess.
Seriously people stop by Jessica's blog, http://www.bernthis.com, she is
hilarious and says things that I wish I had the nerve to say.
That might get you three.
I agree. Jessica is hilarious. She does vlogs the way they're supposed to be done, btw.
Jen, I can't thank you enough for writing this. As Kristy put it, love the sentiment, hate the responsibility.
roflmbo too funny.. I have gotten a lot of awards as well and I fail to follow the rules. There are a couple that are too wesome not to repost like the plastic award..
I haven't seen that one either. I did get a Chuck Norris award and I must say that was awesome. I still didn't pass it along because I forgot about it but it was a really cool award to get and I was truly honored.
LMAO, that is awesome. I feel the same way… appreciate the sentiment, abhor the responsibility.
Linda likes pushing Jennifer over the edge but will never or ever bestow her with any more awards and never or ever is a long long time.
But we can still go shopping and spend the afternoon drinking Gin and Tonics, right?
Of course we can, Darling. In fact, I'm counting on it! And they are showing a lot of “your” colors at Gucci this year.
I hereby award you the “Balls the Size of A Bull's” award.
I am honored. I might not have anymore readers but at least I have big testicles.
Did I write this? Oh no because it has a word in it that I don't use, otherwise I could have 😉
When I first started blogging, I followed all the rules too. Sorry JD. I then made a page and dutifully pasted them all, with links an' all. Finally, last week, I deleted the page!!!
You are very brave to post this.
Amen.
I was excited with my first but then hated giving them away knowing they would not be well received by the people I really felt deserved them. Wasn't there a button at one time that you could display stating you didn't do awards?
Let's put together an award page at Tribal Blogs and list all the awards all the members have ever gotten. lol
Since all the members of Tribal Blogs are SUPER AWESOME that would fill many many pages.
I remember that button but was too afraid to put it on my blog.
I usually indicate that my award to my readers is not passing on the award.
That if they want to award THEMSELVES the award, to feel free, given they probably already have received so many friggin “Arte y Pico” awards or whatnot that they're tripping on them when they get up to use the bathroom in the night.
Har! I found an Arte y Pico in my walk-in closet from two years ago. Even the consignment shop I took it to didn't want it. They said “Do you know how many of these we get a week?”
I have got to go look this up.
What's an Arte y Pico ?
http://www.google.com/images?um=1&hl=en&rlz=1B3…
They're real? I must see a picture.
No, they are not real (as far as I know). I'm just being a wiseass. Please, God. Don't let them actually exist in the wild.
I get lots of blog awards because I am a brilliant goat.
But then the stupid publicist and her bad brain just forgets about them.
Stupid publicist. I think she is lazy.
She has never ever posted one of my awards.
And I fear she never will…..
You are a brilliant goat and I bet you get tons of awards. It's not your fault, it's the publicists. Maybe if you gave her a good head butt she'd get to giving out those awards?
HILARIOUS!!!!!! loved this post! love your honesty!!!and your hair… 🙂
Thanks! I'm glad you liked it. You probably missed my post the other day about Disqus, could you please come back and leave a link to your blog? It didn't show up when you commented.
I totally agree with you on this. These “awards” are to me a distraction and more often than not intended to create backlinks to the sender of the award. I sometimes acknowledge awards (if I like the person who sent it and believe they meant well) but I NEVER backlink to the originator of an award that has been passed along more than once.
Here is my post on my most hated “award”:
http://libdrone.info/2008/07/dead-roosters-arte…
That is a great post. Whatever happened to the dead rooster? Is he still
around? I used to read him all the time, what happened? You make a good
point here as originally the award had to be linked back to the creator. I
think that has stopped now but when that was the case it certainly was self
serving. In fact I think I might have to create my own award and give it out
to everyone.
