It’s nearly here. The Irish Blog Awards are tomorrow night. Yikes! Is this what I signed up for when I began blogging? I think not.
I am rarely happier than when I am sitting down behind my laptop writing. The freedom I feel as I release my thoughts onto a page is similar to free falling, to cycling at speed down a hill or to ski ing. When I have finished writing and press ‘publish’, it is as if I have been holding my breath and then I suddenly exhale. I feel my shoulders relax, and I smile.
Even as I publish and know I am ‘going public’, I still feel anonymous.
However tomorrow night my anonymity will be blown away. Tomorrow night is the Irish Blog Awards Night. While I’m thrilled to have made it to the finals, I am sick. Not in a physical way, but inside. Coming out from behind my laptop is not easy.
It is less than twenty four hours away, and I am the equivalent of a child sitting with their fingers in their ears chanting ‘nananananana’ over and over, so as to not hear what is being said. I am in denial. I have yet to decide what I am wearing, and I am yet to take the time to imagine what lies ahead.
What I do know is that tomorrow will feature a large room, filled with bloggers from all over the country, of which I have met only one before. As I write I am taking a metaphorical deep breath. ‘All will be well’, I say to myself. ‘It will be a great night’, I continue, somewhat unconvinced. Despite my fears I’m sure it will indeed be a great night. I am getting the chance to meet with a large group of fellow bloggers who I have got to know online. A number of them are part of the Irish Parenting Bloggers group, of which I am a member, and many of whom are fellow finalists. We have had some very enjoyable online conversations and they have been enormously supportive collectively and individually to myself and others throughout the year.
Luckily a fellow blogger from mind the baby has kindly agreed to give me a lift. This is so fantastic because it means I can drink. I know I should be able to enjoy something without drinking, and yes I agree I should, but I’ll do that some other time I promise.
As for the winning or losing, I haven’t even thought about it. I suppose if I’m honest I can’t imagine actually winning and tonight as I sit here thinking about it my thoughts are far from the actual awards. They are so consumed by the ‘what the hell will I wear?’, and the ‘OMG, I’m actually going to meet lots of bloggers I already think I know… help’.
Maybe tomorrow if I have a moment, I’ll check out my ‘oh well done fellow blogger’ face in the mirror. I might even try a small variety of different ones. But then again I might just have a few drinks and forget my practiced face and just say ‘Ah feck it, robbed again’.
Whatever I do, you can be sure I’ll let you know as soon as I’m back.
Thanks again to you all for your continuing support and ‘friendship’. Wish me luck. Now off to try to find something to wear.
photo credit: Disney | ABC Television Group via photopin cc
My thoughts on a page. 
Have fun y’all. We’ll expect a full report on your page by twenty two hundred hours on Sunday.
I am so excited for you! How awesome to even be recognized for your talent! I know you must be a bundle of nerves! I certainly would be. Congratulations again!! I for one will be anxiously awaiting your return to find out the fun you had! Knock ‘me dead, girl! You deserve to bring home the gold!
Yeah! See you tomorrow Tric. Can’t wait to meet you and the rest of the IPB gang! 😀
Good luck, have a drink and enjoy the night!
It’ll be fabliss Tric! Those nerves will be gone the minute you step into my filthy banger 😉
Oh great. I’ll bring a towel to sit on! I really am looking forward to it in a dreading but happy sort of way. Not to mention meeting you! This time tomorrow.
Good luck and have fun!
See you tomorrow Tric!
Oh yahoo! Hard to imagine. I think I’ll print off the list of who owns which blog and keep it concealed somewhere as I still get very confused as to who blogs where at times.:)
Maybe I’ll wear an L plate 😉
Don’t worry a bit, it’ll be fine! I was at the very very first Blog Awards ever way back, before the current organisers were organising it. And it was hard to walk into the room, but honest to God within five minutes people were reading my name tag and going ‘Oh you’re Karen! Hellooooo!’ and off we went. I’ve since met other Mams online and now have a group of four lovely friends who I meet in real life all the time and are great pals. Also at the second ever blog awards, I brought my pal along with me for the craic and she met another blogger that I knew and they started dating. Then they got married. And now they have an eight month old baby girl! So the Blog Awards, whatever incumbent, is such a lovely lovely lovely experience full of lovely people. Honestly, you’ll enjoy it. So sorry to be missing it, but maybe next year!
Good luck Tric! You have my vote that isn’t counted! 😉
Hope you have planned a sparkly dress and an emotional speech. Make sure you give us a full run-down when you get back, huh?
Enjoy it all! There’ll be plenty to talk about anyway and if stuck re clothes, think of my Father’s wise words when we were in similar tizz: Sure who’ll be looking at you?
Best of luck, jx
All the best Tric!
got my fingers crossed for you, tric !
fingers and toes crossed for you, tric )