tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-208334202024-01-30T18:08:12.700-06:00Out Standing in My FieldBecky McCrayBecky McCrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05752231568940350610noreply@blogger.comBlogger180125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20833420.post-92037847444015780082024-01-01T17:34:00.006-06:002024-01-02T15:30:29.683-06:00#My3Words 2024: Collect, Synthesize, Share<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2FDSf0eLLkzZ6DYnxwc8Z8ozc3Q-sCLwn1jLvrQsWtlujU3VWpEZrJKSTL0IFdYQYPyN7LHlnd8li6lhkWEapryTxOpLEVjyoZ5TD-0R9cBrfuCmP-VaNzbyIpEp3KxDpMH9ZyGsdrKQ0-AvS1mPLcmsJ-ipALTmrjHEMVngFevSJAlNX2WTz2g/s1640/2024%20My3Words.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Collect, Synthesize, Share: My 3 Words 2024." border="0" data-original-height="924" data-original-width="1640" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2FDSf0eLLkzZ6DYnxwc8Z8ozc3Q-sCLwn1jLvrQsWtlujU3VWpEZrJKSTL0IFdYQYPyN7LHlnd8li6lhkWEapryTxOpLEVjyoZ5TD-0R9cBrfuCmP-VaNzbyIpEp3KxDpMH9ZyGsdrKQ0-AvS1mPLcmsJ-ipALTmrjHEMVngFevSJAlNX2WTz2g/w640-h360/2024%20My3Words.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>I've never done <a href="https://www.chrisbrogan.com/blog/my-3-words-for-2024">#My3Words like Chris Brogan</a> always does. Until now! (dramatic music cue)</p><p>I kinda accidentally picked Collect, Synthesize, Share. These three came up in a conversation to describe how I process ideas from conversations and events, and it's flexible enough to cover other interpretations. </p><br /><b>Collect <br /></b>Gather ideas through conversations, events and reading widely. <div>Gather in person.</div><div>Follow the concepts in <a href="https://outstanding.beckymccray.com/2010/01/collect.html">the Collect</a>. (the good ones, anyway) <br /><br /><b>Synthesize <br /></b>Put ideas together in new ways. <br />Create. </div><div><br /><b>Share<br /></b>Publish more content. <br />Share what I have with others, be generous. </div><div><br /></div><div>My well rounded life list is still my guide for more than a year. It's not been as strongly motivating lately, so perhaps this will help revitalize how I feel about it. </div>Becky McCrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05752231568940350610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20833420.post-44186305487382944572023-06-04T13:30:00.005-05:002023-06-04T13:39:09.397-05:00More post rock architecture from Kansas: Boyd, Barton County<p>From my continuing fascination with <a href="https://outstanding.beckymccray.com/2022/11/limestone-fence-posts-and-post-rock.html">post rocks in Kansas</a>. </p><p>West of Hoisington, Kansas, there is a pair of old post rock buildings worth seeing. I didn't shoot any photos, so I've pulled these three images in this story from Google Street View, circa Nov 2021. </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZIKH5zi7RjCwAX0e5dWO-DnCG8ELFuRfVN2s462UQJyGBxe_0aWviMA-VXK9vkJM1-1TCVHi-ulOI2FkAo-3BJqWt87ymegofmR5JkVEgGWhSzhaMantWW9HKseHHcIdQ4I_a_mfeADWWQbUWFXAKH6tFp3DcMRhNmIzXQExiU3kqOczH8qk/s1181/Post%20rock%20buildings.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="766" data-original-width="1181" height="415" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZIKH5zi7RjCwAX0e5dWO-DnCG8ELFuRfVN2s462UQJyGBxe_0aWviMA-VXK9vkJM1-1TCVHi-ulOI2FkAo-3BJqWt87ymegofmR5JkVEgGWhSzhaMantWW9HKseHHcIdQ4I_a_mfeADWWQbUWFXAKH6tFp3DcMRhNmIzXQExiU3kqOczH8qk/w640-h415/Post%20rock%20buildings.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The station faces east, and you can see an outline where the old shipping scales were in front of the buildings. Also the old fence and hitching post are wonderful relics. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p>It's the former Boyd, Kansas, townsite. Great photos and a 2016 write up at the <a href="https://farmerdays.com/2016/06/16/exploring-barton-county-ks/">Farmer Days blog: Exploring Barton County, KS</a>. The old gas pumps are now gone. Be sure to click on the <a href="https://farmerdays.com/tag/post-rock/">Post Rock category</a> for additional post rock building photos.</p><p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnoxzOIXDc5-Rbh6yWLyUYqq7XGsxd6f1pzkrZLh0FNfVi-EjFvKKk-pwD7QwQjMFquoySxDufKA8oAevCNoeLIR7JAvoHy2enxGEKAAsOGVXPVMCm3p2xEce7Eq9XiMfGKR8R4UUSOwKVnFGzH1lVyMS-da6UcSGA_ViOBHNXCNIYv_tNW-o/s1115/Post%20rock%20buildings%20and%20silos.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="522" data-original-width="1115" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnoxzOIXDc5-Rbh6yWLyUYqq7XGsxd6f1pzkrZLh0FNfVi-EjFvKKk-pwD7QwQjMFquoySxDufKA8oAevCNoeLIR7JAvoHy2enxGEKAAsOGVXPVMCm3p2xEce7Eq9XiMfGKR8R4UUSOwKVnFGzH1lVyMS-da6UcSGA_ViOBHNXCNIYv_tNW-o/w640-h301/Post%20rock%20buildings%20and%20silos.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The railroad still runs on the south side of the old station. Grain silos or elevators are still in use in 2023. </td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p>The <a href="https://legendsofkansas.com/barton-county-extinct-towns/">Legends of Kansas site, "Barton County, Kansas Extinct Towns"</a> offered this description:</p><blockquote><p>This village in Eureka township was first called Maherville when it began as a station on the Missouri Pacific Railroad. The town received a post office in June 1874. For whatever reason, the town’s name was changed to Boyd in January 1904. The post office also took on the new name. In 1910 it was a trading and shipping point for the neighborhood with a population of 40. The post office closed its doors forever in October 1937.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-fje5TnxbOyPR1gJLfJLNf8DeUvmUQS4RJQ9y8niFgWF3ED6SCKDrMjX78r2oScfD6UCQuONsf-XMhRxGCMhaBcIFGwxVYitgTzpuY5NH1VfmEu3zZTWg0Mx3slhnugRAFxoAvUd0NZPKsNizgoGMAI8yJGvuyjx_iy8E3HtGt8Kxig1uBnQ/s1165/Post%20rock%20buildings%20corner.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><p></p></blockquote><p> </p><blockquote><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-fje5TnxbOyPR1gJLfJLNf8DeUvmUQS4RJQ9y8niFgWF3ED6SCKDrMjX78r2oScfD6UCQuONsf-XMhRxGCMhaBcIFGwxVYitgTzpuY5NH1VfmEu3zZTWg0Mx3slhnugRAFxoAvUd0NZPKsNizgoGMAI8yJGvuyjx_iy8E3HtGt8Kxig1uBnQ/s1165/Post%20rock%20buildings%20corner.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="707" data-original-width="1165" height="389" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-fje5TnxbOyPR1gJLfJLNf8DeUvmUQS4RJQ9y8niFgWF3ED6SCKDrMjX78r2oScfD6UCQuONsf-XMhRxGCMhaBcIFGwxVYitgTzpuY5NH1VfmEu3zZTWg0Mx3slhnugRAFxoAvUd0NZPKsNizgoGMAI8yJGvuyjx_iy8E3HtGt8Kxig1uBnQ/w640-h389/Post%20rock%20buildings%20corner.