I Won An Award!

I’m very excited about winning this award, because I didn’t even know I was up for this award — or, in fact, that the award even existed. So if I hadn’t won, I wouldn’t have been bummed out and felt like a loser.

Isn’t that a wonderful way to give out awards? Maybe the Oscars should look into it. Then they wouldn’t have that awkward five-way split screen of the nominees’ faces, where four of them would have to pretend to be good sports when the winner was announced. There wouldn’t be any campaigning or speeches where people thank people we’ve never heard of until the orchestra drowns them out. In fact, we could just skip that bloated ceremony everyone complains about the next day altogether.

The President of the Academy could just walk around with a duffel bag full of Oscars and walk up to people. “Psst! Eddie Redmayne! Catch!”

What was I talking about? Oh, right. The award I won. It was the Gold Medal in Personal Essays from the Parenting Media Association for a piece I wrote in NY Metro Parents magazine last summer. The best part is that, in bestowing the honor, they said some really nice things about what I wrote:

“The anxieties and uncertainties of parenthood are magnified when a gay dad is raising a young daughter. In a whimsical piece, this writer confronts and processes the various dimensions of being a father in a new kind of environment. Beneath the playfulness lies fierce self-doubt, which he measures against his little girl’s complete acceptance. This is a successful meeting of candor and humility.”

I’m really grateful to the Parenting Media Association and to NY Metro Parents for publishing the essay in the first place. (Don’t worry. This is not an acceptance speech.) The best part is knowing that it’ll get more people to read the article. I swear, that’s why I’m engaging in this blatant self-horn-tooting, to promote a piece I’m really proud of.

If you haven’t read it yet, you can check it out here. And if you want to give me any awards for it, kindly sneak up on me when I’m least expecting it. I love that.

* * * * *

In other news, we’re only 3 1/2 weeks away from the Press Publish Portland Conference, at which I’ll be a featured speaker. If you’ve been on the fence about going, wait no more! WordPress is offering a 40% discount (!) for readers of this blog. Just enter the code SUPERDAD40 on the registration page. Remember that attendance comes with a 1-year subscription to the WordPress premium upgrade, a $99 value! (With that coupon code, you’ll actually be coming out ahead, but don’t tell WordPress I told you that.)

* * * * *

Can’t make it to Portland? Then maybe it’s time you pick up a copy of Mommy Man: How I Went From Mild-Mannered Geek to Gay Superdad, from award-winning writer Jerry Mahoney. Do it for me, or do it for the adorable little girl in the picture above who thinks her dad is a big-shot author. Aw, kids are so sweet.

15 comments on “I Won An Award!”

Conpigulations on your award!! XOXO – Bacon

Congrats on the award! Can’t wait to read the article. I love your academy awards idea. I like it because it makes my academy viewing party’s winners poll that much harder to win.

Ok, just read the article. So so so so sweet. My daughter is the same age and she tells my husband constantly that she wishes he was a girl. It breaks my husband’s heart but I know she doesn’t really mean it! You both sound like awesome parents and I would have died and gone to heaven if I was your kid making muppets and what not!! Thanks for sharing

Congrats on the award! I have read some of your posts before, and you definitelt deserve awards!

We are all so proud of you, Jerry. I am not a reader but I did pick up your book and loved what I’ve read so far. That was two months ago lol. I do intend to pick it up where I left off. Mazel Tov!

Congrats Jerry…you’re a great dad!!! From: Mommy Man To: dfganz@yahoo.com Sent: Wednesday, March 4, 2015 9:20 AM Subject: [New post] I Won An Award! #yiv9562117492 a:hover {color:red;}#yiv9562117492 a {text-decoration:none;color:#0088cc;}#yiv9562117492 a.yiv9562117492primaryactionlink:link, #yiv9562117492 a.yiv9562117492primaryactionlink:visited {background-color:#2585B2;color:#fff;}#yiv9562117492 a.yiv9562117492primaryactionlink:hover, #yiv9562117492 a.yiv9562117492primaryactionlink:active {background-color:#11729E;color:#fff;}#yiv9562117492 WordPress.com | Jerry Mahoney posted: “I’m very excited about winning this award, because I didn’t even know I was up for this award — or, in fact, that the award even existed. So if I hadn’t won, I wouldn’t have been bummed out and felt like a loser.Isn’t that a wonderful way to give out” | |

How awesome is that…CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Love & Hugs

Way to go, Jerry. You are a gifted guy who has two beautiful kids. Thanks for sharing your life.

What a great article! Kids are really amazing (and grandkids are amazinger…just you wait!). They teach us so much as we move through our worried adult lives and it is just so cool getting to re-experience life’s discoveries through their eyes. The trick, I think, is to let your kids lead the way so that they are the leaders and you get to have all the fun following them.