i have written about the bloggers blog awards endlessly here on the blog (here and here), as well as a round-up post over on the talented talkers blog, but you know what? i'm still not sick of talking about it, so i'm going to keep going. because i'm mega proud of these awards, and not least of all because i was a) shortlisted in a category (wut), or b) part of the planning process (werk), but rather because it stands for so many things that are important to me; namely integrity and community.
hayely decided a peer-lead award was in order when the community was at a low-point. these low points happen, too often it seems, but there's always something really uniting that brings everyone back together, and refocussed on the bigger picture. maybe a wedding. maybe a book deal. maybe a new eyebrow palette. hell, whatever that thing is, is usually a big deal to a lot of people, and it is the kind of deal that ends twitter wars.
these awards were what this community needed to reignite friendly competition rather than out-and-out blogger warfare, and it was so flippen evident in the lead-up to the ceremony. when the shortlist was announced, there was an outpouring of love for those all nominated. new bloggers were introduced, and fast friendships were formed. gaps in the community were bridged with the dawn of a new common interest, and it was really, truly beautiful.
and it was all hayley. and a little bit me and little shaun. only a little bit, but i'm proud of that little bit, so i'm going to not be humble and take credit where it's due. talented talkers is a brand built on community. we couldn't do out jobs as well as we think (and we do think) we do, without being a part of the blogging community. i'm lucky enough to be in the community in two ways, so maybe i'm doubly lucky. or only half as lucky as i see the good and the bad too. either way, we bullied our boss into letting us sponsor the awards (basically pay for us to go and sell raffle tickets - and ~boy did we sell the shit out of those tickets!), and up we went on saturday to help hayley hand out the certificates, raise some money for charity (£314!), and basically, drink the bar dry.
did i mention i won best dressed on the day? oh, silly me. it was a nice surprise, seeing as i didn't win (or some second...) in my category, being beaten out by the wonderful jemma and sophie for top two positions. no matter though, because i beat the fashion bloggers at their own game! best dressed! me! hilarious. thanks to that i now have a goody bag full of ~stuff that i don't know how to use. yay!
the absolute best part of the day - and the thing i'll take away most from this event and what will now be my benchmark for future events, was the level of ~noise that came out of the event space at lambert's yard in leeds on the day of the event. we'd arrived early to finish setting up, and it was buzzing then - no doubt. but, come three o'clock when the rest of the guests arrived, it was an utter deafening pitch of squeals i don't think i've ever heard before. it was awful and awesome at the same time, and i was one of those noises that you think you'll remember for the rest of your life.
that noise folks, was the sound of ~happy bloggers. bloggers who were meeting old friends for the first time, putting faces to names they've known for ages. bloggers who'd planned and paid for their own trips to leeds, just to be in the room with a bunch of strangers they'd never really met before. bloggers who weren't nominated in any of the categories, but who wanted to be part of a day of fun and celebrations. bloggers who hadn't been promised a thing, and quite openly told there would be no goodybag or free booze, because hayley is but one human who doesn't have deep enough pockets to feed and drink a mass of people. bloggers who - despite everything else, ~chose to be at that event.
and that folks, is a rare noise that i ~do like to hear.
