If you want you can chalk this up to my not being a part of the JIBs or you can accept it for what it is. But I growing a little weary of some of the campaigning for it.
I wish all of the entrants well, but for heaven’s sake go about your business and blog as you did before your nomination. Some of you are so far astray from your normal fare it is become necessary to throw you a life vest.
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The JIB’s introduced me to the Jewish blogsphere a year ago, and I am glad they did, but your post has hit the nail on the head.
I am enjoying reading the blogs I visit, whether they have been nominated or not. Good luck to nominees, but don’t loose the focus of your blogging.
Jameel,
Be careful, the JIB police will find you and force you to comply. 😉
Jack: Great post. I refused to put up a JIB graphic even though I’ve been nominated for an outrageous category.
When I did write about the JIB’s in my confessional MEME, I wrote I’d rather get the hits than an award.
Yesterday I got 260…all time high — so I’ve won my award already 🙂
Shabbat Shalom…from muqataland.
Hi Ezzie,
It wasn’t directed at any one blogger. I support the JIBs and have blogged about it many times, although the only one I remember was here.
I don’t know if this was directed at me or not, and I’m somewhat sure much of it is not, but I’m going to defend myself (and others) anyway. [I should note that I actually agree with your overall point, that it should not take away from our ‘normal’ blogging.]
First, I do think that I (and many others) who are interested in the JIBs are still writing the same amount of ‘regular’ material as we always do. I noticed a couple of days ago that my blogging rose to Jack-esque last week.
I’m also talking about the JIBs primarily because that is what they’re designed for: To expose people to the other Jewish & Israel Blogs that are out there. The set of posts I wrote last night on the Best Post category was to both show off the variety of good posts and to remind people that these great posts are out there to read. All of those posts are very, very good – and most of the ones I put as “Best” are among the best posts I’ve read.
I’ve been led to add so many blogs to my roll, at least partly because of these awards – and there are many others that I’ve read that I’m probably going to keep checking out once in a while. The same reasons I have for making the roundups applies to the JIBs – exposure being one of the more important ones.
In the end, though, this post is a wonderful reminder of what got us all into blogging in the first place: Actually writing.
Hi Gavriel,
I think that you said it well yourself.
Stacey,
I hope that you win and that you receive 10,000 new visitors a day.
Z,
Awards can bring out good and bad in people. I remember last year and they were wrong to accuse you.
Mirty,
I don’t know.
PT,
If I thought that you had changed your style or were acting strangely I would certainly tell you. Ok, you’re still strange but that has nothing to do with the JIBs. 😉
Ralphie,
Not only are you smart but you are handsome too.
I’m with you on that.
Jack, I would hope that if you think I’ve changed my blogging style as a result of the JIBs, you would tell me.
But since to date, nobody has been able to figure out what exactly it is that I do on psychotoddler, I’m not sure how you would tell.
That trivializes blogging for me.
I could think of a lot of snide responses to that but I think I’d better not. 😉
I wonder if subconsciously it’s changed my blogging.
The whole process sucks, too. I was nominated by someone I respsect and adore but was never even notified that I was nominated. What’s up with that?
Had the person who nominated me not mentioned it I would never have known. I have put nothing up on my site and won’t. Just doesn’t feel right to me. I don’t blog to be nominated for awards. That trivializes blogging for me.
I completely concur. I put the little badge up on the site but really only because I appreciated Shira nominating me. Other than that…I don’t want to be a part of it. Last year I was accused of cheating…and there were more than a few hurt feelings. I feel that a lot of the nominees move far past campaigning into outright pimping for votes. I applaud Dave for doing it but I almost think it would be better to just have the nominees, a badge and either a panel of judges or that’s it.
I don’t want any part of it.
I did share my thoughts here:
http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=7082887&postID=113428492315102902
Stacey: are you willing to share your thoughts? Just curious…I thought the whole thing was amusing so, as Jack knows, I wrote a tongue n cheek post about it.
I won’t rehash my opinion of these awards. You are more than aware of it. Suffice it to say, I agree with you.
While I haven’t really done any campaigning, you could still throw me the life vest, I could always use more of those (I’m hoping to get enough of them so I can rope them together into a raft).
I was briefly tempted to try some serious JIB campaigning but stopped myself (other than putting up the logo and some accompanying links) for two reasons:
a) Exactly what you said: I don’t want to lose my blogging and writing progress because I get sidetracked campaigning.
b) I’m not really a ‘Life in Israel’ blogger, so I don’t think I should win the category anyway.
JIB is a very nice thing for Jewish Blogs, bringing exposure and possibly new readers. But I’d like this spotlight briefly shining on our blogs to show new visitors the quality writing that’s so abundant here year-round. Hopefully they’ll keep reading even after the gleaming trophies are handed out.
Well said Jack.