You can’t win if you don’t play

Yes, this is an actual “Oscar.” And no, I did not win it.

This year, Michigan Today won a “Circle of Excellence” Award from the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE.)

We (that includes you) earned a “Silver” (second place) in the digital communications category for email newsletters.

Awards are funny. When you don’t win, they are “bogus.” When you snag a prize, it’s the greatest thing ever.

It’s a long, strange trip from “bogus” to “greatest.” Especially with CASE. The awards submission process is so draconian I often am tempted to give up midway through the entries I submit on behalf of the Michigan News staff. Complaining when these awards are announced is de rigueur for the bitter loser in me, so it is a bit unnerving to receive one.

But here I am, all flush with pride and covered in shiny gold stars. It’s a Catholic school girl’s ultimate dream. And before I start exclaiming, “You like me, you really like me,” I’d like to thank Jim Tobin, my freelancers, my columnists, and all the Michigan News writers who produce the kind of quality content that makes this publication worth reading. In addition, Michigan Today would be nowhere without founding editor John Woodford and his successor, John Lofy, who did all the heavy lifting in the first place. To meet the bar they set for excellent and captivating content is a challenge that keeps me awake at night.

And before you play me off with the orchestral strains of “The Victors,” I’d most like to acknowledge you, dear readers. I am forever grateful to you for opening and reading this monthly missive. Thank you for the pitches, the comments, the anecdotes, and, yes, the corrections. Each month I am humbled by your interest and participation in Michigan Today. Your contributions are always welcome — from the erudite to the insulting. Don’t worry, I can take it.

To finally be able to say I won a CASE Award is a thrill, I’m not going to lie. I can put it on my shelf, next to the only other editorial accolade I’ve earned all these years: a battered metal pin with a cartoon bird that reads, “I’m a Wordpicker.” I won it for the third-grade spelling bee at Holy Name School.

Now find the typos and get back to me.