You know it seems to me that these awards that y'all have been discussing here aren't really awards, but more a form of torture. I think if you admire someone's work and would like to honor them, it should be just that, an honor. Not something that they are required to post on and/or send out to friends (or enemies) requiring them to do the same. It should just be a token of admiration, period end. They can display it, delete, whatever. Not much different from a chain letter, and I despise those. Also, if a bunch of people get the same award at the same time, what makes it special?
“Also, if a bunch of people get the same award at the same time, what makes it special? “
Exactly!!!
Not having been a recipient of one of these awards, I had no idea that there was more to it than just graciously accepting it, that there was a protocol to be followed. I didn't mean for my previous comment to sound harsh. Yeah, I'm the kind of person who, even though I think about what I'm writing at the time, I still sometimes come back and wish to rephrase it.
I do that too all the time. I even wrote a post about my wish to be able to
edit my comments. Did you notice that little edit button? Me neither.
I am one of those clueless bloggers who is still working on links..but heres my blog address:)
http://www.singlemominacomplicatedworld.blogspot.com
Thank you!
Ok, that's fricken hilarious!! Good for you for being honest! I was so honored to get my first award, and I still get a little awe moment when someone gives me one, but I don't like to follow the rules and pass it on, blah blah, so I “forget” oops. You know, I've got a couple that I haven't done anything with, so now they are officially yours, so stop on by :o)
Okay, your closing was the best part of this whole post that was already full of greatness.
I'm so glad someone noticed that.
I am so glad that I didn't choose to give you an award when I recently received one myself.
Bitch. 😉
I love you too!
However, if I were going to give you an award, it would be for quickest response to a response ever. You win…
…you can pick up your award next year between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8:01 a.m. any day. 😉
I'd like to say I'd be there with bells on but I won't.
That's okay. I still love you, despite calling you a bitch. I meant in the nicest way possible.
I have to agree with you. These awards are particularly worrisome if you blog within a narrow niche, none of these things fit into your niche and if you do not blog about the damn things the person who presented you with the award gets offended.
On one of my older blogs (no longer exists) I gave myself an award and published the award along with a warning that that was the last award I would ever publish on the blog. That seemed to work as I never received another award.
You gave yourself an award and then told everyone that was the last award.
You are a blog god! Brilliant!
I've gotta tell ya. When I first started reading this I was shocked and kind of offended. But I GET it now. I guess I'd just never thought of someone not wanting to get an award. I can see if you've been blogging for a long time, it would get old. However, when you're new to this, it's such a huge motivation. Think Sally Field, “You like me! You like me!” Good post.
You should not be offended, and I wasn't singling you out but you commented
on my comment so I figured you “get” it. They are good for new bloggers, it
is a great way to connect with people and I thought of Sally Field too. I
love getting the awards, it's following through with all the rules. I feel
guilty when I get one because I know there is no way I am going to remember
to give them out, and I know so many wonderful bloggers there is no way I
could give an award out without possibly offending someone.
Thank you for 'getting it”.
Holy shit. I think I love you. I haven't gotten an award in months and I always say thanks but I have way too much shit to do. I can't post an award post unless they want to pay to make it a featured post. That's what you should do. You should charge them. HA!
Great post, that had to feel very freeing!
I felt the same way about these awards beginning with the second time I got one. I kept up dutifully writing little posts for the next few awards, usually sticking them on the weekend, so people wouldn't get bored of stopping in during work only to find me thanking someone else for saying they liked what I wrote, then I just started sticking most of them on an Awards page (really wish Blogger would let you make pages for things like this).
I've always been genuinely grateful, but passing them on (to 7, 10, 20 people??) just makes the problem worse for everyone. Once I started getting the same awards more than once, I stopped passing them on, and that was the best thing I ever did.
And, for better or worse, they've eventually dried up to a tiny trickle in the last year or so. We can all show how much we like each other by reading posts, either on our blogs, in our feeds, on Twitter, on Facebook… that's all you need.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with sharing a new blog with your readers, but is a badge necessary? Are all the hoops necessary? I think they turn more readers away and therefore the people whose blog you wanted to promote gets less exposure because of the whole meme/award.
