can I just vent for a second?

I'm stinkin' pissed off.

I wanted to submit MPb to the webby awards last year (which really are considered the Oscars of the Internet)
but the only two categories I'd possibly fit in were Magazine or Humor.

There's no way we'd win against the Onion or any other magazine or humor pub that has a full time, professional staff.

A few months ago they announce the new categories for this year, and one of them is Toys & Collectables.

Not to toot my own horn, but I thought I'd have a good chance to get in the top five (five nominees are on their site, and then they pick one winner. Being nominated is almost as good as actually winning it when it comes to coverage and links and shit)

So I spent the last two months cleaning the shit out of MPb. Updating, reorganizing. Really trying to make it fucking as stellar as I could, with it being a hobby site I do in my free time.

I save up the money to enter (yeah, its a bit expensive, but that's to stop every fucking ICP-lovin' middle schooler with a shit site from entering) and finally think I have it ready to go, today, the deadline for entries.

BIG MISTAKE #1 RIGHT HERE: I pump this up in my head, to balance out the cost... if I did win the Webby, it would give some validity to my devotion and work to the people in my life that think I'm wasting my time, and it would be a big shiny star on my resume for getting future jobs.... dumb dumb dumb... (fill one hand with wishes and the other with shit and see which fills up first)

I go to register, and they fucking removed the Toys & Collectables category. I do a google search, and check the cached version, and sure nuff, it was there a couple of weeks ago. I call and e-mail and finally get ahold of a human being after a couple of hours.

She apologizes and says that they just up and decided to take down that category.

Maybe next year it'll be back she says.

I tell her I guess I'll save my money for something else.

She tries to get me to submit to another category... more specifically the "Product Reviews" one.

There's no way I'd win against the DVD/Electronics/Good Housekeeping bullshit review sites that have a professional staff and actual revenue.

So fuck it. I fucking poured my ass on overtime into MPb over the last two months, and now I realize it was for naught. (or whatever)

The upside is that my site is a little cleaner, and hopefully a little easier to use for both the people that google in, and my faithful regular readers (PS I love you all) and I save some money before the holidays and Toy Fair.

But goddam... way to piss in my cheerios... I can't believe they removed a category before the deadline.

And even if I didn't place in the top five I was curious to see who the hell were the best of the best in the Toys & Collectables category, and I would sincerely toast their success (over lots of alcohol... repeatedly)

Anyway, I'm done ranting. I hope the site really is better than it was two years ago.

I'm not fishing for complements or anything... but I needed to piss and moan a little bit. Thank you for being an ear. (or eye?)

I've been doing some drinking again (one part coke, one part Jack... I'm doing good now)

Yesshir.

Well be sure to keep entering the 12 Days of Christmas contest, that goes on for one more week (exactly)

Dreams do come true. Beefcake.

Happy Holidays
Mr. Shtinkhead
really is a sad, little man

Sorry to hear, Stink. That does suck that they removed a fitting category right out from under you, and without warning at that. If it's any consolation, at least your site is well known amongst figure fans despite the webby award.

<font color="#cd6600" size="1">[ December 17, 2004 06:02 PM: Message edited by: Cemetery Man ]</font>

Thanks Cemetery Man...

The killer was I wasn't even going to enter until I saw that category.

Augh... *pours more Jack*

Mr. Stinkhead

and another thing... the Blog category is still there... by removing the Toys & Collectables category, it's kind of like saying that T&C web sites aren't worthy... I know I'm over dramatizing here... but we now recognize blogs as part of the important internet?

Nothing against blogs really, but are they worth awards?

Mr. Stink

Quote:

---

Originally posted by mr. stinkhead:
and another thing... the Blog category is still there... by removing the Toys & Collectables category, it's kind of like saying that T&C web sites aren't worthy... I know I'm over dramatizing here... but we now recognize blogs as part of the important internet?

Nothing against blogs really, but are they worth awards?

Mr. Stink

---

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Blogs? I can't see how that can be applicable unless it was something newsworthy or really popular. I mean they couldn't just give it to some Missy Jane and her teen-angst ridden Livejournal featuring a Chingy background image.

