Are You Kidding Me?

When people acknowledge this blog in any way I am just astonished. I was stunned when people started commenting on these posts. I was stunned when some of my dharma brothers and sisters at Still Point would approach me and say, "Hey, I enjoy reading your blog." And I was stunned earlier this year when I found that this space was featured in an issue of Buddhadharma magazine. Though I was humbled and surprised, I didn't want to talk about it.

People who know me know that I really don't like attention. I'm uncomfortable in any sort of spotlight. I'd rather blend in with the crowd under a strobe light in a club with a bangin' beat.

When I learned today that the curator of the Blogisattva Awards selected this site as Blog of the Year, I was equally stunned. A big part of me thinks that the only reason why Tom selected this site was to get me to come out of whatever rock I've been under these past few months and think about blogging again.

I'm not going to make an acceptance speech. I really do understand where Amadeus was coming from when he asked to be removed from the running, and I thought about doing the same. I guess these awards (and anything else) only hold the meaning that we give to them. Instead of looking at this exercise as something that spurs competition, I choose to see it as a showcase of all of the great things that we've seen come out of the Buddhist Blogisphere in 2005. There was a literal explosion and I'm still so pleased to stumble upon the new sites that crop up every month.

This space is currently in transition. I'm still thinking about what I want to do with it... how and if I want to continue it. Time will tell. A heartfelt thank you to all of you who've been on this journey with me. The bloggers I read (IMHO) are much more deserved of this honor than I am.

So I'll encourage all of you to continue to check out Blogmandu, Tasty Links, the Buddhist Blogs Webring, Blangha.com and all Buddhist Bloggers with blogrolls and Kinja digests who leave trails of breadcrumbs across the web that allow us to find each other.

Comments

[Will]

Congratulations! Well-deserved, if I may say so. And remember - if the glare of the spotlight gets too much, you can always close your eyes...

Good luck with the transition, wherever it takes both you and Zen Under the Skin.

:-)

Will

[Gareth]

Congratualtions :)

I'm trying not to copy Will, but he's right - a very well deserved win.

May you, and your blog both find the direction you're looking for.

Best Wishes

[Tom Armstrong]

Not meaning to ape Will and Gareth, but I congratulate you, too, chalip!

Your should know, chalip, that your blog was selected for the top award for the reasons given in the announcement. Getting you to come out from under your rock was very much not in the realm of consideration, but it is a welcomed benefit.

I hope that whatever changes you make to ZUtS, you will continue to blog and enrich and care about the Buddhoblogosphere.

[Bill Gardner]

Your writing is wonderful. Congratulations.

[Gurl]

I usually just hideout and read but I wanted to say that sometimes the things we do have profound results even if it's something simple. I can't tell you how happy I was to find you and your blog. Your award(s) is well deserved =D

[her soledad]

Congratulations to you!

[chalip]

Thanks people. Strange that I've been away from the blogosphere for so long. I appreciate your comments and congratulations. I guess we'll all see where this thing goes next.

Tom, a friend of mine told me after reading this that I'm not good at just saying "thank you"... She even sat at my dining room table and quoted one of my favorite writers on the subject... Natalie Goldberg... . How dare she.

So, I'll try again. A genuine thank you. It has been fun being on this journey with all of you.

[Hao]

Can we link exchange?

http://ecumenicalbuddhism.blogspot.com/

[emilia]

Smile - what can you say - it must be your your wheel, rotated now such that your ego is in contact with the physical. Enjoy of course, be in the moment, but don't forget how cozy and warm that sixth sense can get when fanned by a warm breeze.