Cramming and an Extended, Overdue Thank You

I'm trying not to type, "I hate the written test."

Looks like I just did...oh well.  I cannot believe that I leave for National Convention on Saturday! Where has the time gone?  It's so strange to think that show time is now, when it always felt so far away.  And next Saturday, my life will change.

Either I will become a National Officer, or I won't.  Option one will make me even more busy, and thrilled.  Option two will give me a needed break, and I might be a little disappointed, but I'll be fine.

In the next few days, I am trying to cram as much knowledge into my noggin about agricultural issues, the American education system, agricultural education, and FFA.  I guess I'm the most scared about the written test because that's the one thing I haven't done a practice round of.  But I'll be fine.  I'm a good test-taker, but I just want to make sure that I knock those sixty stupid questions out of the park.

And one thing that is making that difficult- FFA chose this week to remodel the website, so it's not wanting to cooperate.  Ugh!  Oh well.  I've got about half an hour left to study before I'm indulging in improv and then in Canadian Thanksgiving with Calvin and Nat before my (much needed!) video conference with Rayne tonight.

But before I sign off here, I just want to make a public thank-you to everyone who reads this- and to everyone who doesn't, who have helped me SO much in this process.  You all mean the world to me and I wouldn't be where I am without you.

Mr. Evans, Dr. Miller, Dr. Lawver, Professor Stewardson, and Dr. Warnick- You guys have been like an adopted family of Utah FFA Helpers to me!  I am so grateful to all of you for taking me in and doing everything in your power to help me prepare.  I know I would be lost in scheduling this semester without you.  I also appreciate all the opportunities you've given me to practice public speaking and facilitation through ULC, ATA, and the ag teachers' conference.  And thank you for letting Jimmy and I hop around your classrooms doing our Hot Topic speeches.  I have been so blessed to find mentors and coaches in all of you here at USU and I will not easily forget the assistance you gave.  Thank you!

My other professors: Mrs. Johnson, Dr. Evans, Professor Wheeler, and Dr. Burton-  You are all so incredible for working with me this semester.  You could have easily refused to take a student into your class who might leave half-way through, but  you were so gracious and made my life so easy.  I wish there were more teachers like you!  Thank you for allowing me this opportunity to represent agriculture students nation-wide and allowing me to pursue a life-long dream.

Past National Officers and National Officer Candidates- Thank you so much for responding to my annoying questionnaires, walking me through the selection process, and answering my endless, specific questions.  You are all so talented, so knowledgeable and so helpful, and I look up to you.  Thanks for paving the way for student success- mine included.

Megan Peterson- Thank you for being my distinguished ULC partner last December.  I learned so much from that experience and from YOU.  You are such an example to me and a great credit to the Utah FFA Association.  You have been so helpful in my preparation, just by being there and answering my questions.  I cannot thank you enough for that.

The Palmer, Wasilla, and Anchorage Rotary Clubs, the Palmer LIONs Club, and the Palmer Farm Bureau- Thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak to you this summer.  I learned so much about speaking from those experiences, and even more about what really great people look and act like: you are those people.  You are examples to me and I think of you everyday.  I had a horrible thought a few months ago that I would hate not being selected because I would let all those who believed in me down, but I know you won't be disappointed in me.  Thank you for helping me prepare to the best of my ability this summer.

My family at the Division of Ag: Franci, Curt, Kirk, Doug, Lora, Connie, Erik, Ray, Candie, Barbara, Mia, and especially Patricia and Amy- Thank you for making last summer AMAZING.  Everyday I went to work I thought, "Is this really my job?  Am I really getting paid for this?"  I had some of the most fantastic experiences of my life as an intern with you, and I learned something from each of you.  You are some of the hardest working people I know, and I also know you are vastly under-appreciated.  I never properly thanked you for the going away party you threw me.  I was so touched by your gesture I almost cried!  I hope that I do become a National Officer, but if I don't, I hope you'll take me back to work with you all again.  Thank you for all that you did for me, and all that you do everyday for Alaskan agriculture.

My Minnesota FFA Family, including the high school ag teachers (especially Mr. Sawatzke), the Hutchinson and Dassel-Cokato FFA members, the Department of Agriculture employees, and the Alumni- Thank you for the incredible experience you provided in Minnesota at your training conference a few weeks ago.  It was SO worth it, and I'm so grateful for all your hard work in putting it together.  I owe you all, and I'm so grateful that you were willing to help me.  I feel so loved and I can't wait to (hopefully!) see most of you at National Convention very soon!

