Underdogs Unite

Prime Real Estate - Act Now!

2009-07-16T09:35:00.000-04:00

When I created Underdogs Unite a few months ago, I thought it would just be somewhat of a message board to announce award nominations. I wanted to create a community of Underdogs like me who could help each other out.

Since then, I've added other features and even asked other Underdogs to contribute.

While I do love the idea of this site and have had a lot of fun doing it, I just don't have the time to devote to it any longer. Too many real life things going on - so one of my three blogs has to go. And this is going to have to be the one.

BUT - instead of just taking it down, I thought I might offer it up to someone else. Someone who has ideas for ways to improve and expand it (or just keep it exactly the same - because that's fine too). Someone who will have fun with it and encourage others to participate. Because at the end of the day, this site was never supposed to be a personal blog - a one man show. It's supposed to be a community.

SO - if you are interested, let me know by e-mailing me at underdogsunite@gmail.com.

If I hear from several people, I'll have to see if there is a way that you can have joint "ownership" (which isn't the worst idea since we're all busy - not just me). Or I could also hand it over to the first to respond, do a drawing, sell it to the highest bidder...(just kidding about that last one of course - unless someone really offers me money - because I can totally be bought).

However that works out, I'll hand over the blogger/g-mail accounts and the new proprietor can change the passwords.

I'll keep this offer open through the end of July. If no one is interested, I'll either take the site offline or possibly let it languish here unloved and unvisited. So it's up to you! Just let me know .

I'm still an Underdog - so I'll be one of the supporters for sure. I'll always visit, comment and even contribute if asked. Thanks again for everything - it's been fun!
-Kate

Underdog Giveaway: Brüno T-Shirts and More!

2009-07-09T15:31:00.004-04:00

Are you excited for Brüno?

Jeve is! (are? - not sure...there are two of them...)

Anyway - July's Gay Daddy of the Month feature also includes a giveaway for in honor of its recipient:

Grand Prize:
Brüno backpack, Brüno Face T-shirt, “Get Uber It” T-shirt

First Runner Up Prize:
Brüno hat, “Ich Don’t Zink So” T-shirt

Second Runner Up Prize:
Brüno Title Treatment T-shirt, “Nicht, Nicht” T-shirt

Entries will be taken through Monday, July 20. CLICK HERE for details!

Just Keep Your Hands Off My Meat, or You Have A Little On Your Chin...

2009-07-08T08:00:00.000-04:00

Hi! Pearl here. Join me, won't you, whilst I empty the contents of my tiny little head? I am a daily blogger on Pearl, Why You Little... but will also be here every other Wednesday until -- well, until I forget, frankly.

Enjoy -- and don't forget to use your napkin!

There’s a guy I know – we’ll call him “Wing Eater” – who’s playing with something he doesn’t know anything about. I feel like I should warn him. I have an obligation, don’t I, if I know the kind of trouble he’s heading towards?

I don’t recall when wings became so readily available; but unlike the baked-potato bar of the past, it appears they’re here to stay.

Now don’t get me wrong. I’ve nothing against meat on the bone. Some of my favorite foods come attached to bones. But there’s something about wings, something insidious. Something alluring. Something dangerous.

I didn’t always feel this way. There was a time when the promise of Buffalo wings could get me in a cold car on a cold night, when all I needed to hear was a word that rhymed with “wing” to put me in the mood…

I remember my first Buffalo-style chicken wing. Buffalo Wild Wing and Weck – also known as BW3 – was where I was introduced to the Buffalo wing. The sauce! The sauce! As the kids are saying, OMG! I told every person in earshot that when I died I wanted to be buried in Buffalo sauce, preferably in an air-tight Tupperware container.

Just burp the lid when I go.

And for the longest time, it was a treat. You couldn’t get them just anywhere! You had to seek them out, you had to have connections. Wings were not on every menu, not on every street corner, not handed out with new checking accounts as they are now. No, a good Buffalo chicken wing was reliably available at few places; and one of those places was BW3. I went. So help me God, I went. Like a deer to a salt lick, I went. Like an addict, I took to the wing in a finger-licking, napkin-abusing orgy of gastronomic indulgence.

My lips burned, my fingers were stained orange. I wouldn’t admit I had a problem. As long as I went to work, I thought, as long as I paid my bills...

Meanwhile, the bones in the garbage piled up.

What marked the end of my Wing Days? Was it when I started missing work, my sauce-stained shirts at the bottom of the hamper? Was it the tearful phone call from my mother begging me to lay off the sauce? Was it the morning I woke up on the couch, one hand on the remote, the other hand still in a bucket, my nails stained, greasy, chicken flesh under my nails?

It was all those things. I had a problem.

I joined a group. I found a mentor, and I got clean. Yeah, that’s my car with the “Sauce-Free and Loving It” sticker in the parking lot.

I was lucky.

But now, my friend – I believe we agreed to call him “Wing Eater” – he’s on that long, spicy road to madness. I need to do something.

I found this on the front seat of his car the other day, a scrap of paper suspiciously orange, the ink smeared:
Monday: Spring Street $5.50. Happy Hour 3 to 7. Ten in basket. Enough?
Tuesday: BW3 40 cents a wing. Bring change jar.
Wednesday: Mayslack’s 25 cents a wing – delish!
Thursday: Legends, 30 cents each – meaty. Bartender: John. Ask him about Packers. Ha ha!
Friday: Spring Street Bar and Grill again? Bartender during Happy Hour thinks I’m cute. Sweet talk for free wings????
Saturday: Grocery store. Buy wings for crock pot.
Sunday: Call Dad. Hint for BW3 gift card.

It may have already gone too far.

The Ultimate Underdog

2009-07-02T06:00:00.001-04:00

by christy

Hello friends, this is Christy, of A Lil' Welsh Rarebit, and fellow underdog. My friend Kate runs this fabulous site and has asked a few friends to pitch in with story ideas occasionally - here is my first try. Be nice!

I happened upon a blog recently, written by an American college student named Ryan - he's RUNNING across Europe - his blog is aptly called Ryan Runs Europe.

I think he's the ultimate underdog...granted, he's not running any kind of race. But seriously, is the human race really supposed to be able to RUN 1,800 miles? In one summer? Running continuously - about 20 miles a day? I think not! But he's doing it.

Every freaking day he gets up, runs, eats, sleeps, then runs some more. Here's his route:

AND he's a funny writer - so his blog is fun to read.

And the craziest part of his entire adventure?! He doesn't have a plan of where he's going to sleep every night. Some nights? Sure, he uses some couch surfing website. But mostly, he's relying on the kindness of strangers he meets along the way. The planner in me goes into hysterics thinking about this...

He's on about day 39 now, and I've read his complete archive. This guy is amazing - go read his post today - he says comments make his day.

And if you happen to know anyone who lives along his route, see if you can help him out. His momma will thank you - she posts comments on his blog all the time. Can you imagine watching your son do this from afar?

Christy also writes at A Lil' Welsh Rarebit and posts delicious recipes on her food blog What We Eat.

The Connie Diaries: June 1986

2009-07-01T00:00:00.000-04:00

It's that time again! Visit Connie over at The Young and the Relentless for:

New to the Connie Diaries or need a recap? Read below:

Teenage Connie resides in the diaries of Grownup Connie who writes over at The Young and the Relentless. We were first introduced to young Connie in August of 2008. Catch up by reading all previous entries (believe me - it's worth it), but if you would prefer the cliff notes version...

August 1985: Connie gets cable, decides to name her first child "Skye", falls in love with Donnie (although she does keep a "B" list) and also falls in love with Greg.

September 1985: Connie feels fat, has issues with Sally, has issues with Daphne, has a birthday, falls in love with Sean and falls out of love with Sean.

October 1985: Connie gets approval from Lola to go for Troy, asks Troy to go to the Sadie Hawkins dance, convinces her father to help her stalk Troy, becomes Troy's girlfriend (did I say "falls in love with Troy?" - a given), has her first kiss (with Troy - had to specify since with this one, you never know...) and explains "french kissing" to her diary.

November 1985: Connie doesn't want to kiss Troy at the dance (not in front of everyone), goes a full two weeks without writing in her diary, has a one month anniversary with Troy, watches "the R rated movie called Hardbodies," gives Troy a plane ride (in her dad's plane - not commercial) for his birthday, considers giving Troy a hickey and breaks up with Troy (Connie: falling in and out of love on a dime since 1985...)

December 1985: Connie has regrets about dumping Troy, decides that she has no regrets and starts dating Berto, communicates with boys through song dedications on the radio, gets a SWEET unicorn painting for Christmas...

...sorry - but that warranted a visual...gets her first car (with a back seat that folds down - yikes!) and makes it to the three week mark with Berto.

January 1986: Connie doesn't write in her diary for the first half of the month (too busy with Berto?), breaks up with Berto, falls in love with Donnie again, tries to set Lola up with Troy, stalks Donnie, gives up on Donnie and falls for Greg (again) and possibly Drew (he's new).

February 1986: Connie has a sparse journaling month, falls in love with Chase, falls ill (nothing fatal), gives up on Chase and falls in love with Oliver.

March 1986: Connie finds out that Ollie (a bit more familiar with Oliver since February?) likes Susan (an EIGHTH GRADER no less!), continues to stalk Ollie, gives up on Ollie, falls for Berto (again), stalks Berto, finds out that Berto only wants to be friends, continues to stalk Berto with locker notes, decides to consult the yearbook and find someone new (is there anyone left?) and continues to stalk and call Berto.

April 1986: Connie goes to a Dairy Farm (class trip), has issues with Lola, hangs out with the most popular girl at school, gets drunk on wine coolers, falls in love with Andrew and invents reality TV.

