Happy Birthday (plus one day) to Me!

Yesterday I became old.  Sure I am still considered a young adult but heck 19 is a big number in my eyes.  Now, as a college student with friends just as busy as myself, the only day this week that I could celebrate was Tuesday.  This worked out great since the bowling alley had $2 bowling.  Unfortunately there was a 45-minute wait that we could not handle.  We went to Walmart and got groceries to make supper and went back to the dorm only to realize that we had forgotten taco seasoning.  Courtney and I put together salsa, and several other spices left behind in the dorm kitchen to make the best taco salad I have ever had!  So, as I was doing dishes before we ate, Kathryn came in with 24 moist, delicious cupcakes.  We ate then went all around four floors of the 8-story dorm to pass them out to all of the wonderful friends I have made over the past few months.

Thursday marked a year for Aaron and I.  Unfortunately (or so I thought), I was unable to go on a date with him like he had wanted to.  I was working until 6 and had a two-hour meeting as well that night.  When I got back to his apartment, we sat around working on homework until he got up suddenly and said, and I quote, "Joyful Noise is showing at 10 and I can always stay up for Dolly Parton."  This is at 9:45 PM too.  I might have been dating him for a year, but he still knows how to shock me.  Might I remind you that he never purposefully will stay up much later than 10 much less go somewhere after 10.  I call him to talk at 10 and he complains it's bedtime.  I am still sitting on his couch at 10 and he sends me home because it's his bedtime.  The only time I have ever seen him stay up much later than 10 is for homework.  This kid is the only one I know who cannot miss his bedtime!  I do have to say that spending the first 15 minutes of my birthday with him was the greatest start to any birthday.

Now I may not have gotten to go out on the town or received a dozen roses from Aaron, but I was happy to have had such great people around me.

Great Opportunities

Thursday through Saturday this past week was spent at the 2012 Missouri Governor's Conference on Agriculture.  This was such a great opportunity.  For the first time, I was able to meet with industry professionals outside of the context of searching for a prosperous career.  I saw the true emotions of farmers who had been flooded out in Northwest and Southeast Missouri this past year.  Industry professionals repeated the common fact of how, in the next 50 years, we need to produce as much food as we have in the past 1000 years.  This time though, they did not say it was a barrier for our industry but rather an opportunity to grow.

Friday night, I was able to model off the wonderful 4-H items for the Youth in Agriculture Auction.  I have officially sold my most expensive ham.  $2000 for the Missouri State Fair Grand Champion Ham made and exhibited by Logan, a Missouri 4-Her.  For more information, go to the Department of Ag's article.

Saturday evening I was asked to sit with the Missouri Department of Agriculture employees during dinner.  As soon as we were finished, I was handed a backstage pass to meet Mark Chesnutt.  This was very exciting for me.

I thank everyone who gave me such a warm welcome.  It was in those three days, I realized that I am headed into the greatest industry in the world.

Peace
Julia

Are You on Tap?

Today was the first day of classes here at Mizzou.  I had Applied Macroeconomics followed by Accounting 1 followed by lunch and a nap which were unfortunately followed by another cold trek to Switzler Hall on the other side of campus where I was met with the most perplexing desks I have ever seen in a classroom.

As the other students entered the room, almost everyone of them pulled out an iPhone, Droid, or Crackberry.  Several came in listening to iPods, some with music loud enough to be overheard from across the room.  I admit, I pulled out my measly Samsung Sunburst to tweet about the amount of cell phones I could see.  All of this raises a greater question, "If we are so on tap with the world outside of the classroom we are in, how do we connect with more people, expanding our networks?"


I have reincarnated my Twitter account recently.  This is a great networking tool to give you an opportunity to connect with businesses and individuals with similar interests.  I urge all of you to give it a try if you haven't already.

After this wonderful Communications class, I went to work for a while.  I discussed with a dear adviser and mentor of mine the networking possibilities available at the Missouri Governor's Conference on Agriculture.  I am very excited for the opportunity to connect with all of these great industry professionals in a few days.  Let's hope Julia can find an internship too while we are at it.

TTYL
Julia

Life Mission

I decided to come back to the dorm tonight so that I can be settled in and comfortable before the stress of the semester comes along.  Unfortunately, the Pepsi I drank at 9 is working well and I cannot sleep.  As I sit here listening to oldies and watching Miss Congeniality 2, I caught a glimpse of the mission statement I wrote at AFA.  I really like reading this from time to time to bring me back to who I am.  Sometimes being with so many different people here you can stray from who you are at times.

