Getting involved…

A great way to stay involved in what research is going on in the region is by attending conferences.

Six undergraduate students, I (Kathleen S), Rachel W, Katy P, Jesse M, Jay J, and Mark M, went to the Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference held in Springfield, Illinois on December 6- 10, 2009. The School of Environment and Natural Resources helped sponsor us to go to the conference by providing transportation and lodging.

We attended talks about various topics (adaptive management, mammals, reptiles, birds, amphibians, education, and wind energy to name a few). The conference was a great way to learn about current research being done in these areas and what kind of research still needs to be done.

If anyone is considering graduate school then they should definitely attend to stay current on these subjects because most of the posters and presentations were thesis or dissertation projects.

Every evening there was a social event so that people could mingle with each other. The student-professional mixer was the most helpful to all six of us undergraduates. We got to talk one on one with professors from various schools in the Midwest, professionals in federal and state government jobs, and professionals in non-governmental organizations. Many of us felt like we not only got very good advice from these people, but also made a connection with some of them that may help us with our future careers.

The main points we came out of the conference learning is that you should choose to do something that you love, not just for the money. If you don’t love what you do, then you will regret that time you spent.

Another key lesson learned was that there are many different ways to get to your dream job. There are no set rules on how to achieve your goals and sometimes you have to take other jobs before you get to your future dream job.

We would all recommend that everyone go to a conference that deals with your specific area of interest. While local conferences are good, the larger a conference is, the more opportunities are presented to you.

I have attended the Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference for the past three years and the Ohio Fish and Wildlife Management Conference for the past two. I have found that the Midwest provides more opportunities because there are opportunities that cannot be found in Ohio.

Both conferences are valuable though because they each provide some opportunities to people. Starting at a local conference is a good way to get an idea of what to expect at larger ones and get some contacts made. These are the perfect settings to network and find jobs. I have made so many contacts by attending conferences.

If anyone wants to talk to me about going to conferences or how to get involved in extra curricular activities feel free to email me at secor.15@osu.edu or look me up on Facebook. I am the president of both the Forestry Forum and The Fish and Wildlife Society

Sara to Mexico over Christmas break…

This winter break, I journeyed through the Yucatan Peninsula with the All-Scholars Mexico study abroad program.

While we visited many beaches, ancient Mayan ruins, ecological parks, and artisan markets, I was most interested in learning about the Mexican relationship with the environment.

I found that the majority of Mexican people have a profound reverence for their wild jungles, pristine beaches, and soils, but that tourism is having a heavy hand in degrading the once loved nature.

As degradation is being accelerated by American consumerism, it is important to realize what impacts we are having on third world countries.  This experience has ingrained an international environmental conscience into my life.

80 degree winter break – an incentive to brag…

~By Sara McCarthy (honors undergraduate student SENR)

This spring break will be unlike any other; I am spending 11 days in the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico.

Defined by its sunny, clear-water beaches, by Cancun as a party hub for college students, and by the ruins of one of the most respected “ancient” cultures of human existence (the Mayans), it is no wonder that I have increased my schedule to 25 credit hours and enrolled in Spanish 510, the All Scholars Mexico Study Abroad.  Despite all of the reasons I have listed, none of them were my intent for entering such a program.

My interest in Mexican-American affairs increased with a visit to Southern California during Spring Break 2009 (riding escalator in the San Diego Zoo).

Since middle school, I have been fascinated with the Spanish language and cultural traditions of South/Central America and strove hard to master the linguistic abilities to communicate with Hispanic peoples in their native language.

As I get further in my academic studies as an environmental science major, it becomes more and more apparent that the environmental problems we face are not merely localized within one town, state, or nation, but are globally situated.

Now, my knowledge and experience of Hispanic cultures is all the more important because it enables me to conduct international work and solve global environmental problems.

So, what will I be doing in Mexico?  Besides extensive visits the state capital, Merida, tours of ancient Mayan sites (Chichen Itza, Kabah, Uxmal), and a trip or two to the beach, we will be exploring the ecology of the Yucatan Peninsula.

With a visit to the Xel-Ha ecological park in Tulum, a swim in the cenote Ikil, and boat trip through the mangroves of Celstun, I will experience true Mexican ecosystems.  Each student attending the trip is also required to formulate their own academic inquiry, a type of mini-research project.

