Best Graduation Present EVER!!

So on Friday I technically graduated from SUNY Cobleskill. I was the top graduate for the Ag and Natural Resources division. Which was awesome. Oh, and I say technically because I didn't go to graduation. Several hours of sitting listening to speakers just to walk across the Auditorium stage did not appeal to me. So I stayed home and did chores and saw to the cows.


And this is where my graduation present comes in. Mom and Dad gave me an awesome one. She's a couple weeks old and so darned cute. Her name is Frieland E November. I adore her and she is such a sweetheart.

It feels good...

...to know that what you did wasn't for nothing. I have spent the last four years working my tail off to get really good grades in college. So far my lowest was a B in Calculus and another in Spanish. Other than that I have had A's and A-'s, with a 4.0 GPA one semester.

I have had to take an enormous amount of criticism and ribbing over the fact that I preferred going home and working and doing homework and studying for hours for exams ands quizzes and the like. I've just brushed it off for the most part, though when it comes from your friends it does get you down a bit! When I first decided to go to college I knew I wanted to get my money's worth, so that is what I did.

I took every class I could fit into my schedule, some for extra emphasis within my major, some just for sheer joy, such as Art History 2 after taking Art History 1 for a gen ed requirement. (I loved the teacher, and the material really was fascinating.) So I basically just did what I felt was right. Took as many credits as I could, in whatever I wanted, and still be able to meet all my requirements for graduation. As a result I have 145 credit hours completed, with 126 being all that is necessary (and I am pretty sure that doesn't count my internship).

Then this morning vindication for what I have done came in the mail:

"Dear Ms. Friers: Congratulations! As the Bachelor of Technology Degree December 2007 graduate with the highest grade point average in the School of Agriculture and Natural Resources, you have been selected as the recipient of the December 2007 Commencement Academic Achievement Award... current cumulative grade point average of a 3.79."

And so I feel much better. I feel like my grades really DID matter, unlike what everyone said about the "as long as you pass" mentality that made college so much more fun. And all the profs telling me I needed to act more like a kid than an adult. Ah well, guess my work paid off. But dang it now I'm gonna have to go to commencement. And I really didn't want to!

Crazy Schedule...

...For classes that is. I am going to be seeing a lot of the state this week. Today my dairy herd seminar class is heading to our case study farm. Which the prof, JT, is the only one to know whose place it is. I am still leaning towards the farm a buddy of mine and I thought of, but JT said no, with a funny look on his face. Ah well, doesn't much matter either way.

Then tomorrow I have to do my National Animal Identification System (NAIS) presentation in technical communications class. It was supposed to be yesterday, but due to circumstances beyond the professor's control we had a cancled class, so now I get to go tomorrow, when I was already and rearing to go on Tuesday. I guess I will survive.

And then there are the next two weeks, which are going to be chaos. Monday I have an ag credit test, which has got me a bit worried, as that class is complicated beyond belief, and Brandon and I are going to get his Halloween costume. Apparently my dear friend wants to go as a Navy officer or something similar (no idea where were gonna fill that order, but my Grams might). Then Tuesday my ag policy class is going to Albany to visit the capital buildings and such. Full day trip which will require I miss a few classes, not so good from my stand point, but I guess I will just have to deal with it. On Wednesday we are heading back to the case study farm for herd seminar to revisit it and get any more information we need. Thursday will find me, theoretically, in Syracuse (NY not my calf) at the New York Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers Discussion Meet and Round Robin, say that five times fast. And I guess I am actually competing, that should be interesting. Particularly seeing as I got the questions a week ago and others had them in January, yeah for me. Then Friday should be blessedly peaceful as I just have to have Becky over here for a couple classes.

And then on to week three. Monday is no big deal as yet. Tuesday my AI Stud Study Overview project is due, it's a group thing so it shouldn't be bad. Then Wednesday, have I mentioned I don't like Wednesday? Dairy Herd Seminar is heading out to Syracuse for the Professional Heifer Growers Association Conference. We leave campus at 6:00 am. No big but I have to figure out how I am going to milk first, somebody has to get Becky to campus (prolly Mommy) at a reasonable hour, and I have to explain to professors why I am missing class. Which should be interesting what with I am missing a full week of classes for the Albany trip and Syracuse Farm Bureau thing. All in all I may be going to lose what little mind I have left. Who wants to join me?

Oh Man, What a Week

The last nine days have been reminiscent of hell on earth. The farm has just made me tired from the constant work...that and breeding cows that are taller than you are not so fun...and I have a bruise running from my hip to my knee from a cow working me over real good.

