Who gets to add their name to this rather shoddy looking plaque?

The time has finally arrived to announce the winner of the 2023 Contest of Whatever!  While I don’t think this year’s prompt will go down among my best (even I had trouble coming up with good teasers to serve as reminders and spur interest), the participants made the best of the situation and presented a fitting ten different interpretations for the tenth annual contest!

We’re going to have to update this calendar.

This year was the complete opposite of the 2022 contest, where one entry stole the show and gave me my easiest decision ever as to the overall winner.  I debated quite a bit over the weekend, and at various times had preliminarily decided on no fewer than five of the ten submissions as the one I’d likely choose.  It took going over each one of them one final time this morning before I ultimately made the decision on which one will take home the top prize.

And the winner of the Tenth Annual Contest of Whatever is………………….

Drum roll please, Hottie!

Michael!!!!!!!!!

In the end, it was the failed rise of the household machines that nabbed the prize.  Perhaps my longtime fascination with appliance clocks, which dates back to when I was a kid and would get out of bed on sleepless nights to continually check the time on the oven clock, played a role in boosting Michael’s story up in my mind as a favorite.  But what really won me over was the aspect of “smart” machines not really being that smart after all.  As one who has certainly NOT embraced the smart technology of the past decade-plus, it tickled me to see these idiot devices taken down a peg.  Viva November 31st indeed.  How about just making some damn coffee?

I need something to counteract the mellow.

On a somewhat funny note in me choosing Michael’s submission is that despite being posted on March 20th, I didn’t even notice it until I scrolled back through the comments of the Contest post while writing the judges commentary Thursday night!  Good thing I’m always thorough….

Now, before the rest of you all try to banish me to the cornfield of November 31st…. you still have a chance at a prize of your own!  There’s still the random prize to be awarded that all non-winning entries are eligible for!  Let’s look at that lineup I chose on Friday…

1. Rick Turton
2. Mandy
3. Suzanne
4. ghostmmnc
5. Draliman
6. Willow Croft
7. Juliette
8. Michael Seidel
9. Nolcha/Barbara
10. Pam

Using these numbers to represent each 2023 CoW participant, I got out my trusty deck of playing cards which has decided the random winner of all previous nine contests, and dug out the Ace through Ten of spades, pitching the 8 for Michael.

Alright, Mitzi!  Let’s pick……

Mitzi, what in the hell are you wearing!?!?

MITZI: Mitzi thought that, like, since it was Easter today, she’d totally wear her bunny costume to do the drawing!!!

That’s NOT the kind of bunny costume you wear on Easter!  Take it off right now!!!

MITZI: Like, that’s what everyone down at the Playcritter Club tells Mitzi!

MITZI: There!  Like, Mitzi’s tastefully nude now!

There’s nothing tasteful about you Mitzi…

MITZI: That’s totally not what Snuggie Wuggie Teddy Bear says!  He says Mitzi tastes really delicious!!!  Especially down…..

Mitzi!  Just…. please…… DRAW A CARD!!!!!!!!

MITZI: Sounds like someone could totally use one of Mitzi’s famous lapdances!  Mitzi charges more when she has her bunny costume…..

Sigh…… and the winner of the random drawing is………………

Congrats to Juliette!!!!

The hellhound and demon cat watch over you on November 31.

So Michael and Juliette can each choose one item valued at $20 USD or less from my Cafepress shop (Any image can be added to an item if you don’t like what’s there… and most of it is old as dirt).  Just hit me up with your selection and mailing info at my email address which can be found here.

And it’s just not a Contest of Whatever without the crappy badges I make for everyone who played to show off on their blogs if they dare!

For the winners….

And for the almost winners…..

A huge THANK YOU to everyone who took part in the milestone 2023 Contest of Whatever!  It was refreshing to have a lot of new blood this year, and I certainly hope to see everyone back to play again next year in the Eleventh Annual Contest of Whatever!

Hopefully this time I’ll actually remember to host it in February…