Collegiate FFA Members, Alpha Tau Alpha Members, Ag Comm Club Members, and USU Improv Members: Thank you all for your support.  Everyone has been so kind and supportive of me, I cannot thank you enough. Thanks for listening to speeches, attending workshops, and giving me feedback.  You are the best friends a girl could ask for.

My roommates- Thank you for putting up with me this semester.  I know I'm boring and all I do is study FFA and you probably don't really understand that.  Regardless, you have all been so supportive and listened to me blow off steam, and, although it would be awesome to be a National Officer- I would be so sad to have to leave you!  Thanks for being such great and supportive friends.

My State Officer Team: Taylor Berberich, Corinne Ogle, and Derek Monarch- During our year of service, you each taught me so much.  And now, it's been over a year since we retired (can you believe it?) and you still teach me just by being my friends.  I miss being with you all the time.  I miss our tot. :)  Thank you so much for supporting me this last year, whether with an encouraging word, email or a talk at the airport. I would not be here if it weren't for you.  Thanks a million!

Jimmy Lotspeich- It has been SO fun to have you here at Utah State University this semester, and so helpful to do practice speeches with you. I also really appreciate the times we can just talk about FFA, ag ed, the process, or anything else.  It's so nice to have someone who has been there and who understands, to talk to.  You could have easily kept to yourself, and not helped me at all- since we are competing.  But you have  been so generous in helping me prepare and answering all my questions. Thank you for that. In my dream world, I hope we're both selected.  I don't know if that will happen, but I will say this: if it can't be me, there is no one in the world I would want to become a National Officer more than you.  I hope you knock the socks off the Nominating Committee next week.  Good luck!

Elder Fry- Does not/cannot read this blog.  But he's helped me out a lot through his great letters.  I'll write to him my thanks in my next letter.

Mr. Berberich- Where would I be without you and Palmer FFA?  You were so helpful to me this summer in my preparation, but beyond that- you've made me the person I am today.  I learned so much from FFA and credit that organization- more than any other- for the personal growth I made in high school and beyond.  Thank you for allowing me to take your ag classes, for volunteering your time for FFA meetings and events, putting up with all our shenanigans, and even (and especially!) for leaving your game of golf to come explain to the police officers that we weren't trying to break into the ag building!  You were such a great advisor and I admire the way that you connect with people.  You made every convention, every activity, and every class, a treat, and I treasure those memories.  Thank you so much.

Jeff Werner- Your advice is priceless and often cracks me up.  Thank you for getting me information right when I needed it, talking to me about FFA issues, taking me to CTSO conferences, entertaining me, and just being there to talk to when life (and by life, I mean preparations) got crazy.  Thanks for everything you do for the Alaska FFA.  Without you, I never would have become a State Officer, and I would not be running for National Office or getting my American Degree.  And who am I kidding, without you, there wouldn't be an Alaska FFA.  Thank you for putting up with me all these years.  You have helped me to become the person I am today and I am eternally grateful.  You're awesome.

Granny and Grandpy Oberg- You two basically make up my "ag heritage" and I so enjoyed learning about that through our talks this summer.  You are two of the most amazing people I've ever had the privilege to meet.  Hard work? You personify it.  Kindness? It has no bounds with you.  You inspire me, you astound me, and you are a huge part of me.  I miss coming over to your house whenever I want whenever I think of home.  I love you so very much.  Thank you for being the kind of grandparents the whole neighborhood wants to claim. I am so proud to call you mine.

My siblings- I know I complain about being the youngest (way too much!) but I'm so grateful to have six older and wonderful examples.  You have all been so supportive of me.  I really value your texts, emails, phone calls, advice, and seeing you all in the summer.  When I decided to run I was so surprised with the help you all solicited in whatever way you could.  I'm so proud to call you my older brothers and sisters and when I have a family of my own, I hope it will be just like yours.You all mean the world to me and I love and miss you very much!

Mom- You are my hero.  You have always encouraged me to shoot for the stars and never once discouraged me.  You keep me going even when everything is really hard and I live for your phone calls, texts, comments, and (even better!) seeing you every morning in the summer.  I miss you so much!  I know I would have just exploded by now without your words of encouragement and advice.  You have really helped me realize the value of hard work through example.  I love you so much and I know you will be there for me after next Saturday...no matter what happens.

