Aw, Shucks

In mid-May, I received the following e-mail:

Dear Ben Pollock,
Congratulations. You are a winner in the “On-line Category” of the 2009 National Society of Newspaper Columnists annual contest. We hope you will be with us to accept your award in person in beautiful Ventura, Calif. at the NSNC annual conference, June 25-28. For more information about the conference, go to www.columnists.com.
Please acknowledge receipt of this notification.
Thanks and, again, congratulations.
Ann Fisher
Contest Chair
Dispatch Metro Reporter
Columbus, Ohio

It’s a tease, naturally, to encourage attendance. My prize could be first, second, third, or second honorable mention. But in the interest of disclosure, for journalism propriety, the following comprised my contest entry:

• Eat Cancer in our Lifetime
• Hydrangea, Sweet Bird of Youth
• Valiance

End of June, I may update this to announce what I won. Also to disclose: I not only am a member of this organization, but an officer, secretary. More disclosure, I’m typing this barefoot. That is, typing with my fingers — what were you thinking? — but my feet are … I’m wiggling my toes, I mean … nevermind, once you start disclosing, it’s hard to stop.