Monday, December 31, 2012

Year in Review

With 2012 drawing to a close, I have been doing some thinking about the past year and the challenges and opportunities I faced. 2012 was a year full of lessons learned, so I thought I would share my top three.

Top Three Lessons from 2012

  1. Take chances. When I set off for my three month adventure in Milwaukee, I thought I was crazy that there was no way I could do it. But I did. As I look back, I am so glad that I took the chance to try something new. I had the opportunity to gain valuable work experience, meet great people and I grew a lot as an individual. What seemed like an impossible feat, taught me that I can do anything I set my mind to.
  2. It's okay to compromise. Stubborn is a word that is frequently used to describe me. No, it's not my best attribute but I'm working on it. This year presented me with numerous opportunities to learn the importance of compromise. As the boy frequently tells me, "you can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes you might get what you need." So often we think that we have to get everything we want, exactly when we want. My question to you, to myself, is why can't we learn to work together to come to a common solution? Why does a solution to a problem have to be all or nothing?
  3. Love life. Life is too short not to enjoy. No matter what the circumstance, I have learned things could always be worse. 

I'm thankful for the lessons I learned in 2012, and I am looking forward to the many lessons that 2013 has in store. I hope that 2012 was a great year for you and yours!

Until next year,
Jessie

Thursday, December 20, 2012

A Team, An Industry Worth Fighting For

Friday was a big day. Yes it was my birthday, but more importantly the Bison beat Georgia Southern in the semi-final game...next stop, Frisco!! It was so fun to spend my birthday cheering for the Bison with thousands of other dedicated fans. I don't think anyone who walked out of the FargoDome had much of a voice left, but no one cared. We got to watch an incredible football game and will get to watch the Bison fight for another FCS Championship!

The unique thing about Bison fans, perhaps sports fans in general, is their dedication to their team...good times and bad. True fans stick with their team through the tough times: injured player, a season plagued by more losses than wins; no matter what true fans remain dedicated to their team. Yes, it would be easier to cheer for a more successful team and, let's be honest, you probably wouldn't get harassed as much if you would quit wearing that jersey in public, but those aren't characteristics of a die-hard fan.

I think the same goes for the individuals in the agriculture industry. Besides sports fans, our industry is made up of the most dedicated people I know. Individuals who will get up several times during the night in the middle of winter to check on cows and calves during calving season. Individuals who will seed around the clock to make sure their crop gets in the ground. Individuals who will combine through the night  to get the crop off before the rain. Individuals who wake up at 4 o'clock in the morning to drive their kids to town so they can ride the bus to a 4-H or FFA judging contest. These are just a few of countless examples of the dedicated individuals who are part of our great industry.

Just like sports fans, the individuals in our industry are there through the good times and bad. When it hasn't rained in weeks, when prices aren't the best, when the tractor breaks down, when hail destroys an entire field...they don't give up. They may get discouraged, but they never quit fighting. They understand that life is full of challenges, and sometimes it can feel like an uphill climb, but they know that their industry is something worth fighting for. No matter what the circumstances, people in agriculture don't give up.

All I wanted for my birthday was a Bison victory...my wish came true!!

I'm proud to be a Bison fan and there's no question I'm proud to be a part of the agriculture industry! Win or lose, I hope you will remain a true Bison fan. And despite the challenges you may have faced this year, remember...agriculture is an industry worth fighting for!

Until next week,
Jessie

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Change is a Good Thing

Did you read the title of this blog...'Change is a Good Thing' the fact that I am saying that is shocking, and I have a feeling that those of you who know me are laughing to yourself. So I'll be honest, I'm not always a believer that change is a good thing, but I hope you and I can agree that the new name and design of my blog are good changes!

Ever since I started blogging as an intern I have wanted to blog on a more user friendly platform that allows me to interact with my readers and makes it easier for you to follow my blog posts. Since I am now full-time with RRFN, I decided it was time to accomplish my goal and ta-da you have A View from the Topp.

I hope you will take advantage of the opportunity to follow my blog via email and as always, I love to hear from you, so feel free to comment on a post or send me an email.

So maybe we can all agree that change is a good thing...sometimes!

Until next week,
Jessie

Thursday, December 6, 2012

Adventures in the Windy City

Last week I was in Chicago for the Top Producer Executive Women in Agriculture Conference. It was a great opportunity to network with women from across the country who are passionate about this industry, and I look forward to sharing some thoughts from the conference in future posts.

I attended the conference with my mom and sister in-law and we decided to stay an extra day after the conference to explore the Windy City. Amanda and I had been in Chicago earlier this summer when she and Justin visited me in Milwaukee, so we had a chance to do some exploring, but we were excited to check more things off our list.
Exploring the Windy City with two of my favorite ladies
If you are ever in the Chicago area, here are a few of my recommendations.

1. Navy Pier - I had a chance to explore Navy Pier this summer and had a blast. There are tons of boat tours, rides, theaters, food vendors, etc. The view of the city from atop the Ferris Wheel is incredible.
Navy Pier Ferris Wheel
2. Pizza - You can't go to Chicago without having a slice of some authentic Chicago style pizza. There are a ton of pizza places to choose from, but I would definitely recommend Giordano's. They are famous for their stuffed pizza. 
Giordano's serves the best pizza I've ever had!
3. Millennium Park - We didn't get to spend a lot of time here, since we were trying to cram as much as we could into a short amount of time, but I would definitely recommend going here. Even if it's just for a few minutes.
The 'bean' in Millennium Park
4. Garrett's Popcorn - Everyone we talked to said that you can't leave Chicago until you stop at Garrett's Popcorn. I now understand why! They have several different types of popcorn to choose from, but their most popular is the Chicago Mix (what a clever name), which consists of carmel corn and cheese flavored popcorn getting mixed together. It sounds weird at first, but I assure you it is delicious. I wish we would've bought more to bring home.

5. Magnificent Mile - I'm not a big shopper, but going into the various shops along the Magnificent Mile was a lot of fun. Even though we didn't buy anything, it was fun to give my dad a hard time!
The Magnificent Mile is definitely more fun with dad's credit card =)
6. Sprinkles Cupcakes - If you've ever watched the show Cupcake Wars on the FoodNetwork, then you've probably heard of this shop, which is owned by one of the shows judges. Anyways, we decided we had to go try some cupcakes. They were delicious and of course had sprinkles! The coolest thing about the shop was the cupcake ATM, where you get to determine every aspect of your cupcake.
Stop at Sprinkles to satisfy your sweet tooth
There are many other great attractions in Chicago, and I hope that I can go back and continue to see what other things the city has to offer.
So blessed that my friend Sarah came
from Milwaukee to spend the day with us
P.S. You've probably realized that the blog is different than it has been in the past. Next week I will highlight the exciting features of the new blog format, which will allow you to follow my blog and receive email notifications when I add a new post...stay tuned!

Until next week,
Jessie