Dad-  Thanks for keeping me grounded.  You work so hard for our family and I can't tell you how much that means to me.  This summer gave me a tiny taste of what commuting is like- and I hate it!  I'm so grateful that you do it every day so that our family could live in Palmer and do 4-H and FFA...which means you are a big reason why I can run for National Office at all.  I love that whenever I talk to you on the phone you always ask me how classes are going and remind me of what is important in life.  I love you!

And finally, Rayne Reynolds-  I don't know, but if I had to make an estimate, I would say that you have put almost twice as much time and effort into my preparation as I have!  From day one, you were there for me, and I'm so grateful that you are a part of my life.  I know that I would not be at all prepared for this process if it wasn't for your mentoring, video conferences, assignments, field trips, and advice.  Sometimes I disagreed with your methods and got frustrated- and I'm really sorry for that.  There is no possible way I can use words to thank you for your help as much as I'd like to.  You've done so much for me, with no real incentive except your good heart.  You have made me a better person since you've been a part of my life.  I'm so excited for your new baby- because I know if you are at all the kind of dad that you have been a mentor to me, then your daughter will have the best daddy in the world!  No matter what happens next Saturday, I can hold my head up because I know that you and I, together, have done everything possible to prepare for my success, and I feel confident that I can serve next year in any capacity.  I really hope you won't be buying me a pizza, but if you do, at least we can eat it together. :)  Thank you for everything.

Phew.  I'm a little late for improv now, but that was needed and worth it.  That was also kind of emotional draining- I just realized I really miss my family!  Can't wait for next week though.  Have a great Monday!
Rachel

Haven't you heard, things are getting done.

Working on getting things done.  Haircut and color = check.  Getting more ready for the written test = check.

Alpha Tau Alpha Workshop (as of tonight) = check.  I was really worried about it, but with some help fro my awesome mom I was able to formulate some good activities and an outline that I was proud of.  Then...all my activities fell apart.  Or the best one.  But hey!  The way I would normally react- by crying or freaking out or something- was not the way I did react.  The way I reacted was by being flexible and adaptable andadjusting my workshop to the new circumstances.  I feel comfortable about how the workshop went.  Definitely room for improvement, but...it was good to get the experience.

I don't know what else to write.  At this point, what will happen, will happen.  I'm excited/nervous/anxious/thrilled to know what will happen.

The weekend is tomorrow- woohoo!
Rachel

In a word, what I'm feeling now:

TIRED.

My goodness I'm so tired!I have so much to do in the next 12 days, it's ridiculous.  The list is scaring me:

• 2 workshops
• More practice interviews (a few questions a night)
• Finishing my thank you cards from the Minnesota training
• Refining my story arsenal
• More Hot Topic practice speeches with Jimmy
• Brushing up on ag issues
• Making talking point sheets for Round Robin interviews
• Meeting with Mrs. Parry again
• Getting my hair cut and colored
• ...and cramming in as much knowledge as possible in my head for the written test!

I haven't been this busy since my senior year in high school when I was a state officer.  I just feel like I have no time to breathe, and had to take a few minutes today to call some people and assure them that I don't hate them, I'm just ridiculously busy.  This is definitely a big push to the finish, but in three weeks it will all be over either way.  Either I'll continue to be this busy and on the run in my next big adventure for the next year, or...I'll have a few months to breath.

I don't know if I made the right decisions in my scheduling this semester.  I feel like the things that bring me stress relief- piano and improv- also make my life more stressful.  I don't know.  Last week I practiced piano for an hour and a half because it felt so good and so mind-numbing.  But today, I could only practice for twenty minutes because I just felt anxious.  I'm still working on that calmness thing.  It's also hard to know how much time I should spend working with the improv troupe, because I don't want it to take away from my National Office study, but I also don't want to abandon it and have to make up if I end up staying here.

If I do end up staying here...it will be a bit of a relief.  I want to be a National Officer, I really do.   I need a little time to breathe, to do laundry, to go grocery shopping, and heck, to just be a college student!  I want to stay up late and say "yes!" when my friends invite me to watch Sherlock Holmes and just be myself with a little less stress.  But I want to work hard now, so that even if I do come home, I'll feel like I've done everything I could have.