I have focused my studies on land-use change since ancient Mayan civilization with a specific emphasis on agricultural techniques/uses.  It is my hope, upon return, to complete a brief essay on the subject to report back to this blog.  But, the most important goal of my trip will be to comprehend the vast complexity of Mexican culture, so that I may be a better steward for racial acceptance in current and future endeavors.

If you have any questions/comments or would like to discuss Mexican environmental issues to a greater extent, feel free to email me at mccarthy.211@osu.edu.  In addition, please join TerrAqua : ).

Looking in the rear view mirror…

“…I was in front of an ambulance the other day, and I noticed that the word “ambulance” was spelled in reverse print on the hood of the ambulance. And I thought, “Well, isn’t that clever.” I look in the rear-view mirror, I can read the word “ambulance” behind me. Of course while you’re reading, you don’t see where you’re going, you crash, you need an ambulance. I think they’re trying to drum up some business on the way back from lunch.”  – Jerry Seinfeld

As we approach the end of the quarter, do you find yourself looking back over your shoulder and thinking, I wish I would have done that differently.  I wish I would have this and I wish I would have that…

Reflecting back on your accomplishments is a good thing.  It helps you to plan out your future a little more clearly.  What do you want to do differently next quarter that you didn’t get to do this quarter.

Here’s a few things I’ve heard many of you say:

Be more involved in student organizations. That’s easily done.  As you start to look ahead at your class schedule for winter quarter, you can plan your attendance for events and meetings right now.  Make a decision that you’ll be engaged and active and schedule yourself to participate and follow through.  Just like you wouldn’t want to skip class – give these student organizations the same kind of priority.  You will get so much good from them and you’ll never regret making the time for them.

I wish I would have worked a little harder in that class. There are plenty of your courses that just require a little more of your time than others.  It’s all about time management.  This is a nice little article that will help you with study hints – all cartoon style so as to keep your attention while you are brain dead during this finals week…take a peek here

I wish I would have spent more time with my family and friends. Ok, so don’t go totally the other way.  Study so much that you never have any down time.  Remember the saying, “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”.  Everybody needs time to do nothing.  Just relax.  Laugh.  Live a little outside of your studies.  It’s ok.  Really.  Play time is great for the mind.  It will help you study better later.

It’s ok to look back over your shoulder just don’t forget to keep your eyes on the road ahead too.  Winter 2010 is right around the corner.  It’ll be great.  You’ll see…

Best,

Trish

Good food makes for good friends

There are many days when college life can be quite stressful.

This day was not one of them for the Parks and Recreation Society.

Today, we made new friends and met our new Director for the School.

Today, we networked.

Today, we ate ourselves silly until our bellies would hold no more.

Today, we crafted, (even the boys), holiday cards to share with family and friends.

And we wish you could have joined us.

The more the merrier is how the saying goes.  And, well, we’d love for there to be more of you join us for the fellowship, fun and good food at the Parks and Recreation Society meetings.

In fact, all of our student organizations would love to see more of you.

Forestry Forum.

The Fish and Wildlife Society.

TerrAqua.

Students for a Sustainable Campus.

Multicultural Students in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences.

More is better.

Employers DO love to see that you are engaged and active in your professional societies on campus.  They DO love to see that you have taken on leadership roles.  They DO love to see you taking advantage of networking, learning new skills, interacting with others, reaching out, being involved.

It’s just as important as any of your classes.

Really.  Truly.  I mean it.

It’s good stuff.  Good for you.  Good like Vitamin C and wheat bread is good for you.

Good like you’ll never regret the time you spend with these organizations because it WILL lead to good for you kinds of things.

And it’s fun.  Good for you AND fun?  Those two don’t always go hand in hand.  But here, we offer lots of good for you fun.

Student Organizations, Join one.

Tell us what fun things you have done with your student organizations or what you have gotten from being involved in one in the comment section.

Networking, Schmet-working…

I know...what does this dog have to do with networking? Well...his "person" is part of my network. My roommate from college, a resource specialist in Colorado who studies things like Prairie Dogs and Mountain Lions and fun things like that...

If you’ve ever heard me speak in class or around campus, you’ve probably heard me say that every job I have ever gotten – I got through networking.  You know, making contacts, shaking hands, making phone calls and sending e-mails.  Creating connections with other folks in the industry.  It is, in my humble opinion, the #1 way to get a job.

