What puts the “ape” in apricot? What have they got that I ain’t got?

The Best Language Blog Prize, that’s what. Last year, Lexiophiles and bab.la had a vote for the best Language Blog. Translation Guy won the vote by a landslide, but that wasn’t enough to take the prize, since votes only half-counted. So despite all the support of fans and readers, no win, no place—just show. Why, I oughta….it made me feel like Al Gore up against the Electoral College. Imposserous! Why we didn’t take first, I do not know. Perhaps it’s that Translation Guy isn’t serious enough about language to fall asleep to. Why, I’ll show them. I can put a reader to sleep faster than a poppy field in OZ. I could have been a champ. If only I were the King of the Forest. Rrr-woof.

But, really, it don’t matter one bit how fancy the badge that any old wizard may pin to my hairy chest. Not nobody, not no how! It’s my friends that count. Isn’t that why Frank Baum laid out the whole land of Oz, one yellow brick keystroke at a time? Just to skip along with his reader-pals in the merry old Land of Oz. Isn’t that just what I’m doin’ except for still being in Manhattan, Kansas instead? So far from the road, so deeply lost in the woodsy woods of translation, gathering moss and translation straw to stuff the Scarecrow of technical and organizational translation best practice, and stretching metaphors until they break. Snap! Ooow. I scared myself with that one. So I don’t need no stinkin’ badges, just your attention and amusement. Yes, you. Then I wouldn’t be afraid of anything!

That’s right! What makes a Blog is the readers who read it, and the commentariat’s comments, the lusty links and the trusty traffic.  If you don’t got that, you don’t got nothin’. And thanks to all of you last year, now I’m somethin’. Aw, look now. See what you’ve done? I got somethin’ in my eye. Sniff. I’m eternally grateful, except for one thing.

It’s a year later, and I’ve got to validate my honorable-mention with the Language Lover valets. So I am hoping you can muster a moment to follow this yellow link to vote for Translation Guy Blog, just a few clicks will fix it. Thanks.

And while you’re at it, can you vote for me on Twitter Tweets too? Same drill here. Thanks again.

I close with a serious and heartfelt thanks to all readers for your continued encouragement and support. -Ken