So I’m taking a stab and running in the 2009 Mashable Open Web Awards. I say running because its more of an election than an actual award giving process. I literally feel like I should be pressing buttons and buying billboard space. The way it works is you get people to nominate you as a contender in a specific category. In my case it is “Favorite Social Media Maven to Follow”. Nominations are collected for about a month and people can nominate you once daily and you can nominate anyone you desire; your mom, your dog, your sister’s uncle’s cousin’s brother. The top 5 nominees in each category are compiled and go on to the voting round. Voting lasts another month and person with the most votes wins. Pretty straight forward.

Looking at all the nominees in my division, I have the least amount of followers, have been on Twitter for a shorter time, and probably won’t win. So why am I so stoked on this award if I’m probably not going to win? Why do I feel that I have the upper hand?

Well, first off, I’ve made it this far and was up against thousands of other nominees with 100x’s more followers that I had. Secondly, my supporters REALLY support me and they cast their votes EVERY-SINGLE-DAY. This shows me their true dedication and proves how much I mean to them (and I love them too, VERY MUCH). Thirdly, I beat Brian Solis, he did not make it to the top 5, and I’m sure he does not care because he probably thinks this award isn’t prestigious enough for him. Fourthly, I’m connecting with, following, and are being followed by new people; my network is expanding. And last but not the least, I feel more relevant than ever– meaning I KNOW that I am a social media maven (I hate calling it that) and the fact that I am actually working in the industry, getting more business, and am busier than ever makes me different than all the other candidates.

So whichever way this turns out, I’m thankful for everything I have, all of my friends, followers, and everyone that has voted for me. If you feel the desire, you can keep on doing that here.