Here’s my proof.  Many of you know that I’m a product of the School of Environment and Natural Resources. I had a dream since I was in the 1st grade of being something like a firefighter, paramedic or police officer.  I loved being outside.  Being a park ranger sounded perfect to me.  And I found…ok, my Dad found out that Ohio State had this Parks and Recreation program.  Truth is, my Dad said, “you can go to Ohio State and I’ll pay for it or you can go wherever you want (and where I wanted was Colorado U. in Boulder) and you can pay for it.” I chose Ohio State, very thankfully.

My undergrad advisor when I came here was Mark Giese.  You know, the Chief Academic guy for the School?  The one who signs off on giving you a diploma?  Mark also taught my survey class.  He encouraged me to go to the Ranger Academy.  And then was the Associate Commander of my academy.  When I got out of school, the Commander of my academy class, Steve Dodd, an adjunct professor here, gave me a glowing recommendation so that I could land a job at Glacier National Park. Networking.

After Glacier, I wanted to work for the Hamilton County Parks in Cincinnati.  Since I was a member of a professional society, the Ohio Parks and Recreation Association, I took advantage of a seminar they were offering…taught by…officers from Hamilton County.  I sat up front, raised my hand a bunch, and introduced myself afterwards to the instructors.  I told them I had just applied for a job with their agency and asked a few questions.  A few weeks later, I got an interview there and guess who was on the interview panel?  Yep.  Those same instructors were Sargents and remembered me from the seminar.  And yep, I did get the job.  Networking.

I got married later and moved to Columbus.  Not knowing where exactly to start looking for jobs when I got to Columbus, I came to see my old advisor, Mark.  Mark told me he had a position on his student services team and he remembered that I had been President of my student organization, and that I had work experience with the state at ODNR, federally through NPS, municipally through both Columbus and Hamilton County parks, and he thought I’d be good at this job.  So, I applied.  And…well, duh!?  I’m still here…11 (gulp!) years later.  Networking.

The best thing you can do to help yourself find a job is to NETWORK. Seriously.  Get out there.  Volunteer.  Join a professional society.  Go to conferences.  Get out there where the people are doing what you want to do and get to know them.  Learn from them.  Help them.  Ask them to help you.  It’s a relationship that goes both ways.

There’s loads of info on the net all about networking.  Here’s one I found that I liked.

Networking IS all the time and opportunities all around you.  Your classmates, professors, the staff here, and people you might meet in the most unlikely of places.  Consider carrying around business cards – yes, even as students, that have your name, major and contact info on them.  It’s a quick and easy way to pass your info on during that chance meeting.  And follow up.  Believe it or not, few people really do.  Be one of those few to make that impression.

Do you have other networking ideas?  Share them here in the comments section.

“Be the change you want to see in the world” Mahatma Ghandi

Somehow, today, you ended up here.  And by here…I mean, here, on this blog reading about life and careers in environment and natural resources and the like from the perspective of our students and others who work here…here, in the School of Environment and Natural Resources at The Ohio State University.

But how did you end up here?

How is it that today, of all days, you found yourself here?

Let me share with you how I ended up here today, here as in, on the blog.  Today, I helped out at the Government Career Fair that the University Career Services Committee hosted over in the 4H building.  Today, I had a wonderful opportunity to talk to current students, recent grads and not so recent grads about services we offer and also, about what to say as they met prospective employers.  Helped them to shake the jitters a bit.

Today, I met a guy who was unemployed at the moment. He graduated from Ohio State 12 years ago.  He had been working in sales for 9 + years which was by accident as his degree was in Psychology.  He wasn’t sure how to approach the folks at all of these tables and what exactly to say to them as he hadn’t been in the “job search” mode for a long time.

This economy is a huge bummer.  He was not the only person I spoke to that was newly unemployed.  There were quite a few folks in attendance that had been out of school for way more than ten years and found themselves in the position of having to job search all over again because the economy forced them out of their cozy career nest recently.

So this guy, Mr. Psychology major aka sales guy, was talking about how sales wasn’t really what he wanted but it was what he knew how to do and how he just needed to find a job so he could take care of his family.  You know, keep a roof over their heads, put food on the table, keep clothes on their backs.  And I asked him, “What do you really want to do?” and he said, he didn’t know.

If you have ever visited me in my office for career advice, you can guess my next question because I ask it often. “What’s your dream job? If you could have any job in the world, what would you be doing?”.