May 1986: Connie is shocked to find out that Andrew got into a fight and may have a price on his head (or may get jumped after school), rides her bike 10 miles to Andrew's house with Alison, is angry with Andrew for ignoring her and then makes up with him later at the roller rink, comforts Alison when she finds out that her boyfriend John's ex girlfriend is pregnant (by him I assume?), plans to date Andrew for at least three months, calls Whisper in the Dark "our song" (no word on whether Andrew knows this), got grounded for a month after leaving her sister Bobbi home alone, writes Andrew letters during her house arrest, and worries about Andrew not loving her anymore when he doesn't write back. (Whew! May was a big month!)
Can't wait to see what Connie gets herself into in June...

A Giveaway and a Closeout Sale

2009-06-29T09:00:00.001-04:00

by Kate
The Big Piece of Cake
Wishing True

Check out this giveaway on my blog: The Big Piece of Cake! It's open through the end of June:

I'm also running a little sale for some bags:

I'll keep the sale open until they sell - and they're going fast...

Have anything going on that you'd like to promote? Let us know at underdogsunite@gmail.com!

(Seriously - I promote my own blogs every other day here - I'd like to mix it up a little!)

Friday Finds

2009-06-26T08:14:00.004-04:00

By Renee

Hello all. Its Renee of But Why Mommy and Juniper and Coffee fame. Kate asked me to help out by posting a weekly column about jewelry, art and other goodness from the world of Etsy.

So for my first column, I thought I'd introduce you to a fun and Underdogish feature called Pounce. Pounce is a great way to search shops that have had a recent sale (some of the more popular shops) or shops that are brand new or have had no sales (our Underdogs).

During some of my recent Pouncing, I have discovered cool new shops like ooh, honey by artist Jenelle Madrigal. Jenelle says "painting eases my worries and warms my heart". These are some of my favorites from her shop:

Trees

Long Drive

Leaves

So check out ooh, honey or Pounce and find some Underdog artists of your own.

Renee blogs at But Why Mommy and Juniper and Coffee.

Underdog Giveaway: Lovely Necklace From One of the First Underdogs

2009-06-23T13:13:00.005-04:00

Renee of But Why Mommy fame is reinventing her Juniper and Coffee site, and will be kicking things off with a giveaway!

Here's how to win it:

1. Follow her over at Juniper and Coffee.

2. Follow her over at But Why Mommy.

3. Tweet about it. (for example: @butwhymommy is having a giveaway over at Juniper and Coffee, check it out http://www.juniperandcoffee.blogspot.com/)

4. Blog about it.

One entry for each of the above.

And if you are really ambitious and do all of the above, She'll give you an extra entry.

Just leave her a comment for each thing you do HERE. I specifically closed comments so that there would be no confusion about WHERE to comment for entries.

The contest will run through Tuesday, June 30th at 11:59 p.m. central. The winner will be chosen using Random.org and will be announced on Wednesday, July 1st.

Underdog Giveaway: Custom Painting of Something Treaured

2009-06-19T09:00:00.000-04:00

Today we're promoting another Underdog Giveaway!

Lara Harris of A Vintage Touch creates vibrant little oil paintings of lovely things, and sells them on Etsy.

I was particularly charmed by this tiny trio of vintage bathing suits:

As well as this old school typewriter:

She also has a little something for shoe lovers:

AND....

She is currently running a giveaway for one (and possibly more) custom painting(s) of treasured things.

Entries will be taken through June 28 and the winner(s) will be announced on the 30th. Click HERE for more details on rules and ways to get additional entries.

Good luck to everyone who enters and welcome Lara!

Today's Underdogs (06/18/09)

2009-06-18T09:00:00.003-04:00

Want to be an Underdog? Read how it works.

Introducing today's Underdogs:

I just loooove this girl. LiLu is a breath of fresh air. A very candid breath with a distinct hint of last night's debauchery - but so guilless and full of life (and sometimes strip clubs). She is a must read even if you are far too old to take part in her DC adventures (like me!)

Live It, Love It
Nominated for:
BLOGLUXE Funniest Blog - (VOTE HERE)
Why you should vote for LiLu:
Let's Get Our Kvetch On! Blogging Style...
The Age of the "Nice Guy": LET'S DO IT!
The One in Which I Am The Biggest Dork Alive (But So, So Happy)

Check back soon for more nominees who need your votes! And don't forget to vote for the 2009 Underdog Awards!

VOTE FOR OUR AWARD NOMINEES:

A Lil' Welsh Rarebit
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog about Stuff (VOTE HERE)
A Sweet Dose of Truth
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog about Stuff (VOTE HERE)
An Inch of Gray
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Be Different...Act Normal
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Hobby Blog (VOTE HERE)
BERNTHIS.COM
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
But Why Mommy
Blogger's Choice Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Classy Chaos
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Hottest Mommy Blogger (VOTE HERE)
Every Day I Write the Book
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Dunhaven Place
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Fancy Feet
Blogger's Choice '09 The "Blogitzer" (VOTE HERE)
Frantic Mommy
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Free Flan
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog about Stuff (VOTE HERE)
Hans and Shinta við Neyst
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog Design (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog About Stuff (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog of All Time (VOTE HERE)
Happily Ever After
Blogger's Choice '09 Hottest Mommy Blogger (VOTE HERE)
Insta-Mom
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Is There Any Mommy Out There?
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
John and Steve Are Having a Baby!
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 The "Blogitzer" (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Pop Culture Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Live It, Love It
BLOGLUXE Funniest Blog (VOTE HERE)
Pearl, Why You Little...
Blogger's Choice '09 The "Blogitzer" (VOTE HERE)
Reston Mom
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Rocksee's at the Porch Swing
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog about Stuff (VOTE HERE)
Scary Mommy
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
The Big Piece of Cake
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 The "Blogitzer" (VOTE HERE)
The Crazy Suburban Mom
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Through the Looking Glass
Finalist for Sego Lily Spa Blogger (VOTE HERE by leaving a comment)
Type A Mommy
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 The "Blogitzer" (VOTE HERE)

Today's Underdogs: Blogger's Choice '09 Awards (06/16/09)

2009-06-17T09:00:00.001-04:00

Want to be an Underdog? Read how it works.

Introducing today's Underdogs: Blogger's Choice '09 Awards

Hans and Shinta við Neyst
Our first International Underdog! (Not counting Canada of course, since it's attached - although Mexico WOULD count...hey, I make the rules! Live with it.)
Nominated for:
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog Design - (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog of All Time - (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog About Stuff - (VOTE HERE)
Why you should vote for Hans and Shinta:
You Know You Are in the Faroe Islands When...
All Things Faroese
Tribute Day!

Check back soon for more nominees who need your votes! And don't forget to vote for the 2009 Underdog Awards!

VOTE FOR OUR AWARD NOMINEES:

A Lil' Welsh Rarebit
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog about Stuff (VOTE HERE)
A Sweet Dose of Truth
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog about Stuff (VOTE HERE)
An Inch of Gray
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Be Different...Act Normal
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Hobby Blog (VOTE HERE)
BERNTHIS.COM
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
But Why Mommy
Blogger's Choice Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Classy Chaos
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Hottest Mommy Blogger (VOTE HERE)
Every Day I Write the Book
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Dunhaven Place
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Fancy Feet
Blogger's Choice '09 The "Blogitzer" (VOTE HERE)
Frantic Mommy
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Free Flan
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog about Stuff (VOTE HERE)
Hans and Shinta við Neyst
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog Design (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog About Stuff (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog of All Time (VOTE HERE)
Happily Ever After
Blogger's Choice '09 Hottest Mommy Blogger (VOTE HERE)
Insta-Mom
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Is There Any Mommy Out There?
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
John and Steve Are Having a Baby!
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 The "Blogitzer" (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Pop Culture Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Pearl, Why You Little...
Blogger's Choice '09 The "Blogitzer" (VOTE HERE)
Reston Mom
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Rocksee's at the Porch Swing
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog about Stuff (VOTE HERE)
Scary Mommy
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
The Big Piece of Cake
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 The "Blogitzer" (VOTE HERE)
The Crazy Suburban Mom
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Through the Looking Glass
Finalist for Sego Lily Spa Blogger (VOTE HERE by leaving a comment)
Type A Mommy
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 The "Blogitzer" (VOTE HERE)

Underdog Giveaway: Rocksee's 100th Blogoversary

2009-06-16T09:00:00.001-04:00

One of the Underdogs is hosting a giveaway (and no, for once, it's NOT me).

Go visit Rocksee at Rocksee’s At the Porch Swing to enter her giveaway for FIVE fabulous prizes.

You'll have to click the link to see what they are, but I will tell you that chocolate is involved...

Full details can be found there - but keep in mind that it ends on Thursday, June 18.

And if you do enter, tell her that Kate from Underdogs sent you (that will give me five additional entries for the chocolate, I mean PRIZES).

Auction for Carol - Only One More Day!

2009-06-15T00:51:00.001-04:00

I found this incredible story on Great Full Day last night.

Last June, Carol Decker had an emergency cesarean section after which she developed life-threatening hypotension from a septic pneumonia infection. During treatment that saved her life she had to have both legs below the knee and her left arm amputated. She is also blind. The already significant medical bills have added up and will continue to do so as she goes through rehabilitation. You can read more about Carol's story on her husband's blog.

To help defray these costs many donors have contributed to a silent auction. I just checked and there are still items with no bids yet. The auction ends tomorrow - and I'd love to send more people their way.

SO - I'm extending my giveaway for the FABULOUS custom Bee Gee bag (I don't know which one the winner will choose - but they're all fabulous, so I can say that) through midnight EST on Tuesday, June 16 (again - THAT'S TOMORROW!)

Everyone who bids on any of the auction items will get another chance to win my giveaway. I will match bids with entries. So if you bid on 3 items, you're name goes into the drawing 3 more times. If there is a bidding war and you bid on one of those three items five times, that's an additional four entries.

AND if you tweet about it or blog about it, or I don't know - whatever you can do to spread the word, I will give you that many entries. I'm not checking anything - it's strictly honor system for Carol. Just get back to me with the total number of entries you should receive by Wednesday the 17th (I know I just said that I'd officially close the giveaway on the 16th...but it will be midnight for god's sake - so give me a little time to update my spreadsheet - sheesh!)