School has been a bit of a nightmare. The teachers I thought I would have the most problem with when it came to missing classes have been the nicest, telling me to take what time I need and just let them know so they can get the assignments to me. Others, who have had me more than two years minimum, were less than helpful. One told other students not to tell me class had been moved to another room. The other has been giving me heaps of grief over 'letting my obligations slide'. The 'obligation' being a dinner meeting mock interview thing, that will have no bearing on my life, as they just wanted to make sure we 'knew how to eat in public'. Which let me tell yah, my folks instilled in all us kids very thoroughly at a very young age. The people putting on the function were very nice, telling me not to worry about it. The professor was less than kind. Stating that he hoped I never had to do a dinner interview because I would be unable to conduct myself in a professional manner. Oh yeah, and he didn't go either. When I explained that I do business dinners and such for ag all the time his response was that I had an answer for everything didn't I, and boy it must be nice to always be right. And I apparently need to get out more and expand my horizions. According to him, I should be less of an adult and more of a student. Uhhh, I'm 21, shouldn't I be acting at least relatively mature at this point?

Of course, this same professor managed to totally infuriate me on Monday. He said I shouldn't go back to the family farm, because of the problems we are having now. Uh, hello you dip my dad just broke his shoulder, we're running a man and a half down, of course we are struggling. Oh, and I need to work for someone else so I can learn how to manage my time. Geesh. How many people can handle farm work, school work, do stuff outside of both, and maintain a 3.8 GPA. Here I thought I was doing pretty good. Then again, I'm happy with my life. I've put together some good cows, which I love working with and I adore my folks and such. Despite what my teacher thinks I've got some big goals, as well as the short term ones to get me there. I've decided that I'm only going to take into consideration the thoughts and opinions of the people who actually know me, see me more than just in a class or two a week, and who have been there as my friends and such throughout the years. I think I will end up getting further.

Oh the Irony...

How insane is this? SUNY Cobleskill (my college) is co-sponsoring this years Capital District 100 mile Diet Challenge. It involves eating only those foods that are grown within 100 miles of your home (radius). And yet..here's the irony...they closed down the campus butcher shop and slaughter house. No one can get their meat either turned from animal to edible product, or purchase it there. So why are they sponsering the same thing they are helping to destroy? Hmm...

Sometimes It Feels Like the World's Gone Crazy...

Maybe someone on here can explain this to me. Why does a one credit class require more work than a hefty four credit course? It seems beyond insane to me. We have to do interviews, and attend a 'business dinner' in formal attire. Let me tell you, farmers rarely are going to expect their employees to go to a dinner like what they are planning. Oh well. I think I am going to give them my regrets and explain that I miss enough of my farm chores during the week, without going to a bogus dinner and award ceremony. I already know how to eat in public. The darn college doesn't need to teach me what my parents already have.

On a more pleasant note, the 2007 Built Ford Tough Season is drawing to a close, and a world record is about to be tied, and perhaps shattered. In Grand Rapids, Michigan this weekend, at the Johnsonville Brats Invitational, Missouri's Luke Snyder has the chance to tie the Ironman JW Hart's record for most consecutively attended events. Anybody with an interest in bullriding should watch this landmark event take place. If he makes it through the weekend, and comes out healthy so he can compete in the next event (Mohegan Sun Invitational, Uncasville, CT) he will be the sole record holder. Good luck to Luke!

Maqua-Kil Hillbilly Deluxe

I've been playing with the baby calves on the lawn the last few days of summer break. They enjoy it, and it makes it so I have something to do before school starts back up.

Gahh NOOOOOO!!!!

How can it be?!?!

Where has the summer gone?!?!

In case I'm not making any sense...

College starts back up on Monday!!

NOOOO!!! I don't wanna go!! I am dreading it. Particularly the first week, seeing as I am taking Blink, my winning Senior Heifer from Altamont to the Fonda Fair. Which will make going to class those first few days somewhat difficult. Oh well. I have been a good girl and gone to my classes every other year despite wanting to take my heifers in. They will just have to survive without me for a while. Classes never really do much those first few days anyhow. And I will make it to some of them. And I am really looking forward to the show, it should be fun, fingers crossed. I just can't believe summer is over for me. Where did it go?

It's that time of year again...Apparently at any rate

The time of year I speak of is the up-start of a new school year. Becky and I have less than a month before college will get kick started again. She is already really anxious about the schedules we set up back in April, when they will arrive, will they be correct, that sort of thing. As a seasoned veteran of college screw-ups, particularly our college, which in my first year could not seem to figure out that I as not living on campus, I have reached the knowledge that one should enjoy what summer they have left, and worry after the schedule gets here. Especially since when I called last week to try and drop a class they were refusing to make any more changes, after promising me after all the BS they gave me in the spring because my course requirements were down and not functioning that I would be able to fix anything right up until classes started back up, yeah, right. I am honestly only looking forward to this semester for two reasons, 1. I really miss some of my buds, and 2. it is my last one then I do an internship in the 'spring' (AKA Jan-Apr). Ahh to be finished.

