The first round of voting for the Koufax Awards is closing Sunday. Monday, having been extended to make up for the Koufax servers being down part of Sunday. Some of my fellow and undeniably deserving nominees with much greater traffic have been cranking up their squadrons of flying monkeys loyal fans, so if you meant to vote for me and/or Creek Running North in any of the ballots, now’s the time.

[Pause while Chris takes a long, silent look at his army of nieces and nephews. There’s no lower age limit in voting: just one vote per IP address. Sophie, get off your butt and vote!]

Best Writing is the category I’m most interested in, because that’s where I’ve already got the best chance of winning,* but I’m also nominated for Koufices in the categories:

Best Commenter
Best Post (for Life and Death);
Most Deserving of Wider Recognition;
Best Blog (non-professonal), and;
Best Series (for Blog Against Racism Day.)

You can vote for me in any of the above categories by leaving a comment at any of the above posts.

And to those of you who’ve voted already, I am grateful. Some of the comments you’ve made in voting have been profoundly touching. Reading them was the real prize: the win, in the unlikely event that it happens, will be lagniappe. You guys are wonderful.

With any luck, I’ll be asking you to vote for me once more in the final round of balloting.

* On reflection, I suppose it’s unethical to have someone vote in the Best Writing category before she learns to read. Never mind, Sophie.

1. 
   Violet Socks 2006 03 10 at 9:27:15 pm

   Hmm…I opted for the secret ballot approach and e-mailed my votes.  I hope they’re getting counted.

   You ought to win for Best Post.  When I first read “Life and Death” (a year ago?) I didn’t know it was you—I hadn’t discovered your blog and didn’t connect the essay with the commenter named Chris Clarke at Pharyngula and Michael Berube. I remember thinking (and here I confess to the churlish envy that is the highest praise one writer can pay another):  “Goddamn, I wish I’d written that.”  And also, less churlishly:  “Please let there be more; I want to read everything this guy writes.”

2. 
   Emily 2006 03 10 at 9:36:47 pm

   I already voted for you in more than one category, Chris.  As I was going through the ballot, I pondered some others in some categories, but there was no hesitation (or serious competition) in the Best Writing category.  I hope the Koufax awards bring more people to this site, no matter whether you win or not.  Coming here daily should be on the agenda for many more people.

   Good luck in the Wampum outcome.

3. 
   Chris Clarke 2006 03 10 at 9:40:06 pm

   Thanks, Emily and Dr. Socks. What sweet things to say. And let me assure you that this post was really only meant as a reminder to people who intended to vote but hadn’t yet, rather than as a way of nagging people.

   And it worked: I see my mother voted for me sometime after I posted it. Thanks Mom!

4. 
   Emily 2006 03 10 at 9:44:15 pm

   That’s what mom’s are good for.  I know—I’m one.  Now, Mom needs to get her friends on board…

5. 
   Jamie 2006 03 10 at 10:47:00 pm

   Uh, but you also posted this after a post about Narcissus sp.  Few could pull that off.

6. 
   Chris Clarke 2006 03 10 at 11:41:47 pm

   Uh, but you also posted this after a post about Narcissus sp. Few could pull that off.

   And I would have gotten away with it too if not for you, meddling kid!

7. 
   Tiltmom 2006 03 11 at 1:48:11 am

   And to think it only took me three readings to figure out why this post wasn’t nominated along with Life and Death.

   http://www.faultline.org/place/pinolecreek/archives/001996.html

8. 
   SneakySnu 2006 03 11 at 11:04:12 am

   You know, it’s really hard to vote for the Koufices.  There are 3 blogs that I read regularly, including this one, in which the writing is consistently brilliant but the styles are totally different, not to mention content.  I tried to spread the love around.  But now that I know which one you want to win most…

   p.s. Your story for PZ’s birthday should already be in the running for Best Post for 2006!

9. 
   the_bone 2006 03 12 at 12:32:18 pm

   I voted for you for most of the Koufax-y things, and also for Prom Queen.

10. 
    Chris Clarke 2006 03 12 at 12:37:41 pm

    Prom Queen

    It’s like a dream come true!

11. 
    the_bone 2006 03 12 at 12:50:50 pm

    It’s gonna be rad to see the the beard in the midst of all that chiffon.

12. 
    Teen Girl Chris Clarke 2006 03 12 at 12:59:22 pm

    (Tomorrow’s post might look like this:)

    OMG!  So last nite i wuz at teh koufax prom, and it rly suckked at first because there wuz this eleventh grader named becky who had almost the same dress as me.  but it ended up being ok… well, more than ok… because I WAS ELECTED PROM QUEEN!!!11!!11!  omg, i can’t believe it.  omg, omg, omg.  thanx to all my friends who voted for me… you know were BFF.

    My mom didnt want me to go to some hotel or something after prom (which wuz lame of her, i AM 18), so we went in our limo to the school sponsored afterparty and played games and stuff.  it was actually kind of fun.  i just got home a little while ago (its 6:30 now), so im going to bed.  Mwaa!

13. 
    Chris Clarke 2006 03 12 at 1:13:43 pm

    Someone’s been cross-dressing as me cross-dressing.

    The accidental smiley is the perfect touch.