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Award for just doing your job awesome?

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by butch, May 1, 2007.

  1. friend of the friendless

    friend of the friendless Active Member

    Master Butch,

    Or not. I'm in my late 20s ...

    I would never have guessed.

    ... and do not struggle with much of anything.

    Other than the English language. I'm sure that trivial point won't stop you on your inexorable march to greatness.

    YHS, etc
     
  2. jgmacg

    jgmacg Guest

    Perhaps Butch earns his living translating standard newspaper English into American Fratboy.

    Unfairly, even doing this unsung but important job awesome is not enough to win any awards.

    To catch the judges' attention next year, he'll have to do his work even more awesomer.
     
  3. Montezuma's Revenge

    Montezuma's Revenge Active Member

    Butch, in other words, is part of that you-get-a-trophy-just-for-not-shitting-your-pants generation. So when he doesn't get said trophy, he gets in a snit.

    I know, I know, not everyone from his generation is like that. I feel sorry for the motivated achievers of that age who have had to grow up around that crap.
     
  4. Songbird

    Songbird Well-Known Member

    Or most awesomest :D
     
  5. While I am from the 20-something generation and shit my pants on a regular basis, I think it's best not to worry about awards. I know it's hard when you're trying to get ahead in this increasingly tough business, but the best marker of your talent is to truly evaluate yourself. You read enough. You know what is in Sports Illustrated or Esquire, or the Washington Post or the Los Angeles Times. Not saying you're going to match those stories, but you may have a few sentences that make you say, "If I was reading this, I would be happy I spent my time to do it." If you read your story and don't like it, you know. Or at least should. If that doesn't work for you, maybe shitting your pants will. At least that will give you something to do for 15 minutes or so.
     
  6. Herbert Anchovy

    Herbert Anchovy Active Member

  7. butch

    butch Member

    Friend, you're right. My struggle with the English language is the one thing that has stopped me on my inexorable march to greatness - that and being in my late 20s. I apologize for forgetting my place in the grand scheme of things. Do you suggest I stop doing my job so awesome and learn a thing or two?
     
  8. ballparkman

    ballparkman New Member

    Personally, I don't give a damn about awards. That's not why I do this, and quite frankly I don't need an award for an ego boost or to believe I've written something worthwhile.

    I'm my own biggest critic. I know when I stink, and I know when I've done something good.

    Honestly, every award that I've won except one I've thrown in the waste basket. I'm not going to display them, and I don't want to just put them in a box that I'll never look at. Bingo - gone. The one I kept was first place APSE, so that was special, although I don't consider that my best piece - it's just the one that was recognized.
     
  9. friend of the friendless

    friend of the friendless Active Member

    Master Butch,

    You might start by learning to make a distinction between awards and rewards. Awards aren't meaningless by any means, but it's what you come to appreciate as the reward for your work that will keep you going. The difference isn't subtle. You're worried about award (how others view you) when what matters a hell of a lot more is reward (how you view your life and work). A job well done (sigh, awesome) is reward in and of itself.

    YHS, etc
     
  10. chazp

    chazp Active Member

    Dude, I don't think you're in the right line of work. If you don't get excited about doing your job well, then you're not in the right business. Next to sex with your wife/soulmate/significant other, your job should be the most exciting thing in your life. It should almost be like an addition to drugs/smoking, something you just can't live without because you love it and want to give the public the best product possible. If you don't feel like this, this biz is not for you. Awards are not the end all. I've got a new ME this year, who has never been an ME before and our paper missed all the deadlines for all the contests we usually enter because he didn't how/when to enter the contests. Big freaking deal. I won't win anything this year. But when I get up in the morning, I can't wait to get to work and give the public the best possible sports section possible. Knowing I gave our readers the best section they could have is the best award I can win!
     
  11. friend of the friendless

    friend of the friendless Active Member

    Master Butch,

    Your work is now part of lore.

    http://www.sportsjournalists.com/forum/threads/41112/

    I knew I was long overdue for the kind of high school baseball game we all dread, but tonight was effin' ridiculous.

    First of all, the best-of-three series I'm covering was scheduled for Abilene, but was shifted to Lubbock because rain on Wednesday left those fields unplayable. Then I sat through extra innings as deadline inexorably slipped past. We're supposed to be off the floor at 10:55 p.m. The last out was recorded at 11:06.

    During the course of the evening, I had come up with three or four really good leads, even had thoughts of a short sidebar, only to have it all come to nothing.

    The final score was 18-15 in nine innings. The teams combined for 40 hits, including four home runs and 14 doubles. The WINNING pitcher gave up five runs.

    And speaking of pitching, the teams combined to use nine guys, including both scheduled starters for Game 2 (although one kid faced only one batter and the other faced four, throwing 13 pitches).

    The starting pitcher on the losing team appeared to be cruising in the third, but came off the mound to catch a popup, got run over by the first baseman and had to leave the game with a knee injury. The coach's comment: "That's a play (the first baseman's) has all the way. Pitchers don't catch popups."

    A kid on the losing team had a homer, two doubles and six RBIs, but the winning team had five players with at least two RBIs. The winning team also stole 10 bases in 12 attempts.

    The winning team, in its first playoff game since 1964, scored eight straight runs to take a 10-5 lead into the bottom of the sixth. They promptly squandered it, but avoided pulling a Dallas Mavericks when a freshman pinch runner was thrown out trying to score from first on a double in the gap (the kid apparently didn't believe the coach was really waving him home and slowed up just a bit rounding third).

    The winners come back and score three in the eighth, giving me a chance to still get something in by deadline.

    Etc.

    Mr Waller,

    You deserve an award. The Red Smith wouldn't do you justice.

    Mr Waller, in recognition of your writing an epic high school gamer under immense pressure in unbearable conditions while being short-changed on mileage, we are pleased to announced that you are the first-ever recipient of "The Butchie."

    Dude, you're doing awesome.

    YHS, etc
     
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