...MPB is a great site, Mr. Stinky. All the undead and soulless in my lair love it. More than once I have been forced to slap them around so I can get on the computer and read it for myself. Even the Brides, whose attention span for anything other than consuming unwitting trespassers and the occasional stray animal is virtually nil, positively love it.

Seriously.

Keep up the good work!

I know exactly how you feel. I work in advertising and ad creative live and die by awards. It's how we get the credentials we need for better jobs and better, high-paying clients.

I started my own design and advertising firm years ago in the hopes that I could do the kind of work that would get me the big awards. But like you, I could never compete with the big agencies with their mega-bugets and huge staffs. It was a waste of time.

I finally got a job with an agency that does the kind of work that wins awards and two years ago I got a One Show (the Oscar of advertising). MPB is a great site but you're probably going to always run into the big guns no matter what category you enter in. Your best bet is to work for someone who has a better shot of winning. Take credit for your contributions and include it on your resume. (MPB is a hell of a great example of what you can do)

Awards always look good on a resume but what's more important is whether you have talent. And you obviously do. And that's what employers are interested in.

Sorry to hear that mr. stinkhead, but hang in there. You have a great site and eventually you will have an award.


[img]graemlins/thumbs_up.gif[/img] [img]cool.gif[/img]

dang that stinks
you guys are the awesome
i love your site

just think how much more kickass your site is now
ya don't need an award to tell ya how good it is
but hopefully you can enter next year and rock some butt

thanks all... I know it's just an award, and I don't need an award to feel successful, I just felt like the rug was pulled out at the last minute, and I saw it as finally a door to the 'big time'

Thanks for the encouraging words. I appreciate it.

Stinky

btw i like what you did with the background of the site

Mr. Stinky....I feel for you.

I too work mostly in advertising as a video editor. My partner & I thought that going for awards was the ticket to more business. Each year we've entered out local Addy awards and we do really well. In fact, we won "best of show" for 2002. Didn't help business much. The local paper listed all the winners but failed to mention the "best of show" winner (probably because they didn't win it). There are a lot of politics in local advertising too!

We realized that the awards really didn't mean much more than the wallpaper they had become. We just soldier on doing the best we can do for our clients and the word of mouth has paid off huge dividends for us.

We recently got 3 big referrals from a photography studio we've never even heard of. The guy had been telling his clients that anybody doing video should see us. He even has become a client himself for his demo reel. All because he "heard" what great work we did.

So I guess what I'm saying is....it's not the award that matters...it's the satisfaction of knowing you're doing the best you can!

That being said, I must say you have a kick ass site and I really should get over there more! [img]wink.gif[/img]

That does suck. I know it's not much consolation, but those of us that go to your site love it.

Congrats!
Those things aren't even in stores yet. (2005 real soon I hear)

Also, check out the new Stink Gun they sent us.

Honestly, this is one of those presents like a drum kit... don't get it for a kid that lives with you...

Stink Blaster Blaster

<font color="#cd6600" size="1">[ December 20, 2004 01:11 AM: Message edited by: mr. stinkhead ]</font>

that is the kinda stuff i would play with as a kid
don't see too much of that on the shelves anymore

that's pretty damn shitty man. pretty really shitty. sorry to hear it. i do enjoy the site and i have entered in a contest or two. keep up the good work and hope everything is cool. take it easy.

just an update.
I got official word that the category was pulled because of lack of interest.

I didn't think you could decide that before the deadline... but whatever.

THen they extended the deadline a month.

They are trying to get me to enter another category, but that's because they want money.

We'll see... I dunno. I don't think my chances are as good.

That chaps my ass that I wouldn't have had much competition though.

Ok, I do really appreciate you all listening to my fit friday... it was like training for a marathon and showing up that morning, with your new running shoes and fancy jogging shorts, to find out it got cancelled. (Actually I wouldn't know what's that like, I hate physical activity)

Thanks again for listening, and chiming in... I can get worked up when I'm drunk.

Mr. STinkhead

(I'd promise that it won't happen again, but I really hate breaking promises)

Hey Andy,

Just got the e-mail that I won the Stink Blasters figures in your contest! Woohoo!

Thanks man!

Fuck 'em. We'll start an Unreal awards kit (with a fee, of course) that you're gauranfuckingteed to win! Get Sculpey on it, I'm lazy. Your site does rock, though.