And Mr. Psychology major aka sales guy said, “I really like sports and I would love to be a sports announcer but that will never happen”.  My reply, Why not?  Here’s the thing…this economy, as crummy as it is, can be a real blessing to you.  And  I don’t just mean to Mr. Psychology major aka sales guy, I mean YOU!

If you have found yourself out of work at the moment, this is a great opportunity for you to explore your passions.  What is it you really want to do?  And wait…here’s where the quote comes in…”Be the change you want to see in the world”.  Ghandi said this and I think he meant that you can’t sit around on your derraire and expect the world to change because it should.  You need to be a catalyst in that change movement.  You need to take action and make things change.  Your spark of change will spur other sparks and so on and so on.

Now I’m not saying that being a Sports Announcer is going to change the world. I know that Ghandi had other things in mind when he said Be the change – but the analogy is the same.  Being a Sports Announcer might not change the world but it might change the world of Mr. Psychology aka sales guy.  It might change his kids world.  Which may change the lives of their kids and so on and so on.  Have a I lost you on this idea?

Let me back track.  This guy may not ever really be a sports announcer.  He might get a sales job working for a sports organization or a broadcasting organization where he gets to work in the area of sports.  He might end up sweeping the floors of the stage at ESPN and getting to network with the talent, learning the process of the business, watching, listening, preparing to expand, expand, expand his horizons.  What I told him is, you’ll never know if you don’t try.  And if that’s your dream, then go for it!  Do whatever you have to do to get your foot in the door.  Blog about sports.  Apply for any and every job you can find with any organization related to what you want to do.  Network.  Don’t be afraid to follow your passions.  Figure out how to, in a logically and in a financially sound way, you can earn, learn and transition your way into the career you have always wanted but were too afraid to try.

Be the change you want to see in the world.  Take the skills and abilities that you have been given and apply them in a new way.  Be creative.  Think outside of the box.  Network.  Talk with other people about how to make it happen.  YOU CAN make it happen…it may not be the exact path you thought you’d be on but it may be a pretty darn close second.  And five years from now, you might look back and say, losing my job was the best thing that ever happened to me because it gave me the courage to try something I never thought I could do.

A friend of mine who was top of the food chain for a HUGE retailer in the US headquartered here in Columbus was recently given the option to retire.  Again, the economy.  She had been making a nice six figure salary with international travel every six weeks.  It was a hard adjustment being “retired”.  However, the company offered all kinds of career services.  Networking groups.  Courses on entrepeunership.  Head hunter services.  Amazing resources to help find a new job or transition careers.  And she took advantage of every single resource they offered.  And guess what she’s doing?  Following her passion right into a new lucrative career.  She loves to garden and cook and to eat whole, unprocessed, flavorful, organic goodness.  She has been learning all about marketing, publishing, growing and more.  And is using all of those new skills to move forward into a career based around foods.  Happy as a lark is she…

I’m just offering up – don’t be afraid to follow your passions, don’t be afraid to make a change.  It may just be the best thing that ever happened to you.

If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment so we can continue the conversation.

When life hands you lemons…

By Trish Raridan Preston

You know how this saying goes, right?  When life hands you lemons, you make lemonade.  Meaning that when things get tough, life gets all sort of jumbled up – you make the best of whatever the situation and figure out how to make anew.

The only reason why I mention this is because at least every quarter, I see several students who seem to have been handed a whole bushel basket full of lemons.  And that stinks.  For them.  And for me because, hey, I’m just the career counselor.  I don’t always have all the answers to help them figure out how best to make lemonade.

But if that seems to apply to you at this moment, if you seem to have been recently handed some lemons, well then, this post is for you.

As I said, I don’t always know the answers.  I do know this.

This, this is a very big place with a whole lot of resources.  This place, Ohio State, wants to see you succeed.  I and every member of our student services team and every member of our faculty, want to see you succeed.  And because we are all here to serve you – there are many people, places and things that you can take advantage of that will help you in your lemonade making.

What I don’t want to see happen is for you, any of you, to ever feel so discouraged by how hard things get, that you quit.  You quit because you are paying your own way through school and working and studying is too hard.  You quit because you had a fight with a loved one.  You quit because you are just plain tired from working so darn hard.

I know it’s hard.  I’ve been there.  All of us here on the student services team, have been there.  Trust me.

