How much do I suck? Just ask the readers of Creative Loafing!

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There was a day when I would have campaigned for a ‘Best of the Bay’ award from Creative Loafing, but after winning once, I now consider such activity rather gauche.

It’s an honor, after all, just to be nominated, right?

Not exactly.

Thinking I might take home the trophy in the category of Best Blogger — after all, who else is there? — I now realize just how much I truly suck.

Thank you Creative Loafing readers.

I lost out to this person. I lost out to someone who has written a total of 37 posts in 2012, including a whopping 5 posts this month when CL readers were casting their ballots. I’ve posted eight times already this morning. Not that being prolific is a requisite for being the best. But still…

I lost out to someone whose blog functions as well as an Iraqi power company.

I suck that much.

Actually, I suck even worse than that. The caption under the award just reads that “St. Pete blog” was a runner-up. Sure, if you Google “St. Pete blog”, my website is the first entry, but how can I be sure those who voted for “St. Pete blog” even meant to vote for SaintPetersBlog?

I guess it is my fault that I did not win. Perhaps I have not written enough or well enough to justify winning the award.

I take this blogging/new media thing pretty serious. I like to think that when folks in these parts think about blogging and new media, they think about SaintPetersBlog.

But not, evidently, the readers of Creative Loafing.

I guess I must find solace in the opinions of those who truly matter to me, such as former Creative Loafing contributor Wayne Garcia, who is now teaching journalism at USF. Yesterday, I spoke to the journalism club Garcia mentors about blogging and new media.

After I was done with my presentation, Garcia tweeted this:

@PoHo: For my money, best @SPJ_USF ever? @SaintPetersblog What does that say about traditional journalism?

I wish I was at the point in my life where such a generous comment could salve my wounds, but Creative Loafing‘s readers have filled me with self-doubt.

I’ll try to not suck as much next year.

Peter Schorsch is the President of Extensive Enterprises and is the publisher of some of Florida’s most influential new media websites, including SaintPetersBlog.com, FloridaPolitics.com, ContextFlorida.com, and Sunburn, the morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics. SaintPetersBlog has for three years running been ranked by the Washington Post as the best state-based blog in Florida. In addition to his publishing efforts, Peter is a political consultant to several of the state’s largest governmental affairs and public relations firms. Peter lives in St. Petersburg with his wife, Michelle, and their daughter, Ella.