Winning Contest Brings Unexplained Joy

Yesterday was such a fun day for me. In case you did not read it in all the major newspapers or watch CNN this morning, you may have missed that I won the Oy Vey contest that Mary Anne sponsored on her blog, The Stiletto Mom. I should step back to explain.

Last week I attended a training session for a traditional networking group I recently joined and let's just say, it did not go 'as planned'. I came home from that disaster and I read that The Stiletto Mom is hosting a contest for stories about people who have had a bad week or had something horrible happen to them. I thought maybe the incident at the session coupled with my new found 'poundage' could make an interesting post, so I entered.

Monday morning I checked on her blog to see who won the contest. Mary Anne wrote that the winner would be announced soon, so I went on to my business of writing and learning about blogging. Then, 2 hours later, another blogging friend emailed and said, "Hey, just on The Stiletto Mom blog and saw you just won a major award". This made me laugh because her wording reminded me of 'The Christmas Story' when the Father won the sexy leg lamp and was boasting to the neighbors about winning a major award. The really funny thing about it is I felt the same as that Father felt in the movie! I was so excited and wanted to tell everyone I know. Of course, I called my sister first. CNN reporters would have to wait!

Why did winning this contest bring such happiness and joy for me? I am not entirely sure. Perhaps, it is because I admire Mary Anne's blog so much and appreciate her storytelling abilities that to be recognized by her (and her contest judges)was a thrill. Maybe I enjoy competition and have some internal need to be recognized. As an empty nest Mom who sits alone all day at a computer with her puppy at her side, the contest made me really feel like I was a part of this magnificent blogging world. To tell you the truth, the happy spirited feeling is still with me, and for that, I want to thank Mary Anne and whoever thought of contests in the first place. You have brought a little joy into this nutty 50 year old woman's life.