Celebrity fame (I'm told) is overrated. Do you really want hordes of people to recognize you in the shopping mall or while you wait at a red light? Of course you don't. And that's why I advise you to never win the American Idol competition (nor should you lose with spectacular style) or post a YouTube video of your brother biting your finger.

What you really want is fame among a select, elite audience. This crowd will laud your knowledge and achievements, but won't stalk your neighborhood with a telephoto lens. And I cannot think of a more select, more elite group of people than those who attend SAS Global Forum.

If you've never submitted a paper to a SAS conference before, I'm going to let you in on a little secret: it's easier than you think. I believe that chances are good that you are the world's expert in some part of SAS, either in how it works or in how it can be applied to solve a particular problem.

The Call for Papers will expire next week, so act quickly. Your contribution to the conference will help the community, as well as bring prestige to you and your organization. First time contributor? Many people who attend the conference are first-time attendees, so you're in great company. And there is even a mentoring program to help you through the process, from paper writing to presentation.

Please, join your colleagues in the annals of SAS Global Forum. It's the sort of satisfying fame that pays dividends, but won't trigger any outlandish phobias of being noticed.