Mefites' Choice 2014 winners, Week Two December 15, 2014 10:33 AM Subscribe
It's week two of the December Best Post contest (reminder: please vote for the posts you like mostest via the fantastic flag*, and if you are so inclined, sign up on the Wiki to contribute a prize!) and I'd like to reveal the winners for this week. Coming in at #1 is the exhaustive history of everthing you ever wanted to know about long distance trucking post made by cwest. For his efforts, he gets a transforming flat vase from Eyebrows McGee and I'll personally buy one shirt of the poster's choice from Cotton Bureau.
Coming in at 2nd place is AceRock's post that continues the annual tradition of Longreads.org's best of 2014 list, often pointed to as a way to take up any downtime you might have by reading the best longform articles on diverse topics of the year.
Third place goes to Shmuel510's post about getting started with the ukulele, covering lots of resources and tools to get you up to speed and playing more songs. I have a soft spot for ukulele music and as a recent new uke owner, I'll be revisiting this post often.
Other gifts up in the air for week two are on the wiki: deludingmyself is offering homemade cookies for the best food-related post in the first half of the month, and joseph conrad is fully awesome is offering a fancy pen to the best overall fashion post.
* A note about the fantastic flags vs. favorites for voting. It was up in the air during our planning for this year, but it became clear after the first couple weeks that the nature of favorites having many uses (it's a dessert topping AND a floor polish!) our top favorites lists were filling up with giant news stories and hiding the gems below, so we've switched to fantastic flags from here on out.
Coming in at 2nd place is AceRock's post that continues the annual tradition of Longreads.org's best of 2014 list, often pointed to as a way to take up any downtime you might have by reading the best longform articles on diverse topics of the year.
Third place goes to Shmuel510's post about getting started with the ukulele, covering lots of resources and tools to get you up to speed and playing more songs. I have a soft spot for ukulele music and as a recent new uke owner, I'll be revisiting this post often.
Other gifts up in the air for week two are on the wiki: deludingmyself is offering homemade cookies for the best food-related post in the first half of the month, and joseph conrad is fully awesome is offering a fancy pen to the best overall fashion post.
* A note about the fantastic flags vs. favorites for voting. It was up in the air during our planning for this year, but it became clear after the first couple weeks that the nature of favorites having many uses (it's a dessert topping AND a floor polish!) our top favorites lists were filling up with giant news stories and hiding the gems below, so we've switched to fantastic flags from here on out.
What? My purse/satchel related post didn't satisfy joseph conrad is fully awesome?!? What more do you want, blood??!?
Edit: Whoops, see that's what you get for hopping in right away. Yay, pens! (No, I'm not crazy competitive....much.)
posted by xingcat at 10:58 AM on December 15, 2014 [4 favorites]
Edit: Whoops, see that's what you get for hopping in right away. Yay, pens! (No, I'm not crazy competitive....much.)
posted by xingcat at 10:58 AM on December 15, 2014 [4 favorites]
Although the first half of the month runs through the end of today, the current cookie contenders appear to be pie ninja, who brought us The Toast's secret history of the Toll House cookie, and infini, whose post on an obscure local Japanese festival taught me all kinds of things I've never considered about the history and science of nori production.
posted by deludingmyself at 11:00 AM on December 15, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by deludingmyself at 11:00 AM on December 15, 2014 [1 favorite]
Do sufganyot count as cookies?
posted by ChuraChura at 11:03 AM on December 15, 2014
posted by ChuraChura at 11:03 AM on December 15, 2014
Sure, send me a vial on a chain and I'll wear it a la Angelina Jolie.
I thought Room 641-A's post on pencils (holy cow that got 91 favorites?!?) really scratched a writing tool itch and should win something, the fashion post gave me an excuse to award a second place prize.
posted by joseph conrad is fully awesome at 11:05 AM on December 15, 2014
I thought Room 641-A's post on pencils (holy cow that got 91 favorites?!?) really scratched a writing tool itch and should win something, the fashion post gave me an excuse to award a second place prize.
posted by joseph conrad is fully awesome at 11:05 AM on December 15, 2014
Edit: Whoops, see that's what you get for hopping in right away. Yay, pens! (No, I'm not crazy competitive....much.)
posted by xingcat at 10:58 AM on December 15 [+] [!]