And we want to see you succeed.  Heck, the fact is, when you succeed, well, you just make us look good.  Plus, we wouldn’t be here doing what we do if there wasn’t some kind of payoff.  Ya know, the kind of payoff that gives you satisfaction on the job.  The kind that says, you’re making a difference in someones life.

And you, our students, are that payoff.  When you do well, we feel good.

So, here’s where I’m going with this.

This place, Ohio State, is chock full of resources.  More resources than you can shake a stick at.  And they are here at your disposal.  To help you, make lemonade.  To help you figure out what to do next when you feel like life is just crashing in around you.

(and by the way, that feeling is oh so very temporary.  My mom-instincts can tell you that the feeling you are having is really just exhaustion.  Lack of sleep.  Not enough shut eye.  Too much time being awake.  Not enough naps.  Seriously, a regular sleep schedule of at least 8 hours a night will give you a whole new outlook but I’m not your Mom so…you’ve probably already stopped listening, haven’t you?)

If you feel like you need to talk to somebody because you can’t see straight, please do.  Here’s a good place to start.

If you feel like you just need some extra help with academics because you’re not getting it and everybody else in class has the content down pat and you’re struggling, go here.

If you’re not sure how to make ends meet, how to pay for your tuition, how to stay out of debt, we’ve got help for that too.  Try this. They’ll be glad to help you formulate a plan.

If life is just really stinkin hard at the moment, family and work and everything all around is just wreaking havoc on your life at the moment, please talk to the oh, so wonderful folks at the student advocacy office. Ah.maz.ing doesn’t even begin to describe how very wonderful the staff over there is and they can really be a lifeline to you.

And if none of these work – then come see us.  Come talk to us.  Any of us.  Susie.  Mark.  Me.  Renee. Let us help you figure out where and what to do next.

Just don’t quit without trying to use the resources we have here for you.  We want you to make lemonade and be successful and do great things to help the earth and make our world more green.  Got it?  Good!  Now make today the best day ever, ok?  Ok!

There is no time like the present. Or don’t put off today what you can do tomorrow.

By Trish Raridan Preston

Huh?  I mean, don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today.  Yeah, that’s what I meant to say.

You’ve heard this before right?  Procrastination is a messy little thing.  I happen to be the supreme queen of procrastination.  For serious.

This photo says it all.  Procrastination.  I’ll find a photo for it later. That is so me.

We are all pretty good at procrastinating in one way or another.  Finding the time to get a little more organized and on track is certainly one way to start treading your way out of the procrastination trap.

Procrastination.  Graduation.  Jobless-ation.

Ok, so I’m not very good at rhyming.  I’ll work on that later. One thing you DO NOT want to procrastinate about is preparing for your future career.  I’m always surprised by the students who come to see me one or two quarters before graduation or sometimes only one or two weeks before graduation and for the first time, ask about getting some experience.  I’d say it’s never too late because, really, it’s not but I will say that starting late can delay your start on “real life” significantly.

The time to start building your resume is NOW.  Don’t procrastinate over what you can do to help yourself get ahead.

Here’s a few ideas:

1)  Get involved. Here at Ohio State there are hundreds of student organizations.  Now, I’m not really suggesting that being in the Pizza Lovers Club will help you get ahead but I am suggesting that there are many organizations that have relevant and meaningful activities and connections that will.  The Fish and Wildlife Society is just one example of organizations in the School that hosts bird banding clinics, trips around the state, and much more.  What you will gain from being involved in an organization related to your major is invaluable network connections, new skills and a broader understanding of your entire career field.  Wow.  Isn’t that so much better than just pizza?

2)  Get Experience. If you never practice what you learn in the classroom, how will you ever know that what you intend to do for a career the rest of your life is really the right fit for you?  Before you get too far ahead in a major where there is no looking back to change your mind – get some experience in the field.  Take on an internship and discover if you can really see yourself doing this job everyday for the rest of your life.  I have had more than one student come back from an internship and say, “That was the coolest place ever!  I loved the experience and I am SO changing my major because I found out, I do NOT want to do that for the rest of my life.”  Better to find that out sooner rather than later.

3)  Get Motivated. Sometimes its hard to get out of bed and make it off to that early morning class.  Especially as the weather gets colder.  Who wants to crawl out of bed and get dressed and walk across campus for yet another lecture on the nitrogen cycle?

