nominate someone!
Music: The Church: Somewhere Else (2000)
It's been something like whiplash the past few days: a whirl of deadlines, kitty emergencies (Sappho went to the emergency vet on Sunday; it's ok now, but it was upsetting then; Cosmo the Wonder-Rescue is back), and conference prepping. I leave tomorrow for Minneapolis, where the Central States Communication Association meets for their annual hoo-hah. For many years I've been attending Southern, so it'll be interesting to be back at Central. I think Western is in Alaska next year (or something like that), so I might try that in 2008.
One of the many items on my plate is nomination letters. Today I'm sending off a couple for various awards for people I admire. I really didn't take a lot of time to write them, and I know if the folks I nominate win they will certainly appreciate it. Since this is award nomination season—and the deadline for many NCA awards is April 1—I wanted to encourage readers to take the time to nominate a friend or simply someone you admire. Tomorrow is probably the last day to get things in the mail (unless you DHL it).
Of course, as chair of the Rhetorical and Communication theory awards committee I'd like to see those nominations roll in (the "New Investigator" and "Distinguished Scholar" nominations are not due until May first). But I also think it would be nice to have some free-spirited nominations of one's friends and colleagues. Did you know that a lot of those awards go to people who get others to nominate them? I know professionally that may be necessary for some people, but c'mon: aren't awards supposed to be from the goodness of someone who thought to nominate without being told to do so by the awardee? I think so. Let's stop this business of the same people getting all of the awards because they lobby for them. So to be good citizens we must do our part and take a little time to write in favor of someone you think is deserving; let ours be the generation of scholars that has a spontaneous "award culture" and lets deep-six this back-stage jockeying!
That said: I did ask the University of Alabama press to nominate my book for the Diamond Anniversary thingie. But that award is different (I swear!).
Finally, here's the crucial part: don't tell the person you've nominated that you are doing so, unless it's absolutely crucial (e.g., to procure the vita or something). Why? Well, because they may not win. I've nominated probably as many as ten people for awards they did not win. They have no idea, of course, and there's no harm done 'cause they don't know. It's a bummer not to get something.
Anyhoo, here's the charge: go to the NCA Awards Call website (if you are an NCA person, of course---or even an RSA person) and read through the call. Find one that you know someone would have a good chance, and then write that letter of nomination. Read a great article this year? Nominate it for a "Golden Monograph." Is your advisor an old timer and great teacher? Nominate her for the "Bacon Lifetime Teaching Award." Did you miss the call for the RCT awards? Email me for a copy. C'mon folks: time is running out! Get crackin'!
Okie dokie [gets off of soap box]. I'm taking my laptop with me to Minneapolis. I hope to find time to blog on the conference with some free wifi somewheres.