Okay, so confession time: I totally missed the deadline to submit my top 10 or so OS posts of 2009. I feel like a dick, but in my defense, I was on vacation in Hawaii for 13 days, and didn't check my email (golfing and beach time are the only two things that can suppress my insane internet addiction it seems).

Still, here are my belated contributions. Picking your favorite OS writer/post is almost impossible, so apologies in advance if I left someone out.

Kresskin - The Governor, The Witch and the Wardrobe
Yes, it got an EP when it originally went up, but it still deserves a mention here. This is satire at its finest, and even after all this time it makes me giggle like a child, so go ahead and re-read it, whydontcha.

Gwool - Geriatric Jogging: It's not For Pussies
Verbal Remedy - pant pant pant what in the hell am i doing pant pant pant
Both these posts resonated with me, because they're about running even when you're not built like an Ethiopian marathoner. While I singled these particular posts out, I'm a fan of both writers, who blog about a wide range of topics.

Vac - Coping, My Year in Romance part 3, and The Things Strangers Tell Me
Proof that great writing on OS comes in many forms, OS is blessed with the artistic stylings of Vac, who writes hilarious comics about all sorts of topics. It was hard to pick just one, so I listed my three favorite strips he's done. Everything is great: the art style really appeals to me and the writing is a nice mix of humor and pathos all at once.

Freaky Troll - Freaky Flu, My Freaky Treatment and OS Prom Queen Has a Message For Y'All
Freaky Troll is one of our original (and possibly most-loved) members here at OS. While she's the master of absurd posts, the last entry above abso shows that she's sometimes one of the more rational people here as well.

Sheldon the Wonderhorse - I Want a Groovy Mustache
If anyone here gives Freaky a run for "Best Satire/Absurdist Writer on OS", it's probably Sheldon, as evidenced by this hilarious post about the power of the 'stache.

odetteroulette - Just What The Fuck Is A Writer?
Of all the "Amen, sister!" posts that are here on OS, this one is probably my favorite. Perfectly said.

Travis D'Arby - I Was Homeless . . . And I Liked It
This was one of those posts that just really stuck with me. It's an amazing story and the writing really evokes strong images in the reader. This is the kind of post that makes me wish it were longer.

Saturn Smith - pretty much everything
Truth be told, Saturn ranks as my favorite writer on Open Salon (and my pick for "Most Likely to Succeed As A Paid Writer", should she ever wish to do this full time). I always learn a lot from her posts, and in the end, I couldn't pick just one.

Image: Simon Howden / FreeDigitalPhotos.net