My goal for this month is to be more friendly and outgoing, so that I can portray that to the nominating committee.  So that means less time with the iPod in my ears and more time talking to anyone I recognize.  And in the past week, I've re-met two people I didn't even know were here at Utah State!

How am I going to get through the next 12 days?  I...don't know.  I have a lot to do!  But I love this quote I found on my friend Laura's facebook status:

"You cannot plow a field by turning it over in your mind."

So off to work I go.  Actually- off to bed I go.  And in the morning...off to work.  Wish me luck!

-Rachel 

Shleepy

Hey all,
Just had a video conference with Rayne.  I brought my laptop to the Fine Arts Center to use the internet here and now I am tired! But I am making much progress and I am excited for National Convention!  I have a lot to do, but I'm really motivated to get it all done.  Also- I'm trying out for a solo in choir tomorrow.  Maybe I'll get it.  If not, it's still a good story, right?  That's the way I look at everything now, "Can I use this in a workshop/speech/interview?"  Ridiculous I know.
I need sleep.  Have a great night, everyone!
Rachel

Training Weekend Day Dos

Hello again,
I'm on to reporting day two, before I forgot all that I learned!

Saturday began around eight and had one purpose: go through the entire selection process (minus the written multiple choice test) in one day.  And let me be the first to tell you- it was pretty grueling!  But now that I've done it all in one day, doing it in a week feels like a cinch!

So we started with the One-on-One Interviews: nine separate interviews, one after the other, five questions and ten minutes a piece.  An hour and a half of straight interviewing is pretty intense, guys! I think it did pretty well.  It's obvious doing just a brief look over my feedback that I need to work on the competencies of "teamwork," "team before self," and "adaptability and flexibility," as well as I'm sure, others.  And I just need to work on being myself, smiling, joking, and not burning out after 6 or 7 interviews.  Jessie (Geib) Vanderpoel, a former National Officer, told me to smile again and again.  She said that I looked like a National Officer when I smiled, which was awesome.  She also said she didn't believe that I did comedy improv...bummer!  I need to make sure that I am not too nervous and let my personality come out. I also need to work on compiling a good story arsenal and practicing my stories- a lot.

Next up-SAE writing.  I haven't gotten my results from this yet, so I'm really not sure how I did.  I felt good about what I did, but I'm not sure at all what the format was supposed to be.  But it was good to have an idea of what it would be like at Nationals.  I don't think SAE writing is worth many points anyhow.

I was pretty nervous for Stand and Deliver, but I feel that I did well!  The topic was program affiliation, given to Minnesota ag teachers, and I was psyched about that, since I'd just given a program affiliation speech to Jimmy and felt that I had done really well on it.  Thank goodness one of my strengths is command- I got the comment that I was a good speaker.  Awesome, I don't have to work so hard on that then!  But I still do need to work on smiling so that I don't look like an Ice Queen.  I need to be approachable and most of all, myself.  I also discovered that it's alright to end my speech early- at 4:30 or 4:40, rather than stretching it, which is great news, because that's where I usually end!  So I learned a lot but felt good about Stand and Deliver.

We had a quick break for lunch and then delved into the next section.  I started with the Writing Exercise.  I don't have my scores for this either, so I really don't know how I did.  I felt I wrote well, but I wasn't sure of the format and I also ended pretty early...so I don't know if I demonstrated my knowledge very well.  The prompt was also kind of a mixture of two hot topics, which threw me off.  So I'll have to wait and see my comments on that.

I had a short break to ponder how unprepared I felt for the next round, and then I entered a room to start my prep for faciliation.  This was one of my weakest rounds, but I'm glad I've had practice so that I am more comfortable now in what I need to spend my preparation hour on (hem hem, making better flip charts!)  The topic for the workshop was mentoring for chapter officers.  I started with a stupid puzzle piece activity.  It actually wasn't a bad activity, it made a good point, but it took me FOREVER to put the puzzle outline together, and then we couldn't find one of the pieces, which was frustrating and took up a lot of time.  The one thing I was really pleased with was my support activity, everyone seemed to really enjoy it.  My point needed work.  I was so concerned about finishing my workshop on time that I started telling students what I wanted them to know instead of asking questions, and I know I'm not supposed to do that!  Then I began introducing my application, "Mentor Man," which would have been awesome, and....they called time.  I could not believe it, I felt like I had to scrape my jaw off the floor.  I was really disappointed, but after the feedback I felt a little better.  Jessie said to have way more material than you need, and not to allow your content to get in the way of your interaction with the students, which is what they want to see!  So now I know how to change, and I have next week to test it out on Alpha Tau Alpha!