Here are some images of the items up for auction:

I will be reposting this on all of my blogs (I know - I'm like the In Living Color skit about Jamaicans with all of their jobs - "I've got eight blogs mon!") Please, please, please do the same! Even if you can't afford to bid, your efforts to send more people to the auctions will be a huge help.

Now, I'm off to check out the goods...

Underdog Shout Out Award: Blogging for Sanity

2009-06-12T15:00:00.001-04:00

Here is Underdog Shout Out request #2 for this week. Again - I had to come up with an award (you know - out of my own head - which is very full right now and not as creative as one might hope). So AGAIN - I pulled inspiration from the blog title itself.

Lizz of One Nerve Left (subtitled: The Care and Keeping of One Woman's Sanity) writes about her life as CEO of her household and "perfecting the Art of Imperfection."

Blogging for sanity is something most of us can relate to....but the Underdogs Unite 2009 Blogging for Sanity Award goes to Lizz!

Get to know Lizz:

Giving "The Talk: NOT the talk you would assume

Plus Is A Minus

Friday Freakiness

Welcome to Underdogs Unite, Lizz! You will hold this award until 2010 when it will be up for grabs again. And I for one will be at the front of the line...

New Underdog Shout Out Award: Parental Paparazzi

2009-06-11T15:00:00.000-04:00

I got a new Underdog Shout Out request this week, but had to come up with my own award ideas. After one look at the blog title and graphics, it was a no brainer.

Ri of Mamarazzi: Chasing Liam devotes her site to all things Liam. It's like his own personal US Weekly (seriously - it's HIM Weekly).

So Ri, you are the official recipient of the Underdogs Unite 2009 Parental Paparazzi Award:

Get to know Ri:

Geppetto's Gingerbread House

I Call Them "Crêpes Internationales de Plaisir"

It Really Is All in the Packaging...

We Build Houses

Welcome to Underdogs Unite, Ri! You will hold this award until 2010 when it will be up for grabs again. And I can think of many other parental paparazzi worthy blogs out there...so this one should attract some competition...

Pay No Attention to that Man Behind the Curtain

2009-06-11T10:40:00.003-04:00

He just accidentally posted tomorrow's Underdog Shout Out before it was finished AND with today's Underdog award. Ooops! So ignore what just popped up in your reader. Today's Underdog will be announced later this afternoon.

Underdogs in Action (Including Giveaways)

2009-06-10T09:00:00.001-04:00

Our most recent Underdog, Scary Mommy had a fantastic idea last week. She's holding a giveaway and has offered to match blog award votes with giveaway entries.

If you vote for everyone in her list - you can get something like 20+ entries for a $100 giftcard to Sundance:

Underdogs being altruistic....we like that!

She also has two other giveaways on Scary Mommy Reviews. One for $75 in products from Smart Women

and one for an outfit from Baby Petunia

Make sure to drop by and vote for Scary Mommy's list (and if you ask - she may even add you...) Great giveaways, Scary Mommy - good luck to everyone who enters!

Today's Underdogs: Blogger's Choice '09 Awards (06/08/09)

2009-06-09T09:00:00.004-04:00

Want to be an Underdog? Read how it works.

Introducing today's Underdogs: Blogger's Choice '09 Awards

Scary Mommy
Nominated for:
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog - (VOTE HERE)
Why you should vote for Scary Mommy:
My Son, the Dog
Tips for Brand New Moms
Typing 101

Check back soon for more nominees who need your votes! And don't forget to vote for the 2009 Underdog Awards!

VOTE FOR OUR AWARD NOMINEES:

A Lil' Welsh Rarebit
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog about Stuff (VOTE HERE)
A Sweet Dose of Truth
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog about Stuff (VOTE HERE)
An Inch of Gray
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Be Different...Act Normal
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Hobby Blog (VOTE HERE)
BERNTHIS.COM
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
But Why Mommy
Blogger's Choice Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Classy Chaos
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Hottest Mommy Blogger (VOTE HERE)
Every Day I Write the Book
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Dunhaven Place
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Fancy Feet
Blogger's Choice '09 The "Blogitzer" (VOTE HERE)
Frantic Mommy
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Free Flan
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog about Stuff (VOTE HERE)
Happily Ever After
Blogger's Choice '09 Hottest Mommy Blogger (VOTE HERE)
Insta-Mom
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Is There Any Mommy Out There?
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
John and Steve Are Having a Baby!
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 The "Blogitzer" (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Pop Culture Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Pearl, Why You Little...
Blogger's Choice '09 The "Blogitzer" (VOTE HERE)
Reston Mom
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Rocksee's at the Porch Swing
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog about Stuff (VOTE HERE)
Scary Mommy
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
The Big Piece of Cake
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 The "Blogitzer" (VOTE HERE)
The Crazy Suburban Mom
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Through the Looking Glass
Finalist for Sego Lily Spa Blogger (VOTE HERE by leaving a comment)
Type A Mommy
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 The "Blogitzer" (VOTE HERE)

Today's Underdogs: Sego Lily Blogger Contest (6/8/09)

2009-06-08T09:00:00.000-04:00

We have a new Underdog who needs your votes!

Amanda (a.k.a. Alice) from Through the Looking Glass has been nominated to be the official blogger for the Sego Lily Salon.

She is one of five finalists and was accidentally left off the site for the first seven hours of voting. This has already given her a disadvantage since so many readers have already viewed the other nominations and voted (HELLO - Underdog!)

She needs our support - so vote for her HERE! (All you have to do is leave a comment on that post - EASY!)

Get to know Through the Looking Glass:

Lay Your Hands On Me

And Your Name Will Be Mark Martinez...

Birds, Bees and Vaginas

Welcome to Underdogs Unite Amanda!

Check back soon for more nominees who need your votes! And don't forget to vote for the 2009 Underdog Awards!

VOTE FOR OUR AWARD NOMINEES:

A Lil' Welsh Rarebit
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog about Stuff (VOTE HERE)
A Sweet Dose of Truth
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog about Stuff (VOTE HERE)
An Inch of Gray
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Be Different...Act Normal
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Hobby Blog (VOTE HERE)
BERNTHIS.COM
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
But Why Mommy
Blogger's Choice Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Classy Chaos
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Hottest Mommy Blogger (VOTE HERE)
Every Day I Write the Book
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Dunhaven Place
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Fancy Feet
Blogger's Choice '09 The "Blogitzer" (VOTE HERE)
Frantic Mommy
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Free Flan
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog about Stuff (VOTE HERE)
Happily Ever After
Blogger's Choice '09 Hottest Mommy Blogger (VOTE HERE)
Insta-Mom
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Is There Any Mommy Out There?
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
John and Steve Are Having a Baby!
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 The "Blogitzer" (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Pop Culture Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Pearl, Why You Little...
Blogger's Choice '09 The "Blogitzer" (VOTE HERE)
Reston Mom
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Rocksee's at the Porch Swing
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog about Stuff (VOTE HERE)
The Big Piece of Cake
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 The "Blogitzer" (VOTE HERE)
The Crazy Suburban Mom
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Through the Looking Glass
Finalist for Sego Lily Spa Blogger (VOTE HERE by leaving a comment)
Type A Mommy
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 The "Blogitzer" (VOTE HERE)

Today's Underdogs: Blogger's Choice '09 Awards (06/05/09)

2009-06-05T08:00:00.001-04:00

Want to be an Underdog? Read how it works.

Introducing today's Underdogs: Blogger's Choice '09 Awards

Heidi of Dunhaven Place
Nominated for:
Blogger's Choice '09 Hottest Mommy Blogger - (VOTE HERE)
Why you should vote for Heidi:
In Which We Take Bart to San Francisco and Encounter Danger at Every Turn
Restaurants We Love and Restaurants in Which We Are No Longer Welcome, One in the Same
How to Blog Yourself into The Looney Bin

Check back soon for more nominees who need your votes! And don't forget to vote for the 2009 Underdog Awards!

VOTE FOR OUR BLOGGER'S CHOICE '09 AWARD NOMINEES:

A Lil' Welsh Rarebit
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog about Stuff (VOTE HERE)
A Sweet Dose of Truth
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog about Stuff (VOTE HERE)
An Inch of Gray
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Be Different...Act Normal
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Hobby Blog (VOTE HERE)
BERNTHIS.COM
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
But Why Mommy
Blogger's Choice Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Classy Chaos
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Hottest Mommy Blogger (VOTE HERE)
Every Day I Write the Book
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Dunhaven Place
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Fancy Feet
Blogger's Choice '09 The "Blogitzer" (VOTE HERE)
Frantic Mommy
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Free Flan
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog about Stuff (VOTE HERE)
Happily Ever After
Blogger's Choice '09 Hottest Mommy Blogger (VOTE HERE)
Insta-Mom
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Is There Any Mommy Out There?
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
John and Steve Are Having a Baby!
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 The "Blogitzer" (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Pop Culture Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Pearl, Why You Little...
Blogger's Choice '09 The "Blogitzer" (VOTE HERE)
Reston Mom
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Rocksee's at the Porch Swing
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog about Stuff (VOTE HERE)
The Big Piece of Cake
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 The "Blogitzer" (VOTE HERE)
The Crazy Suburban Mom
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Type A Mommy
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 The "Blogitzer" (VOTE HERE)

Underdog Giveaway: Beautiful Bags from Bee Gee

2009-06-04T00:00:00.001-04:00

I know...another of my own giveaways... But I do have good ones!

Last year I was honored to host a giveaway on The Big Piece of Cake for one of my favorite designers: Brooke Galardi of Bee Gee Bags.

I featured some of her recent creations on Wishing True last week, and Brooke very generously offered to do a giveaway for me!

So come visit me HERE at Wishing True for a chance to win a custom bag from Bee Gee!