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love the combination of limestone post rock and some smaller stone to fill out the structure. </td></tr></tbody></table><p></p></blockquote><p><br /></p><p>Jackie Langholz has a small set of <a href="https://flic.kr/s/aHsiQBduPs">photos of Boyd Station from 2006 on Flickr</a>. And <a href="https://flic.kr/p/pkqpin">Steven Thomas caught a pic of a small outbuilding</a> with the same combination of rocks at the site. </p>Becky McCrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05752231568940350610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20833420.post-61453079378453283162023-06-04T12:45:00.004-05:002023-06-04T12:47:24.554-05:00Another try at succulents for grave decorations for Memorial Day<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Last year was another difficult drought year in Oklahoma. So <a href="https://outstanding.beckymccray.com/2022/05/our-eco-friendly-answer-to-memorial-day.html">last year's succulents</a> didn't survive the full year. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCoOEHEE-ghHUZHg1wp_NJjfe_poA99F-FSo-8YJTJdkKojHW3v94-88ohfJQuwHlGJDObsKDvAbeduSwn2C1BkOpCG-FAhqwTpeoJWe8Q8MO5Hn9cdsnJjG0Gw2qAP-Ia4q86RAAH0gfjI_fCOwf0RSziGOZhCoowzfeFUKSOL_-0zF_EyWA/s4032/IMG-3899.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCoOEHEE-ghHUZHg1wp_NJjfe_poA99F-FSo-8YJTJdkKojHW3v94-88ohfJQuwHlGJDObsKDvAbeduSwn2C1BkOpCG-FAhqwTpeoJWe8Q8MO5Hn9cdsnJjG0Gw2qAP-Ia4q86RAAH0gfjI_fCOwf0RSziGOZhCoowzfeFUKSOL_-0zF_EyWA/s320/IMG-3899.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjddR7m0I32thBTrkLRsL1ni43b2p3ZsfYt-cqxgdESUQFxpMBhz_RJ7sBAd-8EsWjt2vNOXLEtkZyZM6atWEbM6npHv3wgn9qlnxi_ZjAGqqmWRMQ-_2Lk_0Lm9lvHRE8DhiStEzgQdqFGay1-67eOPC-hVDizXvmRNeBLR6kmH0bldafOTJg/s4032/IMG-3900.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjddR7m0I32thBTrkLRsL1ni43b2p3ZsfYt-cqxgdESUQFxpMBhz_RJ7sBAd-8EsWjt2vNOXLEtkZyZM6atWEbM6npHv3wgn9qlnxi_ZjAGqqmWRMQ-_2Lk_0Lm9lvHRE8DhiStEzgQdqFGay1-67eOPC-hVDizXvmRNeBLR6kmH0bldafOTJg/s320/IMG-3900.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">This year, I bought a mat of young succulents and sedum varieties mixed together. It comes with a coconut fiber backing, and I only had to cut it to shape. I also bought some small gravel like you would use in an aquarium to cover the soil and help retail any moisture for a bit longer. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYykAdiAjbT-P5xQtOYJVHo3cHv7X9H1TCb_9RNIuZno4e-PuzWYcyKxTu9NE3YkfhE6oeN08BJnTQ_I9LVAUoqypcE6tXSgJoXUaaYHvjNaux_K1hy47B3ckR8_jV2ZfRDcC5HwDiZ1FPFF5agb7fNJwTZ1EfD_ISlyksjxK8sYn-fzeX9N4/s4032/IMG-3901.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYykAdiAjbT-P5xQtOYJVHo3cHv7X9H1TCb_9RNIuZno4e-PuzWYcyKxTu9NE3YkfhE6oeN08BJnTQ_I9LVAUoqypcE6tXSgJoXUaaYHvjNaux_K1hy47B3ckR8_jV2ZfRDcC5HwDiZ1FPFF5agb7fNJwTZ1EfD_ISlyksjxK8sYn-fzeX9N4/s320/IMG-3901.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBofpvX1z9dbdQgVZir7jqkgpwGSaH2V3Q2U56isiJfG5xvgaU06Xxt9c5q8SY6nf1kR-fc78OCKg8vxmAq0psh1cJyUKk9lwPYbeayedTGognMDmJDI9ZMLF_8FDJZJdnRAedLdXDqrQOz4ZAn5k7Bxzcrp4bZMx0e27ghswMNqCT9Uuq0KQ/s4032/IMG-3902.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBofpvX1z9dbdQgVZir7jqkgpwGSaH2V3Q2U56isiJfG5xvgaU06Xxt9c5q8SY6nf1kR-fc78OCKg8vxmAq0psh1cJyUKk9lwPYbeayedTGognMDmJDI9ZMLF_8FDJZJdnRAedLdXDqrQOz4ZAn5k7Bxzcrp4bZMx0e27ghswMNqCT9Uuq0KQ/s320/IMG-3902.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Connie and I put them out on family graves and in the little flower urns. I happened to be in town and checked on them about 2 weeks later, and look how they're blooming! Of course, this has been an unbelievably rainy and cool couple of weeks, so it's not much of a test yet. </div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXQVKMGInfyLvdbc3KAnDzRP6jkO-s4rCP095XGVQ1nQNzSKdQTr00q33w6OlPcPtQAOFQCnX8HOMNJiWurCR9X4TWaxfdmXwPd7RRbQNztfNiQLB-7e0fs1nR2Vkyqxe_iH0iAMhtci22a2p1-kGEvXnG2D9tUiR7jf-DgrUAqcYIGMn-wqQ/s4032/IMG-3903.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXQVKMGInfyLvdbc3KAnDzRP6jkO-s4rCP095XGVQ1nQNzSKdQTr00q33w6OlPcPtQAOFQCnX8HOMNJiWurCR9X4TWaxfdmXwPd7RRbQNztfNiQLB-7e0fs1nR2Vkyqxe_iH0iAMhtci22a2p1-kGEvXnG2D9tUiR7jf-DgrUAqcYIGMn-wqQ/s320/IMG-3903.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p>Becky McCrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05752231568940350610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20833420.post-82078983493434243672023-04-09T16:52:00.004-05:002023-04-09T16:52:31.765-05:00Wildfire on our reserve pasture<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8zpAKadYYOQyzVHoQaCIGwa5mHrc5PknZGjV6WKGy1AcFZSMLydW1cTsKI4yTMxwQQuAsqc4UAd56womb7Alx9hHCXrjXsa9WN7pDuocCmfheA_GhP5qdde59cFR5ql1lm2QF9guzMuhcp5GykHi7v069nhpOjC7cytz7KZBSA9QPftO290k/s4032/IMG_3437.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8zpAKadYYOQyzVHoQaCIGwa5mHrc5PknZGjV6WKGy1AcFZSMLydW1cTsKI4yTMxwQQuAsqc4UAd56womb7Alx9hHCXrjXsa9WN7pDuocCmfheA_GhP5qdde59cFR5ql1lm2QF9guzMuhcp5GykHi7v069nhpOjC7cytz7KZBSA9QPftO290k/s320/IMG_3437.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9_pKGPSsiavvUi8dvhNd8dNRTTs-_bG9ev9Y_JhmXGQBJ1tZvzsq_RgPAQwKUIR-YKuqauehryRwVuU9y3tYvkyd4f26fFQOIAJymK4-qLxyEAWRJloKOA3s6o2EBgPCbCTj79zSofs5dSksAXrwz35Y88otEqEyTGqkohZu5C6WDQFD84k0/s4032/IMG_3433.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdtng-vHQ8FkLPgDYXieLLqMlztOaqdidnv2YJRp_KzyMVREigv6N79TFiZStN71AkuXj1oQgO7UcfR1jby9l7lL0if5Ylg592FbsUv9lUqW9LGzGkDdeKIJUIaGxvGw1ORh9NqGIg2uYuw03Ej9dByVoHdSyK-V3P3jSumj6z96SFOeI0X5I/s4032/IMG_3459.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdtng-vHQ8FkLPgDYXieLLqMlztOaqdidnv2YJRp_KzyMVREigv6N79TFiZStN71AkuXj1oQgO7UcfR1jby9l7lL0if5Ylg592FbsUv9lUqW9LGzGkDdeKIJUIaGxvGw1ORh9NqGIg2uYuw03Ej9dByVoHdSyK-V3P3jSumj6z96SFOeI0X5I/s320/IMG_3459.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Becky McCrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05752231568940350610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20833420.post-21552482705522707582023-02-08T10:18:00.002-06:002023-02-08T10:18:25.116-06:00"It all comes out in the wash." That's my great-grandmothers aphorism for not sweating the small stuff. It's one of those things that's been repeated down the generations. <br />Becky McCrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05752231568940350610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20833420.post-10370000705560094442022-11-08T14:53:00.001-06:002023-06-04T13:37:28.480-05:00Limestone fence posts, and the Post Rock Museum in Kansas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUEhKoQySJeASDAnni0hZ7ADu5AleGiDGllNqOIQn3AqE18TEf0u5vombaw-x7boe6tKmpO-fVUnwBXM8KnvbvCTTjqhP7-LLVcdPyrxVYXnJxP5I310WhkdMqSmGKCieApHetsedUw3A_TV_sZEALS-4hCXppmqMsD9kfAhP0qjfMvt98Xt8/s799/Post%20Rock.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="An old fence post made of limestone" border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="799" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUEhKoQySJeASDAnni0hZ7ADu5AleGiDGllNqOIQn3AqE18TEf0u5vombaw-x7boe6tKmpO-fVUnwBXM8KnvbvCTTjqhP7-LLVcdPyrxVYXnJxP5I310WhkdMqSmGKCieApHetsedUw3A_TV_sZEALS-4hCXppmqMsD9kfAhP0qjfMvt98Xt8/w640-h480/Post%20Rock.