Ha, this is totally something I would do (and have done...)
posted by joseph conrad is fully awesome at 11:06 AM on December 15, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by xingcat at 10:58 AM on December 15 [+] [!]
Ha, this is totally something I would do (and have done...)
posted by joseph conrad is fully awesome at 11:06 AM on December 15, 2014 [2 favorites]
Do sufganyot count as cookies?
I stand corrected! Three, three cookie contenders (ah-ha-ha-haa). Sophie1's post was what sparked my look back through the first half of the month this morning, even.
posted by deludingmyself at 11:06 AM on December 15, 2014 [2 favorites]
I stand corrected! Three, three cookie contenders (ah-ha-ha-haa). Sophie1's post was what sparked my look back through the first half of the month this morning, even.
posted by deludingmyself at 11:06 AM on December 15, 2014 [2 favorites]
(I'd been looking using the "food" and "recipe" tags when recapping, which was how I missed that one. If there are any more posts out there I've missed, speak now (or before Dec 16th).
posted by deludingmyself at 11:08 AM on December 15, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by deludingmyself at 11:08 AM on December 15, 2014 [1 favorite]
Congrats all around! Winners and rules are now updated on the wiki. I'm not clear what happens to winners #2 and 3, as there were no prizes set aside for those folks at the time that I edited the wiki.
posted by filthy light thief at 11:20 AM on December 15, 2014
posted by filthy light thief at 11:20 AM on December 15, 2014
Third place goes to Shmuel510's post about getting started with the ukulele, covering lots of resources and tools to get you up to speed and playing more songs.
Wow, thank you! I have been pleasantly surprised to discover how many ukulele aficionados there are on MeFi.
I'm also very glad that the comments contain even more resources, some of which I was belatedly upset at myself for not having included in the first place.
posted by Shmuel510 at 11:38 AM on December 15, 2014 [2 favorites]
Wow, thank you! I have been pleasantly surprised to discover how many ukulele aficionados there are on MeFi.
I'm also very glad that the comments contain even more resources, some of which I was belatedly upset at myself for not having included in the first place.
posted by Shmuel510 at 11:38 AM on December 15, 2014 [2 favorites]
Ooooooo, yes, I had forgotten I'd favorited that most excellent purse post to devour later! too many damn good things on here for my tiny brain. Congrats to all!
posted by missmary6 at 11:50 AM on December 15, 2014
posted by missmary6 at 11:50 AM on December 15, 2014
Wow, thank you joseph conrad is fully awesome, this is so exciting!
Shmuel51: I have been pleasantly surprised to discover how many ukulele aficionados there are on MeFi.
That's how I felt about the pencils!
posted by Room 641-A at 11:54 AM on December 15, 2014 [2 favorites]
Shmuel51: I have been pleasantly surprised to discover how many ukulele aficionados there are on MeFi.
That's how I felt about the pencils!
posted by Room 641-A at 11:54 AM on December 15, 2014 [2 favorites]
infini, I have a fresh batch of cookie dough setting up in the fridge right now and it has basically the same ingredients as this. I think I'm going to run out for nori before I bake them.
posted by Room 641-A at 12:15 PM on December 15, 2014
posted by Room 641-A at 12:15 PM on December 15, 2014
Great job, everyone!
posted by FAMOUS MONSTER at 12:51 PM on December 15, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by FAMOUS MONSTER at 12:51 PM on December 15, 2014 [1 favorite]
Thank you! It's most appreciated.
posted by cwest at 1:43 PM on December 15, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by cwest at 1:43 PM on December 15, 2014 [2 favorites]
Now that's what I'm talking about! Cool post cwest!
posted by Potomac Avenue at 6:38 PM on December 15, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by Potomac Avenue at 6:38 PM on December 15, 2014 [1 favorite]
Shmuel510: I'm also very glad that the comments contain even more resources, some of which I was belatedly upset at myself for not having included in the first place.
That's the fun of MetaFilter - don't worry about making an encyclopedic post, as other MeFites like to provide more information, which makes the post more interesting all-around.
posted by filthy light thief at 7:41 AM on December 16, 2014 [3 favorites]
That's the fun of MetaFilter - don't worry about making an encyclopedic post, as other MeFites like to provide more information, which makes the post more interesting all-around.
posted by filthy light thief at 7:41 AM on December 16, 2014 [3 favorites]
I swear I will win in one category this year... (as long as the cabal will let me.)
