RDBlog Week Badge Voting

It is time for the 4th annual RDBlog Week.  Yes, I said it, this is the 4th Annual RDBlog Week.  Before I explain what happened to the  1st thru 3rd annual RDBlog Week’s, here are the instructions on how to vote.  The rules of voting are simple:

1. Vote as many times as you wish. You should vote early and often and if you cannot make up your mind, vote four times and if you love one choice and want it to win, vote for it one hundred times
2. Tell your friends to vote. You do not need to be a blogger to vote.  Even if you have never read a blog about living with a Rheumatic condition you can still vote.
3. Voting will continue until 12:00 AM August 30, 2018.
4. In the case of a tie we will turn the decision over to the one true decider at my house; Sheryl of course.

Those are all the rules; it is as simple as can be.  Last year we had 49 votes, so we had a fair number of voters, and with the outstanding badge choices, I expect this year will be just as good.  To vote, follow this link to Survey Monkey where you will find the brief 3 question ballot and vote you only need answer 1 question, which badge do you like.

2018 RDBlog Week Badge voting

Great Badge choices this year

A note about the badge choices.  We have four diverse choices.  In early voting, there is no clear favorite.  Each badge has received an almost equal number of votes.  So your vote will have great impact.  I always say at this point in the process, remember this badge will be what we will use to identify RDBlog week this year.  So yes it is important.  Who wants a bad badge displayed on your blog?  So to sum it up, you can prevent a bad choice by voting.

4th Annual?

Now what is this about RDBlog Week and how can it be the 4thannual?  As most in the RA community know, we have had three annual RABlog week’s.  Blog week always begins on the final Monday of September.  Two years ago the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and the Association of Rheumatology Health Professionals (ARHP) designated September Rheumatic Disease Awareness Month.  Those who have participated in past RABlog Weeks know that we have always encouraged anyone with a Rheumatic condition or their loved ones to blog with us during RABlog week.  In line with the lead of ACR/ARHP, I decided to change RABlog Week to RDBlog Week.   Hopefully changing the designation to RDBlog Week, will broaden our audience to other bloggers or loved ones and at the same time allow those familiar with RABlog week to feel comfortable.

Why the 4th; annual when technically it is the 1st; RDBlog week.  I am calling this the 4th; annual in recognition of the many blogs already posted to RABlog week.  I feel that even though the name has changed, I expect most participants to be RA Bloggers. Given that the roots of RDBlog are fixed in the foundation of RABlog week I decided to go ahead with the numbers.  Besides I must keep them straight somehow.

Regardless of the name or the number designation, we still have one overarching purpose.  That purpose is to broaden the online blogging community addressing Rheumatic conditions.   Yes, we all have different perspectives, but that is fine because what makes us different is also what makes us stronger as a group.  No matter what Rheumatic condition we have, we share that our bodies have decided to attack themselves. When we boil it down to the root of the Rheumatic Disease; we all need one another.  Because no one should face one of these conditions alone. In the online world we  show support by reaching across the lines of isolation that these conditions tend to create.

rick

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