The following is a true story...I promise.
This Saturday, I was sent to the New York Press Association (or NYPA) convention for work. The convention is held annually and brings together reporters, editors, advertisers, graphic illustrators and more from every weekly newspaper across the state.
The event is actually two days long, but as to be fair, my employers decided we would switch off-two go on Friday, two go on Saturday. Lucky for me, my day was Saturday.
The convention actually began at 9 a.m., but my male co-worker, who would never skip a meal, let alone a free meal, insisted we make it to the hotel it was being held at by 8:30. We walked in a little late, with jusssssssst enough time to make it to the buffet table.
Now, I had already eaten breakfast, but all those carb-filled little goodies started screaming my name once my eyes caught the long buffet table. "Eat me, I'm a danish. Eat me, I'm a muffin. Ariana, you know you want to eat me, I'm a delicious cinnamon raisin bagel."
The bagel had me at hello.
So, I threw that sucker in the toaster and watched the timer tick, tick, tick, completely oblivious to the awards that were given out right in front of me for some of the best pieces of news in the state this year.
All of a sudden, as my bagel is about to pop, I hear, "First place, Ariana Cohn, Colonie Spotlight." For those of you who don't know, that's me! I was shocked, mostly because I wasn't expecting to win an award (which I won for best news story), but also because all that was on my mind at that time was my bagel.
So, red-faced and all, I walked up to the podium-with my PLATE still in my hand-and accepted my award, after kindly asking the woman giving it out if she's sure that it's for me. "You're Ariana Cohn, aren't you?" she asked.
By the time I had the plaque in my hand, I had completely forgotten about my bagel, carefully placed the plate down, and sat back in my chair. I never picked that bagel back up, and I feel better for it.
Now, if only I can win a few more awards, I'll be bagel-free for life!