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><b>Imagine farming someplace that wood was so scarce that you used rock for fence posts instead. </b></p><p>Back in the late 1800s you didn't go to the big home improvement store for fence posts. You got your ax and saw, hitched up your team of horses or mules, drove out to the nearest source of trees. In western Kansas or the Oklahoma Panhandle, that source was miles away, and likely only found along creeks or streams. Then you could start chopping down trees, trimming to length and hauling them back. </p><p>That natural limestone is starting to look better as a fence post material. </p><p>In the Oklahoma (and I'm sure Texas) Panhandle and western Kansas, you can still see rock fence posts from over a hundred years ago. </p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Driving tour (of sorts)</h2><div>Coming home, I drove south down US Highway 183 through western Kansas. As I got near the town of La Crosse, in Rush County, Kansas, I kept seeing more and more of the old stone fence posts. That got me thinking about the men with the axes and wagons and no trees. </div><div><br /></div><div>Turn off at this sign for a short scenic turnout of post rocks. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSAP2g_FITIlOSw73tngXP4e9CYj-x0kfidFUFHhmPYXQKSK-XX8TfMdwzoj88ZjHl0nFprRqGrGMyUbHGxVF1xVu4DoWG5_53pHwBqggqpD0A6NCjYN3L8rr4FL4sI0pWaS-OGh7ijCIG55JS5LrHgQNf-Vubv0GRJyALmdPGy__yECfL6d4/s799/Post%20rock%20sign.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sign says "Post rock and Rush County historical museums, La Crosse, Kansas"" border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="799" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSAP2g_FITIlOSw73tngXP4e9CYj-x0kfidFUFHhmPYXQKSK-XX8TfMdwzoj88ZjHl0nFprRqGrGMyUbHGxVF1xVu4DoWG5_53pHwBqggqpD0A6NCjYN3L8rr4FL4sI0pWaS-OGh7ijCIG55JS5LrHgQNf-Vubv0GRJyALmdPGy__yECfL6d4/w320-h240/Post%20rock%20sign.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div>Two county roads intersect with the state highway, giving a short (maybe a mile total) and easy drive where you can get up close with still-standing fence post rocks. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB-JoF-92qp3aodL72gCuk90Yg2_VtMmVOtu3r1uu7ambvFhAp7g4DNghp3OUYHP25-XtNdwfMSyTmZL_8mVO1gQF8HSU6gOV86_9thutCq1rkpwPSZQKiMQgGsh1lxATIyxz6HyPKTEfLqPo3smYM8dbXKhNEqtphjeUAvWoFejXldW3QlfY/s799/Post%20rocks%20in%20a%20fence.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Fence line with rock posts" border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="799" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB-JoF-92qp3aodL72gCuk90Yg2_VtMmVOtu3r1uu7ambvFhAp7g4DNghp3OUYHP25-XtNdwfMSyTmZL_8mVO1gQF8HSU6gOV86_9thutCq1rkpwPSZQKiMQgGsh1lxATIyxz6HyPKTEfLqPo3smYM8dbXKhNEqtphjeUAvWoFejXldW3QlfY/w320-h240/Post%20rocks%20in%20a%20fence.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>From <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/@38.584895,-99.3205652,16.25z">US Highway 183, take Rush County Road 245 south</a>, then Avenue I east back to Highway 183. (Or do it in the other order, either way works). The red sign is at the north intersection on this map. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcGit2yfn3dptGIoG0MNN7mJKLGKNiLnw-PwgE3QDQXiMpaKCXFVCtEq0SJQJ4AYRg1tvSOYE4a9g_TmoO77SnqDHZ1Gdpl34yw8VNJhrvxsHm5sMLYFMGFtTtT0JNd6VuUSC5qsnUpTIk6uJzGl1juOGmW5_Uif1O0c5PxCoj2lZviMSdyvI/s695/post%20rock%20map.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Map From US Highway 183, take Rush County Road 245 south, then Avenue I east back to Highway 183." border="0" data-original-height="695" data-original-width="515" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcGit2yfn3dptGIoG0MNN7mJKLGKNiLnw-PwgE3QDQXiMpaKCXFVCtEq0SJQJ4AYRg1tvSOYE4a9g_TmoO77SnqDHZ1Gdpl34yw8VNJhrvxsHm5sMLYFMGFtTtT0JNd6VuUSC5qsnUpTIk6uJzGl1juOGmW5_Uif1O0c5PxCoj2lZviMSdyvI/w237-h320/post%20rock%20map.png" width="237" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Museum</h2><p>In La Crosse, Kansas, there's a museum for the post rocks and the architecture built on them. </p><p>Yes, architecture. Wood was scarce, and squared off posts were available, so people built houses and buildings from stone. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0eUnxfWSGFQ-INEzngoNxb2jHnmzi2eJK2l-M8kxB3cBoeknGzZ2CY-gF5_GJphc84VjgSMHDNNd8wyIMQujMIDTiEQ1q-yDA-P-wDHVtfffA34fagL34PtwYd9n-58GQSNH_4sH2BB80zqSIvCk77UT4CA908Qttm4Yg7NBg9sRFo2Ba-fg/s799/Post%20rock%20house.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="House built from post rocks" border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="799" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0eUnxfWSGFQ-INEzngoNxb2jHnmzi2eJK2l-M8kxB3cBoeknGzZ2CY-gF5_GJphc84VjgSMHDNNd8wyIMQujMIDTiEQ1q-yDA-P-wDHVtfffA34fagL34PtwYd9n-58GQSNH_4sH2BB80zqSIvCk77UT4CA908Qttm4Yg7NBg9sRFo2Ba-fg/w400-h300/Post%20rock%20house.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5wgyAyHWYj0HRMhhRhsC1cxLauJbBhweBHqmGMYejqVVM3dFXCb6pjgzt3wB2zbBYbmQRT7ODDuwP5NvJm1OFWcsLytmLVAC4UbLnC-vprE0bOXZE6IC8N5V6CFBnaR8kgJrBPgueYkeaalICvoqD118rF9V-no1L4O3H2CakQyJkTnJJP48/s799/Architectural%20post%20rocks.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Close up of the post rock built wall" border="0" data-original-height="799" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5wgyAyHWYj0HRMhhRhsC1cxLauJbBhweBHqmGMYejqVVM3dFXCb6pjgzt3wB2zbBYbmQRT7ODDuwP5NvJm1OFWcsLytmLVAC4UbLnC-vprE0bOXZE6IC8N5V6CFBnaR8kgJrBPgueYkeaalICvoqD118rF9V-no1L4O3H2CakQyJkTnJJP48/w240-h320/Architectural%20post%20rocks.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p>The museum also has several restored buildings, including a railroad depot and a 1916 bank. </p><h2 style="text-align: left;">More photos at Flickr</h2><p>See more of my <a href="https://flickr.com/photos/bjmccray/albums/72177720302897954/with/52428490540/">pics of the scenic turnout, the post rock museum and the restored bank</a>. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh86S2-DB83fu3LYScxpRMijp8z9ZbbguBdOvzFdTWCzy8HbqZE3HEHLi00eRgeUeHpChuLHtPJ0H3XTRMLBMeJWdXWdkWZFCbSKCYbukjd7IuEWVt3WBA-PqL82OahjNvqcApsOz63a5wv8_iRCy8SGbXMDS1Malbj65d7aQ_mLx1O_12CCyQ/s799/Nekoma%20Bank%20ext.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Nekoma Bank restored building" border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="799" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh86S2-DB83fu3LYScxpRMijp8z9ZbbguBdOvzFdTWCzy8HbqZE3HEHLi00eRgeUeHpChuLHtPJ0H3XTRMLBMeJWdXWdkWZFCbSKCYbukjd7IuEWVt3WBA-PqL82OahjNvqcApsOz63a5wv8_iRCy8SGbXMDS1Malbj65d7aQ_mLx1O_12CCyQ/w640-h480/Nekoma%20Bank%20ext.