It’s time for Niblets!

From what I understand, the Mormon Bloggernacle Niblets have gone through rough times since their inception, and for good cause. What are the Niblets for? Who are they for? These seem like simple questions to answer, but as the Niblets have changed hands from blog to blog group, each has taken a bit of a different perspective on things.

This is now the second year for Mormon Matters to host the Niblets, and voting is going on now, so I guess I’ll share some of my thoughts and shamelessly self-promote.

Even though there always seems to be some controversy with *some* part of the Niblets, I like the concept first and foremost because it gives me a chance to look over some of the best Mormon-related posts and comments of the year. Since I definitely don’t keep track with all of the blogs out there, I appreciate that others who do also nominate their favorites. So, for me, it’s not about who wins or who loses (in fact, if we got rid of the voting and did a showcase, I think the Niblets would still serve its purpose), but instead about remembering the past year’s blogging.

This year has been noticeably more peaceful…but then again, I sense that this year, the Niblets were a lot lower-key in general. I don’t know what that means, but I hope that people still find some value in the Niblets, despite minor disagreements on certain issues (for example, I don’t think that this “conflict” between Mormon Mommies and other bloggernacle blogs should be the point. It certainly isn’t worth a split in bad terms over.)

I’d like to see the Niblets expand just a bit (in the same way I’d like to see Mormon culture in general expand) to be more inclusive of the ex-, post-, former, and new order Mormon types (or, I guess, the “X” marks-the-spot Mormon approach that Main Street Plaza is taking.) And however impressive the William Law X-Mormon Awards is, I’m really interested in seeing a new process from the Mormon Alumni Association (I hope this name sticks) where the best post-, ex-, former, whatever Mormon blog contributions can be remembered. (But then again, we already have Sunday in Outer Blogness every week, right? So we’re way ahead of the game than a once-a-year approach.)

Oh well, so those are my thoughts.

The more important reason for this post is to influence your votes casually remind you to vote, and discuss some of my favorite candidates.

For Best Big Blog, I think all the four listed are each admirable in their own way, and they each have a specific and particular personality. I personally like Mormon Matters’s personality the best…maybe I’m a little biased because I blog there. And plus…we’ve done the impossible and hosted a Niblets twice (or maybe we’re just gluttons for punishment.)

For best group blog, there are plenty of these too that I read…I enjoy reading Zelophehad’s Daughters and the Exponent (when I get to reading them). New Cool Thang is pretty cool, and Nine Moons’s blogger Seth R is pretty awesome (even if he never blogs on his own blog.) I also like Faith Promoting Rumor.

Best humorous blog? Gotta go with My Religious Blog.

Best solo blog? I like quite a few ones here too. Faithful Dissident, Dave’s Mormon Inquiry, Mormon Heretic. I’m not trying to shape your votes or anything, but if you like Clean Cut, why not thing about voting for him here so that you don’t have to vote for him later on? *hint hint*

I love Third Wave Mormon as a best new blog. I love FireTag’s comments, but his blog (The Fire Still Burning) goes way above my head a good 70% of the time.

Skip skip skip (not saying you should skip, but…uh yeah.) For best commenter, you should definitely vote Bridget Jack Meyers so you don’t have to vote for her elsewhere (*hint hint*)

Same thing for comment. Vote Jack there because that’s a safe place.

And I think rational people can admit that “How wide the divide…and can we ever Bridget?” is the best post title of all time.

For best Mormon podcast, I think Mormon Expression is a great new one. Really impressive. Although, with Mormon Stories coming back, it might be that next year, MS takes out all the rest!

If you take nothing from this, here’s something critical. For best contribution to interfaith dialogue, here’s something you can do. Vote for MEEEEEE. That’s Irresistible (Dis)Grace. Jack won’t feel bad; she clobbered me last year. Chanson won’t feel bad either, because we can make it up to her in the same poll. In the write-in category, just pick Sunday in Outer Blogness as the best (because it is), and there you go.

Now again, I’m not saying how anyone should vote. Just talking out loud to myself. 🙂