Ha ha. I love getting them, hate passing them on. I'll add you to the list of people NOT to send them to, when I finally get around to posting them. I've only had some of them for three months.
Thanks Jen, I appreciate you putting me on that list, when you get around to it of course.
LOL. I don't do blog awards the way they're “supposed” to be done. If I get any in a week, I tack them on to the end of my Sunday Salon post, ignore the rules, don't pass them out to anyone, and simply spotlight the blogger who gave it to me as a sort of return-thanks. Then their blog can get recognition and I get out of all the stupid stuff that comes along with those awards. It also eliminates extra posts and stuff like that. Makes the whole process a million times easier for me without alienating my friends who like to pass out awards. 🙂
Too funny.
And true.
Unless I'm feeling needy, I pretty ignore the awards I receive. People give them to me, and I never mention them. Then they stop giving them to me, and I start feeling needy, and…well, you get the idea. I'm so dysfunctional it's not even funny anymore.
It's still funny.
Great post, I was laughing throughout! I love blog awards, because I appreciate the recognition and, as I am a relatively new blogger, it's nice to know that I have been “accepted” in the blogging world.
However, I too abhor the whole arduous procedure one is expected to go through in order to receive the award – tell us 20 things about yourself, pass it onto 15 more bloggers, email each and every one. But, fear not, I have a way around this. Don't do it! Simple, you just place the pretty award in your sidebar and disregard the rules, after all, the acceptance process is optional….
Oh dear, does this make me a really selfish and nasty person. Probably…oh well 😀
No, it does not. It makes you a rebel!
You're right. It is nice to get these when you're a new blogger. It really helps keep you going. But after a while, they seem like work and there are plenty of other ways to honor bloggers who you like. I say just mention them, link to them normally and don't make them do a homework assignment.
I rather like awards. It's recognition like a comment, or a follower, a tweet or a stumble. I hope what I write pleases the people who are kind enough to spend their time reading it.
I don't think awards or other memes should be followed to the letter. I'd rather pass something onto two people who will appreciate and do something interesting with it than the 25 people stipulated in the instructions. Answering questions gives me, as a humour blogger, the chance to have some fun.
Awards can be fun so long as we don't make a chore of them, or feel compelled by the instructions to do something unwise. I've passed awards along. Some have been appreciated, some have fallen on deaf ears. No one has complained, so far.
Sometimes the questions are a lot of fun, but they aren't usually. Usually they are the same questions over and over again I it does end up being a chore to come up with something interesting. I also want to say that while I am not the most organized person on the planet I do have an idea for where I want my blog to go during the week, having to do an awards post breaks my concentration and putting the awards at the bottom of the post, as an after thought doesn't work either because then they are there for eternity (thought I suppose I could delete them). I often send my blog posts to people who are interested in hiring me for certain projects, I send them the link to the post, the last thing I want them to see is an award show when I am trying to present myself as a professional (stop laughing).
When I first started blogging someone gave me one of those little awards. I thought it was nice so I posted it and passed it on to the required 7 people. I got emails from two people bitching and whining that I didn't include them. Then there were a couple of passive-aggressive comments from a couple more people. That was the last time I ever participated in that little game.
Wow, I've never had anyone ask me to give them an award. The first emails I got almost made me cry because I thought I had lost them as blogging friends, which I totally did.
See, you are so much better than me. I hate the awards, too. Except for that freakin, naked copulating Barbie award and I DO want to hear what hot guys, bloggers would shtup. I have a really small life, okay?
But, I find so many of them are rife with insincerity. I think many times, not always, but the majority do it for that back link. It's almost as insincere as the vile comment, “Following you. Come follow me.” And how many words of my post did you actually read?
I was reading a blog the other day where the blogger was anguishing over the fact that they were about to lose their house, that everything in her life had been turned upside down and was in turmoil because of this foreclosure. I went to comment and give her my support and unbelievably the commenter before me wrote one sentence, “I have an award for you on my blog.”
Because a blog award is going to make her feel better about losing her house?