After facilitation came Round Robin Conversations.  Oh, how I hate you, Round Robin Conversations! They're so unreal, I don't like role-playing because it makes me feel fake, and oh yeah!  I don't know as much about agricultural issues as I would like to!  There are three conversations: Ag Issues, Ag Ed/American Ed Issues, and FFA Issues.  I did them in that order.  My Ag Issues conversation was decent, like a 4 or 5 out of 10.  I wasn't really happy with it, but I felt now that I had some experience with it I would do better.  My Ag Ed conversation on the other hand....a 0.  Or maybe a 1.  Guess who's doing some research on the Perkin's Technical Skills Attainment test today?  But my FFA Issues Conversation- dang!  Somehow that was a 9!  I spent my ten minute break in the hallway jumping up and down to try to stop being so nervous, and I think maybe it worked.  I felt awesome about that one.

Finally, we ended the day with the Personal Round.  This round is like the one-on-one round, but it's more...personal. They ask you the crazy, tear your heart strings type questions, such as, "Why are you running for office?" "Tell me about a time when someone questioned your character?" and "What are three of your life's goals?"  Also, it's you and all nine nominating committee members.  I can't really say anything about this round- I felt that it went fantastically well.  If I could do every round at Nationals like I did that last one, I feel like they'd have to elect me!

After the personal round we said goodbye and headed back to the Twin Cities for the night, to fly out the next morning.  I was so glad that I decided to go this camp- it really, really helped!  I feel 100 times more ready now than I was before, and I know precisely what I need to work on:

1. Being more personable in interviews- joking, laughing, smiling, being someone who is approachable.
2. Smiling during my speeches!
3. Ending strong on my speeches!
4. Knowing more (including statistics) about Agricultural Issues!
5. Directing the conversation during Round Robins
6. Focusing on students (rather than content) during facilitation and not worrying about the time.
7. Knowing more about agricultural education and American education.
8. Doing a better job of telling my stories in my one-on-one interviews.
9. Stressing teamwork and adaptability in my one-on-one interviews.
10. Being excited to tell the Nominating Committee about myself.

I'm so grateful to the volunteers who made this training weekend a success!  I'm also psyched, because Mr. Sawatzke said that his 40+ kids would be our cheering section if any of us were elected.  I told him that would more than double my cheering section. :)

I'm also really grateful that for the past week or so...I've felt so calm!  I feel like I could conquer the world, no anxiety for me!  I'm still nervous, I'll always be, but I know that I can do this.  Whether or not they elect me, I'm completely capable of being a National Officer.  Come what may, I'm ready.
Rachel

What a Weekend...

Hey all!
I am back from Minnesota!  I had a fabulous idea to blog every evening about what I had done that day, so as not to forget it...but then I realized I was exhausted every evening, and even went to bed at 9 last night...though I woke up when my roommates came home half an hour later. :)

But now that I am back, I will record all that I can remember, starting with Friday.

My Friday started at around 7, when Wyatt DeJong from South Dakota picked me up and we made our way to the Minnesota Department of Agriculture.  We were met there by Katie Zenk from Minnesota, Eric Sawatzke, the Dassel-Cokato Minnesota agriculture teacher who organized the event, and two of Mr. Sawatzke's freshman students: Joel and Evan.  Then after getting our visitor passes (very fancy!) we went upstairs to a conference room with Agriculture in the Classroom coordinator Al Withers.

We first heard from Mr. Withers about the importance of agricultural literacy in society at any age.  After Mr. Withers brief remarks, we embarked on a day of presentations about agricultural issues.  Mr. Withers expected a lot of us and encouraged us to ask the presenters questions so that we could get what we needed out of each presentation, and I really appreciated that.  It forced me to be more confident!

The first meeting was about Livestock Development and Animal Agriculture Issues.  I learned quite a bit about how animal agriculture is dealing with issues raised by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS).  Just learning more about these issues increases my desire to become an effective communicator for the agricultural industry!  I understand more now that agriculture- commercial, organic, small farmers and industrial farmers, farmers who support ethanol and those who don't- need to ban together to promote agriculture as a whole.  And the one great thing I learned is- I need to learn more about these types of issues so I can more effectively discuss them!

