In full disclosure, I use social media a lot and am even logged on to Twitter and Facebook as I write this.
I'll admit it, I'm a social media junkie. I have multiple conversations going on both the big sites right now and have been having multiple conversations with a lot of friends all semester. Heck, I even use twitter to communicate daily with people that are in the same building as me.
But something I often wonder about is if we use these platforms to communicate things that should be done in private. For instance, in the past year I've found out about at least two family things that should have been told to everyone in private (having someone post a status about a family member in the hospital before telling you is not fun). And I'll admit, I've done things like this too. When my dog died last week, I texted two of my best friends about it and after the shock and such had worn off, posted it on Facebook. Granted, most of the people that it directly affected other than me (my mom and stepdad) were also there with me. But others had to find out through Facebook because I posted it there (and that post led to a lot of uncomfortable calls in the days after the event). So obviously, I'm not blameless in this either.
But I have to wonder when we as a society crossed over to the "It happened in my life so let's post it on social media" craze. We've already pretty much lost any communication skills we have in life just by the advent of technology (why talk face-to-face when you can text?) but has it got to the point where any personal event should be broadcast over the internet before those directly involved are informed?
Some people still know when to hold things in when it comes to their private life and I give them massive kudos for not falling into the tech trap. But for those of us that don't, maybe we should hold off posting stuff that needs to get around to certain people until it gets to them. Heck, even the news doesn't post names of victims until their families are informed. Sure, readers want news as soon as it happens and even 40 minutes after an event seems late, but when it comes to our personal lives and not stuff that will affect the whole country or world, 40 minutes could save us a lot of headaches down the road when we have to face the music from those that had to find out with everyone else when they should have been the first ones on the phone.
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
So Many Opportunities, Not Enough Life
Okay, so the title may be a bit of a lie since technically I don't have a ton of opportunities yet (but in all fairness, I haven't looked for them all that much) but my interests are so varied now that I don't know where I'll land. The only things I know for certain are that I love sports and really want to work in certain ones and I want to work for Team USA one day. Or so I think.
See, my problem is that I want to do so many things and not all of them align with my goals. I absolutely love horse racing and had a blast covering it during the Breeders' Cup and could see me working in the industry as a writer or something else to do with communications one day. The only problem with that is that horse racing is not an Olympic event (although there are multiple other equine events).
Of course, I do have my sights on getting a job with the USEF (picture of the headquarters below), which is the sanctioning body of the equine Olympic teams for the US Team and I realistically see myself ending up there one day.
There are a ton of opportunities to do things such as interning (or working) for multiple US teams and I would love the opportunity to do it but there's only so much time for me to intern with them in the next few years. I plan on trying to get these internships in the future, especially if I have a semester off next year (or if I go to the school I'm looking at in the states). But even as I think and plan for these things, I keep going back to the racing industry.
My life has pretty much revolved around racing since I was a little kid and wanted to be a jockey (that dream was sadly shattered when I grew to taller than 5'2 in 3rd grade and just kept growing). Unlike other kids who were playing on the computer or doing who knows what with friends, I was studying post positions and researching what my favorite horses were doing. But I can also make a case for a lot of other sports and doing that exact same thing as well (ask me NASCAR trivia from the last 13 years and I can answer it just like that, my sundays were well spent).
I don't think there's a wrong direction here and I'm pretty sure that no matter where I end up, it will ultimately make me happy since I am being picky about my career but at the same time I don't want to job hop so I am looking for a long time position with whatever job I choose. See the confusion? I wish my decisions were simple like the 15 years that I knew exactly what I wanted to do but widening my horizons has done the exact opposite.
While this blog got off topic a little bit, it shows my confusion in the full light. I feel like I'm being pulled in multiple directions with no solution in sight. Do I go with my old faithful, the racing industry or do I follow my goal and attempt to work for Team USA? Maybe I'll try and get internships with both options and see what happens. At this point, the only thing that I'm certain about is grad school and hopefully going abroad if all works out as planned. Maybe the place I end up for that will shed some light on where I really belong. Hopefully it doesn't open up even more questions when it comes to my career because my poor brain may die if that happens.