I always thank the blogger graciously and then I have an awards page where I keep them all, with a link to each blog. That's it. I don't play any reindeer games. (Unless it has to do with shtupping Gerard Butler, then I'm in!) I don't award any bloggers. It's the only way I could figure out how to do it and still be nice.
Now, if I could only figure out what to do with the “I'm following you. Come follow me” commenters. I have a feeling you'll tell me.
I was just over at your blog reading about J so I am not as snarky as I could be right now. My heart goes out to him.
I don't know what to do about the following thing. I bury my google follow so low on my page no one ever notices it. I'd get rid of it but it's one more popularity contest and even though I am losing, it is still better than my feed chicklet with 7 in it.
What bugs me about these stupid awards is the requirement to pass it on to a certain number of people. Don't people realize that if everyone follows that requirement, eventually everyone on the blogosphere will have any award? Just 4 generations of giving an award to 7 other people will reach over 2400 blogs! They're ALL that great? Bullshit
Obviously they aren't all great since I got three last week.
OMC (for you non-felines, that means “Oh, My Cod!”) – ***paws clapping fervently***
Even though this is not about cats, I am going to make it my first Digg!
Thank you Sparkle, that means a lot to be your first Digg.
please do NOT tell anyone i said this, but i kinda don't like the awards either. it doesn't fit my theme to post about the awards, so i can't pass them on, all i can do is a link exchange really. at first, when i got into the blog thing, i thought they were cool then realized there was way too many of them. i even deleted most of them off my page. i think it's just like a way to get their button on your page and does anyone really click on them, i dunno…
I won't tell a soul. Promise.
HAAAAAAAA!!!!!! OMG Jen. You rule.
Period.
I hate awards too – HATE them! If someone leaves a comment about an award I click off the page really fast like it's a virus and I'll get contaminated if I look at it to long. Then I just whistle and move on, pretend I never saw a thing. No one can prove I saw it right? God, Babs is making my ass hurt with all her glass poo rhymes. I'm now walking around the house singing “Glass poo, glass poo, glass poo – I can draw a glass poo for you” thanks a lot!
I've been laughing my ass off about Babs and her poo too. She just sent me one and I will display it with pride. I'll award it to you if you like.
Love.
Lovelovelove.
From someone who will nevereverevereverever give you a blog award (as I know that they were originally started as SEO bait no matter what the givers' intentions now are.)
That's the dirty little secret isn't it? And we have all been pawns.
That reminds me of my very, very early days of blogging I got a notification
that I'd one a very prestigious award from some company and I was so excited
that I dutifully put the little banner they gave me up and everything.
Once I realized that it was just linkbait I was very embarrassed.
Of course, the first two weeks I was on Twitter I sent cheery thank yous for
the warm welcomes to all the auto DMs and thought you were supposed to send
everyone who followed you a nice thank you note.
What can I say, I was raised with values and manners. Harrumph.
I ignore blog awards. They're popularity contests, just like prom queen and senior class president. And I hated those, too.
I never stood a chance with either of those, but they always looked like a lot of work.
Amen, sister. I promise never to give you one if you do the same for me.
Deal!
Holy CRAP Jen, you have about a BILLION comments on this post! I am going to give you a freaking award for that! Cause I love you thatttttmuch! ha ha! I can't wait to see if you get any awards after this!
I'm pretty sure I won't but if I do it will be fun to see the reaction of people who read this post.
Hysterical! I was so honored when I received three in one week. Then I started to do the requirements and I wasn't so honored. The next time I got one it took me a month to post it. Then the third time I said Thanks but I'm busy and can't post it. I am a pretty gullible person but then someone gave me the sunshine award on a post that was ranting and raving about doctors. I wasn't very sunny so I figured they didn't even read it. Oh well.
I tried to thank and explain but I felt guilty doing it. How long could it take to give the award to some other people? It does take a long time and it takes up space on the blog when there are other more important things to talk about. The thing about the award is that suddenly the burden is on the recipients shoulders and if you don't do it you are one of those people who don't play well with others. It really isn't a gift if there are strings attached.