*ding* an anti-cabal post!! That's the category I should go for!
posted by marienbad at 11:15 AM on December 16, 2014
*ding* an anti-cabal post!! That's the category I should go for!
posted by marienbad at 11:15 AM on December 16, 2014
* A note about the fantastic flags vs. favorites for voting. It was up in the air during our planning for this year, but it became clear after the first couple weeks that the nature of favorites having many uses (it's a dessert topping AND a floor polish!) our top favorites lists were filling up with giant news stories and hiding the gems below, so we've switched to fantastic flags from here on out.
Favorites are transparent, though.
(I'm not suggesting the contest is rigged; I'm just saying, PSSST! HEY MATT! THAT $25 GIFT CARD COULD BE YOURS!)
posted by Sys Rq at 12:57 PM on December 16, 2014
Favorites are transparent, though.
(I'm not suggesting the contest is rigged; I'm just saying, PSSST! HEY MATT! THAT $25 GIFT CARD COULD BE YOURS!)
posted by Sys Rq at 12:57 PM on December 16, 2014
So in the original thread discussing the possibility of a 2014 post contest, infini offered to bribe this prize-giver in a blatant attempt at corrupting the cookie-awarding process. And I thought to myself, "you're going to have to write a damn good post to win these cookies after that transparent attempt at bribery."
But you know what? Her post on Dr. Kathleen Drew-Baker was a damn good post amidst the handful of good food posts these past two weeks, and I particularly liked that I knew nothing about the topic before clicking on it. And so I am forced to admit that I have now added "April 14th: Drew Festival - remembrance sushi" as a calendar reminder for this spring, and am contacting infini to get her feelings on chocolate and/or nuts.
Congratulations to all the winners!
posted by deludingmyself at 1:23 PM on December 16, 2014 [1 favorite]
But you know what? Her post on Dr. Kathleen Drew-Baker was a damn good post amidst the handful of good food posts these past two weeks, and I particularly liked that I knew nothing about the topic before clicking on it. And so I am forced to admit that I have now added "April 14th: Drew Festival - remembrance sushi" as a calendar reminder for this spring, and am contacting infini to get her feelings on chocolate and/or nuts.
Congratulations to all the winners!
posted by deludingmyself at 1:23 PM on December 16, 2014 [1 favorite]
Congratulations, infini, and all the other winners!
I just popped in to report back on the nori cookies infini linked to:
I think they're probably really good!
1) I forgot that I added almond extract to the dough.
2) I took the cheap way out and bought those seaweed snacks that are popular now. I bought the plainest flavor I could find, Sea Salt, but it was definitely on the oily side from something.
3) I'm a little burned out on sweets right now, and probably would have enjoyed just eating the seaweed more.
But I think it would be worth trying the recipe and I'll definitely give the proper recipe another go. Thanks!
posted by Room 641-A at 1:33 PM on December 16, 2014
I just popped in to report back on the nori cookies infini linked to:
I think they're probably really good!
1) I forgot that I added almond extract to the dough.
2) I took the cheap way out and bought those seaweed snacks that are popular now. I bought the plainest flavor I could find, Sea Salt, but it was definitely on the oily side from something.
3) I'm a little burned out on sweets right now, and probably would have enjoyed just eating the seaweed more.
But I think it would be worth trying the recipe and I'll definitely give the proper recipe another go. Thanks!
posted by Room 641-A at 1:33 PM on December 16, 2014
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First place for the purse/fashion category goes to xingcat for his post, What's in your bag?
There's a surprise 2nd place award, to Room 641-A for her post, Why "Marsala"? Because we thought it sounded better than "Scab".
xingcat, you have first choice, please see twitter post here.
Room 641-A you have second choice, please hold off until after xingcat has made a selection thanks! (In the event you don't want a pen, just memail me.)
I have a strong urge to avoid the post office until after xmas but will try to get these off to you in a timely fashion.
posted by joseph conrad is fully awesome at 10:58 AM on December 15, 2014 [1 favorite]