How to win an award without trying

I didn’t even submit anything to the San Diego Press Club this year, but I took second place in the category of Daily Newspapers and Websites: Reviews.

Unbeknown to me, my editor, Ron Donaho, nominated one of my stories for a Press Club award and it won. You have to drill down to p. 4 of the 20 pages of awards listed to find the prize notice.

Now if the Press Club could only spell Pat Metheny’s name and the title of his tour properly. Pat Methney? Oh yeah, don’t you know his sister: Crystal?

And if you read the story past the first four paragraphs, you’ll see that the only person on stage was Pat Metheny–sorry, no orchestra. I do mention the word, “orchestrion,” six times though.

What am I going to do with all my prize money? I’m going to buy a chimpanzee and have a tuxedo custom-sewn for him which he will have to wear all the time unless he’s sleeping. Then I will teach him to smoke a cigar. Nothing like a well-dressed chimp with a stogie to add a little class to your life.

The award I won for my review, "Pat Metheny: Orchestrion on Tour"