I hate blog awards too, but I am sure that will change once I receive one 😉
Sorry, my mistake, I don't hate you. 😉 In the future I'll try to show my appreciation for your blog in less annoying and hateful ways than by giving you awards.
Amen sister. Oy. I also feel the stench of having my head thrown in the toilet for a shut-your-mouth-betch warning. But I feel the same way.
When I do the meme (cringes) or the award I always throw out a disclaimer that I'm a cyber bad ass and I don't follow the rules. So I don't pick the next five recipients of the <del>chain letter</del> award.
And sometimes, when I want to be a real ruffian punk, I only list five things about me when they want seven. That's right. I'm a rebel.
Lastly, I also was given some sort of blog award that said the same thing — I'm an upbeat person who turns a frown upside down. And I thought, 'What the hell? Have you read my stuff?'
Oh I dread getting awards!! Usually the person is so, so sweet. But there are a billion rules that go along with it. I hate rules!!! And they are so complicated and confusing to my feeble little brain! We need to invent the Un-Award. Something like Let's Not Give an Award but Say We Did. And the rules are: absolutely no rules.
When I first started blogging, I loved blog awards and posted them all in my sidebar. Then I moved the badges into a “click here to open” widget. Then I removed them altogether. I don't think people are interested in reading a hundred blog posts about the same award/meme. And notice how the rules always include “link back to xxxxx”?
I have concluded that blog awards are just not curly.
I reached my saturation point with the last one because it stops being fun when it starts feeling like a chain letter.
That said, the recognition is nice, and there's no obligation to do anything with the award if you don't want to, although some take it more seriously than others.
You know I am LMAO!!!!! I have stopped passing them on because it so so time consuming to pass and link!!!! I finally took them off my sidebar and put them on another section. And now when I add one I lose about ten each time…seriously, it has done something to my blog!!!!!! (Or maybe I've done something to my blog but not saavy enough to know!) I am seriously thinking of deleting that whole thing! Now, I just thank people but the only ones I post are the ones that have to go on my poetry thing I do. So anyway, I have about fifty nonpassed if you'd like me to pass them to you…I'd only have to link one person, and I just KNOW you wouldn't mind linking up like ten blogs to each one and…………………..
Send them to Dooce and the Bloggess, they need them more than I do, no one
ever shows them any love.
I hate blogging awards more than you do!! So there!!…lol
I say we send them all to Obama and the White House who are doing such a “wonderful” job!
Let's box 'em up and ship 'em out!
You are truly a girl after my own heart! You've put into words my exact feelings. Amen sister! 😉
On a totally unrelated topic – did your feed change? I used to get an email when you posted something new, but obviously now I'm way behind because I'm not getting those emails any more!
I occasionally send out an email when I think of it, I just haven't in a
while. Nothing has changed.
Love your style! As a one who was born yesterday to blogging, I appreciate the lowdown on the award thing. Glad I no longer have to feel sad at not having received any. Sounds like a gigantic waste of time for those just out to get get get with little to give, giving an award and then asking you to pay them for it. Maybe we start a Boycott Awards movement. Content rules, not shameless self-promotion.
You can tell I'm a newbie because, even though I've registered with Disqus, my url hasn't been showing up in your comments. So here it is: http://www.StopBloggingAndCook.com. Just my luck it will show up this time making me look even more the Dork from NY.
This is funny. I was so happy to get my first award. I mean SOMEONE was reading my blog. Someone not in my family who I hadn't forced. Then when it was time to pass it on, I didn't KNOW 15 bloggers. So I felt guilty. Basically my award gave me guilt.
Now I won't feel so bad about just saying, “Thank you” and just moving on.
Heather, I can so relate to that!
It's also the reason why I hate the host a party push at the end of Pampered
Chef style parties. Even if I wanted to host a party, I don't know that many
people I'd feel comfortable asking.
