AEE 526 Post 2

In my AEE 526 class, we have learned a lot of ways to integrate technology. We have also learned a lot about how to organize our online files. One concept I am applying to my professional life and personal life is organizing my files. We learned about how the computer better recognizes files with names that are all lower case with no spaces. I had been capitalizing my file names as well as putting in spaces. It is taking some time to fix this problem as well as organize my files by folders. I have lots of folders where I had already started doing this, but it could always been cleaned up a little more. This makes documents easier to find because they are all streamlined.

Another bit of technology that I have been using for years now, but had no idea how many applications I was missing out on, is Google. I have been using gmail for what seems like forever, but I had no idea about Google Forms or Google Labs. The Google Labs feature is something really cool. Google is "test-driving" all of these applications to see how well they work, if people like them, etc. It is a great way to keep up with Google features that may be added to the normal, every-day features of Google. I also like that Google has added this and not just thrown these applications out there without testing them first. This would cause glitches to be frequent and lots of people to complain.

I am enjoying my new blog, another one of Google's features - Blogger. For my job, I already had a blog - cravenjoneslivestock.blogspot.com - and have always enjoyed using it to update my clients and livestock producers about upcoming events, provide news articles, and brag on my youth livestock kids. I am learning with my personal blog, that it is great to have a professional blog separate than your personal blog. Until next time - happy blogging!

Agriculture - Helping You Survive and Thrive

I told Adam tonight that I wish I could make everyone understand how wonderful agriculture is, how the absolute majority of farmers are terrific people who truly care about their livestock, crops and the land. I see videos all the time showing the exact opposite of this. So I ask you - do you know where that video came from? Do you know how old it is? If something was being done wrong, did the person videoing immediately tell the farm manager / owner or did they hold the video until it would generate the most publicity due to another event already going on? Do you have all the facts to make an informed decision on how you feel about the video? Have you met these farmers and talked to them in person? If you want to learn more about agriculture, farming, and where your food comes from, please ask someone in this industry and don't assume everything you see online is accurate. Ask someone who works with farmers everyday. Someone who truly cares for this industry. Ask a veterinarian, a livestock agent, a farmer. And enjoy your milk, bacon and eggs for breakfast, your cheeseburger and fries for lunch, your steak and green beans for supper, and the cotton t-shirt you wear tomorrow. It is ALL thanks to a farmer.

AEE 526 Post 1

Currently, I am working on my Masters of Animal Science and in one of my classes, AEE 526, we were asked to take several weeks to post on our blog about how technology can be integrated into our current professional lives as well as using it to enhance teaching and learning in the classroom. Since I am not exactly a teacher, I wanted to find a good way to integrate technology we are learning about in class with my youth livestock kids. Currently, Cooperative Extension already does a lot of technology integration as far as Facebook pages, a YouTube Channel, and the NC Horse Blog. However, we can always find better and different ways to integrate technology!

One specific example that we have discussed in class is about presentations - Prezi or using a Zen-style approach. This gave me a lot of ideas pertaining to youth livestock practice (my main "teaching" time). To be more specific, Prezis are very visual - lots of colors, movement of slides, designs, themes, and are very visually appealing. This is a great way to really capture the attention of a young audience. On the flip side, a Zen-style presentation is a great way to steer your audience to actually listen to you, the speaker, and not concentrate so much on your slides with lots of bullet points. 

I am excited to begin using some of these types of technology, not only in my professional life, but also in my personal life. Many of the technologies that have been discussed, like Google Calendar, Google Forms, and better file management are all helpful ways to be more organized and be able to better connect with clients as well as students.

Finally..my OWN blog!

So, I'm going to be honest. I was tired of being "left out" of the blog scene. Maybe it's because my co-worker Amber always tells me how cute my work blog is, maybe it's because I think I have something to say that someone cares out hearing (!) or maybe I was just bored while Adam was away at work this week. Who knows! But, any way you look at it, I'm glad to be here. Somewhere where I can write what I want and we all know I have plenty of opinions, so that won't be a problem.

I thought I would start with today. The weather was BEAUTIFUL which I am so unused to, so I had to take advantage of it. Murphy, Staley, Lil Jon, Sean Paul, Jay Sean, Katy Perry, Gaga and I had a terrific walk today. Many of you know this is not always the case. See, Adam (my hubby) and I hate where we live. River Bend, NC, that is. Google it. It sucks. HOWEVER, we are forcing ourselves to make the best of it and for that one hour outside today with my music and my dogs, things were okay. You have to take what you can get people.

Adam and I got married on October 19, 2013 after being engaged for 15 months (don't do this people) and only dating 5 months (did he trick me?). We have been through a lot together and are currently dealing with him working a large territory for Gallagher Animal Management where he travels quite a bit. I work for North Carolina State University as a livestock agent for Cooperative Extension. I love my job, but days like today make me want to strangle somebody. We won't even go there, right Lisa?! (Hence the longggg walk).

So, here's to hopefully accomplishing several things with this blog: I hope someone laughs. We are all in this thing called life together so you might as well laugh. I am extremely opinionated so if you can't take a joke, get the heck off my blog. I hope someone is inspired. To exercise, to get a complimentary Mary Kay facial (ya see what I did there?), to be a better husband or wife and not just completely suck at everything you do! ;) Feel free to leave your comments, but if I don't like them, I'll just delete them. Don't say I didn't tell ya.

Have a great week and here's to hoping the snow stays the heck away! It's time to get to the best place on the entire earth, Topsail. (Ok, maybe besides Bermuda where my second family, The Suttons, have graciously taken me twice - it's THE BOMB). I love Topsail and it will always have a special place in my heart. Here's to the weather today that slightly drug me out of my slump, winter-weather rut, and looking forward to the beautiful, long sunny days ahead. Let's be honest. Everyone is much prettier with a good tan.