This Sentence Is Worth Fifteen Bucks

Having a baby, leaving your job, and moving across the country to go to university all at the same time can be a little tough on the pocketbook. For this reason, we looked around the internet for possible scholarships or awards to help us along. Unfortunately, we started looking a little late in the year, and several of the deadlines had already passed.

One competition which still had not expired was the Dalton Camp Award, sponsored by the Friends of Canadian Broadcasting. Entrants write an essay about "the link between democratic values and the quality of the media in Canada." The two winners receive a $5,000 prize and a bronze medal featuring the likeness of Dalton Camp -- a prolific newspaper writer and political commentator.

I knew nothing about Dalton Camp, his bronze medal, or the Friends of Canadian Broadcasting, but I thought I'd try my hand at an essay. Heck, with a limit of 2,000 words, that meant at least $2.50 per word. If I was getting that kind of money for writing this blog, I'd have enough to buy Central Park.

With the kind redacting assistance of my sister and Mr. Edward Rooney, I put together an essay in record time to meet the March 31st deadine. (These two were also very helpful in editing my MBA application essays -- which were legion.) For the next two months I anxiously awaited notification from my friends at Friends of Canadian Broadcasting, knowing that the winners are announced at the end of May each year.

I didn't win.

I have published my 1,807-word entry (which I think is clever, if not academic), at the following link for your reading pleasure. If you choose to read it, you will owe me five grand.

Well, there's always next year. Until then, I've still got this blog. Every time somebody clicks on an ad I make about a quarter. Since this post is nearly 350 words, a quarter works out to just over 0.07 cents per word. Now if I could just figure out a way to get one of those bronze medallions...