Are y’all as sick of talking about this contest as I am? I know you are, but let me post this, and then we’ll finally move on with our lives. Renaming the blog would be a bad idea for reasons covered in the comments on previous posts about this. (That Robbi is a smart cookie, yo.) So, that’s out. Well, for now. (I’ll cover what’s going to happen instead later in this post.)
In the comments, I said something about what to do instead of this for a contest. Robbi asked me why I needed a contest. (She also said some stuff that made me the teensiest bit weepy, but don’t tell her because she’ll punch me for ruining her rep as a hardass, and her punch-hand, like her pimp-hand, is strong, y’all.) Anyhoodle, I was framing an answer for her in the comments, and I realized it was long. And probably deserved its own post. So. Here I am, typing it up.
The contests aren’t really about me. (Well, mostly they’re not about me. :grin:) They’re about…shit, I dunno how to explain it. It’s like I want to give everyone who reads this thing a big, smooshy hug and a million dollars.
First, because I’m incredibly flattered and amazed and grateful that anyone actually reads it ever, much less reads and comments faithfully; second, because I love every last one of you. Since I can’t give all of you the hug or the million bucks, a contest seems like a good way to give back, I guess.
You guys have been with me through thick and thin (okay, I’ve never been thin, but that’s another post, isn’t it?), through pregnancies (failed and otherwise), really distressing stuff with my kids, a hysterectomy and every other damn thing I’ve blabbed to you guys. I’ve had more support and encouragement and words of wisdom than any one human being has any right to expect, and I’ve been nearly overwhelmed by that at times.
These tiny contests might not seem like much when compared to Ree giving away Zunes or cameras or whatever, but they’re what I can do to give back to a group of people who give me so much every single stinkin’ day. Sure, a part of it is to encourage new readers to swing by, but the biggest part of it, the thing that makes me want to do this even if no new readers ever stumble through is true gratitude for y’all. (To Robbi - I know you weren’t dissing my contest, FTR. I’m just tossing out what’s in my melon. :grin:)
So. Given all that, the new contest is no contest at all. I’m simply going to gather the names of commenters and pick a name at random. How random? Well, Bill is writing me a sweet little random picker program thingy. So, pretty random, I guess. (He explained it to me, but I started daydreaming about hot Krispy Kremes, and that made me think how much I miss the South sometimes. Then I started thinking about how it’s hotter here than it was back home, and that made me realize I really do think of the Carolinas as “home”, and I got all weepy, and it was a mess. Don’t ask me to have him explain it to me again because I don’t want to cry, okay?)
How often will I do this? I dunno. Depends on when I have a little extra scratch to throw around. I’m guessing it’ll be once a month or so. Sunday, I’ll pick a commenter and give them $25.
Like I said, it’s not much, but it’s what I can do to express how absolutely thankful I am for each and every one of you. And if I haven’t said it enough (I’m sure I haven’t), I love you guys. Srsly.
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18 responses so far ↓
1 DeAn Blanton // Jun 13, 2008 at 9:15 am
OK..I finally decided to comment..your blog touched me so…I have been reading your blogs for months though I have never commented. Bill passed it off to me when he was still here. At first I was just looking for pictures or videos of Tricia(se is so cute) but then I started reading.You write very well!! Especially since I suck at writing I will usually spell something wrong, create a run-on or use a word the wrong way…I hope everything turns wonderful for ya’ll real soon. It was very brave of you to move back, I was born and raised just 5 miles from where I currently live. Mike (my husband) says I get sick if I get more than 60 miles away from Lancaster, SC.
Though I was trying to think of the new name for your blog, I will forget that now!! But you still do not have to enter me in the contest.
DeAn
ps I love Krispy Kreme donuts too and would miss them terribly if I moved.
2 Noel // Jun 13, 2008 at 9:25 am
Awww. Now I’m a little weepy. :*)
And FTR, we have Krispy Kreme here. Lemme know if you need a box.
3 d // Jun 13, 2008 at 9:30 am
That’s sweet dude. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again–you’re heart is way big dude.
And now I’m gonna say something totally cheesy, but getting to read your blog and get ting a peek into your life, is its own reward, for reals.
Oh and Krispy Kreme = Love
4 matteroffactmommy // Jun 13, 2008 at 10:55 am
*sobbing gently*
i love you something fierce. in a way that i shouldn’t love a woman i’ve never met face-to-face (but watched her video rants)… your beautiful words, the fact that you are so far from Judgey McJudgealot… i loervs me some St. Phanie.
re: the contests? i dig the reasoning behind doing them, and i know you realize that we are all here no matter what. :D
5 Robbi // Jun 13, 2008 at 11:54 am
I totally wasn’t dissing your contests, and I’m glad you took what I said as not being a bossy, know-it-all. (which I am, but that’s neither here nor there.) And your reasoning behind the contests is *great. I’d hug you, but .. well, you know.
