You want me to do what?(tweet)

In my eyes Titter is the status update of Facebook.  Simply take out all the annoying games and quizzes, no more photo albums, and especially no Farmville, and ta-da… you have Twitter!  It is something that many are relentless to indulge themselves in while some like myself found it beneficial after experience.   I would say it is a little trickier to use than Facebook, but for more beneficial from a professional aspect where Facebook is not.

First of all, Twitter is simple, which is awesome for those of us who don’t care what crop you are growing on Farmville or how many pictures of yourself you can take in one night.  Twitter only allows a short message that is visible to anyone who chooses to “follow” you.  It sounds kind of creepy at first, but it can be a huge benefit to those that want to stay in the loop and pick that they wish to follow.

I would say that a large amount of young adults have avoided twitter simply because they see it as another type of Facebook and fear a migration away from Facebook similar to the Myspace to Facebook rave. Because our generation knows that Myspace really isn’t that cool anyway.

Facebook is user friendly and down right idiot-proof in some regards.  Twitter however is a little trickier to master, there isn’t a button for everything and there are quite a few shortcuts and tricks that make tweeting much simpler than it can be.  When I first starting tweeting I had no idea what I was doing and felt like I was just writing random comments to no one in particular. I was, I had no followers and was discouraged from tweeting all together.

I was turned over to the Tweet-Side after spending a weekend with a friend who was interning with a marketing firm.  During this visit I was enlightened to the benefits that Twitter could really have, especially to a marketable person like myself.  I see it as being in a large room of people and everyone is talking at once, but while everyone is talking themselves they can listen to what everyone else says too… crazy I know.

I have found Twitter to be enjoyable and informing.  I follow friends, comedians, motivational speakers, writers, and techy gurus, and find that the things they have to say are keeping me in the loop and can even brighten my day.  Twitter is a resource that many need to see as a resource just waiting to be tapped. 

Dia de Los Muertos Ceremonia

 I attended the Dia de Los Muertos Ceremonia last Friday and found it to be an eye opening experience.  I had known little of the Latino holiday and felt that I would have been bored with this but I was surprised for the speaker to be very informing.

The difference in cultural was as obvious until this event brought it to our attention.  Celebrating someone’s death sounds weird but makes complete sense.  I envy an entire culture that focuses on being happy when alls one wants to do is morn.  The other surprising fact which I had not known previously was this was celebrated on two days instead of just one with each day serving a purpose.

The whole point of us attending a diversity event was to expose our young college minds to the differences in the world around us and I think this was an awesome way to learn about a different culture and gain appreciation for them.

My best...

 Over 5,000 thousand people in one place, silent, all listening to one man. Josh had every single one of those five thousands FFA member’s attention.  It was dark in the stadium, but you could see the faces and blue corduroy jackets in the seats from the floor all the way up to the nosebleed section.  He has just told us how he lost his leg to cancer, and how being handicapped has shaped him as a person.  In that moment he made me realize the impact one person could have on so many in such a short period of time. 

            It didn’t hit me right then; in fact it took quite a while before it really hit me.  It wasn’t that one speech that it me, it was all of them.  Throughout high school I had listened to dozens of inspirational and motivational speakers but had never been truly moved or inspired.  People like Mike Rowe, host of popular series “Dirty Jobs”; cancer survivor Josh Sundquist, and National FFA Officers.  I had heard peers, mentors, and even TV show host.  These had been some pretty awesome speeches, great stories, and from people I will not soon forget.  People like Josh, who could sprint across the stage faster than any two legged person could, with only one leg under him and a crutch in each hand.  All these people wanted you to leave with a different mindset or message to think about.  The message that took me four years to understand was surprisingly simple. 

            It had taken four years of state and national conventions, leadership camps, and classroom after classroom to realize the importance of influence. I had sat through never ending sessions of speakers preaching about the importance of this and that.   Looking back that is all we are ever told to do: practice this, read that, try and try again and again.  We are pushed harder and farther by those around us, and I was in the perfect position to do just that.

            After two days of interview of the interview process I was balloted for the Southeast State Vice President and had to prepare a speech to present to the voting delegates.  I was faced with the challenge of describing to my peers why I wanted to serve as a State Officer. I asked myself why I wanted to sacrifice for a year a huge amount of my free time and weekends.  What I didn’t know at the time was I would be doing it for them.

I was in my first week serving as a State Vice President in the Iowa FFA Association.  We were preparing ourselves to go out and impact members across the state.  We were preparing to run speaking contest, career development events, judging competitions, present workshops, and facilitate camps so we could understand the importance of influence.  The way we communicated to others who we were and what we represented were vital to success.

            Everything we do reflects on the Association and the members that make up that organization.  According to last years membership count, Iowa represented 12,231 of 506,099 FFA members nationwide.  FFA Chapters represent 11 of the 20 largest cities in the United States.  “The National FFA Organization is dedicated to making a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education.” is what the National FFA Organizations claims as their mission.  As a part of that organization we follow their mission and make it our own.  We learn how to talk with sponsors, members, and adults with the organization.  It was excruciatingly nerve racking to build up the courage to meet new people from different backgrounds and find a common ground.  If we don’t communicate effectively with those that fund our organization, we will not exist as an organization.  We must convey to those that give us money, that we are making a difference in the world of agriculture that will positively benefit them as a sponsor.  They could benefit in many different ways, but the importance of their contributions is directly affecting members.

            I have earned the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of thousands of young adults.  I have one year to influence as many of the people I come into contact with as I can.  I have the passion and training and now the opportunity.  Even if I make an impact on only one person, I will have done my job.