Finally. It is all done...

One less thing to worry about for the rest of the summer...getting my 'call in' registration done so that I am 'official' for classes this fall. My very last semester of actual in class school work. Then I just have to do an internship somewhere. I am currently getting pointed in a lot of directions. I'll have to pick something before January. Fortunately that is quite a ways away. Right now I am just focussing on getting through the next week with it being just Dad and me home, making it to Altamont in one piece, debating whether or not to take Blitz to Fonda, and getting through the Fall 2007 semester at good ole SUNY Cobleskill. At least this final trip around I will finally mostly have classes I actually want to take (though if I don't actual need it I am dropping that history class). I unfortunately still have to see about getting a new Coby Card, as mine, being four years old and all, has sort of reached the point of no return. It was in pretty bad shape last year, so I guess Monday I better call the office to see if I can have a new one waiting for me in August. Yee haw. They are not the most helpful people over there. Oh well. Guess I will survive.

Altamont: 30 days, which is one month, oh man where has the time gone?

Things that Make Me Happy!

For once, the day is, knock on wood, going well-ish. For starters, I checked my college email. And finally got a reply from Semex USA about the Silky Cousteau semen I want to purchase. They are going to get it to me. Which is score one.

And then I decided to see if any more of my grades had been posted. Four were there yesterday, but I was still missing three. And they are all up. The class I was most worried about, Art History 300, History of American Art, I got a B in. Personally I will admit to thinking there was some serious gifts in the grading on that class, but I am not going to complain. I have one other B, in Fruit and Vegetable Marketing. Then I have two A-'s, one in Milk Marketing and Dairy Policy, and the other in Agricultural Business Financial Management. And my last three classes, Art History 2, Introduction to Sociology, and my favorite class of the semester Applied Bovine Reproduction, are solid A's. Which is a 94 or better I believe. Not sure though so don't quote me on that. That gives me a semester average of 3.68, not bad, that puts me on the Dean's list for my 6th straight semester. And my cumulative average is now 3.79. All in all I am a very happy girl. Talk about one heck of a fine 21st birthday present. Doesn't get much better than this.

I think it might be time for me to give up...

On school that is. There are three days of actual classes left in the semester. Then we have a four day finals week starting on Monday. For the last few weeks, my Art History 300 professor has been telling us that we will be having our final during those four days, when it is scheduled. Okay, gives us the weekend to study up and make sure that we don't have any questions on the material we've covered.

Well, this morning just before class, one of the other students asked him if he knew exactly what day the exam was going to be. He told us he'd talk about it before Andy and Mark did their presentation.

Again no problem.

At least not until he went up to the board and wrote 'Final Exam- Thursday May 9th'.

Okay, now we have our first problem. May 9th is tomorrow, which on everyone elses calender would be Wednesday. Which is just so not happening. So we all assumed he had just missed something, and then we asked.

Which was our first mistake. He has decided to hold the final this Thursday. It is a bunch of slides of art pieces and buildings. We haven't been studying for it, as we should have had better than a week. As opposed to a day and a half.

The collective reaction was 'WHAT!!!". He apparently doesnt want to be here administering a test. Yee Haw for us...though we are definitly lacking the "All Right" and "Can't Wait", "Bring it on" and "Damn straight".

Grrr to teachers who think they are the only ones on the planet who have other things to do.

Whoo Hoo. I actuall got it DONE!!

Finally. I finished my Bovine Repro paper. Ended up actually being a bit more than the five pages it had to be. I am so relieved. Though naturally the printer here at school is all jammed, so I cant print it off. Hopefully someone who knows how to fix it actually will, as I would like to proof read it a bit before I go do something else. But at least it is sort of finished.

Almost Done...

Well, the semester is really winding down now. Only six days of classes left, this Friday and next week, then we have four days of finals. Naturally I have a final the last day possible, May 17. But I only actually have two days I have to come in, Tuesday and then the last day. Granted Tuesday I start final exams at 8 am and end at 2:30, with no breaks, aint it lovely how they set that one up? I think I will probably be both very tired, and likely a bit cranky by the time I am done with that for the day. Oh well. At least next semester will be my last one in an actual class room. Then I do an internship and its bye bye college. While all my classmates are saying they wish they had more time left, I feel like the minutes are barely passing by. Such is life.

I'd tell yah all about the job offer I had, but I'm not even really to sure how to explain it. Kind of made the family a little mad though.

Fall of 2007 and the END of the Spring 2007 School Year

Well, as of 10 oclock this morning I am all signed up for my fall classes, with the exception of ANSC 272, which is artificial insemination. AI requires students head down to the registrars office and have them sign you in. They have meetings at 10, so going down now would be a total waste of time. But I got into all my other courses no sweat. Without the 22 credit hours I am going to be taking next fall, I have 111 out of a total required 126. Not too shabby, specially since I also have to complete a 15 credit hour internship. Which will put my total up to 148 credit hours. Hows that for a four year Bachelors degree.

