I'd Like To Thank The Academy...

This year's UU Blog Awards were very dramatic and exciting! Thanks UU Updater, for getting the party started!

View the results here: http://uupdates.net/uublogawards/winners/2007

I'm VERY sorry that I didn't nominate anyone, and I'm glad others didn't slack off the way I did.
Thanks to whoever nominated me. I don't really know what the categories all mean (what "class" am I "best" of?), but this was fun, and I admit to compulsively checking the totals a million times a day over the past days. I couldn't tell my friends and family to help out on this one, because very few of them read any blogs at all. So it was you and me, gang! The big difference between this year and last year was that I actually asked for your votes, and you were nice enough to comply.

Here's how it all turned out for PB:

Best Writing Or Theological Commentary, Single Entry ("Squirming On Sunday Mornings")
http://peacebang.blogspot.com/2006/01/squirming-on-sunday-mornings.html
Best Religious Writing Or Theological Commentary, Best Of Class
Best Anecdote or Narrative, Best of Class (for PeaceBang's Beauty Tips For Ministers)
Best New Blog (PeaceBang's Beauty Tips For Ministers)
Best UU Themed Blog (barely squeaking by Philocrites, my own favorite)
2nd and 3rd Place in Best Minister's Blog (Deb beat PB in the final hour, but between my two blogs, I got 47% of the total vote! So I'm doing a victory lap on this one, too!)
Best Writing (for Beauty Tips For Ministers)

All of this competition makes me think about the community of bloggers we have all created, and how much I cherish and rely on your own voices out there. I don't read all the UU blogs (how could any of us?) and I confess that I haven't even kept up with all the nominated blogs. But for now, I'd like to mention a few of the many bloggers whose labors of love inspire me and keep me devoted to this conversation:

> The first blogs I read most days are Philocrites and Boy In the Bands. Scott and Chris are my mentors in blogging and have been at it longer and better than anyone. Philocrites is the go-to guy on all the big issues in liberal religion, and I have come to utterly rely on his news flashes and interpretation of important stories. BITB knows everything there is to know about the technical aspects of blogging and is therefore way over my head when he writes on techno-issues, but I love his posts on theology, history, public transportation, life in Washington, DC, and church life. His archives on Universalism are invaluable.
> The Chalice Blog makes me laugh and makes me think. She's a wonderful writer and I love the unexpectedness of her topics.
> I love The Journey and Never Say Never To Your Traveling Self for reminding me that the life of faith is a life of struggle. I think these two are some of the most sincere and emotionally affecting writers in our community.
> A People So Bold always issues a challenge and I love that I can hear Clyde's voice in my head, careful and deep, when I read it.
> The Lively Tradition gets my vote for Best New Blog. We're glad to have you back, LT.
> Unity and Yet Another Unitarian Universalist are my favorite minister's blogs about ministry. I vow to read more of yours, as I know I'm missing some great ones. Kitty, Thom, Deb, Sean... your names come immediately to mind, although I know I'm missing many others.
>Cutest Couple Who Both Have Great Blogs: Jess of Jess's Journal and Obijuan of Returning.
> I'm Listening! And I'm Rooting For You!: Jehovah's Fitness and Mom To The Left.
> Best News From Across the Pond: Reignite.
> Blog That Induces The Heartiest and Guiltiest Snorting: UU Enforcer
> Doug at Free and Responsible Search writes provocative, much-appreciated posts that I really look forward to reading.
> Chutney of Making Chutney and I wrassle a lot, and when I'm not fuming at him I love what he does. I dare say we have a bit of an evil twin thing going on.
>Blog That Most Often Makes Me Say, "You GO, Girl!": The Happy Feminist doesn't post very often, but when she does, she gets my fist pumping in the air. BOOhyeah.
> The Socinian is another who doesn't post very often, but he sure does give us terrific theological commentary when he's got the time. Even if I don't follow the Old English stuff.
> Jeff Wilson's perspective is always welcome in my comments. He provides a tremendous amount of helpful information in concise, on-point form.
> Humbles Me With Smartness Factor, And Way Over My Head (Or "She Blinded Me With Science"): Arbitrary Marks.
> Favorite Seminarian Blogs: Left Coast Unitarian and Perigrinato, both of whom should post more often.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: blogging has been a great boon for my manic tendencies, and has spared my friends and family a lot of compulsive e-mailing and calling as I go about my day in ministry. Blogging helps me expel all the extraneous thoughts that battle with things I should be focusing on, and sharpens my professional writing. It has been a great, positive outlet for the pathologically opinionated (c'est moi!) and the easily distracted. It has staved off the loneliness of my house many times when I come in from the bustle of being with my community, and it has spared the cat a lot of one-sided conversations.

So, friends... the cat thanks you, PeaceBang thanks you, and I thank you for reading and for being part of this pioneering experiment in communication, evangelism and virtual community.

Peace.
Bang.