Do you remember, a few months ago now, I discovered I was a finalist in the MAD Blog Awards, and I asked you if you would vote for me. Well, the day of the big awards ceremony has finally arrived. This morning I am handing the kids over to lovely friends and family who are going to look after them for the night, and I’m heading off down to London.

I’m hugely excited, not because I think I will win, but because the whole experience of being a finalist has been AMAZING and I can’t wait to see what happens tonight. Although they’ve already made me feel like blogging royalty, I suspect Sally and Jen might still have a couple of tricks up their sleeves to make the evening a really magical one for us all. With their help I have had articles written about me in several local papers, and I’ve even had the honour of being dressed by TK Maxx for the evening. Wow, just wow.

Through being a MADS finalist I have discovered new blogs which are now permanent additions to my Google reader. I have met some brilliant people in RL (Real Life), who I look forward to catching up with again tonight. I am so proud of having that “finalist” badge over on the right hand side of my pages – it’s the most notable achievement I’ve gained in blogging ever! And you know what? It’s not going anywhere – I will always have been a MADS 2011 finalist, whatever happens tonight.

What’s that you say? Maybe winning? Do you know what – I haven’t wanted to put it in print here, as it seems somehow ungrateful to those of you who voted for me, but I haven’t a chance of winning. I said when the finalists were announced that I was in amazing company in the “Most Innovative MAD Blog” category, with some much more established bloggers with bigger readerships. The field is wide open, because our blogs are all so different, so innovative in our own ways, but I really can’t see this one being won by the least-well-known, newest blogger in the category.

However, do not despair, because I’ve been chatting to the other finalists in my category – the lovely Heather, Liz, Claire and the quite frankly amazing Nickie, and we all decided to put a little something together to say thank you to everyone who voted and supported any one of us. The geekdaddy may have given us a little bit of help with this project too… One of us will raise the trophy tonight, but believe me when I say the very cliched line – we really do all feel like winners just by getting this far. And whatever happens, I’ve got a feeling that tonight’s going to be a good night. A good good night…

MADS Ive got a feeling from John Arnold on Vimeo.

Thanks for voting for me. Thanks for giving me this amazing opportunity. It’s been a blast!