Up to our ears in Emmy Entry dubs

It's that time of year again--time to submit Emmy entries for the NATAS Lower Great Lakes Chapter.

It happens the same time every year ....but many of us do it. We wait until the last minute to make our dubs, fill out our on-line forms and tie up all loose ends.

Like clock work--dues are due in December....the on-line paperwork must be filled out a few days before the dubs are actually due at NATAS HQ in the middle of January.

Unfortunately, just after the holidays, another huge chunk of change is due for all Emmy entries. But, the way I look at it, if I've done something worthy of an award that I am very proud of, I'll somehow scrape up the money or 'charge it' in order to submit an entry and give myself a fighting chance. What many do not realize is that unless you submit an entry, you can't win. It's not like someone just picks your name out of a hat and 'poof!'

You must submit an entry which then goes to a city across the country for a group of peers to judge. They give it the thumbs up or the thumbs down.

There are strict rules and regulations and deadlines that must be followed to a tee. A story that happened in 2009 can NOT be submitted in 2011. So we have to adhere to the time-sensitive urgency of this process and suck up the costs...

I'm uncomfortable entering any award contest. Submitting an award is quite expensive, especially for non-members--whatever the group. I was hot on submitting a story that I kicked butt on and totally beat the competition. I sent out an email to every single person who had their hand in assisting me on the story. I did touch base with everyone.

No one wanted to enter the entry with me. No one.

If that story gets nominated, though I will be extremely proud and happy on one hand, on the other hand I will feel awkward. I initiated the story and started the ball rolling and we would not have had the story without me but there were a handful of folks who continued and furthered its path to the logical conclusion.

Always bittersweet......and then to take it one step further, if you spend all that money and don't win???

I'm thinking tooooo much. Way ahead of myself. One step at a time girl! People say it all the time, but really it IS an honor just being nominated even if you don't win. It really is. And I am very blessed to have already won 7 Emmy awards in my career. So I have no right to ever complain or feel down!

I am very proud to say I filled out my on-line paperwork 3 days before it was due....paid the entry fees...and even had my dubs at NATAS HQ 2 days before they were due.

Now, it's just wait...and wait.....and wait.....fingers crossed! We'll all find out who is nominated in April and then who takes home Emmy on June 19, 2010.