Let’s reference the beginning of this post again, shall we?  Remember when I said I was the queen of procrastination?  I hold a second title.  Queen of “not a morning person”.  I know what it’s like to not want to get up and get moving.  BUT get moving you MUST!  Did you know that just your daily attendance in class could boost your grade one whole letter?  Just for being present and soaking in most of what is going on?  It makes a big difference to hear it first hand as opposed to off of someone elses notes.

Where am I going with all of this?  Well, getting good grades, showing up to class, being present, all are signs of your motivation for your career field.  It shows in everything you do.  It shows your dedication and interest in what you are doing.  So get up, get moving, get motivated towards your success.

No time like the present

I think I started this whole post with “no time like the present” in the title.  Meaning, today is your day.  Today you can decide to stop procrastinating.  Today you can set your alarm clock and wake up a bit earlier.  (ok maybe not as in literally today since it’s late afternoon as I type this but how about tomorrow.  Wait, didn’t I also say don’t put off today…oh you know what I mean!)  Today you can find ways to get involved, get experience and I hope this post has helped you to get motivated.

I’m setting my alarm clock on my iphone as we speak.  6:45am.  Today is the day.

What are you doing to get involved, get experience or get motivated in your career?

How to win friends and influence people…

By Trish Raridan Preston

Have you ever heard of this book, How to Win Friends and Influence People?

It was a bestselling book back in the day and I think it’s still a really great read.  I want to share with you some of the points from the book that I think are still good traits to have that will help you as you come into this season of “job hunting” for your next internship and the like.

From the book,

Six Ways to Make People Like You

Become genuinely interested in other people. Trish says, Honestly, it’s that simple.  Look at people in the eye and listen to their story.  Everybody has got a story.  Stop looking at your text messages.  Stop tapping away on your iphone (that one was for me – guilty here on that account).  And pay attention to what is going on around you IN REAL LIFE.  Seriously.  Stop Facebooking people and make some real connections.

Smile. Trish says, It makes you look happy.  Approachable.  Like you actually like other people.  It makes you look like you are enjoying your day.  It makes other people smile too.  Which will make you all warm and fuzzy inside.  See?  Now doesn’t that just feel good?!

Remember that a man’s Name is to him the sweetest and most important sound in any language. Trish says, I have to admit, I am quite possibly, the worst name rememberer on earth.  You could tell me your name and as fast as you say it, it’s gone from my memory bank.  I blame it on the fact that I have kids but really, it’s just that sometimes, I think I’m thinking about what I want to say next and so I’m not focused on YOU.  And so, FOCUS on what the person is saying and plant their name to memory and immediately, start to use it.  Hi JOHN, how’s your day going so far at the conference?  Say JOHN, did you enjoy the keynote speaker?  JOHN, this is my co-worker BOB.  BOB this is JOHN.  Oh, it does sound nice.  I must admit.  I’m gonna practice that one.  You practice with me, ok?

Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves. Trish says, Ohh.  I think I just said all that, eh?  Be a good listener.  Stop thinking about you and what you are gonna say next and listen.  When you encourage others to talk about themselves, they get this warm fuzzy feeling and they like YOU better because you make them feel good because you listen to them talk about…well, themselves.  And back to #1.  Show a real interest in others.  Unplug and click into real life.

Talk in the terms of the other man’s interest. Trish says, um, ok.  I guess this means that you should engage in conversation based on things the other person likes.  That’s easy enough.  And easy enough I bet you’ll find common ground PDQ.  (Remember that little short hand, huh?   Pretty Darn Quick.  Learned that one in like 2nd grade.  That was 1970ish PT.  Pre-Texting.)

Make the other person feel important and do it sincerely. Trish says, this might be kind of hard to do and not look like a total kiss up.  But…go slow.  Give it a try.  Don’t overdo.  It’ll back fire and you’ll just be labeled the wierdo.  But still a good idea.  Really.  Just go slow.

Anyway the jist is this is still a good book.  And if you haven’t taken the time to hone up your IN REAL LIFE skills like I OH SO KNOW many of you have not – you out there who texts me at 11:30 at night or only speaks to me via Facebook – now is the time, before REAL LIFE IS IN YOUR FACE VIA GRADUATION – to work on those skills a bit.

Just sayin, it’s a good idea to learn how to comm.un.i.cate. in real life situations with real people using, um, actual spoken language.

Stop by my office if you want to practice.  I’m always up for a good conversation.  Did you see the National Parks documentary on PBS?  Loved it!?  You know, I used to work at Glacier and …. (see, already off to a good start aren’t we?)