I personally think I have got some pretty awesome classes next fall. Some (mainly Technical Communications (COMM 301) and History of World Civ (HIST 103)) are just to fill up some of the general and upper level elective slots that I haven't finished yet. Others, or rather one other, Advanced Ruminant Nutrition, are just going to be plain painful, mostly because of the butt head who teaches it. He's smart as they come, and about as exciting as watching paint dry. Actually, the paint drying would allow for a vast amount more interaction. But I get to really look foward to the rest of my courses. For instance, AGBU 420, Agricultural Policy, and AGBU 442, Agricultural Credit, are both supposed to be taught by Mr. Maxwell, and he is just plain awesome. There will be a lot of work involved, but he is so hyper and fun that the classes, even though Ag Credit is 6-9 at night, should be very engaging and will likely keep the boredom level low. Then I have a class with my advisor, JT, Dairy Herd Seminar (ANSC 412), which should be loads of fun. If for no other reason than JT is one of those professors that really likes to be involved in his classes and keep them mentally stimulating, without being a lot of pointless work. Then my last class is Internship Orientation, ANSC 380. With the individual who is in charge of that this year it will probably be a whole lot of nothing. And probably rather useless.

I think I am most looking foward to AI though. Rumor, and the former prof of the class, has it that Ivor Jones should be teaching it this year. And I just adore Ivor. He was responsible for finding Zenith for me, as Dad wouldn't let me use Durham because of low milk production and him being a CVM carrier. Not to mention Ivor is smart and really knows his stuff. Not that the last teacher didn't. He was actually Ivor's predecessor at Select Sires, so they come from the same basic background. I would have loved the class either way.

And perhaps the best news of all is that I have NO classes on Fridays. Completely free. Which means I can work with my cows at home. And maybe go out to Ohio or some other neighboring state and go to an actual really good rodeo. Plus, on the days I do have class, I don't start til 9 or 9:30, which means I can either sleep in a bit, or go out and help Mom and Dad in the barn. Course, I also don't get done at school til 9 pm on Monday and Tuesday, which means I will probably need that extra little bit of sleep.

As everything stands right now there are, counting this week, 3 full weeks of classes left, and then four days of finals. All the classes will be completely done on the 17th of May. I am really looking foward to being out for the summer. Basically....IT'S FINALLY SUNSHINE AND SUMMERTIME!!!

HOPE TO SEE YAH ALL AT THE FAIRS AND RODEO!!!!

Lack of Posts

I appologize for the lack of posts lately. I'm gonna blame it on being busy this last week studying for my Arts 125 midterm, trying to get my essay for bovine repro started, and the just general busy stuff that has been going on. That, and for some reason, I could hardly ever get on the PBR's website when I had enough time to actually get a post put together. Fortunately, I have a nice big break tomorrow, from about 12:30 to 5:15 or so, whenever Becky gets out of her Anthropology class, so I should be able to whip up a decent post then. At the same time as I put together the outline for my repro paper.

More later, but Justin McBride put together another win this weekend. If I added them up right, he's got about 22 career titles now.

Hmmm....

I just checked my grades for my Bovine Reproduction class, just in case the tests we took last week were graded. Yup, they were. First person to guess my grade gets an imaginary gold star. (Mom, you are not allowed to compete because you already know).

Made Deans List Again

Just found out the other day that I once again made Dean's List at the college. Fifth semester in a row. Now if I can just do it for the next three. Becky got on too. I still had the better average though.

GRRRR!!!!

I had a pleasant morning. NOT! Driving in was a pain right in the backside. Roads weren't even REMOTELY plowed, and to top it all off, once I got to one spot where they were actually clear, people were going about ten miles an hour. THEN I go to head to my Farm Financial Management class. Not exactly a course I enjoy overly much (boring as all get out, though the prof is usually fairly amusing), get half way there in this freezing cold, and one of my classmates walks by, 'Moore cancled class'. I am FROZEN solid at this point, I spilled most of my coffee slipping in the ice, and it is a really REALLY long walk back to the building where I sit and wait for my other classes. A GRR to the professor who didn't take the time to call in to the sharepoint moderator and let her know that class will be cancled. Oh well, I got two hours to sit and study for my two oclock test this afternoon. Fun Fun Fun!

Oh, and I got to pump gas into my truck, while the temperature gauge read about -5, before the windchill. I finally thawed out about twenty minutes after getting to milk marketing.

I GOT A SCHOLARSHIP!!!

I can't believe it! I got a scholarship for the Spring 2007 semester, for $2000.00. SO amazing. It's the National Science and Mathematics Access To Retain Talent (National SMART Grant). I was totally thrilled. So awesome.