And of course anyone saying they came from Underdogs will get an additional entry!

Here are some examples of the options:

Don't miss this one! And let me know if you'd like to promote your giveaway on Underdogs Unite! Underdogs love a giveaway...

Underdog Flashback: The Connie Diaries

2009-06-02T00:00:00.000-04:00

What bigger Underdogs are there than teenage girls? Okay - boys too - but for my purposes, I'm saying "girls."

And one girl in particular sums it up perfectly: the boy crazy priorities, the groundings, the blue eyeliner, the overuse of the exclamation point...

Meet Connie:

Teenage Connie resides in the diaries of Grownup Connie who writes over at The Young and the Relentless. We were first introduced to young Connie in August of 2008. And life will never be the same.

No longer does the end of the month mean a new calendar page, a paycheck or even another month closer to death (too maudlin? sorry!)....It means ANOTHER hilarious boy-stalking installment of The Connie Diaries.

I highly suggest you catch up by reading all previous entries (believe me - it's worth it), but if you would prefer the cliff notes version...

August 1985: Connie gets cable, decides to name her first child "Skye", falls in love with Donnie (although she does keep a "B" list) and also falls in love with Greg.

September 1985: Connie feels fat, has issues with Sally, has issues with Daphne, has a birthday, falls in love with Sean and falls out of love with Sean.

October 1985: Connie gets approval from Lola to go for Troy, asks Troy to go to the Sadie Hawkins dance, convinces her father to help her stalk Troy, becomes Troy's girlfriend (did I say "falls in love with Troy?" - a given), has her first kiss (with Troy - had to specify since with this one, you never know...) and explains "french kissing" to her diary.

November 1985: Connie doesn't want to kiss Troy at the dance (not in front of everyone), goes a full two weeks without writing in her diary, has a one month anniversary with Troy, watches "the R rated movie called Hardbodies," gives Troy a plane ride (in her dad's plane - not commercial) for his birthday, considers giving Troy a hickey and breaks up with Troy (Connie: falling in and out of love on a dime since 1985...)

December 1985: Connie has regrets about dumping Troy, decides that she has no regrets and starts dating Berto, communicates with boys through song dedications on the radio, gets a SWEET unicorn painting for Christmas...

...sorry - but that warranted a visual...gets her first car (with a back seat that folds down - yikes!) and makes it to the three week mark with Berto.

January 1986: Connie doesn't write in her diary for the first half of the month (too busy with Berto?), breaks up with Berto, falls in love with Donnie again, tries to set Lola up with Troy, stalks Donnie, gives up on Donnie and falls for Greg (again) and possibly Drew (he's new).

February 1986: Connie has a sparse journaling month, falls in love with Chase, falls ill (nothing fatal), gives up on Chase and falls in love with Oliver.

March 1986: Connie finds out that Ollie (a bit more familiar with Oliver since February?) likes Susan (an EIGHTH GRADER no less!), continues to stalk Ollie, gives up on Ollie, falls for Berto (again), stalks Berto, finds out that Berto only wants to be friends, continues to stalk Berto with locker notes, decides to consult the yearbook and find someone new (is there anyone left?) and continues to stalk and call Berto.

April 1986: Connie goes to a Dairy Farm (class trip), has issues with Lola, hangs out with the most popular girl at school, gets drunk on wine coolers, falls in love with Andrew and invents reality TV.

What about May? You'll have to go read it for yourself.

While I highly suggest adding Connie to your reader so you don't miss any future installments of The Connie Diaries, I will make an Underdogs announcement whenever they are posted.

Welcome to Underdogs Unite Teenage Connie AND Grownup Connie!

Only Four More Days Left to Vote!

2009-06-01T10:00:00.000-04:00

Remember Shawn - everyone's favorite ex-model?

I know - how could you forget.

Well - she needs your votes!

She is currently one of the finalists for the June Spotlight on Mormon Mommy Blogs (seriously - this is one ex-model who is just FULL of surprises...)

But the poll ends on June 4th - so you have to act now!

Click here and then scroll down a bit on the sidebar to vote. There are no excuses for not doing this - all you have to do is click - no setting up accounts, remembering passwords, signing away the rights to your first born child...Just a click on Swanee Singer.

Good luck Shawn - we're all rooting for you!

A League of Just Us

2009-05-29T10:00:00.002-04:00

That's kind of what this is you know. Just us.

No personal anecdotes, no parenting advice, no celebrity gossip...nothing but award nominations and acknowledgement.

Sure there is a random tip on the odd giveaway (two so far), but otherwise, it's just a club really. A league. A Just Us League (and if you haven't caught on to the Super Friends reference yet, then I'm a little disappointed in you...or embarrassed by my own dorkiness...)

I started the Underdogs Unite site as a bit of a joke actually... But then I thought, why not?

At first it was about the 2009 Blogger's Choice Awards... But then I thought, why just that?

And through it all, I've only asked the Underdogs to do one thing: vote for each other.

Not everyone here is nominated for an official award - but everyone has been acknowledged for something. So if you are listed here or even if you just follow Underdogs, I hope that you've clicked those links (why not?) and voted for everyone nominated for the "real" Awards (again - why not?)

This is a new site and the only people visiting are probably listed on the sidebar either as Underdogs or followers (or more likely - both). So your vote, your click, your support of any kind really does count.

It's still very, very silly - this Underdogs thing. But why not?

Why not vote?

For us:

A Lil' Welsh Rarebit
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog about Stuff (VOTE HERE)
A Sweet Dose of Truth
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog about Stuff (VOTE HERE)
An Inch of Gray
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Be Different...Act Normal
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Hobby Blog (VOTE HERE)
BERNTHIS.COM
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
But Why Mommy
Blogger's Choice Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Classy Chaos
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Hottest Mommy Blogger (VOTE HERE)
Every Day I Write the Book
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Fancy Feet
Blogger's Choice '09 The "Blogitzer" (VOTE HERE)
Frantic Mommy
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Free Flan
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog about Stuff (VOTE HERE)
Happily Ever After
Blogger's Choice '09 Hottest Mommy Blogger (VOTE HERE)
Insta-Mom
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Is There Any Mommy Out There?
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
John and Steve Are Having a Baby!
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 The "Blogitzer" (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Pop Culture Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Pearl, Why You Little...
Blogger's Choice '09 The "Blogitzer" (VOTE HERE)
Reston Mom
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Rocksee's at the Porch Swing
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog about Stuff (VOTE HERE)
The Big Piece of Cake
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 The "Blogitzer" (VOTE HERE)
The Crazy Suburban Mom
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Type A Mommy
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 The "Blogitzer" (VOTE HERE)

Because (at least here) everyone loves an Underdog.

New Underdog Shout Out Award: Best Ex-Model Who Wears Lots of Eye Shadow And Sings Like A Rock Star

2009-05-27T22:45:00.001-04:00

Okay - now THIS one is next to impossible to fit on a button...

But I'm nothing if I'm not up to a challenge.

And I found inspiration for this self-claimed title on the blog itself:

What says "Best Ex-Model Who Wears Lots of Eyeshadow and Sings Like a Rockstar" better than an actual head shot. Especially one as bad ass as this!

Shawn is the face of this award, and you can find her at SWANEESINGER.

Get to know Shawn:

A Long Time Ago, In a State Far, Far Away
(who doesn't love looking at prom pictures??)

Don't Much Like Sauerkraut
(and you think she looks like a tough cookie now...)

Expeditions in the Front Yard
(yes, more pictures...what do you expect - she's a model!)

Welcome to Underdogs Unite, Shawn! You will hold this award until 2010 when it will be up for grabs again. So all of you blogging ex-models, caking on eyeshadow and blowing crowds away with your rocker song stylings - get ready to duke it out with Shawn next year.

And I must say, good luck to you...

New Underdog Shout Out Award: Biggest Technophobe

2009-05-26T10:05:00.008-04:00

We have an new self proclaimed Underdog Award today:

"Rivka with a capital A" from Coffee and Chemo, has claimed that she is THE BIGGEST technophobic blogger out there.

Luckily - her writing skills make up for this. Get to know RivkA:

Choose Life

Someone Else's Mother

10 Facts About Me

Welcome to Underdogs Unite, RivkA! You will hold this award until 2010 when it will be up for grabs again. Since bloggers tend to be more interested in writing that html code - I think you'll get a run for your money on this one next year...

Today's Underdogs: Blogger's Choice '09 Awards (05/22/09)

2009-05-22T10:00:00.002-04:00

Want to be an Underdog? Read how it works.

Introducing today's Underdogs: Blogger's Choice '09 Awards

I have to say - this is one of my favorite new blogs, and I'm SO excited to have it on Underdogs!

Great writing, interesting story and too many laughs to count...I smell a book deal... Well maybe in a year or two after they actually have the baby. Seriously - don't miss this one.

John and Steve Are Having a Baby!
Nominated for (FOUR awards!):
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog - (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 The "Blogitzer" - (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Pop Culture Blog - (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog - (VOTE HERE)
Why you should vote for John and Steve:
Baby Mama Short List
John and Steve's Sperm Battle
Clay Aiken- April's Gay Daddy
Baby Mama Results Are In!
Mommies to the 2nd Power
Having Babies is Still a Breeder's World

Check back soon for more nominees who need your votes! And don't forget to vote for the 2009 Underdog Awards!