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>See more <a href="https://outstanding.beckymccray.com/2023/06/more-post-rock-architecture-from-kansas.html">post rock architecture from Kansas: Boyd, Barton County</a>.</p><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>Becky McCrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05752231568940350610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20833420.post-47765996907369152502022-05-25T14:58:00.000-05:002023-06-04T12:46:00.895-05:00Our eco friendly answer to Memorial Day Flowers: succulents<div><div dir="ltr"><div dir="auto"><div><div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4YwfXajBvv4P5Iw-iPRCtodHXOg6TUCw7Cy7JXaojA4qDsp6S7-oeajlTvQy0b_ND6wgrOYXJB34rZgbqjU3x8qhf_QNvIlsM44XpYa0ONaRVVBc79mwCHNw77NqPnrhzbEz6hNd9B5aSvu8FpUqI6X8N5lnFYDm84ABWOKTCS09rs-i6Ei0/s2208/2022%20Connie%20Foote%20and%20Becky%20McCray.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="2208" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4YwfXajBvv4P5Iw-iPRCtodHXOg6TUCw7Cy7JXaojA4qDsp6S7-oeajlTvQy0b_ND6wgrOYXJB34rZgbqjU3x8qhf_QNvIlsM44XpYa0ONaRVVBc79mwCHNw77NqPnrhzbEz6hNd9B5aSvu8FpUqI6X8N5lnFYDm84ABWOKTCS09rs-i6Ei0/s320/2022%20Connie%20Foote%20and%20Becky%20McCray.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>My sister Connie Foote and I decorated family graves together. We would not consider using fake flowers. We just couldn't see generating more trash.</div></div><div dir="auto">Last year we planted some flowering plants from the local nursery, but we knew the grounds keepers would be mowing them down soon.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiApygZPydOVgiaTVglxZRYhAtJlXJ7fde1li3QtlHgGnugqZfYuFSKSnsKBD4emSFu3YULvmAfLrde7T7tzGFbNJH_6u1raOJpNmHnQhIanxPy7byTHkzdkh172hip0VYbW7_XG1lgGaHYx2oQehnewjrlfqWc-ED_ntRzqKyfGVAuAtI8ouw/s1743/Decorated%20gravestone.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1743" data-original-width="1125" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiApygZPydOVgiaTVglxZRYhAtJlXJ7fde1li3QtlHgGnugqZfYuFSKSnsKBD4emSFu3YULvmAfLrde7T7tzGFbNJH_6u1raOJpNmHnQhIanxPy7byTHkzdkh172hip0VYbW7_XG1lgGaHYx2oQehnewjrlfqWc-ED_ntRzqKyfGVAuAtI8ouw/s320/Decorated%20gravestone.jpeg" width="207" /></a></div><br /><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">This year we are trying succulents, like stonecrop.</div><div dir="auto">When my farm store brought out their plants at the first of the season, they had some stonecrop and sedum varieties that they labeled "thrives on neglect." That sounded perfect! So I bought nearly all the little ones they had.</div><div dir="auto">We planted them in the flower urns or even in cracks in the ground alongside headstones.</div><div dir="auto">We're hoping that they will be able to survive throughout the year without watering or any care.<br /></div><div dir="auto">We had a few of the tiny plants left over, and I divided them into new pots. I have enough to do all the graves next year even if none of the existing plants survive.</div><div dir="auto">It's an experiment, and I will update you!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEgvnOTIEIwARrozsLzY5Pkhgsmj6TBdijSVKlwJzw9wE1op1I9-PTOEPc0ycfiFaBcuk-ZMkrSPY5_j8vZ246C-ettBMRRvUxerMOZTtcHp8INqkF0i0A32M9DdFNiy_u5fvTumHtDZhXbef-TGhHdZutEdE7L2-LrIUs2sFf5hQECZNxMqo/s4032/Tiny%20succulents.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEgvnOTIEIwARrozsLzY5Pkhgsmj6TBdijSVKlwJzw9wE1op1I9-PTOEPc0ycfiFaBcuk-ZMkrSPY5_j8vZ246C-ettBMRRvUxerMOZTtcHp8INqkF0i0A32M9DdFNiy_u5fvTumHtDZhXbef-TGhHdZutEdE7L2-LrIUs2sFf5hQECZNxMqo/s320/Tiny%20succulents.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div dir="auto"><br /></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature" dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><a href="https://outstanding.beckymccray.com/2023/06/another-try-at-succulents-for-grave.html">Read the 2023 update here</a></div></div></div></div></div> Becky McCrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05752231568940350610noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20833420.post-48568833762546504472019-05-22T11:08:00.003-05:002019-05-22T11:11:12.560-05:00How were women of color affected by passage of the 19th amendment?Back when I was a member of the Business and Professional Women, I learned a lot about the women's suffrage movement and the passage of the 19th Amendment. What we didn't learn a lot about is the role of Women of Color in the movement, or the fact that their voting rights were delayed even longer than 1920. So that was what I asked Cokie Roberts on NPR's Morning Edition.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="290" scrolling="no" src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/725610789/725610790" title="NPR embedded audio player" width="100%"></iframe>Becky McCrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05752231568940350610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20833420.post-45348013393790665382018-07-22T16:02:00.000-05:002018-07-22T16:02:03.236-05:00Instead of more cell towers, how about cell balloons? <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/MiEZfRh-h-s/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MiEZfRh-h-s?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
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Imagine re-making the components of a cell tower, hanging them from a self-guided robot balloon, and sending the whole thing up to 20km above the earth, and achieving a coverage area of 5,000 square km instead of the usual 300 square km.<br />
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That's <a href="https://loon.co/">Project Loon</a>, created at X (the crazy idea part of Google), now graduated as independent businesses within the Alphabet company (which is the umbrella company over Google). Let me know if you need a company organizational chart to follow all that. The tech itself isn't this confusing.<br />
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The balloons already worked in <a href="https://www.engadget.com/2017/11/09/project-loon-delivers-internet-100-000-people-puerto-rico/">Puerto Rico</a>. An early contract has been signed with <a href="https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2018/07/project-loon-signs-its-first-deal-for-internet-delivering-balloons-in-kenya/">Kenya</a> for more coverage in rural areas.<br />
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Imagine not needing cell towers to cover a rural area. Imagine positioning them to manage dead spots, or quickly redeploying them when a dead spot is identified. Imagine really good cell signal in even sparsely populated areas.<br />