I will...
Share my love with my family, my compassion with those in need, and my hands with the world
Have the strength to bear the difficulties and the ability to overcome them
Be inspired so I may be inspired and be caring so I may be cared
Remember this life is solely my own but, with humility, give up my selfishness to serve, to care, and to live for those I love
Never say I'm not good enough for I am the best I can be
Always remain beautiful, even if I have gray hairs and wrinkles, for I have love in my heart.

I guess sometimes I need to remember a few of these things.

Peace and Love,
Julia

Snow Birds

Well yesterday was in the mid-50s all day and short-sleeve weather.  Today is 15 degrees with a windchill of 1 and windy with snow on the ground.  Although I knew it was coming, I still was surprised to see the snow on the ground when I woke up this morning.  One thing I love about snow is how pristine it is.  The mole hills, brown grass, and little imperfections are gone away to a white canvas.  Like when you get a new notebook and are afraid to mark in it and ruin it. 

With all of the snow, though, the birds are out in large numbers.  As I sat on the couch eating my healthy breakfast of homemade chicken noodle soup and Pepsi, I noticed a large number of birds out on the bird feeder.  I grabbed the camera and took a few shots before closing the door and enjoying the warmth before I had to venture back out into the cold.

Here are some of my pictures I took.

Sometimes you wonder how their little feet don't get cold

These flowers were on the front door wreath but froze to the condensation on the door

This is my new desktop background.  I love the little bird.

I took this through a spot I cleared of frost on the front door.  I wish it did not have the purple tint so much.

Days at Home

The end is near.  Oh, goodness class starts Tuesday.  I bought $9 worth of notebooks last night (and wondered aloud why graph paper is sooo much more expensive).  I also got to take my fair queen pictures.  I cannot wait to see them.  I had so much hairspray in my hair that the tiara left dents in the side of my hair and when I woke up this morning my hair looked better than it does most days after I do my hair. 

While at Walmart, I decided to purchase my own GPS for my trip to the Missouri Governor's Conference on Agriculture next week so my huge blonde hair does not get me lost.  You see, I am amazed Aaron kept me around after I got us lost going to the movies for our first date.  Or so he thinks.  I also have never driven to Kansas City.  I live on the St. Louis side of the state.  I have venture to KC twice in my life.  Once for a 4-H trip when I was little enough to play on the park playground and once this past fall for a conference.

To pay for this wonderful gps, I told Mom that I would do cleaning today for her.  I have finished up the laundry, steamed the kitchen floor, sprayed the kitchen floor with bleach, scrubbed the kitchen floor on my hands and knees, done dishes, made dishes dirty for brownies, and thought about how much fun it would be to do some more sewing.  I made a headband a few days ago and have promised some to two of my best friends at school. 

Sometimes sitting here at home, I think about life in a few years.  I am two years, eleven months, and two days from graduation.  After that, I'm all grown up.  I will have a career I hopefully love, a family (not immediately of course), a beautiful home, and will no longer be a kid.  I like thinking about the future.  It's why my Pinterest account has a wedding board and there is no diamond on my finger. 

Aaron and I with the legendary Ronnie Milsap at the 2011 Gasconade County Fair

Best wishes everyone!

A Good Morning Workout

In this new year, weight loss is all the hype.  Everyone wants to lose weight and eat healthier.  As a part of my new year's resolution, I am beginning to work out again but for different reasons.  Truth is, I am trying to gain weight a very healthy way.  You see, there are many forms of body mass:  fat, water, and muscle are the three biggies.  Although I am thin, I have more fat than is necessary.  A key point a professor pointed out to a class of mine last semester is that no matter if you are 90 or 900 pounds, you can still have too much fat on your bones and not enough meat.


The reason for the working out is that it increases your muscle mass, which creates more healthy weight.  This along with eating a lot of protein with my meals will allow me to gain healthy weight.   Heart disease runs in the family and I cannot afford clogged arteries.  Instead of snacking on potato chips, I am eating a lot of cheese, chicken, pork, and beef from time to time as well.  (I am not a big beef eater)

Now, I will admit to you that my BMI (body mass index) is 20.2 and the normal range is 18.5-24.9.  Check your BMI regularly to find your target weight but also use meters to check your fat percentage.  My old gym had one that I loved to use.

For more information about healthy weight, go to http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/lose_wt/index.htm.  If you are worried about obesity or anorexia, talk to your healthcare professional.