Facebook Page is now Functional!
     I have just created a new Facebook page to use sort of as an online resume/ professional page. This didn't come without the usual headaches that materialize EVERY SINGLE TIME I try to do something new on the internet. But here it is, in all its amateur glory:

      I have to admit I never thought of using a social media site for professional development like this, but it turns out I have now given potential employers an easy way to view my credentials and relevant skills and experience. I am still a little hesitant though, and the address and phone number are both fake. Any one can go on Facebook and see this page, and I don't think its a great idea to make information like this public. The same goes for my references, I don't want to compromise their privacy so I stated that these phone numbers are available upon request only.
     Paranoia aside, I think this will be wonderful to use when searching for a career after I'm done school. Even for summer employment this year. It is an efficient way to get my information out there to anyone who wants it. Instead of sending in a resume, I could simply send employers a link to this webpage! Saving paper too. One of my classmates in ALES 204 has the right idea as well ( http://iamshewolf.blogspot.com/2012/01/facebook-page.html ).  Also, if I happen to start my own business, this is an exceptional way to advertise my services and provide customers will all the relevant information. I know a great deal of people that are currently using Facebook to advertise their services.
     I found out as well that this is not a new concept, so many people are using social media sites professionally now. I found an article online talking about all the different way to use Facebook in particular for professional development (   http://mashable.com/2009/08/14/facebook-networking/ ). Making information available in this way is sure to catch on fast, and I imagine it will become more and more popular as a way of professionally "putting yourself out there."
     Here is a link, if you're interested!  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jami-Frederick/309961615706600.

Okay, I have never blogged before in my life...where should I start?
     I guess I will introduce myself! I'm Jami and I am a third year ALES student at the University of Alberta working on my first degree in Animal Health. I hope to make it into vet school in the next couple of years, and get my DVM specializing in Equine Health. Ideally I would like to eventually specialize in equine surgery. The competition is fierce though, and I am also exploring options in epidemiology and virology in the event I don't get there! Veterinary medicine has been my lifelong dream though, and I don't plan to surrender easily!
     I have been a horse person most of my life, hence my primary career choice, and I love working with them. I ride my own horse, Castanho, a few times a week, in between the endless mountains of schoolwork I am bombarded with. I also enjoy reading and being outdoors in my spare time. Except today, because it is minus 30 Celsius and outdoors is the last place I would like to be. I have a zoo of pets in my apartment as well, which I'm sure is typical of many vet students, including two cats, a dog, a snake and a guinea pig. I don't think I could manage without my animals to keep me motivated. Turns out vet bills are expensive. It would be nice to be able to treat their plethora of ailments myself!
Here is a picture of Castanho and I. Isn't he handsome?

      It turns out that social communication skills, which I am hoping to learn partially through blogging, is terribly important in today's society, no matter what profession one should choose. In the field of animal health and veterinary medicine, the internet is a vital source of up-to-date information and a perfect way to stay on top of the game (http://canadianveterinarians.net/). Here one could find breaking news on all sorts of newly discovered illnesses and ailments, markets in which to purchase the tools of the trade, and a means by which to communicate new ideas with others in that field of study. Articles can be submitted and peer-reviewed, blog entries can communicate opinions on a certain subject, and entire journals can be shared with the veterinary community. What a fantastic way to keep everyone on the same page! Not to mention the endless options for using social media sites for professional development!
     And I suppose I should now address the title of my blog. Technology is difficult, it always has been a struggle for me to keep up with the latest trends that involve communicating with anything other than my voice or a pen and paper. It seems I run into problems EVERY SINGLE TIME I try something new with respect to technology.
This is my attitude towards computers, for example:

http://www.buzzle.com/img/articleImages/562748-10326-49.jpg
I got a smart phone months ago and I still hardly know how to use it. However, I have realized, that this can simply not go on. I will end up falling behind and will be less equipped to deal with the technological revolution that seems to never end. In my ALES 204 class I hope to overcome this gap in my knowledge. By the end of semester, my goal is to know how to blog, how to communicate professionally  through social media sites, and perhaps learn that technology doesn't suck as much as I think it does. And it turns out I'm not the only one who is having revelations about the use of social media. Even the federal government is catching up ( http://ales204-2012.blogspot.com/2012/01/social-media-and-federal-government.html)! The revolution is upon us, I am determined to be ready for it.