Just before the holidays, Babble published their Top 50 Mommybloggers of 2010 list. I  perused it, saw some of my favorite bloggers and wondered briefly what the criteria were for inclusion. I finally decided it was an editor's pick sort of list and went back to packing for the holidays.

I saw a few tweets about it over the weekend, but this morning, Twitter was afire with bloggers on the list upset that a popular vote had been added. 

Voting. Ugh. 

Yes. Yes!

That is what voting does to us. It makes people (except those with lots of friends) feel like shit.

It sure made for a good conversation.

I've been upset for years that blogging seems to reward with traffic a) those who campaign for it or b) those who throw other people under the bus. I'd like to see a list rewarding good writing, as that is what blogging is: Writing.

Which is more authentic? Babble's original list or the new popular vote? Or neither? It's hard to say. The popular vote doesn't jibe with the Babble editors picks, as of 11:15 this morning. Why did Babble open it up?

The commenters on the list post were unhappy about the already-popular nature of the list:

 

They were also unhappy about the lack of diversity on the list:

But opening up the list to the popular vote may have been the straw that broke the already-so-done-with-popular-vote mommyblogging community's back.

Babble, you may have blown it this time.

What do you guys think? I'm waiting for Mom101's list instead.

You guys have totally got me about the Mominatrix t-shirt thing. I need to just suck it up and get Beloved to take the picture. I felt a little silly asking him to do it, I admit. Not because he doesn't like the shirt or doesn't like the site, but because I'm asking him to take a picture of me attempting to look halfway decent in a t-shirt on a Sunday afternoon. Sometimes I wonder what my family thinks of how into my blogerific life I actually am.

Actually, I am afraid to ask. I'm pretty sure they think I am a huge nerd, possibly trending to a narcissistic nerd. I mean, seriously? If you showed blog posts to someone in 1974, they'd be all WTFDOYOUTHINKYOUAREDOINGFOOL? Why do you have a photo of only your eyeballs on a computer? Or a cartoon version of yourself? WTFWTFWTF????????

The writing never bothers me. Promoting the writing never bothers me. Trying to take a decent photo of myself bothers me, because I either look unnaturally posed or matronly. That's why I have changed my profile picture on this blog twice since it became a photo of me and not of the little angel (back in the anonymous days of 2004 and 2005). The first one was taken by my professional photographer friend and the second was a desperate camera-phone attempt to make sure people knew I was me at BlogHer and not a bobbed, glasses-wearing, two-years-younger version of myself.

So. There you have it. I am a big wienie when it comes to having my photograph taken unless I trust the photographer has editing skillz. Which I totally do not.

But I will work on getting that t-shirt thing spelled forward. I can't believe I was so worried about getting the photo done I didn't even think about the laws of science. Kids? Are you listening?