VOTE FOR OUR BLOGGER'S CHOICE '09 AWARD NOMINEES:

A Lil' Welsh Rarebit
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog about Stuff (VOTE HERE)
A Sweet Dose of Truth
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog about Stuff (VOTE HERE)
An Inch of Gray
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Be Different...Act Normal
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Hobby Blog (VOTE HERE)
BERNTHIS.COM
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
But Why Mommy
Blogger's Choice Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Classy Chaos
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Hottest Mommy Blogger (VOTE HERE)
Every Day I Write the Book
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Fancy Feet
Blogger's Choice '09 The "Blogitzer" (VOTE HERE)
Frantic Mommy
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Free Flan
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog about Stuff (VOTE HERE)
Happily Ever After
Blogger's Choice '09 Hottest Mommy Blogger (VOTE HERE)
Insta-Mom
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Is There Any Mommy Out There?
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
John and Steve Are Having a Baby!
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 The "Blogitzer" (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Pop Culture Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Pearl, Why You Little...
Blogger's Choice '09 The "Blogitzer" (VOTE HERE)
Reston Mom
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Rocksee's at the Porch Swing
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog about Stuff (VOTE HERE)
The Big Piece of Cake
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 The "Blogitzer" (VOTE HERE)
The Crazy Suburban Mom
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Type A Mommy
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 The "Blogitzer" (VOTE HERE)

Underdog Giveaway: Gorgeous Headgear from Andrea's Beau

2009-05-20T12:05:00.002-04:00

We haven't gotten many of these...so I'll remind all of you Underdogs hosting giveaways that you are free to announce them here!

This is one from The Big Piece of Cake (me).

An additional entry will be offered to anyone who comments that they came from Underdogs Unite (this doesn't preclude you from claiming any number of other other chances to win additional entries - I've lost count, so I may as well keep going...)

So the Underdogs now have an edge on the competition (as is my mission here...you know, if I had an actual mission...)

Andrea of Andrea's Beau is giving this charming little pretty away to one of my lucky BPOC commenters:

AND the winner can select their choice of color:

Visit my other site for giveaway details, but here are the swoon-worthy images I included:

Good luck to everyone who enters!

Underdogs LOVE Being Tagged for Memes

2009-05-19T11:42:00.002-04:00

Actually - I have to admit, I've generally avoided memes since my writing style could be called...thorough? So really, a "25 Things About Me" meme translates in to "25 minutes of your life you'll never get back."

Anyone who reads The Big Piece of Cake will run screaming if I announce that I'm posting 25 things about me.

BUT, that said, Kelly from Kelly's Ideas (as well as I've Become My Mother) tagged Underdogs for nice short one. So I'm game.

I will post two truths and one lie and then you are suppose to figure out the lie. Since I'm not writing as Kate, but instead as the representative of Underdogs, this will be a little big harder...I'll have to limit my statements to the very short life of this new website...

1. I got the idea to start this site when a good friend nominated me for Best Parenting Blog. While I truly appreciated the gesture, I thought it was a bit silly since I couldn't imagine that I'd get more than a handful of votes. But then I considered that there were many more "Underdogs" out there - and that we could all vote for each other. Even if it just added a handful more - hey why not. We'll take what we can get!

2. The ever-enthusiastic Christy is the first Underdog to join as well as the inspiration for this whole thing. Her nomination for The Big Piece of Cake and her belief that anything is possible can't be stopped. She is a force to be reckoned with...

3. Anyone can join Underdogs - even Dooce because in theory, we accept everyone who considers themselves Underdogs no matter how "popular" we may deem them. But of course, we do tend to think of ourselves as the low men on the totem pole. Luckily Dooce has not contacted Underdogs as of yet, so we have been able to avoid any awkwardness there.

Who to tag now? All of the Underdogs of Course (both on the side bar and IRL). Consider yourself "it"!

Shameless Self Promotion is Fine if It's Warranted

2009-05-18T11:21:00.006-04:00

Since Underdogs are either unknown or under appreciated (or both), shameless self promotion can become a necessary evil or an occupational hazard (or both).

But I'm all for shameless self promotion if it delivers what it promises.

That established, I feel perfectly comfortable in shamelessly promoting the hell out of myself. Or in this case, my husband.

Chris just started a new food blog called Dad Can Cook. He is one of those rare man's man types who also has some rather uncharacteristic interests. He doesn't just love food - he also loves cooking.

Which is great because while I can definitely cook (and I kind of kick ass at it if I do say so myself), I don't particularly like doing it. I like THE IDEA of playing chef, but the lack of time, energy and pleasant kitchen environment (think cramped galley with few amenities) kind of kills any creative urges I might get to whip up a soufflé.

So back to Chris' blog.

He is going to talk about recipes and experiments, review various and sundry Food Network shows and their self-proclaimed gurus, and try to be funny while doing so. I say "try" because his guy humor sometimes falls flat with me. (I said he's a man's man type didn't I?)

If you catch his first post (today), click on the links. These really did make me laugh!

Want to shamelessly promote yourself? E-mail underdogsunite@gmail.com!

New Underdog Shout Out: Tales of a Misguided Mommy

2009-05-15T10:30:00.000-04:00

Shannon from Tales of a Misguided Mommy has requested a shout out for her sometimes serious and sometimes funny blog about "Peace, Love and Hippiness." At least that's what the tag line says...I think it's about edible toddlers. Or maybe I just couldn't move my eyes away from THIS:

I'm sorry - but if that's not the cutest thing that you've ever seen, you need to get your eyes checked (although I'll make allowances for anyone who doesn't really like kids - they can find some super cute pictures of kittens here).

Here are some of Shannon's best:

Journaling and Other Tidbits (this is long but worth it)

Tales From the Crypt

The Demons

Happy April 1 Means Happy April Fools JACKASS!

Welcome to Underdogs Unite Shannon!

Today's Underdogs: Blogger's Choice '09 Awards (05/12/09)

2009-05-14T10:30:00.004-04:00

Want to be an Underdog? Read how it works.

Introducing today's Underdogs: Blogger's Choice '09 Awards

BERNTHIS.COM
Nominated for:
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog - (VOTE HERE)
Why you should vote for BERNTHIS.COM:
Crazy, I'm crazy for feeling so lonely......
Working Out CAN Be Bad For You
Getting Ready for the "Big One"

AND - Jessica from BERNTHIS.COM is also an actress with a series of hilarious films described as "a neurotic woman's journey through her weekly visits to her therapist." You HAVE to watch these:

If Hitler Gave Me a Wax Job

Introducing My Family - The Selfish's

Pick me! Pick me! Pick me!

Born Stupid

Help, I Need a Pony

Does Anyone Here Speak English?

I Can't Even Sell Cancer

Genius. Pure genius, I tell you...

Check back soon for more nominees who need your votes! And don't forget to vote for the 2009 Underdog Awards!

VOTE FOR OUR BLOGGER'S CHOICE '09 AWARD NOMINEES:

A Lil' Welsh Rarebit
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog about Stuff (VOTE HERE)
A Sweet Dose of Truth
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog about Stuff (VOTE HERE)
An Inch of Gray
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Be Different...Act Normal
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Hobby Blog (VOTE HERE)
BERNTHIS.COM
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
But Why Mommmy
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Classy Chaos
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Hottest Mommy Blogger (VOTE HERE)
Every Day I Write the Book
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Fancy Feet
Blogger's Choice '09 The "Blogitzer" (VOTE HERE)
FranticMommy
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Free Flan
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog about Stuff (VOTE HERE)
Happily Ever After
Blogger's Choice '09 Hottest Mommy Blogger (VOTE HERE)
Insta-Mom
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Is There Any Mommy Out There?
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Pearl, Why You Little...
Blogger's Choice '09 The "Blogitzer" (VOTE HERE)
Reston Mom
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Rocksee's At the Porch Swing
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog About Stuff (VOTE HERE)
The Big Piece of Cake
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 The "Blogitzer" (VOTE HERE)
The Crazy Suburban Mom
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Type A Mommy
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 The "Blogitzer" (VOTE HERE)

New Underdog Shout Out Award: Perfect Attendance

2009-05-13T10:30:00.002-04:00

A longtime friend to Underdogs Unite (you know - for all five weeks that we've been in existance) has claimed another Underdog Award!

Anastasia from The Gift, promised to write every day for a year when she started her blog last June. While she hasn't reached the finish line just yet, we'll give her the benefit of the doubt. We know she can do it!

So congratulations Anastasia! You are the 2009 winner of the:

Some of her daily best:

Outsleeping Your Spouse

The Right Thing

Don't Touch

Welcome to Underdogs Unite, Anastasia! You will hold this award until 2010 when it will be up for grabs again. All you blogging teacher's pets will just have to wait until the next semester of awards...for now The Gift claims this honor.

Today's Underdogs: Blogger's Choice '09 Awards (05/13/09)

2009-05-12T10:30:00.004-04:00

Want to be an Underdog? Read how it works.

Introducing today's Underdogs: Blogger's Choice '09 Awards

Is There Any Mommy Out There?
Nominated for:
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog - (VOTE HERE)
Why you should vote for Any Mommy:
Just Another Moment
Tummy Mommy
Stop Theif
Just Be

Check back soon for more nominees who need your votes! And don't forget to vote for the 2009 Underdog Awards!

VOTE FOR OUR BLOGGER'S CHOICE '09 AWARD NOMINEES:

A Lil' Welsh Rarebit
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog about Stuff (VOTE HERE)
A Sweet Dose of Truth
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog about Stuff (VOTE HERE)
An Inch of Gray
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Be Different...Act Normal
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Hobby Blog (VOTE HERE)
But Why Mommmy
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Classy Chaos
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Hottest Mommy Blogger (VOTE HERE)
Every Day I Write the Book
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Fancy Feet
Blogger's Choice '09 The "Blogitzer" (VOTE HERE)
FranticMommy
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Free Flan
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog about Stuff (VOTE HERE)
Happily Ever After
Blogger's Choice '09 Hottest Mommy Blogger (VOTE HERE)
Insta-Mom
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Is There Any Mommy Out There?
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Pearl, Why You Little...
Blogger's Choice '09 The "Blogitzer" (VOTE HERE)
Reston Mom
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Rocksee's At the Porch Swing
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog About Stuff (VOTE HERE)
The Big Piece of Cake
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 The "Blogitzer" (VOTE HERE)
The Crazy Suburban Mom
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Type A Mommy
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 The "Blogitzer" (VOTE HERE)

Today's Underdogs: Blogger's Choice '09 Awards (05/11/09)

2009-05-08T09:30:00.003-04:00

Want to be an Underdog? Read how it works.