The second meeting was with the director of Dairy and Food Inspection Division and we discussed Keeping Food Safe.  We discussed how different types of salmonella infects food, and how food safety needs to come from legislation and self-policing.  I also learned about the "raw milk movement," something I didn't really know existed, and how agricultural communicators need to target the "raw milk curious" in telling the story of the scientific facts surrounding the safety (or lack there of) of raw milk.  I never even realized raw milk was so dangerous, as I grew up drinking it, and that reminds me, I need to ask my mom if she was trying to kill us all with E.coli.  :)

After a quick break, we heard from the a member of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture staff about Social Media in Today's Agriculture.  Being a communications junkie...I'd have to say this was my favorite presentation of the day!  I learned so much about how the agricultural industry is using (or isn't using!) social media to target specific audiences and to tell their story.  I loved the example used about the support Yellow Tail Wine gave to HSUS and the Facebook backlash that was the result.  It gave me more hope about the difference we can make in policy and in public perception through communication.

After that we talked about Environmental Policy and Water Quality.  This presentation was pretty interesting because of the amount of rain Minnesota had been getting in the last few days.  At one point the presenter flipped a glass vial of clear water over so that we could see how contaminated it was, and I was shocked!  I think more than anything it was good to be exposed to a different kind of agriculture and the other careers available in the environmental sciences.

Minnesota Assistant Commissioner of Agriculture ended the day with a few words of advice.  I loved hearing her story about how FFA gave her a career pathway in agriculture even though she was never a "farm kid."  I also loved one of the things she told us:

"Be readers and be leaders.  You never know who's watching."

After leaving the Department of Agriculture, we made a brief stop at the FFA Leadership Center and the Miracle of Birth Center at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds.  I could only imagine what that big building looks like full of pregnant animals- but I'm sure it would be an impressive thing to see in reality sometime!

Then we headed to the University of Minnesota to eat pizza and meet with Dr. Leising about the pros and cons of program affiliation.  This was another one or my favorite parts of the day, because I felt very comfortable and confident with my knowledge of program affiliation, but also got a much better handle on why some advisors are wary of the new program.

After a stop to change out of our official dress, Jessica (who met up with us at the Department of Ag around 11) and I hopped into Wyatt's car to drive to Hutchinson High School, about an hour or so away.  We had the opportunity to talk a lot about how we had been preparing for National Office, what we enjoyed most about National Office, and what kind of FFA programs we'd been involved with in the past.  We also had the opportunity to pick Wyatt's brain about what the process at National Convention is really like- since he ran last year.  And we talked about some fun stuff- like what kind of beverages we prefer with popcorn. :)

When we arrived at Hutchinson we had an open forum discussion with local and current high school ag teachers to discuss the different hot topics for essays and stand and delivers.  I learned a lot I didn't know- like that the National FFA no longer offers that H.O. Sargent award!  I also learned a little bit about the Perkin's Technical Skills Attainment exam- enough to know that I needed to know more about that.  That became even more obvious the next day...but that story is for my next blog posting.  

After the forum discussion we had a dinner with the Minnesota FFA Alumni.  It was a great casual opportunity to meet with many different people, including FFA members, legislators, and farm bureau personnel.  I realize I need to be more proactive about getting people to talk about themselves, but I got a lot of really good advice and learned a lot from the people I met.  We stayed and visited for quite a while!

One thing I reflected on Friday night was that no matter what happens, I can make a difference and use my leadership skills in the next year, and I'm prepared to do so.  I also liked some advice from a former National Officer Candidate about the process:

"Sell yourself.  You need to act like, 'I don't need to be a National Officer, but the National FFA Organziation needs me on their National Officer team!"

I felt really good about everything that night, and still (inexplicably!) confident.  I know I need to work on my knowledge of agricultural issues, but I feel validated in that I have a good knowledge of program affiliation and the other hot topics.  

There goes Day 1.  Day 2 gets its own blog post next, so stay tuned. Also- I'm so fired up about convention! It's coming so fast, but I say bring it on! Come that week, I'll be as ready as I could hope to be.  But until then, my every spare minute is going to prep!  I only have four more hours until I've reached 400 hours.  I probably won't make it to 500, but my goal range was 300-500, so I still feel good about where I'll be.

