I picked my son up from school last week – he was excited to show me that the leaves were falling from the trees.

I hadn’t really noticed until then, but fall is here; in fact, the Seattle Times reported that today may be the warmest day we’re going to have until the spring.

Fall is my favorite season of the year – the best season, in my opinion. It’s not too hot, not too cold, and it’s much drier than spring, with just as much color.

But whatever your favorite season is, I would wager that one of the reasons why it’s your favorite is because it’s not constant. Who wants an endless summer? Or perpetual liquid sunshine?

(Just don’t ask my wife – if she could move anywhere, it would be where there’s always snow. Ew.)

We’re here to once again celebrate the best businesses and people on the Plateau: antiques and collectibles, clothing and consignments, bartenders and servers, and beauty services of every kind – including for our furry four-footed friends.

Last year I pontificated about what it means to be the best, and why I think that, because of all our hard work, the Plateau is one of the best places to visit or live.

But why is being “the best” so special?

The obvious answer is, it feels damn good. You feel special; you feel accomplished; and you get to celebrate those wonderful, warm feelings with an open bar.

I was able to celebrate such an accomplishment one year ago this October, when I was recognized as the News Writer of the Year in Washington. This award is considered among the reporters of nearly 50 community papers across the state, small or large.

Honestly, I submitted my portfolio on a whim. I thought, “I’ve been doing this for 11 years, why not? It’s free, after all.”

So it came as a complete surprise, as I was walking my dog and child down a dark street last October, when I received a grainy photo text from my boss of my name and title engraved on a little clear trophy.

I called him immediately to confirm. And then everyone I could think of that would be as excited for me as I was.

It’s been a long time since I was so excited to receive such recognition. I get various awards in numerous categories for this competition every year; I’m always pleased when I place in a category I know I do well in, and sometimes I’m a little extra delighted when I find my name somewhere in the list of awards where I don’t expect.

But it was nothing like this. This was a decade’s worth of hard work in the making.

I think a lot of you know what that’s like. Maybe some of you still have that first dollar hanging somewhere in a frame; and if you don’t, I’m positive you’ve still got something that reminds you that you did it. All that time and energy, successes and failures, pain and pleasure, packed into something that you can look at and remind yourself that it was worth it.

That’s what the Best Of competition is supposed to be – a recognition of your hard-earned place in this community.

But what does it mean to be “the best” if you’re always “the best”?

It still feels damn good to get that honor, no matter how many times you may have received it over the years. I know it.

Still. Do you remember that first time your businesses was honored with a plaque? Or the time you won it back in a friendly (or maybe not so friendly) competition? The fist-clenching, heart pumping, ear buzzing elation you got when all your hard work finally paid off?

I sure do. And if I am so lucky as to be again honored as News Writer of the Year again in a few weeks, I’ll still yell and dance and make all the calls.

But I probably won’t, which will only make the next time I get that little trophy that much more special.

With that in mind, I’m happy to announce that this year, we have a few shakeups among some of the long-time town favorites. For you folks, congrats on running a successful campaign; your hard work paid off in spades.

And for those of you who are about to hang your umpteenth award in your window, I hope you continue to glow with the knowledge that you remain the best on the Plateau.

But next year is a new year, and being the best is earned, not given. And I can tell you, more than a few of our champions had their runners-up mere votes away from snatching the crown.

If you’ve got a glass, let’s raise them high to this year’s Best Of winners and everyone’s hard work, award or no.

And tomorrow, hangover or no, let’s get back to making the Plateau the best place there is.