Introducing today's Underdogs: Blogger's Choice '09 Awards

Fancy Feet
Nominated for:
Blogger's Choice '09 The "Blogitzer" - (VOTE HERE)
Why you should vote for Fancy Feet:
The Little Things
More
Story-Sharing
Buried Treasure

Check back soon for more nominees who need your votes! And don't forget to vote for the 2009 Underdog Awards!

VOTE FOR OUR BLOGGER'S CHOICE '09 AWARD NOMINEES:

A Lil' Welsh Rarebit
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog about Stuff (VOTE HERE)
A Sweet Dose of Truth
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog about Stuff (VOTE HERE)
An Inch of Gray
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Be Different...Act Normal
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Hobby Blog (VOTE HERE)
But Why Mommmy
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Classy Chaos
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Hottest Mommy Blogger (VOTE HERE)
Every Day I Write the Book
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Fancy Feet
Blogger's Choice '09 The "Blogitzer" (VOTE HERE)
FranticMommy
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Free Flan
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog about Stuff (VOTE HERE)
Happily Ever After
Blogger's Choice '09 Hottest Mommy Blogger (VOTE HERE)
Insta-Mom
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Pearl, Why You Little...
Blogger's Choice '09 The "Blogitzer" (VOTE HERE)
Reston Mom
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Rocksee's At the Porch Swing
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog About Stuff (VOTE HERE)
The Big Piece of Cake
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 The "Blogitzer" (VOTE HERE)
The Crazy Suburban Mom
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Type A Mommy
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 The "Blogitzer" (VOTE HERE)

Underdog Pass it On Award: Strength & Courage

2009-05-06T22:21:00.012-04:00

There are so many strong and courageous people in the world, and we meet many of them online. These people have stories of tragedy, obstacles, hardship and sometimes sorrow - and they choose to share them with us.

I don't know about you, but I am honored by this.

I have had the pleasure of actually meeting one of these online friends, and she is just as lovely and charming in person as she is in her writing. Katie Terry from My Hotwheels has been in a wheelchair since a car accident seven years ago.

Right after the accident she discovered that she was pregnant with her second child. Since then, she has raised two kids as a single mom, taken up competitive handcycling, skied, revisited her former favorite school sport (a huge part of her college identity) with wheelchair basketball, water skied, continued to join her family for all outdoor activities like hardcore sledding and mountain water sliding, and still manages to look like a teenager when she rocks her bikini at the beach.

Sports and adventure are a huge part of Katie's life, and she hasn't let anything silly like a wheelchair get in the way of that!

We meet people like Katie online every day. People who face life changing challenges and find the strength and courage to keep going, continue to do the things they love and never let anything break their spirit. They make anything seem possible - and I think they deserve an Underdogs award since really - they are the biggest Underdog heroes out there.

Since Katie was the inspiration for this award, we're giving it to her. And she can pass it on at anytime. This award is available to anyone who deserves it. No voting, and no relinquishing - this is one to keep.

Just one rule: anyone who gets the award must link back to this post on Underdogs when they display it. But that's it - otherwise, it's up for grabs - so feel free to pass it on to anyone!

Welcome to Underdogs Unite Katie!

New Underdog Shout Out Award: Most Likely to Hope You're Laughing WITH Me

2009-05-06T10:30:00.002-04:00

We got another shout out request - this time NOT from an Eskimo though... It's a DC area mommy blogger (hope she's okay with that term): Not-Ever-Still Life with Girls. "Not-Ever-Still" writes about life as a working mom with two girls born between January 2006 and December 2007 (another baby buncher!).

Since she mainly writes about her girls, Not-Ever-Still felt that she would be the best candidate for the "Most Likely to Write an Innocent Post that Draws Twice as Many Pervs as Regular Readers" (apparently "girls" is a popular search item...) But that wouldn't fit well on a button. So we compromised with:

Some examples of why she's laughing:

The Call of the Wild

That Shower Fresh Feeling

Ravages

Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice, That's What Little Girls Are Made Of

Welcome to Underdogs Unite, Not-Ever-Still! You are the 2009 Recipient of the Most Likely to Hope You're Laughing WITH Me award - and will hold this honor until 2010 when it will become up for grabs again.

That's right - I just made up a new rule. All awards (including self claimed ones) will be open to public voting the following year. So that means we'll also be opening up The Blog with the Eskimosist up for public competition... So get ready for a fight Eskimo Bob!

Today's Underdogs: Blogger's Choice '09 Awards (05/05/09)

2009-05-05T10:30:00.005-04:00

Want to be an Underdog? Read how it works.

Introducing today's Underdogs: Blogger's Choice '09 Awards

Classy Chaos
Nominated for:
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog - (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Hottest Mommy Blogger - (VOTE HERE)
Why you should vote for Classy Chaos:
Best Parenting Blog
The phone. The phone is ringing.
At least they have clean hands and I have my bon-bons. I rock at motherhood!
Life's Hiccups: annoying but necessary
Hottest Mommy Blogger
SAHM by day. Superstar by night.
Striving to get more people to stand up on their counter tops. One person at a time.

A Sweet Dose of Truth
Nominated for:
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog About Stuff - (VOTE HERE)
Why you should vote for A Sweet Dose of Truth:
The Grass is So Green, It's Flourescent
It's Not You, It's Me
Dear Mrs. Jones
He's Just That Into Me

Check back soon for more nominees who need your votes! And don't forget to vote for the 2009 Underdog Awards!

VOTE FOR OUR BLOGGER'S CHOICE '09 AWARD NOMINEES:

A Lil' Welsh Rarebit
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog about Stuff (VOTE HERE)
A Sweet Dose of Truth
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog about Stuff (VOTE HERE)
An Inch of Gray
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Be Different...Act Normal
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Hobby Blog (VOTE HERE)
But Why Mommmy
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Classy Chaos
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Hottest Mommy Blogger (VOTE HERE)
Every Day I Write the Book
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
FranticMommy
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Free Flan
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog about Stuff (VOTE HERE)
Happily Ever After
Blogger's Choice '09 Hottest Mommy Blogger (VOTE HERE)
Insta-Mom
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Pearl, Why You Little...
Blogger's Choice '09 Blogitzer (VOTE HERE)
Reston Mom
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Rocksee's At the Porch Swing
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog About Stuff (VOTE HERE)
The Big Piece of Cake
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Blogitzer (VOTE HERE)
The Crazy Suburban Mom
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Type A Mommy
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Blogitzer (VOTE HERE)

2009 Underdog Awards Announced

2009-05-04T09:30:00.002-04:00

And now the moment that you've all been waiting for! The official 2009 Underdog Awards are open for nominations.

And they are:

1. Most Prolific Poster

2. Most Enthusiastic Commenter

3. Most Likely to Become a "Famous" Blogger (whatever that means)

4. Most Likely to Gain 500 Followers After Threatening to Stop Blogging OR After a Major Blog Scandal (whatever that means)

5. Most Likely to Get Drunk and/or Cry within the First Five Minutes of BlogHer (or at home during the week of BlogHer)

6. Most Confusing Aliases for Family Members

7. Most Likely to Overuse the Term "Hubby," "Hubs," or Something Even Cuter

8. Most TMI

9. Most Mommy TMI

10. Worst Potty Mouth

11. Best Accent

12. Most Likly to Make Spellings Errors in Coments

13. Most Blatantly Asking for an Award

14. Most Pathalogical Stalker

And we're stopping there. Because quite honestly - who knows if anyone will even nominate themselves for any of them. Will the stalkers really out themselves? Only time will tell...

SO - how to enter and vote...

The process is incredibly simple. No need to create an account, no passwords, no red tape of any kind!

To nominate a site for one of these awards (and YES you can nominate yourself), just send an e-mail to underdogsunite@gmail.com.

A daily* post will include all of the nominees.

To vote for one of the nominees, just send an e-mail to underdogsunite@gmail.com.

All votes will be placed and tallied in a highly sophisticated Excel spreadsheet. Yes - that's right, the Underdogs are nothing if we're not on the cutting edge of technology. All I have to say is that my fourteen years as an office drone are FINALLY paying off.

So let the voting begin! We'll keep this open through the summer. Or until it gets really tedious and everyone is sick of it. You know - whichever comes first.

So send in those nominations and votes! Otherwise this will be an embarrassing waste of time - which would technically be in keeping with the whole underdog theme... But we can change that! Right here. Right now. One vote at a time.

*"Daily" can be loosely interpreted as every day. Or every other day. Or maybe once in a week if things are really busy at the office. So don't have any unrealistic expectations for my use of the word "daily." Seriously - I'm an Underdog - not Wonder Woman.

Today's Underdogs (05/01/09)

2009-05-01T10:30:00.004-04:00

Want to be an Underdog? Read how it works.

Introducing today's Underdog:

Type A Mommy
Nominated for:
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog - (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Blogitzer - (VOTE HERE)
Why you should vote for Type A Mommy:
Best Parenting Blog
The Worst Diaper Rash Ever
Dear Jardine...
Wow, Sometimes I Amaze Myself
Blogitzer
I Have...an Addiction
Top 5 Reasons to Have a Dog (Instead of a Cat)
What Else Did My Mother Dictate in My Life?

Check back soon for more new Underdogs!

VOTE FOR:

A Lil' Welsh Rarebit
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog about Stuff (VOTE HERE)
An Inch of Gray
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Be Different...Act Normal
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Hobby Blog (VOTE HERE)
But Why Mommmy
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Every Day I Write the Book
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
FranticMommy
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Free Flan
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog about Stuff (VOTE HERE)
Happily Ever After
Blogger's Choice '09 Hottest Mommy Blogger (VOTE HERE)
Insta-Mom
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Pearl, Why You Little...
Blogger's Choice '09 Blogitzer (VOTE HERE)
Reston Mom
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Rocksee's At the Porch Swing
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog About Stuff (VOTE HERE)
The Big Piece of Cake
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Blogitzer (VOTE HERE)
The Crazy Suburban Mom
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Type A Mommy
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Blogitzer (VOTE HERE)

Today's Underdogs (04/30/09)

2009-04-30T10:03:00.003-04:00

Want to be an Underdog? Read how it works.

