Best Post Contest for 12/12?

November 25, 2012 1:12 PM

We recently had a August Awesome Post contest. Is there any thought about doing a December one again, as in years past? December is a great time of year, and this contest has often been the icing on the cake!

I don't want to assume on the good will of mathowie, and in my mind, we don't need expensive prizes (if any at all... maybe a t-shirt?). However, I find the contest simply a lot of fun and a good encouragement to come up with some interesting posts, and a great way to wrap up the year.

posted by SpacemanStix to MetaFilter-Related at 1:12 PM (39 comments total)

A T-shirt is a good idea. Or maybe one of those username badges that everybody seems to like so much. Like a little crown, which then rotates to the next contest's winner.
posted by cribcage at 1:16 PM on November 25, 2012

Rhaomi would you be interested in being one of the judges? This is how things work with homebrewers who get to good.
posted by Blasdelb at 1:39 PM on November 25, 2012

No, Rhaomi should be some kind of control group.
posted by The Whelk at 2:32 PM on November 25, 2012 [3 favorites]

We had some fantastic posts in August and last December. I'd be keen to see this happen.
posted by arcticseal at 2:39 PM on November 25, 2012

I am just here for cake. Someone said cake.
posted by elizardbits at 2:50 PM on November 25, 2012 [3 favorites]

if phantom cake pangs persist, consult your physician.
posted by The Whelk at 3:00 PM on November 25, 2012

Maybe we could invent a handicapping system whereby Rhaomi can only post about sexism in relation to the Israel-Palestine conflict?

SMASH CUT TO members walking arm in arm from a peacefully concluded thread where much was shared and learned. Birds sing and dart amongst them as DIVERSE WOODLAND ANIMALS gambol and frolic in the atmosphere of peace and understanding. It is a new renaissance and it has blossomed in all our hearts. CREDITS ROLL OVER THE THEME FROM GOLDEN GIRLS.
posted by Jofus at 3:20 PM on November 25, 2012 [8 favorites]

I've live my life as if every month features a best post contest, and I suggest you do so too.
posted by KokuRyu at 3:39 PM on November 25, 2012 [2 favorites]

I think people should volunteer to mail something goofy and cheap to the top 5 posts. Say if 20 people volunteer, then 4 mail the 1st place winner, 4 mail the 2nd and so on.

By goofy and cheap, it could be anything. Say a single homebaked cookie. Or a homemade crown or award. Or each 4 mail $5, so the winner gets $20 (same as in town!). Just light and goofy stuff, to keep the focus on making great posts to make great posts, as opposed to OOOO STUFF.

Yes, I volunteer to be part of this if it takes off.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 3:39 PM on November 25, 2012 [7 favorites]

Metafilter once again reverts to its true form: swap meet.
posted by The Whelk at 3:47 PM on November 25, 2012 [2 favorites]

squab meat?
posted by aubilenon at 4:00 PM on November 25, 2012

I like people having fun doing things and people making good posts, but something that's a bit less of an event (and less of a mod-side slog in terms of reviewing posts) would be more up my alley than doing two month-long things in one year.
posted by cortex (staff) at 4:58 PM on November 25, 2012 [1 favorite]

Best Post Day?
posted by the man of twists and turns at 5:00 PM on November 25, 2012 [1 favorite]

Maybe there's a way to grossly simplify the mod involvement. Like a week-long contest instead of a month, and maybe a sidebar note encouraging readers to vote via flag ("fantastic post") as either part or all of the judging criteria.

Or maybe just nix the contest specifically and have a general, "Let's post good stuff in December" sentiment. It's hard for me to imagine how much work past contests must have been on the mod side, when I stop and think about it.
posted by cribcage at 5:19 PM on November 25, 2012

I like people having fun doing things and people making good posts, but something that's a bit less of an event (and less of a mod-side slog in terms of reviewing posts) would be more up my alley than doing two month-long things in one year.

Definitely agree not overdoing it. In my mind this has always been a fun December event and part of the festivities of the year. Someone said that August was a bit of a tradition, but I'm not sure how I've missed that before...

So, I'd hate for it to be over-burdensome. I do appreciate those who slog through it all to make sure everyone is having a good time! Perhaps a week-long one or something?
posted by SpacemanStix at 5:31 PM on November 25, 2012

Rhaomi has a house constructed from iPads.
posted by Artw at 5:41 PM on November 25, 2012 [1 favorite]

well they have to be good for something
posted by edgeways at 6:07 PM on November 25, 2012

I know 'iPad' is now like this common, unremarkable word, but I *still* can't get over that they named it that. I read "Rhaomi has a house constructed from iPads" and the mental image...well, it's not good, people.
posted by iamkimiam at 6:09 PM on November 25, 2012 [4 favorites]

I will be more than happy to judge "best single link post to a YouTube video featuring a silly animal: <30s division."

I will also be more than happy to accept bribes.
posted by griphus at 6:39 PM on November 25, 2012

I just wanted to point out that "mod-side slog" is an anagram of "smog dildoes".
posted by mr_crash_davis at 6:51 PM on November 25, 2012 [7 favorites]

Just wait for the swimsuit competition.
posted by The Whelk at 7:07 PM on November 25, 2012

I like people having fun doing things and people making good posts, but something that's a bit less of an event (and less of a mod-side slog in terms of reviewing posts) would be more up my alley than doing two month-long things in one year.