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<br />Becky McCrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05752231568940350610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20833420.post-35634899114216431952018-01-10T14:51:00.000-06:002018-01-10T14:51:43.752-06:00Clean Slate - Not my 3 words for the year<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://flic.kr/p/auUcqV"><img alt="Geometric chalk art" border="0" data-original-height="478" data-original-width="640" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiBHL7iUAYwG_rKGIJxk5btuIsrMv7BpnTcWipi6xKj7AZ3Cu0VqHVfrz7rplz7uMr8qwtNK2_aYZrGrY2QUozS22j9yk0fcPBx56L-SIbINjTKO8l-f3VTW-GyhujP9pav6xXkA/s320/Chalk+art+by+Sarah+Page.jpg" title="Photo by Sarah Page on Flickr" width="320" /></a></div>
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My friend Chris came up with the idea of using <a href="http://chrisbrogan.com/3words2017/">three words</a> to guide your year. It's good. Lots of people like it.<br />
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I like how he builds flexibility into the words. They can mean multiple things, have multiple layers of meaning.<br />
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I've never done it. But I have this phrase rolling around in my head lately, and I think I should share it. I repeat it in my head several times a day for different things.<br />
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<b>Clean slate.</b><br />
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Each day, I start with a clean slate nutritionally. No matter what I ate yesterday, today I can choose to stick with my personal guidelines.<br />
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Each day, I start with a clean slate of work. When I pick my <a href="http://smallbizsurvival.com/2009/01/6-most-important-things.html">6 Most Important Things</a> to work on tomorrow, I can choose what really is most important.<br />
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<b>Clean slate.</b><br />
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So it's not really a 3 words thing, but it's what's going on in my head as we start a new year.Becky McCrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05752231568940350610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20833420.post-73843022675479654202017-11-14T10:31:00.000-06:002017-11-14T10:31:23.693-06:00Annual Review in November<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3vluv0hx3rjlr7ZnBQGeH7fnJ2lHITdcBA6cS_Ks7lB3AlLwe6CedVB-t7vrFItEW-8XWPhDw4s3S8Wp9aD1x03CP8YSV8D5oRCMJrIJLZ4QT9FKt5vbyLLHmOlwOKXAojUWBKA/s1600/IMG_2205.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3vluv0hx3rjlr7ZnBQGeH7fnJ2lHITdcBA6cS_Ks7lB3AlLwe6CedVB-t7vrFItEW-8XWPhDw4s3S8Wp9aD1x03CP8YSV8D5oRCMJrIJLZ4QT9FKt5vbyLLHmOlwOKXAojUWBKA/s320/IMG_2205.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I know it's November, and not time for annual reviews, but I just did one.<br />
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I used an outline I got from my friend <a href="https://300wordsaday.com/">Jon Swanson</a> a couple of years ago.<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Take an hour and a chair and a cup of coffee and something to write with. Take a planner from the year or a journal or a Facebook stream. Ask yourself these questions:<br />
<ul>
<li>What did I like about this year?</li>
<li>What didn’t I like?</li>
<li>What don’t I understand?</li>
<li>What did I learn about God?</li>
<li>What did I learn about people?</li>
<li>What am I going to do next year with what I learned?</li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
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I found this to be good at refining the experiences of a year into some clear intentions for my next actions.<br />
<br />Becky McCrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05752231568940350610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20833420.post-902456480059446932017-08-10T14:07:00.000-05:002017-08-10T14:19:13.243-05:00What Detroit and small towns have in common <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Q-_Qq7qhCDlERuq5ObVvjzvSqT6yH6pQEMbuGQzbb-ooU3-3wBvWjulJdiZBzl7kgX1GZlkRjdGmcofJalb8v6wBmCRp6AlwEWyuSNpImOziVEHIjcn4okyFLdeXIkg_5bVgIQ/s1600/Detroit+mix+by+Becky+McCray.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Q-_Qq7qhCDlERuq5ObVvjzvSqT6yH6pQEMbuGQzbb-ooU3-3wBvWjulJdiZBzl7kgX1GZlkRjdGmcofJalb8v6wBmCRp6AlwEWyuSNpImOziVEHIjcn4okyFLdeXIkg_5bVgIQ/s400/Detroit+mix+by+Becky+McCray.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I was in Detroit a few years back, and I saw a small sampling of the challenges. They reminded me of small town challenges with empty buildings, declining population, and turning to entrepreneurs for the future.<br />
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The people of Detroit reminded me of small town people. They were friendly, and looked me in the eye. It was a funny pattern. They'd say, "Don't believe everything you hear about Detroit." They wanted me to know it's not as awful as people say, that good people live there. It felt like a small town, hoping you don't all think they're hicks.<br />
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<div>
So I keep reading articles about Detroit, and the people working there. Outside experts keep telling them it can't be done, that the problems are too big. And people come in from outside, to save them. </div>
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<div>
Whether it's Detroit or a small town, I hate that outlook, "we're going to save them." People, stop looking down on us. Help us do what needs done or get out of our way. <br />
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One of those articles, <a href="http://globalmidwest.typepad.com/global-midwest/2013/04/saving-detroit.html">Saving Detroit</a>, spurred some small town thoughts.<br />
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<ul>
<li><i>"A successful small business person can make a difference."</i> In a small town, it takes less success or wealth to make a bigger difference. </li>
<li><i>"A vibrant city needs a vibrant center. Suburbs cannot fill that need."</i> Most small towns are pretty compact, and not very suburb-y.</li>
<li>Like Detroit, a small town does attract <i>"the poorest, least educated and most unskilled – because it’s such a cheap place to live."</i> But many small towns have shrunk, and face the same challenges of having more space than they need for their current people.</li>
<li><i>"If Detroit manages to revive its downtown, like Chicago's Loop, it will take a long time to stretch that prosperity outside of the core, like Chicago faces today."</i> For a small town, is it any easier to spread the prosperity around? Is it possible that prosperity is harder to concentrate in the first place? </li>
</ul>
</div>
