I had three reactions: 1) Wow it has been a year since I took off my blue jacket and balled like a baby in front of 800 people and replaced my officer pin with a Post State Officer Pin. 2) Crap, I got to pack, double crap, I don't really own any clothes that aren't stained with cow or horse manure and is PSO at State Convention worthy. 3) I have barely posted anything that would help my FFA peeps have a better week in good 'ole Twin Falls.
So I devised a plan. 1) I would have to go shopping on the minimal extra spending money that my poor college student budget could squeeze out. 2) Blog, blog, blog and have a "State Leadership Conference is coming and it is exciting!" marathon of need to knows before you leave for state. 3) Reminisce about my time in the jacket with all y'all.
For the next few days, keep watching here for tips and words of wisdom.
Tomorrow- Make up tricks that make you look hot while still classy in the jacket
Thursday- Tossin' it back with my favorite State Convention memories and photos
Friday- I will walk you through the perfect FFA hairdo and classic fav of all State Officers
Monday- Guest blogger.. drum roll.... Erin Rhodes, former Idaho State Reporter talking to all those running for State Office
Tuesday- I will talk to the State Officer Candidates and drop some more wisdom on them
It is a crazy awesome week that demands crazy amazing posts! Keep watching out.
Now all I have to do for said plan is to reminisce about the events of a year ago. As a state officer, there are five singular moments of your entire career that you dedicate to yourself. That is your retiring address. When I was trying to think of what I wanted to express on my last five minutes in office, I wanted people to know my story but take that story and help themselves become the person that they wanted to be. When it was all said and done, I knew that the finished product, would hopefully inspire many people, but in the end, the only person I wanted to inspire was myself. I sat in that convention hall years later, wishing I could be half the leader that those individuals were that were up on that stage. Five years later, I had achieve the person that I longed to be. And with my retiring address, I wanted to show myself, and others who didn't believe in me, who tried to shove me down, who verbally beating me down by telling me that I wasn't a good leader, that I was a person who could endure and become a leader that thousands of people looked up to.
But as I compiled and rehearsed my retiring address, so many times that my roommates could recite it word for word, I realized that I wold soon be ending a career to which I had given my all. Soon, I would be left jacket-less and lost in a world that I had only coped in with FFA. When expressing my concerns of being able to live in a world without FFA all day every day to a very close friend, he simply stated, " Maybe it is time to hang up the blue jacket and trade it for a sundress." That comment hit me hard, and I carried it as I finished out my time in office. On the final day of convention, after all the members that flooded the convention hall had loaded on their buses and treked home, I slipped of my jacket, put on a sundress, and replaced my jacket on the hanger that once held that dress. With a tear soaked face, I laid my courderoy on the back seat of my car and went to great the new state officers. That was a moment that changed me. And as I sit here and write this post, I can't help but be grateful for the experiences that FFA has given me over my time in the organization. I love this organization so very much and owe a lot of my success and passion for all things agriculture. Without the emblem on my back, I don't know if I would be the person that I am today.
I look forward to getting the next few posts out to y'all. Watch out too for a short clip of my retiring address. Let the count down begin!
As always,
Peace, Love, and FFA!
McKenzie - The Has-Been
P.S. I would love to know what the peeps think of this blog. Like it? Hate it? Helpful? Feel free to comment and let me know what you think or send me an e-mail at ffahacks@gmail.com! Looking forward to hearing from all y'all!
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