Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Is it all about winning?

Happy Tuesday, everyone!

Is it as hard for you to get back in the swing of things after an extra-long weekend, as it is for me? 

I had a wonderful weekend, enjoying quiet time in the Paper Jungle.  While I wish I could say I got more crafting done, I really had to thin the vines a bit, and whack back the weeds in the Jungle.  In other words, I'd made it a MESS!! 

It's better now, not perfect ... but then again, neither am I.

Today I'm showing one of the (yes!) 24 cards I made in June for my personal challenge as part of the Royal Purple Freedom Blog Hop.

I'll be honest ... not only did I want to make the cards for women who needed extra support in a shelter for those suffering the after-effects of domestic violence, I also had an incentive.

You see, for each card and/or dollar raised and contributed to the cause earns one chance to win a fabulous grand prize of crafting supplies.  We can all use them, right?

Well, silly me -- I hadn't paid attention to the rules. I learned just last week that those of us who were "stops" in the blog hop aren't eligible to win the prizes, no matter how many cards or cash we contribute.

Harumphf! 

I know, I know -- 'tis better to give than receive.  I wish I was more godly or altruistic that I didn't need motivation or incentive.  Yes, I still play Bingo at the Senior Center, not only to help the seniors with their fund raising, but also hoping I'll occasionally win.  Yes, I still buy lottery tickets -- not only to benefit older Pennsylvanians but also hoping I'll win. I wanted (gosh!) at least ONE chance to win those prizes!!  Am I nuts?

....and yes, when I play along on Blog Hops, leaving comments along the way, yup, I do hope that I'll occasionally win some "candy."  And I LOVE LOVE LOVE it when I can award it, too!!   In online conversation with a hop organizer about my disqualification, I started to feel ... unchristian? ungodly? greedy?  ... and yup, a bit annoyed.  A bit judged.  Feelings I just didn't like.  I felt my nose slip out of joint.

True enough, it's hard to communicate fully via emoticons and flat computer monitors ... perhaps I misunderstood. But still, I felt hurt. I felt I had given my time (a LOT of it, and I have precious little spare time these days) as well as my space here, and yes, I wanted to be loved.  Accepted. And a chance to win!

This little place here in the world, the World Wide Web, is mine ... I want this place -- my little world on Blogger -- to be an accepting place, where there's no room for an "UNLIKE" button.  I guess I'm just weird, at that.

What do you think?

5 comments:

ShersL84bed said...

Ellen, I have been in a few blog hops and have always included my fellow hop stops in the giveaways. Its only fair, they are the ones that put the work into the hop. I am sorry that you were dq'd from winning, that took the fun out of it.
However, I would like to send you a prize (please don't say no) I have won multiple hops and have enjoyed many hops that you participate in.
Email me at ShersL84bed@aol.com

Crooked Scrapper said...

I think you are a winner just for partcipataing. Whether a prize was won or not, being a giver = winner.
You'll find many other blessings in different places. Sorry you didn't win this one.

cowbelleru@sbcglobal.net

Bernie said...

I agree with cowbelleru! You are a winner. I don't think you were greedy, after all you did a lot of work to earn the chance to win, knowing the chances were you wouldn't win. It's only human nature to want to win. You also did it for a good cause even if you had hoped you would be rewarded. I believe you are more upset over the way you were made to feel then you are that you didn't have the opportunity to win.
Blessings Bernie

Trina said...

I agree with the ladies. We are human and with that we will falter and will do things that are unpleasing to GOD, but we all do. With every hit and miss we learn something new about ourselves, what makes the difference is how we act with what we know. You have now realized that your wanting to win might sometimes be driving your actions, more than the fun of blogging. I understand your feelings toward hops, but this is my precious time. I have made a decision that I will not leave a comment on a hop if I don't have a positive reaction to the card just for the sake of being entered in the big prize. Neither will I follow a blog I do not find the work inspiring to me, and I am a follower of yours so hopefully you honestly know you inspire one person. I agree, I want this blogging place to be my positive escape with no UNLIKE button. Hope your morning will start with forgiveness of how you felt.

The Crafty Elf said...

I think everyone loves to win something at some time in their life. There's such an excitement attached to the win. It's unfortunate that you were disqualified and I think it wouldn't have been such a raw feeling of hurt had you found out before the fact instead of after. You're a good person and it shows in your actions. It's good that you express yourself - those that matter don't mind and those that mind don't matter. ;D