Introducing today's Underdog:

The Crazy Suburban Mom
Nominated for:
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog - (VOTE HERE)
Why you should vote for The Crazy Suburban Mom:
I Was Told That I Was a Weird Pregnant Woman Because...
Want to Drive a Crazy Mom Crazier? #1
A Strange Mix of Wonder and Shame...

Check back soon for more new Underdogs!

VOTE FOR:

A Lil' Welsh Rarebit
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog about Stuff (VOTE HERE)
An Inch of Gray
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Be Different...Act Normal
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Hobby Blog (VOTE HERE)
But Why Mommmy
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Every Day I Write the Book
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
FranticMommy
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Free Flan
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog about Stuff (VOTE HERE)
Happily Ever After
Blogger's Choice '09 Hottest Mommy Blogger (VOTE HERE)
Insta-Mom
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Pearl, Why You Little...
Blogger's Choice '09 Blogitzer (VOTE HERE)
Reston Mom
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Rocksee's At the Porch Swing
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog About Stuff (VOTE HERE)
The Crazy Suburban Mom
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
The Big Piece of Cake
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Blogitzer (VOTE HERE)

The 2009 Underdog Awards

2009-04-29T09:50:00.000-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, I started talking about adding some Underdog-specific Awards to this site. A League of Our Own, so to speak...

So I've been trying to come up with award ideas.

Pearl gave me some suggestions when she signed on as an Underdog last week: "Most Likely to Re-Offend, Mostly Likely to Stalk, Best Use of Spell Check, Most Obviously in Violation..." and "don't forget Most Likely to Post Nekkid." I think she's a genius.

Here are the ones I made up:

Most Prolific Poster

Most Likely to Tag Dooce for a Meme

Most Self-Congratulatory Parenting Advice

Most Enthusiastic Commenter

Most Likely to Become a "Famous" Blogger (whatever that means)

Most Likely to Gain 500 Followers After Threatening to Stop Blogging OR After a Major Blog Scandal (whatever that means)

Most Likely to Get Drunk and/or Cry within the First Five Minutes of BlogHer (or at home during the week of BlogHer)

Most Confusing Aliases for Family Members

Most Likely to Overuse the Term "Hubby," "Hubs," or Something Even Cuter

Most TMI

Worst Potty Mouth

Best Accent

Best Hair

Best Dancer

Best Dressed

Too snarky? (That's a question - not an award.)

Am I forgetting anything? Suggestions are welcome. Just comment or e-mail me at underdogsunite@gmail.com.

I'll get this organized by next week, so stay tuned for more details. In the meantime - don't forget to VOTE for each other (you know - for the real awards) and send more Underdogs this way.

Anything goes here - so if you want to promote anything (including yourself), just let me know!

Today's Underdogs (04/28/09)

2009-04-28T20:29:00.004-04:00

Want to be an Underdog? Read how it works.

Introducing today's Underdog:

Be Different...Act Normal
Nominated for:
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Hobby Blog - (VOTE HERE)
Why you should vote for Be Different...Act Normal:
Summer Drink Garnish
What Color Are Your Dressers?
Pretty Pots

Check back soon for more new Underdogs!

VOTE FOR:

A Lil' Welsh Rarebit
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog about Stuff (VOTE HERE)
An Inch of Gray
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Be Different...Act Normal
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Hobby Blog (VOTE HERE)
But Why Mommmy
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Every Day I Write the Book
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
FranticMommy
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Free Flan
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog about Stuff (VOTE HERE)
Happily Ever After
Blogger's Choice '09 Hottest Mommy Blogger (VOTE HERE)
Insta-Mom
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Pearl, Why You Little...
Blogger's Choice '09 Blogitzer (VOTE HERE)
Reston Mom
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Rocksee's At the Porch Swing
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog About Stuff (VOTE HERE)
The Big Piece of Cake
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Blogitzer (VOTE HERE)

The First Underdog Shout Out Request AND Underdog Award

2009-04-23T15:10:00.005-04:00

Here at Underdogs Unite, we welcome any and all Underdog-related requests. Want to get on the "vote for us" awards list? Great! Want to announce a giveaway, fundraiser or general need for support? No problem! Anything else? Let us know!

Well we just got a new "anything else" request. Eskimo Bob of Eskimo Bob Lives would like to proclaim his own site "The Blog with the Eskimosest" (try to say that five times, really fast).

Apparently, he's not officially nominated for any awards and decided to make his own. WE LIKE THAT. It falls in line nicely with an idea that has been tossed around lately for our own Underdog Awards.

But back to Bob. While I would would typically want to open up this award suggestion to some friendly competition, I have no idea who else would claim the title of "The Blog with the Eskimosest." So I'm making the executive decision to bestow this first official Underdog Award on Eskimo Bob (using Eskimo Bob's own personal avatar of course, since it's HIS award):

Congratulations Bob - we can't think of anyone more deserving of this honor. And just to complete the shout out...Make sure to visit Eskimo Bob at Eskimo Bob Lives!

Check back soon for more Underdogs AND Underdog Awards!

Today's Underdogs (04/22/09)

2009-04-22T12:00:00.003-04:00

Want to be an Underdog? Read how it works.

Introducing today's Underdog:

Every Day I Write the Book
Nominated for:
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog - (VOTE HERE)
Why you should vote for Every Day I Write the Book:
I Don't Know About You
Wishful Thinking
This is How I Really Feel About Our Hamster

Check back soon for more new Underdogs!

VOTE FOR:

A Lil' Welsh Rarebit
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog about Stuff (VOTE HERE)
An Inch of Gray
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
But Why Mommmy
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Every Day I Write the Book
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
FranticMommy
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Free Flan
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog about Stuff (VOTE HERE)
Happily Ever After
Blogger's Choice '09 Hottest Mommy Blogger (VOTE HERE)
Insta-Mom
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Pearl, Why You Little...
Blogger's Choice '09 Blogitzer (VOTE HERE)
Reston Mom
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Rocksee's At the Porch Swing
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog About Stuff (VOTE HERE)
The Big Piece of Cake
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Blogitzer (VOTE HERE)

Today's Underdogs (04/21/09)

2009-04-21T15:30:00.003-04:00

Want to be an Underdog? Read how it works.

Introducing today's Underdog:

An Inch of Gray
Nominated for:
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog - (VOTE HERE)
Why you should vote for An Inch of Gray:
Passive, Meet Aggressive
Hair Police
Like Mother, Like Daughter?

Check back soon for more new Underdogs!

VOTE FOR:

A Lil' Welsh Rarebit
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog about Stuff (VOTE HERE)
An Inch of Gray
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
But Why Mommmy
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
FranticMommy
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Free Flan
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog about Stuff (VOTE HERE)
Happily Ever After
Blogger's Choice '09 Hottest Mommy Blogger (VOTE HERE)
Insta-Mom
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Pearl, Why You Little...
Blogger's Choice '09 Blogitzer (VOTE HERE)
Reston Mom
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Rocksee's At the Porch Swing
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog About Stuff (VOTE HERE)
The Big Piece of Cake
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Blogitzer (VOTE HERE)

Today's Underdogs (04/20/09)

2009-04-20T16:16:00.005-04:00

Want to be an Underdog? Read how it works.

Sorry for the week of non-activity, but life got in the way (and not in the good kind of way - but that's a story for my own blog!)

Some new Underdogs are signing up this week, so we'll have some great new superpowers to add to our lineup. I'm also working on some new site features - possibly some awards of our own. Tune in later this week for more details. In the meantime...

Introducing today's Underdog:

Pearl, Why You Little...
Nominated for:
Blogger's Choice '09 Blogitzer - (VOTE HERE)
Why you should vote for Pearl, Why You Little...:
The Plot Thickens in the Coupon Fraud Ring
Believe Me When I Tell You, A Little Sister Can't be Trusted
How'd You Like to Make a Couple Bucks?

Check back soon for more new Underdogs!

VOTE FOR:

A Lil' Welsh Rarebit
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog about Stuff (VOTE HERE)
But Why Mommmy
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
FranticMommy
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Free Flan
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog about Stuff (VOTE HERE)
Happily Ever After
Blogger's Choice '09 Hottest Mommy Blogger (VOTE HERE)
Insta-Mom
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Pearl, Why You Little...
Blogger's Choice '09 Blogitzer (VOTE HERE)
Reston Mom
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Rocksee's At the Porch Swing
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog About Stuff (VOTE HERE)
The Big Piece of Cake
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Blogitzer (VOTE HERE)

First Underdog Giveaway

2009-04-09T00:01:00.000-04:00

So far we've had several award nominations to post, but today we have our first Underdog Giveaway!

Actually - it's just an Underdog giveaway announcement, but I think Underdog Giveaway has more of a ring to it.

Go visit Christy at Adventures in the Land of the Newlyweds... to win a Ped Egg.

Full details can be found there - but keep in mind that it ends on Sunday, April 12 at midnight EST.

I also have to draw your attention to #6 on the list of ways to get extra entries:

"6. Tell me (in a separate comment) if you think my blog is a girl or a boy ;)"

Hilarious. So visit Christy and give her blog some gender confusion issues. The first tranny blog... Love it.

Welcome Christy!

Today's Underdogs (04/08/09)

2009-04-08T17:18:00.003-04:00

Want to be an Underdog? Read how it works.

