It's that time again, and if you can't beat 'em...

Once again, Creative Loafing Tampa Bay is opening the polls for Best of the Bay. Once again, I really, really, really want to win an award or two (not that I'm greedy). However, unlike 2009 and 2010, in 2011, I don't have the time, energy or resources to mount an effectively imaginative campaign of my own. What this means is I couldn't come up with any cheap ideas. Expensive ideas, sure! Lots of those! But all things considered, it's best that I not spend any money on something like this (things considered: I never win and I have no money). So instead, I've decided to ride the coattails of swim in the wake of beg like a dog under the table in hope of getting some sloppy second table scraps from join forces with multi-award winner Catherine Durkin Robinson, author of "Out in Left Field" and all around overacheiver, about whom I have never, ever said anything remotely negative or critical in any way. This was actually her idea:

"How about we team up - me for best contributor and you for best blog? Or Twitterer?" -- CDR, July 29, 2011, via Twitter

I like it! So here's how it works: I am offically endorsing Catherine Durkin Robinson with my vote in the 2011 Creative Loafing Tampa Bay "Best of the Bay" poll in the category of Best CLTampa.com Contributor. Why? Well, in my opinion, she is the best contributor to CL Tampa.com. Plus, here are just a few of Ms. Durkin Robinson's credentials...

• She's a published author: "Olivia's Kiss" and "Learning Curves".
• In addition to Creative Loafing, her columns have appeared in the Washington Post, Tampa Tribune, St. Petersburg Times, Sasee Magazine and Canyon News among others. 
• She's a wife and mom.
• She fancies me (unverified, but pretty sure).

Of course she does.

From this point on, the campaign IS ON and when I shill for your votes for me as Best Local Blogger and/or Best Local Personality to Follow on Twitter, I will be shilling for Catherine as well. In exchange, she will quid pro quo me back. Hey, collusion cooperation is kinda fun!

And while you're at it, feel free to cast a vote for Raw Charge. John Fontana busts numerous humps (one of them being mine) to make it Tampa Bay's best hockey blog and he deserves a dang award for it too.

 
So get to votin'! You can vote once per email address and you have to vote in at least 20 categories to qualify. That's to try to keep it local and cut down on ballot box stuffing, which I don't agree with as both of those things hinder my ability to win, but whatever.