I was tickled the first time too and I had guilt. It's not even a real
award. It's not like I can place it on my mantle.
Just for you, I actually signed into disqus.
I don't do blog awards any more. I do like to find time to talk about blogs that I love, but not in the form of an award.
Um, is it bad that I didn't even know who Dooce was until recently? LOL
Thank you for signing in, I know it's difficult and time consuming, I really
do appreciate it. I like to talk about blogs I love on my blog too and I
think they might get more traffic from a mention rather than from an award.
It's not bad that you didn't know who Dooce is but it is strange that you
don't. I bet there are only three people who don't know who she is.
Well. I guess you don't want that Cheeriest and Happiest Blogger of the Year award that I had intentions of giving… someday… lol.
I usually don't do blog awards anymore. No time. The hardest part was saving the award graphic to my computer, uploading it to *somewhere*, getting the html, and pasting it into the post. WHAT a CHORE.
Like Daisy, I also disliked that the blog awards always had a “link to xxxx site.” :-p
That was the hardest part for me too. I'd want to save the graphic but I'd
get distracted and forget and then I'd forget where the award was and it
just causes so much anxiety.
What a negittude you have.
this post is so good it deserves an award.
Most of the awards are really blog games to spread connections.
Is there a WTF FML award? That would be a fun one to pass along.
There is the Glass Poo award which I will be displaying proudly on my blog
soon. I don't really know why you get it. I had to ask for it.
What is FML?
I learned that one from my kids on Facebook – it stands for F— My Life used for those memorable moments like getting a flat tire on the way to an appointment and things like that.
I enjoyed this post. I only wanted to add that I have grown to particularly dislike the Lemonade award. Not just because of the washed-out graphic but because after having received it several times I've decided that it means, “Wow, I'm glad I'm not living your life, but I hope by giving you this award I'll boost my traffic.”
To be honest- I'm just too unorganized and busy to respond to awards- even the ones that are sincere. The sincere ones just add to my guilt in/box- which is currently full.
*”Wow, I'm glad I'm not living your life, but I hope by giving you this
award I'll boost my traffic.”* I love that!
I'm surprised I haven't gotten the lemonade award. The honest scrap one
doesn't thrill me much either simply because of the graphic. However the
Chuck Norris one was pretty fabulous to get.
I did blog awards when I first started out because I thought I had to. I haven't done them in a looooong time because I don't have time to fool with them and I don't want to burden everyone. They really stressed me out and nobody reads those blog award posts either. I'm tweeting this post.
Oh, you don't like chain letters either I bet.
AMEN!!!!
I was the same way at first—-loved getting them when I had all of 6 followers or even 40. Then I started to get annoyed. And I couldn't remember who had given me what, and when, and who I'd already passed awards on to….
I wanted to take this opportunity to let you know you have been awarded the Redhead's who Rant Award, giving once a year to the most deserving Redhead that loves to rant. This year the award is most sincerely and with much appreciation being presented to you, for all your fine work and most of all your thoughtful insights.
Because this award is only giving once a year and to a very specific niche, we do not give out an actual silly picture of an award, that we ask you to post. But it is necessary, that all recipients of this prestigious award must adhere to the century old tradition, which includes the following three points:
1, On the first full moon after the award, you must run stark nekid through your neighborhood singing “Single Ladies” by Beyounce preferably with 4 of your closet friends harmonizing.
2. Supplying one keg of beer to your favorite nursing home and having as many of the residents participate in doing “keg stands”.
3. And finally becoming a guest blogger on one of your favorite blogs, oh say Man Over Board and writing a dissertation on why bloggers who receive awards should refrain from trying to sell them on Ebay. Or any other subject you freaking want to so I can get 160 comments on one of my posts damn it. 🙂
I kid I kid (but not about the guest post)
Please stop stealing my thoughts. Maybe I should create an award for doing so? 🙂
So, maybe everyone in the blogosphere will read your Ranting and see all of us who'd rather NOT get another award as long as we blog. Then they can make a list and never give one out to us. I saw a button at the top left of someone's blog recently that stated their site was Award-free!! LOL And for people to give you the cheeriest, bubbliest, blah blah blah award apparently don't understand the word “ranting”!! You should create a button with Oscar the Grouch on it and state that “Blog Awards Stink” on it!!