Introducing today's Underdog:

Happily Ever After
Nominated for:
Blogger's Choice '09 Hottest Mommy Blogger - YOU GO AMY! (VOTE HERE)
Why you should vote for Happily Ever After:
What is That Smell?
Enjoying It Anyway
Mr. T vs. Chuck Norris, the Ewoks and the Munchkins

Check back soon for more new Underdogs!

VOTE FOR:

A Lil' Welsh Rarebit
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog about Stuff (VOTE HERE)
But Why Mommmy
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
FranticMommy
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Free Flan
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog about Stuff (VOTE HERE)
Happily Ever After
Blogger's Choice '09 Hottest Mommy Blogger (VOTE HERE)
Insta-Mom
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Reston Mom
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Rocksee's At the Porch Swing
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog About Stuff (VOTE HERE)
The Big Piece of Cake
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Blogitzer (VOTE HERE)

Today's Underdogs (04/07/09)

2009-04-07T07:20:00.003-04:00

Want to be an Underdog? Read how it works.

Introducing today's Underdog:

Free Flan
Nominated for:
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog About Stuff (VOTE HERE)
Why you should vote for Free Flan:
I Know a Secret
Dear Wal-Mart
If You Want to Be My Friend...

Check back soon for more new Underdogs!

VOTE FOR:

A Lil' Welsh Rarebit
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog about Stuff (VOTE HERE)
But Why Mommmy
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
FranticMommy
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Free Flan
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog about Stuff (VOTE HERE)
Insta-Mom
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Reston Mom
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Rocksee's At the Porch Swing
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog About Stuff (VOTE HERE)
The Big Piece of Cake
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Blogitzer (VOTE HERE)

Today's Underdogs (04/06/09)

2009-04-06T00:10:00.001-04:00

Want to be an Underdog? Read how it works.

Introducing today's Underdogs:

FranticMommy
Nominated for:
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Why you should vote for Insta-Mom:
For a Moment, I Wanted to Run Away
The Dreaded Sunday School Chair
The Lettuce Chronicles

Rocksee’s At the Porch Swing
Nominated for:
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog About Stuff (VOTE HERE)
Why you should vote for Rocksee's At the Porch Swing:
The Story of Us
My Smallest Blessings
I Work Too Much

Check back soon for more new Underdogs!

VOTE FOR:

A Lil' Welsh Rarebit
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog about Stuff (VOTE HERE)
But Why Mommmy
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
FranticMommy
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Insta-Mom
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Reston Mom
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Rocksee's At the Porch Swing
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog About Stuff (VOTE HERE)
The Big Piece of Cake
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Blogitzer (VOTE HERE)

Today's Underdogs (04/03/09)

2009-04-03T13:54:00.003-04:00

Want to be an Underdog? Read how it works.

Introducing today's Underdog:

But Why Mommy
Nominated for:
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Why you should vote for Reston Mom:
On Mother's Day, A Love Poem to My Daughter
The Quest for Non-Existant Hypothetical Baby Number Two
The Gift That Just Keeps on Giving
Just Shoot Me Right Now

Check back soon for more new Underdogs!

VOTE FOR:

A Lil' Welsh Rarebit
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog about Stuff (VOTE HERE)
But Why Mommmy
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Insta-Mom
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Reston Mom
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
The Big Piece of Cake
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Blogitzer (VOTE HERE)

Today's Underdogs (04/02/09)

2009-04-02T00:34:00.004-04:00

Want to be an Underdog? Read how it works.

Introducing today's Underdogs:

Insta-Mom
Nominated for:
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Why you should vote for Insta-Mom:
Removing the Stigma
My Favorite Part
Hairy Issues

Reston Mom
Nominated for:
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Why you should vote for Reston Mom:
Ask Reston Mom: What to Think About When Having Baby #2
Family Night #4: Dinosaur Night
Mama Exposed #5: I Don't Like Playing with My Kids

Check back soon for more new Underdogs!

VOTE FOR:

A Lil' Welsh Rarebit
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog about Stuff (VOTE HERE)
Insta-Mom
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
Reston Mom
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Parenting Blog (VOTE HERE)
The Big Piece of Cake
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Blogitzer (VOTE HERE)

The Second Underdog (04/01/09) AND a Word from Our Sponsor

2009-04-01T16:34:00.001-04:00

Want to be an Underdog? Read how it works.

Introducing the SECOND Underdog (oh what a surprise...):

A Lil' Welsh Rarebit
Nominated for:
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blog About Stuff (VOTE HERE)
Why you should vote for A Lil' Welsh Rarebit:
This is a blog about all kinds of stuff - from where to meet cute men, to what it's like to exercise in my house, about the perils of pregnancy, and even about cool things I find online.
Where to Meet Cute British Men Tomorrow
Getting Kissed and Sniffed by a Labrador Isn't Your Idea of Exercise?
Warning! Post Partum Hobbit-Like Feet Ugliness
The Coolest Thing Ever
Suggested place to "unmask":
fuelmyblog.com

Check back soon for more Underdogs!

And now a word from our Sponsor:

Okay - so while all of the encouraging comments and e-mails I've been getting at The Big Piece of Cake are really sweet and SOOOO appreciated... Become an Underdog already!

Responses that I've gotten to this suggestion include:
1. No one has nominated me for anything
2. My blog isn't good enough to be nominated for anything
3. I'm such an underdog I haven't even been nominated for anything

SIGH.

Now - if you read the original post from TBPOC, you may remember that I NOMINATED MYSELF for something. True - one of my friends nominated me for something else first - but she's like my personal life cheerleader. So it's not like random strangers online are saying, "The Big Piece of Cake is the best blog out there - it for sure deserves to win an award!"

Does anyone really take blog awards seriously? Okay - maybe they do...but Underdogs don't! Underdogs treat them as a means of personal empowerment (warning - I'm about to get all new agey on you). Don't wait for someone to tell you that you're worthy - YOU tell them that you are. And putting yourself out there online is a fast and easy way to do it.

It's all very The Secret. You have to send a message out to the universe - and then really believe in it. And the universe is an avid blog reader. So you already have a head start there... NEXT, get the universe's attention by pasting some html into your sidebar. Display your nomination button with pride. EVERYONE on this site will vote for you - so that's two votes right there (three if you vote for yourself - which you damn well BETTER, if you want the universe to take you seriously).

SO nominate yourself.

OR if you're feeling shy - ask a friend to nominate you.

OR if you have far too much pride for that, I'LL nominate you and it will be our dirty little secret.

So come ON already! Be an Underdog. Everyone is doing it. Well - apparently NOT at the moment - but I can hear the crowd thundering in the distance....

The First Underdog (03/27/09)

2009-03-27T13:34:00.000-04:00

Want to be an Underdog? Read how it works.

Just one today (me) since this is a test.

So here it is - the first Underdog:

The Big Piece of Cake
Nominated for:
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Humor Blog (VOTE HERE)
Blogger's Choice '09 Best Blogitzer (VOTE HERE)
Why you should vote for me:
Is Nothing Sacred
Make Mine a Double Part I & Part II
Special Needs
Theoretically Speaking, "They" Are Awfully Judgy

Check back soon for more Underdogs!

Underdogs Unite - How It Works

2009-03-27T11:10:00.003-04:00

You came! We were waiting for you. There are more of us than you'd expect, you know...

Did a well meaning friend nominate you for an award? Or did you nominate yourself one night after a few two many...of something...and far too few expectations for actual results?

Then you've come to the right place.

Quite a bit of great online content goes unread - and how can people vote for your talent if they don't know about it?

Here at Underdogs Unite, we just list award nominations, but see the sidebar for other places to "unmask."

Here's how it works:

1. Send the following items to underdogsunite@gmail.com:

Website name
Website link
Award nomination(s)
Award nomination link(s)
1-3 posts (titles and links) per award that you think represents "why" you deserve votes
Suggestions for other places to unmask (see sidebar)

2. In 24-48 hours, your links will appear in "Today's Underdogs"

3. Your site link will be added to the sidebar

4. Your award nomination will be added the running daily list in alphabetical order

5. You will vote for every Underdog on the running list (and they will vote for you). This is not mandatory or monitored or anything, but lack of participation is frowned upon.

6. Follow this blog and vote for all new Underdogs that sign up

7. Add a button to your sidebar (you will receive the code via e-mail when you sign up)

Don't sell yourself short. You're not your only biggest fan. At least not after joining us.

Welcome to the small time.

UPDATE from 04/01/09 (and no - it's not a April Fools Day joke):

Okay - so while all of the encouraging comments and e-mails I've been getting at The Big Piece of Cake are really sweet and SOOOO appreciated... Become an Underdog already!

Responses that I've gotten to this suggestion include:
1. No one has nominated me for anything
2. My blog isn't good enough to be nominated for anything
3. I'm such an underdog I haven't even been nominated for anything

SIGH.

Now - if you read the original post from TBPOC, you may remember that I NOMINATED MYSELF for something. True - one of my friends nominated me for something else first - but she's like my personal life cheerleader. So it's not like random strangers online are saying, "The Big Piece of Cake is the best blog out there - it for sure deserves to win an award!"

Does anyone really take blog awards seriously? Okay - maybe they do...but Underdogs don't! Underdogs treat them as a means of personal empowerment (warning - I'm about to get all new agey on you). Don't wait for someone to tell you that you're worthy - YOU tell them that you are. And putting yourself out there online is a fast and easy way to do it.

It's all very The Secret. You have to send a message out to the universe - and then really believe in it. And the universe is an avid blog reader. So you already have a head start there... NEXT, get the universe's attention by pasting some html into your sidebar. Display your nomination button with pride. EVERYONE on this site will vote for you - so that's two votes right there (three if you vote for yourself - which you damn well BETTER, if you want the universe to take you seriously).

SO nominate yourself.

OR if you're feeling shy - ask a friend to nominate you.

OR if you have far too much pride for that, I'LL nominate you and it will be our dirty little secret.

So come ON already! Be an Underdog. Everyone is doing it. Well - apparently NOT at the moment - but I can hear the crowd thundering in the distance....