See, my problem is that I want to do so many things and not all of them align with my goals. I absolutely love horse racing and had a blast covering it during the Breeders' Cup and could see me working in the industry as a writer or something else to do with communications one day. The only problem with that is that horse racing is not an Olympic event (although there are multiple other equine events).
Of course, I do have my sights on getting a job with the USEF (picture of the headquarters below), which is the sanctioning body of the equine Olympic teams for the US Team and I realistically see myself ending up there one day.
There are a ton of opportunities to do things such as interning (or working) for multiple US teams and I would love the opportunity to do it but there's only so much time for me to intern with them in the next few years. I plan on trying to get these internships in the future, especially if I have a semester off next year (or if I go to the school I'm looking at in the states). But even as I think and plan for these things, I keep going back to the racing industry.
My life has pretty much revolved around racing since I was a little kid and wanted to be a jockey (that dream was sadly shattered when I grew to taller than 5'2 in 3rd grade and just kept growing). Unlike other kids who were playing on the computer or doing who knows what with friends, I was studying post positions and researching what my favorite horses were doing. But I can also make a case for a lot of other sports and doing that exact same thing as well (ask me NASCAR trivia from the last 13 years and I can answer it just like that, my sundays were well spent).
I don't think there's a wrong direction here and I'm pretty sure that no matter where I end up, it will ultimately make me happy since I am being picky about my career but at the same time I don't want to job hop so I am looking for a long time position with whatever job I choose. See the confusion? I wish my decisions were simple like the 15 years that I knew exactly what I wanted to do but widening my horizons has done the exact opposite.
While this blog got off topic a little bit, it shows my confusion in the full light. I feel like I'm being pulled in multiple directions with no solution in sight. Do I go with my old faithful, the racing industry or do I follow my goal and attempt to work for Team USA? Maybe I'll try and get internships with both options and see what happens. At this point, the only thing that I'm certain about is grad school and hopefully going abroad if all works out as planned. Maybe the place I end up for that will shed some light on where I really belong. Hopefully it doesn't open up even more questions when it comes to my career because my poor brain may die if that happens.
Monday, December 5, 2011
Two Years Ago
Two years ago (probably about this time of night) I was watching the National Finals Rodeo and got the crazy idea that maybe I could like the journalists reporting on the event. A few years earlier I had shocked my mom by telling her "maybe I should major in journalism" but never followed that thought. I had also often jokingly said "If only I could use my useless knowledge of [sports] stats useful" but had never really thought that I could.
The NFR was the turning point of that and the 2010 Winter Olympics sealed the deal when I saw a local reporter actually reporting in Vancouver for the events. It took me a few months to figure out the whole how to be a sports journalist thing out with a lot of help from Google but by the time I decided I wanted to major in sports journalism, it was too late to change schools to a program that was exclusively sports related. Looking back on it now, I'm kind of happy I didn't change.
After I came to WT in the spring to register for some mass comm classes and visit the campus again, I somehow found Bleacher Report. I honestly can't remember how it happened but I quickly got into the roll of things there and that pushed me into other avenues.
The month before I came to WT, I was approached to write for a magazine called GX Magazine. It was short lived (I wrote from August to March, I believe) since it shut down in March but it was extremely awesome to get published and allowed me to go to the 2010 Breeders' Cup to write for them (unfortunately, they were falling apart by that time so I didn't get a press pass).
From there, things have kind of taken off with a sports job at our school's paper, an actual internship with Bleacher Report, the realization that I am also half way good at sports photography after working with the Eternal Flame, and the chance to be "press" at a huge event like the 2011 Breeders' Cup (long sentence much?). These are all things that I'll never forget (and am even looking at some of the pictures I've taken at all those events over the past few months that are hanging on my wall) and will help me in the future along with the teachers and connections I have made at school.