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Becky McCrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05752231568940350610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20833420.post-55224616088820070532017-07-08T10:43:00.004-05:002017-07-08T16:37:11.243-05:00The link between community and innovationConnecting people with each other is the essence of both community and innovation.
I wrote that, and I'm still thinking through the implications of how those two interact.
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My friend <a href="https://twitter.com/ReninaWrites/status/883416553294843904">Renina </a>added healing to the list. Worth thinking on as well.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsVFhI6XZG1lrOxZyWtUqTRRtlDasLsT4uVbuIqL7S_457ahY_KreXctSbOzwVz1nLsBZ7eO_97Ucrg5HQIp8tzNYBlroDh6aczzQjqB00rKTtHWAlg-qQwepiRIAYaeh8g-vjaA/s1600/2014-06-28+Becky+McCray%252C+Raul+Colon%252C+Jasmine+Zhou%252C+Ric+Dragon+and+Shashi+Bellamkonda.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsVFhI6XZG1lrOxZyWtUqTRRtlDasLsT4uVbuIqL7S_457ahY_KreXctSbOzwVz1nLsBZ7eO_97Ucrg5HQIp8tzNYBlroDh6aczzQjqB00rKTtHWAlg-qQwepiRIAYaeh8g-vjaA/s320/2014-06-28+Becky+McCray%252C+Raul+Colon%252C+Jasmine+Zhou%252C+Ric+Dragon+and+Shashi+Bellamkonda.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Becky McCray, Raul Colon, Jasmine Zhou, Ric Dragon and Shashi Bellamkonda at the Genius Shared event in Chicago</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Becky McCrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05752231568940350610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20833420.post-20474591055070389542016-12-06T09:59:00.002-06:002016-12-06T09:59:49.618-06:00Urbansplaining the election<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span>I've been hearing a lot of urbansplaining about rural since the election. </span></div>
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<span>Even though the sharp urban/rural voting divide has been evident on election maps for decades, it's only now that it has captured much attention because the rural vote certainly seemed to affect the outcome this time. Stories and essays about rural voters are popping up.</span></div>
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I've been seeing a lot of rural childhood reminiscences of <a href="http://www.rollcall.com/news/opinion/im-a-coastal-elite-from-the-midwest-the-real-bubble-is-rural-america" rel="nofollow">now-urban commentators</a> that try to explain what rural people are really like. My overall reaction is skeptical. Just because you grew up in a rural area before moving to a big city doesn't mean you're qualified to speak for that specific rural place today or for all rural areas across the US. </div>
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<span>Neither do the 30 second sound bites from "typical rural voters" that got interviewed on television add much to a richer understanding. The 3-minute news packages have given all the usual stereotypes of dying small towns a good airing. If all small towns were half as dead as media pieces depict them, there wouldn't have been enough rural vote to influence anything. </span></div>
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<span>I'm regularly in touch with thousands of diverse rural people from across the USA, so I understand that we're not all alike, and we're not one-dimensional people. I wouldn't dream of speaking for all of rural America, and I wouldn't recommend that you let the results of this election speak for us all either. </span></div>
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<span>It seems necessary that I add a disclaimer. You may think my purpose is supporting the outcome of the election, or that I'm condoning racism, hate or violence. I'm not. </span></div>
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<span>Trying to use these election results to illustrate the entire rural population is by definition going to draw a poorly nuanced picture. If you're interested in a deeper understanding of rural, I invite you to the conversation. </span></div>
Becky McCrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05752231568940350610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20833420.post-52086240444806713912015-12-06T09:56:00.000-06:002016-12-06T10:02:07.629-06:00What I learned from a Yemini living in New YorkYahya gave me a Lyft to the airport in New York City.<br />
<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>We live in a "golden, golden, golden country." </li>
<li>My brother is a strong man. </li>
<li>When you're learning a foreign language, listen to the older people. They speak properly and with respect. </li>
<li>Islamic or Christian, we pray to the same God. </li>
<li>Be grateful for each day. </li>
</ol>
Becky McCrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05752231568940350610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20833420.post-64668776579549547682014-08-17T15:28:00.001-05:002014-08-17T15:30:03.301-05:00Why I write<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/bjmccray/4070708064" title="Mema - 91st birthday by Becky McCray, on Flickr"><img alt="Mema - 91st birthday" height="640" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2483/4070708064_4ac58f6c41_z.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
<br />
I write because my grandmother, Ola Mae Hendricks, taught reading. She taught me, or helped me teach myself, long before I headed to pre-school. She helped me become a voracious reader. If writing comes naturally to me now, it's because of the groundwork my grandmother laid decades ago.<br />
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I write to accomplish my mission:<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>I help small town business people prosper so they can help their towns prosper. </b></blockquote>
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I write. As far as I know, I always have.<br />
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<hr />
<br />
<br />
Thanks, Des Walsh, for tagging me in this old-fashioned blog meme or blog hop. Here are other people who are sharing their own "Why I write."<br />
<br />
Susan Foster, who more or less start this meme on <a href="http://susancfoster.com/conscious-leadership-why-i-write">Why I Write</a><br />
Des Walsh, who tagged me in his piece, <a href="http://deswalsh.com/2014/08/11/why-i-write/">Why I Write - Then and Now</a><br />
Sheila Scarborough, my friend and <a href="http://www.sheilasguide.com/2014/08/11/what-am-i-doing-here-why-i-write/">a ridiculously good writer, with What am I doing here? Why I write</a><br />
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And I invite you to answer this question on your own site. Why do you write?<br />
<br />
I'm officially tagging and therefore personally inviting these friends:<br />
<ul>
