Making Peace with the Mobbies

So--the Mobbies.

Via @themobbies: @baltimoresun's 7th annual celebration of Md.'s online communities. Enter #MobbiesChallenge through Nov. 11, vote Nov. 2-12, party Nov. 19 at @creativalliance.

The Mobbies are a pretty Baltimore-centric contest for bragging rights. At first I thought it was really a competition for the best in writing, insight, etc. And I felt that if I said one word about them I would look desperate or at least pretty cheesy. But over time I've come to see them purely as a bit of fun. As the weather gets colder and the days get darker, the Mobbies bring some over-the-top wackiness and good-natured competition to what could be a dreary time of year.

So, here's the deal. This contest is all about energizing one's fan base. Pure and simple. The blogs, Facebook pages, Twitter and Instragram accounts, and podcasts that do well do so because they have communities who are excited about voting for them. So in a sense it's a contest to see who has the best fans.

This year Village Green/Town² has been nominated in two categories: Best Suburban Blog and Most Influential Blog. And the Facebook page that I work on with a few other like-minded folks, "Oakland Mills is Awesome" has been nominated in the best Facebook page category. If you would like to vote, go here. There are a variety of categories, but you do not have to vote for all of them. You may just choose the ones you want.

Voting is from now until November 12th and it is my understanding that you can vote one per day per device.

At heart I am not an aggressive self-promoter. But I am proud of the work I have done here. So I'm sticking my neck out a little and actively campaigning. I'm allowing myself to get excited.

Let's make a good showing this year for Columbia and Howard County at the Mobbies.