“Add a little sugar. Honey suckle lamb. A great big expression of happiness. Boy, you couldn’t miss with a dozen roses. Such would astound you. The joy of children laughing around you. These are the makings of you.”

ORDER. Ok this is a sidebar annoyance that needs to be vented before I get into today’s DDR.  Announcement: SPAM SUCKS!! It’s annoying, and it can cause lots of problems.  For the last two days, the DDR has been the latest victim of these piranha-like emails that can just eat away at storage, space, and just the overall day-to-day functions of a blogsite.  Thanks to those who host the Daily Dose of Realness, we are now more protected than ever before from the buga-boos of the virtual world. And for that we got a lot of catching up to do.

I’m broadcasting from the dirty South for the next week while spending the Thanksgiving holiday with family and friends. And so far so good with the kinfolks since touching down.  The weekend started with a hair appointment. My stylist is in a new and beautiful salon near Grant Park and the Atlanta Zoo (great location)!!  My Georgia Bulldogs beat Kentucky on Saturday, and took their record to 9 straight wins after a rocky season start.  My Falcons shut down the Titans on Sunday, and the week got off to a productive start with meetings with mentors, colleagues, and associates – all while staying on a strenuous writing schedule. Whew!! It’s application season in my world.  From mid-October through the end of January, those of us seeking grants, fellowships, and new positions for Fall 2012 are in grind mode applying for this, that, and the third.  Application season in academia is like training season for pro sports.  Scholars, artists, and writers pitch their best ideas to different institutions (akin to teams) and the review committee (akin to coaches and scouts) select the best of the best to represent their organization. Enough “no’s” will give you thick skin, and that one “yes” can change your life forever!

The DDR: I’m not sure when your “training season” begins and ends. If you get up and go to work each day for yourself or for others there is most definitely a time when you must get evaluated, or apply for new jobs, or submit a business plan to an investor, or take an entrance exam. There is always something you will have to do that will require you to compete with others who want the same thing you are applying for. They want the spot just like you do!!  So be encouraged this season! Orbit around the positive, disconnect from the negative, and stay on your knees in prayer. Anything less than will clog your thoughts and the clear focus you need to do your best.  Happy Hump Day.