Have a great Monday!   I get a double dose of improv tonight, so I know I will.
Rachel

I believe in being happy myself...

Yesterday was a very long day:

9:30- Creative Arts Class
10:20- Piano Practice
11:30- Piano Lesson
12:00- When I was supposed to have lunch, except I forgot to pack it...
12:30- Choir
1:30- Walked back to my car and then driving around lost in Logan
2:00- Arrived at the temple to do baptisms.  Felt some much needed peace.
3:00- Go back to the condo. Eat lunch, fold some laundry, temporarily avoid responsibility.
4:00- Search every shoe store in Logan for official dress shoes!
5:30- Arrive on campus triumphant, with two potential shoe candidates and four pairs of black nylons.  Study for thirty minutes.
6:00- Visit Scott in his new apartment, eat dinner, watch Glee!
7:00- Improv Practice
9:00- Antics Troupe Auditions.  Had to pay scrupulous attention, because people's "happiness depends on me."
12:15- Cast votes for who the two new troupe members should be.
12:30- Argued about vote results.
12:35- Went back to Scott's apartment to pick up the keys that I left there 6+ hours before.
12:45- Returned to my car and began driving back to the condo for the night.
12:47- Got pulled over by a cop because my headlight is out and I forgot to turn on my brights.  Asked for mercy because it was (techincally!) my birthday.
1:00- Back on the road.  Feeling melancholy.
1:10- Returned to the condo.  Ate a Fudgsicle because I felt crappy.
1:20- Collapse into bed to have bad dreams about dying elephants and their elephant offspring.

Today was just as stressful, if not more, and included taking my car to the shop and riding the bus onto campus, passing out improv fliers, and carrying my Minnesota luggage with me everywhere...resulting in looking like an idiot.

On my way to the airport I had some time to just sit and think, which was nice.  I also had some time to read more in my new book, Blue Jackets Gold Standards, the FFA 75th Anniversary Book, which I am really enjoying so far.  And I got to a section about the Creed, so I started going over it.

*Embarrassing Confession*
I don't really know the Creed by heart...at least, not anymore. I used to, at one time, but now the third and fourth paragraph just jumble all together in my head for some reason.

So because of this embarrassing confession, I thought I might go over the Creed in my head again and try to get it to stick.  What if someone this weekend asks me to recite it...or worse, someone at Convention!?

I stopped when I got to the last line in the third paragraph, which reads:

"[I believe] in being happy myself and playing square with those whose happiness depends upon me."

And then I thought about my melancholy last night.  What it was about anyway, I'm not exactly sure...I just felt kind of blah.  Like my life has been going by too fast and it's been to stressful, I don't know.  And then I had this stupid thought (or half a thought): "But when/if I become a National Officer-" and I was going to think, "I'll be happier," but I stopped myself and finished the sentence with "nothing will change."

What a stupid thing to think, even though I know that happiness is the key to success, and not the other way around.  Besides, life as a National Officer...would be hard!  I'd be just as stressed if not more, and I know if I don't learn to be happy now, it's not magically going to come then.

Just like when I was a state officer.  Don't get me wrong, I wanted to be a state officer more than anything in the world but that didn't mean my senior year was fun all the time.  In fact, I was unhappy a lot, even though I was very blessed and fortunate and successful.

I never thought of it as something I stood for, being happy.  Whenever I've studied the Creed before I always focused on the second paragraph and told my story of being chased by the goose.  I never even really, fully comprehended that if I really live by the FFA Creed, that means that I believe in being happy.

So that's another thing I'm working on.  And this weekend is bound to bring some happiness, because (1) it's my birthday, and (2) I'm in Minnesota attending a National Officer Candidate Training Weekend!  It already reminds me of my good old State Officer summer... I'm so thankful to have the opportunity to be here this weekend and I know I'll learn a lot.

Two other things on my mind tonight.

1) FFA has had a huge jump in membership, have you heard?  The official tally for this year is 523,309 members, which I find incredibly exciting.

2) I feel very confident today.  I don't know why that is exactly.  I feel like this is what I am supposed to be doing and I just feel...confident in my abilities.  Which is a very calm feeling.  Awesome.

Well I have an early morning tomorrow.  I'll keep you posted! (get it?)

Rachel