Ma'am where's the emergency stop button?

Am I the only one that feels like I'm on a treadmill, or even worse a rat wheel and I can't get off? Whew! I actually think I'm starting to exhaust MYSELF these days-and if you know me then you know I passed you a long ways back! :) So much goes on in a day, that sometimes I feel like a week went by. So just some brief little tidbits of really exciting changes, things to come, and buzz on the "street"!

**Well, a brief snippet from Bloomberg today-Argentina may need to import beef for the first time EVER due to a couple year long drought they've been dealing with! I hate to celebrate one man's curse, but it is another man's blessing. If only we could be so lucky, especially if we can export some of our product to them! :) Fingers Crossed!!! These foreign export markets are absolutely essential to our industry-increases sales in a downward home economy but also these other countries will eat up parts of the carcass that Americans wouldn't dream of touching! I know I got a good wave of excitement this afternoon when I read the article!

**Officially joined the "Cattle Knowledge Team" of my company this week. My first conference call is Friday afternoon so I'm excited for what I'm to hear from across our 4 state region & also nervous for the work and mental challenges headed my way! This will be a GREAT resource for me personally to help build my all encompassing of every level of the industry and a big win for the YWCA venture & WCA as well. I hope WA cattlemen will be a great resource for me to share with others what our cattlemen's need, hopes, and fears are!

**Talked with a WSU Alum this weekend who has been eagerly wanting to get more involved with the WCA, and helping with the YWCA! That is literally an answer to my prayers. I can't do this alone folks. I was hoping to plant a little tiny seed of enthusiasm & watch it grow! I would love and NEED all the help I can get. I've never started a brand new charter group before and its daunting! I'm not artistic or super creative in the design department so bonus points if someone out there is! :) Thank you Lacy for wanting to get on board and be game for whatever I throw your way!!!

**I spoke with Kirsten this evening, the gal we are designating as the Student Director of the YWCA this year! Cows bellowing in the background, and kids hollering proved she was calling me in between showing and herdsmanship duties at her cattle show in Lynden! Kirsten has been so supportive, EXCITED and willing to help in any way since the very first day I asked her early last spring if she thought there would be any interest for youth in a college presence of the WCA! I only needed that one person who was looking for a group like this to be involved in and I could test my idea & I found my person! I love that those that have stepped up are game for an adventure that hasn't been tried before-they'll be mistakes, and falls, and hard paths to cut but they are just as excited to try as I am and that is all you need for success! :)

**I've been in contact with the NCBA Young Producer's Council leadership this week as they contacted all of us who showed interest in being a media contact for our individual states! They are starting a YPC Blog, a YPC twitter, encouraging everyone to get their MBA (Masters of Beef Advocacy degree) and then setting up webinar courses for us on further media training and policy briefing! I am SO excited for whats to come with this media outreach group. I only wish I could just focus on this stuff all day long....those dang day jobs sure do get in the way sometimes! :) More to come on this awesome venture from the NCBA YPC!

**BIG THINGS are happening every day through the MBA graduates, YCC Alum, YPC members-look for us. We are out there on every social network site posting FACTUAL information on the beef industry, responding to false stories, urban myths, and rumors on blogs, newspapers, television, and radio.

**My next goal is to get some Team Zip gear and try to get my rusty old hips to run some races here in the next year! (Ssshhh...just don't tell my physical therapists!!) They have a great blog on here: Team Zip The Power of Protein!