While I am toying with multiple sports related occupations (media relations, etc) when I graduate, I'm extremely happy I took that "silly" idea I had two years ago and ran with it because I really can't imagine doing anything else. So I guess once again, I can thank the rodeo industry for changing my life. It's funny how it has a way of doing that.
The NFR was the turning point of that and the 2010 Winter Olympics sealed the deal when I saw a local reporter actually reporting in Vancouver for the events. It took me a few months to figure out the whole how to be a sports journalist thing out with a lot of help from Google but by the time I decided I wanted to major in sports journalism, it was too late to change schools to a program that was exclusively sports related. Looking back on it now, I'm kind of happy I didn't change.
After I came to WT in the spring to register for some mass comm classes and visit the campus again, I somehow found Bleacher Report. I honestly can't remember how it happened but I quickly got into the roll of things there and that pushed me into other avenues.
The month before I came to WT, I was approached to write for a magazine called GX Magazine. It was short lived (I wrote from August to March, I believe) since it shut down in March but it was extremely awesome to get published and allowed me to go to the 2010 Breeders' Cup to write for them (unfortunately, they were falling apart by that time so I didn't get a press pass).
From there, things have kind of taken off with a sports job at our school's paper, an actual internship with Bleacher Report, the realization that I am also half way good at sports photography after working with the Eternal Flame, and the chance to be "press" at a huge event like the 2011 Breeders' Cup (long sentence much?). These are all things that I'll never forget (and am even looking at some of the pictures I've taken at all those events over the past few months that are hanging on my wall) and will help me in the future along with the teachers and connections I have made at school.
While I am toying with multiple sports related occupations (media relations, etc) when I graduate, I'm extremely happy I took that "silly" idea I had two years ago and ran with it because I really can't imagine doing anything else. So I guess once again, I can thank the rodeo industry for changing my life. It's funny how it has a way of doing that.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Horse Slaughter
With the title of this post, you know it has the chance to be loaded but thankfully there shouldn't be any bickering on the actual post... but the comments could be a different story if people actually feel the need to voice their opinions.
Earlier this week, slaughter was re-legalized (for the most part) in the United States. I am really happy about this although horse slaughter really isn't on my happy list. But since I have been called a non-horse lover among other things for my stance on this, I feel I should probably just write down why I support horse slaughter so I can just link people to this every time they try to argue with me.
First point: Horses are livestock. We treat them like pets and they are companion animals more than most other animals classified as livestock in the US but the point stands that they are still livestock. Yes, Americans don't eat them (at least not publicly) but other countries do and it's not really my business if people want to eat them as long as its not affecting me or causing major world issues (both of which aren't happening at this time).
Second point: It keeps horses from being shipped to places where we can't regulate them. Slaughter isn't pleasant in the best of circumstances unless it's done in a pasture where an animal doesn't know its coming but at least if it happens in the United States, we can regulate how these animals die. Plus, if we have plants in the U.S., the horses won't have to be shipped to Mexico or Canada or even international waters. Sure, plants aren't super close to all the U.S. states, but it does cut down travel for at least some of them.
Third point: The horse market has a chance to go back up now. Unless you are in a top tier industry (like high level thoroughbreds), you've felt the effects of this ban. Horses that should sell for $10,000 are selling for $1,000 because there's more supply than demand. With domestic slaughter, the supply should go down upping the demand. This helps breeders, trainers, and even just regular riders. With healthier prices, we have a healthier industry.
Fourth point: Less starving. Right now, we hear about a ton more horses starving or being turned loose to fend for themselves because people can't/don't want to afford them. With this, instead of a horse starving to death for weeks, they just have a few seconds or minutes of pain. No suffering is good but if we can cut down the time they suffer, then I'm all for it. And for those that make the argument that every horse should be humanely put down by people that love them, its just not possible. Some people can't afford the shot to put them down or the cost to haul them away after it is done or they just don't want to pay it. While responsible horse owners do whatever they can, not everyone is responsible.