I'm happy to receive blog awards but always hesitant to pass them on to anyone unless I know they kind of like getting them. Blog awards lately are kind of like those “Best Use of Chalk” awards they hand out in elementary schools to the kids who do nothing so they don't feel bad about themselves.
You said it, I didn't! Bingo.
Holy shit! You obviously hit a nerve with this post. lmao!! And not only am I late to this party, NO, I'm not reading 169 comments to see if what I say is a repeat. Deal.
Umm, there's a drink waiting for you over at my blog.
A drink is much better than an award. I will come by and pick it up as long
as I don't have to do anything but enjoy it.
I think you are on to something with the cookies. I would really like one right now.
This was genius btw.
Wouldn't cookies be awesome? If awards came with cookies I'd probably so
them… no, probably not. I'd go and get the cookies, enjoy them and then
forget about the award. But I would be very grateful.
You rock Jennifer.
quite interesting post
😛
cheers
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[…] Jen speaks her own mind. Don’t give her a blog award. They make her angry. […]
You're awesome! Finally, someone said the thing we're all too scared to talk about in bloggy land – the hated and dreaded blog awards! Now, do you know what I do with the dozens I received from other bloggers I usually like? Nothing. Nada. Zilch. And you know what? These same bloggers? They still come back to my blog, so thank the LORD! Seriously, maybe once I posted an award? When I was new at blogging 3 years ago? But now, I can't. I can hardly keep up with things as they are!
You're wicked! Thanks for this post!
It's the newbie bloggers that cause all the havoc and why we can't fully extract ourselves from the blog award snowball effect. You don't want to tell them you don't like them (the awards, not the bloggers) right after they gave you one, and you certainly don't want to hurt their feelings and we all know that anyone who has been blogging for only a couple of months is as raw emotionally as anyone can possibly get. Nope, it's best to nip it in the bud.
Lol. I realize this sounds hypocritical as my most recent post has an award on it, but I too hate blog awards. Is an award really an award if it basically works the same way as a chain email? No, I didn't pass on the award to seven of my friends.
See, don't you feel better for having admitted it? The next step is to refuse to pass it along.
Dude. Preach it sista.
This is also why I don't host at-home parties. You invite 16, 3 show up… but then you are on “THE LIST” for the 16 the you invited… They invite you to their 4 parties… 16 x 4= 64 party invites (give or take). And suddenly the 20% you saved… costs your retirement…
This cracked me up but the math hurt my head. I don't do these kinds of parties either, all my friends know I have a blog and well, they know better.
Sorry…and just when I was about to share an award with you….geesh….what a way to crush a blogger trying to rid herself of yet another award she's received….
This was too funny! Love your honesty!!
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awesome and funny
I know this post is super old, but can I just say –
thank you!
I’ve felt this starting with the second award I got, but never had the guts to say it.
I’m a follower and I promise never to give you an award.
I too, have been getting lots of these awards which being a southerner I have to be polite and say they are sort of sweet BUT I also don’t like getting them. I have NEVER passed one on…I once wrote thanks to so and so and so and so for all giving me the same award but that’s all I did. I never passed them on! So just now I googled “I hate blog awards” and your post popped up first! LOL!!!
Sometimes I’ll go to the giver’s site and thank them but I NEVER do anything with them and they don’t match my wallpaper or background on my blog so I don’t ever post them! LOL!
[…] … even blogging is not immune, with the proliferation of “best blogger” awards/memes/linkfests (I don’t participate personally and am not going to name specific awards; the gist is that you get nominated, answer some questions, nominate a bunch of others, and so and and so on, as the shampoo commercial says. Some folks play along, others, like me, just say no.). […]