Inga Sweeps San Diego Press Club Awards

"It was overall a good night for me at the San Diego Press Club's 38th Annual Excellence in Journalism Awards." Such was the humble information from my friend and your fellow Y!CN writer, Inga. She won five--count them, FIVE--press club awards in one night. In my vernacular, "a good night" gets the award for the understatement of today!

Humor

The San Diego Press Club Awards cover journalism in TV, radio, magazines, daily newspapers, non-daily newspapers, and blogs. As she does on Y!CN, Inga writes what she terms "low-brow humor" on a blog and non-daily newspaper. She regards herself disadvantaged in the belief that her "low-brow humor" isn't regarded as journalism. Clearly, with her sweep of the Awards, no one at the Press Club shared that belief!

Blue ribbon

Inga's first place blue ribbon was awarded for a story she wrote twenty-four years ago. I like this. Here's writing being appreciated for its long-lasting value and appeal. Unlike the newsy articles featuring current foibles of politicians' sex lives or celebrity addictions, Inga's award-winning piece described an incident with her young kids at the office that was decidedly unfunny at the time. It must have pulled some humor in from somewhere, because Inga indeed got the big blue ribbon for the fun of it.

What, me win?

By the way, in Inga's humility, she informed me of her first place blue ribbon last. There were three other awards she received, which she described to me first. This shows me that there isn't an ounce of braggadocio in Inga anywhere. She downplayed receiving the blue ribbon award by describing at length the walnut plaque it was mounted upon!

Three seconds

In the Individual Column Humor Category, Inga won second prize. She actually won three second prizes, for three stories in a three-way tie with herself. Talk about a sweep!

One story described her fears at Christmas time, another meeting her adopted son's mother, and a third on subjects never spoken on college admission application essays. Remember, the category here is humor. Inga deserves three prizes for finding any humor at all in those topics.

Best in show

Inga won the press club equivalent of "Best in Show" in a third prize award for an opinion piece on seals. No, not the one on the President's stolen podium nor the waxy ones closing flaps on 18^th century envelopes. Inga grabbed third for the inflammatory coverage of seals--you know, sea lions, sort of--living on the California beach where children swim.

Her story raised the ire of local residents on both sides of the slimy issue. Comments raised fears for her welfare in the community. She hid her face in public places, lest irked townsfolk recognize her as the writer. But the story must have sold lots of newspapers because Inga still writes there and got third prize for the second year in a row!

What, me hold back?

Inga is too humble to tell you herself about her awards sweep at the San Diego Press Club. I took the scoop on her story. And, I am not humble enough to hide the fact that Inga is a writer whose acquaintance I sought. I will toot my own horn and hide no humility to tell you how well I can recognize talent. (Headhunters, take notice!) I read great writing with Inga's first words on page 27b of a free neighborhood newspaper lying wet on my driveway.

A winner

I invited Inga to write for Y!CN. "Meet Inga" was my introductory article. We meet for lattes regularly. Her stories grace our website. The rest is history. Oh, man, I love a winner, don't you?