Fifth point: At least they will be used. This point probably sounds horrible but at least their body won't go to "waste" at a slaughter house. If they have to die, then I feel better knowing that they aren't just wasting away somewhere, instead providing someone/something with a food source. This also kind of goes back to the livestock part where its more the circle of life (I'm having a Lion King moment here). This may not be the best point of my argument but it is there.
Sixth point: It provides jobs in the US. We need jobs and having the slaughter plants open here provides that. It may not be the most preferred job on the planet but in a time where our economy can use any help it can get, horse slaughter houses help with that. Towns that used to have slaughter plants are now struggling and this could be the reversal they need to turn everything around.
I have way more reasons for feeling the way I do about this and I would love to have a solution that fits what everyone wants but overall, these are my main points for supporting slaughter. Yes, these animals do whatever they can for us but when they can't meet a peaceful end, I'd much rather have them end up at a place where it all ends quickly instead of suffering for a long time. Sure, responsible horsemanship and no overbreeding would be the best solution but that's never going to happen and until other solutions are found, slaughter is a very viable option that can help both horse and human.
Earlier this week, slaughter was re-legalized (for the most part) in the United States. I am really happy about this although horse slaughter really isn't on my happy list. But since I have been called a non-horse lover among other things for my stance on this, I feel I should probably just write down why I support horse slaughter so I can just link people to this every time they try to argue with me.
First point: Horses are livestock. We treat them like pets and they are companion animals more than most other animals classified as livestock in the US but the point stands that they are still livestock. Yes, Americans don't eat them (at least not publicly) but other countries do and it's not really my business if people want to eat them as long as its not affecting me or causing major world issues (both of which aren't happening at this time).
Second point: It keeps horses from being shipped to places where we can't regulate them. Slaughter isn't pleasant in the best of circumstances unless it's done in a pasture where an animal doesn't know its coming but at least if it happens in the United States, we can regulate how these animals die. Plus, if we have plants in the U.S., the horses won't have to be shipped to Mexico or Canada or even international waters. Sure, plants aren't super close to all the U.S. states, but it does cut down travel for at least some of them.
Third point: The horse market has a chance to go back up now. Unless you are in a top tier industry (like high level thoroughbreds), you've felt the effects of this ban. Horses that should sell for $10,000 are selling for $1,000 because there's more supply than demand. With domestic slaughter, the supply should go down upping the demand. This helps breeders, trainers, and even just regular riders. With healthier prices, we have a healthier industry.
Fourth point: Less starving. Right now, we hear about a ton more horses starving or being turned loose to fend for themselves because people can't/don't want to afford them. With this, instead of a horse starving to death for weeks, they just have a few seconds or minutes of pain. No suffering is good but if we can cut down the time they suffer, then I'm all for it. And for those that make the argument that every horse should be humanely put down by people that love them, its just not possible. Some people can't afford the shot to put them down or the cost to haul them away after it is done or they just don't want to pay it. While responsible horse owners do whatever they can, not everyone is responsible.
Fifth point: At least they will be used. This point probably sounds horrible but at least their body won't go to "waste" at a slaughter house. If they have to die, then I feel better knowing that they aren't just wasting away somewhere, instead providing someone/something with a food source. This also kind of goes back to the livestock part where its more the circle of life (I'm having a Lion King moment here). This may not be the best point of my argument but it is there.
Sixth point: It provides jobs in the US. We need jobs and having the slaughter plants open here provides that. It may not be the most preferred job on the planet but in a time where our economy can use any help it can get, horse slaughter houses help with that. Towns that used to have slaughter plants are now struggling and this could be the reversal they need to turn everything around.
I have way more reasons for feeling the way I do about this and I would love to have a solution that fits what everyone wants but overall, these are my main points for supporting slaughter. Yes, these animals do whatever they can for us but when they can't meet a peaceful end, I'd much rather have them end up at a place where it all ends quickly instead of suffering for a long time. Sure, responsible horsemanship and no overbreeding would be the best solution but that's never going to happen and until other solutions are found, slaughter is a very viable option that can help both horse and human.
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