6 Melanie // Jun 13, 2008 at 2:11 pm
Aww shucks. That’s so sweet. I’d be here without the contest!
7 Jane // Jun 13, 2008 at 3:06 pm
:::big, smooshy hug:::
8 Missy // Jun 13, 2008 at 3:38 pm
This post is made of love and seriously, you don’t need to pay me to read your blog. Not ever. *nod*
Also, don’t tell anybody…but sometimes I miss the south too.
9 San Diego Momma // Jun 13, 2008 at 4:56 pm
Man, hearing you say all that, I wish I’d been around from the beginning.
I’m just a pretty much newbie, starting with you in Feb., but I still love you with a passion that shall remain unquantified.
You’re one of the good ones.
Deb
10 Lindsey // Jun 13, 2008 at 5:29 pm
Oh, man, Steph, you make me laugh. Your reply to comment on the contest post made me cry, I laughed so hard. And if you DID have my babies, they’d probably look like you, because every baby that comes out of me has apparently discarded all fo my genes and used me solely as the womb for nine months. Ungrateful whelps.
11 myra // Jun 13, 2008 at 6:17 pm
i’m with deb. i wish i would have been there since the beginning. but you’re stuck with me now. group hug.
12 Steph // Jun 13, 2008 at 6:30 pm
DeAn - HI! I’m glad to “see” you ’round here. It’s like having a little piece of “home”. :) And don’t be silly - I’ll put your name in there, too. :)
Noel - But they won’t be “hot now”. We can get ‘em here, but they’re not REAL KKs since they’re not hot now. :sniffle: But thanks, man. I love you, too.
d - Awwwwwww! Thanks. :*)
MoFM - You know that I’m your #1 intarwebz
stalkerfan, so we’re even stevens here. SRSLY!Robbi - It’s okay. I know the hugging thing is not your gig. Tough girl.
Melanie - This makes my face super-happy. Crazy-happy even.
Jane - I knew I could count on you for some smooshy huggin’. MWAH! Also? We should schedule a phone a friend.
Missy - It’ll be our little secret. It’s the Krispy Kremes and Sonic, isn’t it? {{{Our lost doughnuts}}}
Deb - Newbie or not, you’re for sure one of the people who flitted through my ADD brain when I wrote this post. And you? Are so very, very one of the best ones.
Lindsey - Hee. Our babies would have to look like someone else ’cause nary a one of mine looks like me, either…except the mouth. I can’t breed that godawful thing out of the gene pool no matter how hard I try. Thankfully, on the little rats, it’s actually cute.
Also? Bill says, “Thanks for reminding her of her unabashed love of 80s music because hearing ‘baby, talk dirty to me’ at full blast NEVER gets old.”
Myra - You’re here now, and that is so beyond great. And sticking with my 80s music kick - I’m happy to be stuck with you. :grin:
13 Noel // Jun 13, 2008 at 6:37 pm
Weel. Then I guess you’ll have to visit me and we’ll just go when the light goes on. Mua ha ha….
14 kendra // Jun 13, 2008 at 7:26 pm
Hey, I gotta say that you are better than Ree. It’s just that you are real. She is becoming surreal to me. I still do check in on her once in a while.
15 Steph // Jun 13, 2008 at 9:17 pm
Noel - Careful what you wish for there, chickadee. I’m planning a visit to Jane sometime this summer, and I’m nearly certain I can talk her into a roadtrip. :nod:
Kendra - I gave up on Ree…woo, it’s been a while. I’m not perfect enough to keep up with her, and I’m not stupid enough to believe I ever could be that perfect. :grin:
16 Lindsey // Jun 13, 2008 at 9:50 pm
Bill? You’re welcome.
17 Eden // Jun 13, 2008 at 10:37 pm
Deb pointed me here b/c of a contest. I stayed b/c I found your blog very cool and I found you very cool. So were it not for the contests, I might never have discovered you ;)
18 Steph // Jun 14, 2008 at 1:33 am
Lindsey - Bill doesn’t appreciate chicks like us. He’s SO not invited to the island.
Eden - See? SEE? This totally validates the contest thing in my teeny brain. Because you? Are someone who gets it. Which is a huge compliment that doesn’t sound at all like a compliment…I should go to bed now.