<li>Jon Swanson, who writes most often at <a href="http://300wordsaday.com/">300 Words a Day</a></li>
<li>Leslie McLellan, who writes for herself at <a href="http://www.justasmalltowngirl.us/blog/">Just a Small Town Girl</a></li>
<li>Miss Dazey, who writes at <a href="http://www.missdazeynotes.com/">Miss Dazey's Notes</a> (though she's on break right now.) </li>
</ul>
Becky McCrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05752231568940350610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20833420.post-62311755474303505042014-07-05T06:00:00.000-05:002014-07-05T06:00:03.965-05:00The modern lighting system at Alabaster Caverns is a big improvementSeveral years ago, the Alabaster Caverns State Park near Freedom, Oklahoma, got a new modern lighting system. It's a big upgrade over the very old system I remember from when I was a kid. Colton and I finally made the short trip to snap some photos.<br />
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The main cavern entrance. It's a long walk with a lot of steps. </div>
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Almost finished! </div>
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The ride back to the main office. </div>
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Get up close with a caged rattlesnake in the back office. </div>
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Becky McCrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05752231568940350610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20833420.post-8993384198639188252014-07-04T14:30:00.003-05:002014-07-04T14:39:57.484-05:00Little Sahara State Park has a new viewing platform <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Colton and I made a trip to the Little Sahara State Park to see the sand dunes, just south of Waynoka, Oklahoma. There's a new viewing platform with history and interpretive panels, binoculars, and a great view of the dunes. It's handicapped accessible, and looks great. </div>
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Don't try driving your street vehicle, even a pickup truck, out on the dunes. Leave that to the specially-equipped. </div>
<br />Becky McCrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05752231568940350610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20833420.post-17189780490246472862014-03-25T10:29:00.000-05:002014-03-25T10:29:15.574-05:002014 #SMTulsa conference summary via StorifyCheryl Lawson did this terrific story summary of my SMTulsa talks using a tool called Storify. I thought I'd share it here with you.<br />
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<div class="storify">
<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="no" height="750" src="//storify.com/partyaficionado/2014-smtulsa-conference-session-with-beckymccray/embed" width="100%"></iframe><script src="//storify.com/partyaficionado/2014-smtulsa-conference-session-with-beckymccray.js"></script><noscript>[<a href="//storify.com/partyaficionado/2014-smtulsa-conference-session-with-beckymccray" target="_blank">View the story "2014 #SMTULSA Conference Session with @BeckyMcCray" on Storify</a>]</noscript></div>
Becky McCrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05752231568940350610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20833420.post-88656664519332702722013-07-28T21:00:00.000-05:002013-07-28T21:00:07.074-05:00What makes us get involved?<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/bjmccray/6116677569/" title="Catholic church by bjmccray, on Flickr"><img alt="Catholic church" height="281" src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6210/6116677569_c214b8e0cc.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<a href="https://plus.google.com/115830285203733358508/posts">Michael Jones</a> left this as a comment on my article <a href="http://smallbizsurvival.com/2012/09/small-town-survival-of-fittest.html">Small Town Survival of the Fittest</a> at Small Biz Survival a few months ago. I just ran across it again today, and I think it's worth giving some thought.<br />
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"I like your emphasis of getting personally involved. Your post is timely for me. The leader of a small catholic college in our small town (7000 population) gave the invocation at Rotary today . . .he asked God to make us grateful . . .and then explained that being grateful moves us to action and giving back to our community. A good thought to contemplate. Thanks for your post."</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Being grateful moves us to action. </b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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So if we help each other be more grateful, are we helping our communities? </div>
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<br /></div>
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Worth thinking over. </div>
Becky McCrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05752231568940350610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20833420.post-5205312990831909892013-07-22T15:15:00.001-05:002013-07-22T15:15:45.835-05:00That's not real<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/bjmccray/8741926781/" title="Out my airplane window by bjmccray, on Flickr"><img alt="Out my airplane window" height="375" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7293/8741926781_c72ece4a90.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
How damaging is the phrase, "that's not <i>real </i>[whateverthetopic]." Like, "that's not a <i>real </i>small town" or "that's not <i>real </i>work."<br />
<br />
I was having a conversation about small towns. The other person said, "Retail isn't <i>real </i>economic development."<br />
<br />
The more I think about that, the more it worries me. Who decides what's real? I'm thinking absolute statements of what qualifies as "real" crowd out the search for relative solutions.<br />
<br />
I know I can only do one thing for small towns. I can help make more prosperous entrepreneurs, and then they can help the town with more resources to <i>decide for themselves what's real.</i><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Becky McCrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05752231568940350610noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20833420.post-69225689535916167212013-06-04T14:54:00.000-05:002013-06-11T12:48:51.104-05:00Alva's Co-working Fridays<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqajFZbjF7y7JDQA1dNGHTJGGgniMWfiNhVy1RSRI709orX5Jovr1q4v11FvVQb4tS9Zo3nsrlZ94I4KlxAZ_XTT5rJYrfR5LojrBTkVHN8NdYCw1D9GUS7_Esosy1RfbqRrvxMA/s1600/2013-05-31+co-working+with+Laura+Girty+tech.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqajFZbjF7y7JDQA1dNGHTJGGgniMWfiNhVy1RSRI709orX5Jovr1q4v11FvVQb4tS9Zo3nsrlZ94I4KlxAZ_XTT5rJYrfR5LojrBTkVHN8NdYCw1D9GUS7_Esosy1RfbqRrvxMA/s400/2013-05-31+co-working+with+Laura+Girty+tech.jpg" width="450" /></a></div>