I'm thinking you guys already do much of the legwork every time you do a podcast. Maybe by making the contests much less of a big to-do, but have them basically ongoing and eternal? Every time you guys do a podcast, after all your reviews and chatting, the big moment comes when number one makes it rain.

"Let's send that guy an iPad."
posted by Meatbomb at 8:40 PM on November 25, 2012

Yeah, please, no more contests. Once a year is enough, and I'm glad this year it wasn't in December. Sharing interesting things is its own reward. Let's not have competitive sharing.
posted by Nomyte at 11:09 PM on November 25, 2012 [3 favorites]

Do an advent calendar. Every day, we open one very nice post. As for who posts what, just arrange it behind the scenes somewhere and then surprise the rest of us day by day. Let people work together to write posts. Discourage monster posts you have to scroll down to read -- one or two paragraphs is fine.
posted by pracowity at 4:09 AM on November 26, 2012

Dinner with Cortex.
posted by Wordshore at 5:13 AM on November 26, 2012

And a movie. And then who knows?
posted by pracowity at 5:18 AM on November 26, 2012 [1 favorite]

He'll play the banjo for you.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 6:07 AM on November 26, 2012

Yeah, please, no more contests. Once a year is enough, and I'm glad this year it wasn't in December. Sharing interesting things is its own reward. Let's not have competitive sharing.

Absolutely. If MeFi Central has an oversupply of iPads, pick an arbitrary month and award some prizes after the fact, thus rewarding quality posting without encouraging the flood of 'contender posts'.
posted by zamboni at 6:12 AM on November 26, 2012 [3 favorites]

Is the general sense that the tenor of the posts changes significantly during these contests? I may not be paying enough attention, but things seem pretty normal to me, with some good posts and some great posts and a bunch of posts I skip but which may or may not be good or great.
posted by OmieWise at 6:45 AM on November 26, 2012

They just get longer.
posted by Artw at 7:14 AM on November 26, 2012 [1 favorite]

Brandon Blatcher: "I think people should volunteer to mail something goofy and cheap to the top 5 posts. Say if 20 people volunteer, then 4 mail the 1st place winner, 4 mail the 2nd and so on.

By goofy and cheap, it could be anything. Say a single homebaked cookie. Or a homemade crown or award. Or each 4 mail $5, so the winner gets $20 (same as in town!). Just light and goofy stuff, to keep the focus on making great posts to make great posts, as opposed to OOOO STUFF.

Yes, I volunteer to be part of this if it takes off."

Oooh! Me too! I've been looking to get rid of some things share goofy things with others for years.
posted by Deathalicious at 9:03 AM on November 26, 2012 [1 favorite]

Let's not have competitive sharing.

But it's the ultimate form of capitalistic socialism!
posted by never used baby shoes at 9:41 AM on November 26, 2012 [1 favorite]

Absolutely. If MeFi Central has an oversupply of iPads, pick an arbitrary month and award some prizes after the fact

Or port them over to TPS and co.'s other fantastic December tradition, and blow some kids' minds.
posted by mintcake! at 10:33 AM on November 26, 2012

MetaFilter: some kind of control group
posted by mintcake! at 10:34 AM on November 26, 2012

Maybe it will go like this...

We can have one sort of MeFite's Choice type of thing each week in December. Someone or a few people signs up to "sponsor" that week and offer to provide and mail prizes to winners. Prizes should be goofy and/or small. People can use the fantastic flag to vote so all votes are totally "you need to trust us on this" anonymous. I'm thinking grouping like.

Dec 1-7
Dec 8-14
Dec 15-21
Dec 22-31 (yes I know this is more than a week, work with me here)

Sign up on the wiki to offer prizes. You flag 'em, we'll count 'em. People can offer other subjective types of awards as well, but try to keep them generally positive. Sound good?
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 4:30 PM on November 26, 2012 [3 favorites]

Discussed here.
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane (staff) at 10:48 AM on December 1, 2012

Not wanting to do a derail, and it's something for another day - month - but it may be nice to consider (maybe it's been done before?) a "best comment" prize or something as well. Sometimes people put a huge amount of effort, emotion, editing, recollection, personal anecdote and so forth into a comment.

After reading comments like, oh heck so many to choose from e.g. this one on social media, or this one or this one on typewriters, I kinda wish there was some way of saying "Yay! Really outstanding, meta comment!" for the great ones that's a little bit more than clicking favorite.

End of derail. Sorry.
posted by Wordshore at 6:40 PM on December 1, 2012

We tend to pull a lot of those out and put them on the BestOf blog. sonascope is a treasure, but he's been featured there many times already. If he's someone you are a personal fan of, it would be a good idea to add him as a contact so you can see his stuff in your contact sidebar.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 7:34 PM on December 1, 2012 [1 favorite]

Jessamyn: thanks. Yes, that BestOf blog is a happy distraction, and a good way of filling in the gaps of things missed.
posted by Wordshore at 5:07 AM on December 2, 2012