Co-working is open to anyone, especially if you work from home, run your business from your laptop, or spend too much time on social media.This is your chance to get some time with others, share ideas, or just get some work done.<br />
<br />
<b>When?</b> Every Friday, at 1pm - 5pm (CST)<br />
<b>Where?</b> NWOSU Campus: Room 120, Shockley Hall, 1038 8th Street, Alva, Oklahoma<br />
<br />
Bring your laptop, tablet or smart phone. Desks and wifi provided, along with some basic office-y stuff like a copier available down the hall.<br />
<br />
Organized by Becky McCray.<br />
Sponsored by the Oklahoma Small Business Development Center, including Laura Girty and Jeanne Cole.<br />
Supported by Northwestern Oklahoma State University.<br />
<br />
Need more info? Here's how you can get it:<br />
<ul>
<li>Tweet to @beckymccray</li>
<li>Call Laura Girty or Jeanne Cole (580) 327-8608</li>
<li>Leave your question in the comments right here</li>
</ul>
<iframe frameborder="0" height="350" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&msid=200806577942790398816.0004dee45d8a8a5ef9f44&ie=UTF8&t=h&ll=36.79633,-98.670412&spn=0.001503,0.002682&z=18&output=embed" width="500"></iframe><br />
<small>View <a href="https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&msid=200806577942790398816.0004dee45d8a8a5ef9f44&ie=UTF8&t=h&ll=36.79633,-98.670412&spn=0.001503,0.002682&z=18&source=embed" style="color: blue; text-align: left;">Alva Co-working</a> in a larger map</small>Becky McCrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05752231568940350610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20833420.post-89143104978813662922013-05-07T16:45:00.003-05:002013-05-07T16:45:46.763-05:00Building in time to process<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/eljadaae/8706519831/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="SOBcon table by eljadaae, on Flickr"><img alt="SOBcon table" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8123/8706519831_7914daab85.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At SOBCon, we work together to build our businesses. Photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/eljadaae/8706519831/">Elja Daae</a>. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Just back from one of my favorite annual events (<a href="http://www.sobevent.com/">SOBCon</a>), and I'm trying to make sure I don't just stuff my notes in a folder and forget about them. I'm planning some time today to think and process.<br />
<ul>
<li>I held a phone call with a friend who happened to be attending a major conference of his own. We shared our takeaways and thoughts as he was driving home and I was waiting to head to the airport. </li>
<li>I did some processing and thinking on the plane. I copied notes into the paper handbook from the conference. I copied ideas and actions into my personal notebook. Why copy over by hand? Because that act of re-writing gave me a chance to re-think and refine. </li>
<li>Today I'll take those goals and action ideas and turn them into specific things to do and put them into my system. I'll add some things to items to do this week, and others on the waiting list. </li>
</ul>
<br />
One new attendee said she knew she had a three hour drive home, and she couldn't do much work there. Then once she's home, it's right back into all the regular things that need done.<br />
<br />
One person who has attended several times said he usually takes five or six weeks before he digests the lessons from the event. He doesn't set aside special time for it.<br />
<br />
My friend that I called said he had set aside special time on the morning after the conference and before his drive home to do his review. BUT the night before, he sat down and made goals and a plan for what he would be thinking about. If he hadn't, he said, he knew he'd waste that time on unfocused activity.<br />
<br />
When I mentioned this need to Kyle Golding, he said if you built time to review and process into an event, people would just use the "extra" time to review and check their phones, social media, text, basically wasting it.<br />
<br />
Meeting organizer Liz Strauss said people would skip review time and do their own thing. They would see it as "non-content time" and therefore less valuable.<br />
<br />
SO.....<br />
I'm thinking there is some way to make this work.<br />
<ul>
<li>Build a 1.5 hour time slot into the very end of your event. </li>
<li>Label it as something people will value. (The most effective label would depend on the group.)</li>
<li>Have a facilitator lead a short (15 minute?) session to help people set their goals for the review. </li>
<li>Let people self-organize into small groups or work on their own. </li>
<li>Turn off the conference wifi. (That's just mean, but you know it reduces temptation. And if people really need online, most can use their phones. Or make a separate zone or room with wifi available.) </li>
</ul>
<div>
<br />
I'd love to hear about any events that plan for time to plan your "re-entry." </div>
Becky McCrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05752231568940350610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20833420.post-75036051856623520412013-04-18T15:02:00.000-05:002013-04-18T15:02:56.567-05:00Row all the way in<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/bjmccray/7844019052/" title="Here is your "good morning from Maine" pic. by bjmccray, on Flickr"><img alt="Here is your "good morning from Maine" pic." height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7106/7844019052_525b06637f.jpg" width="299" /></a><br />
The Olympics were on the tv in a local restaurant. I caught a few of the rowing heats. The leaders in each heat pulled hard all the way to the finish. But those near the back, realizing they were beaten, would stop rowing and coast across the line.<br />
<br />
Maybe that makes sense from a "conserve energy and do better next round" perspective.<br />
<br />
But if I make it to the equivalent of the Olympics, I hope I put everything I've got into it each and every chance I get, or as close as I can make myself get to that ideal.<br />
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If you make it to the Olympics, row all the way in.Becky McCrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05752231568940350610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20833420.post-67730308155944210782013-04-12T12:47:00.000-05:002013-04-12T12:47:05.005-05:00Facilitated video as learningI've been thinking about completely changing the learning processes that I get involved in, especially speaking and conferences. It started with a tweet that farmers could learn best on farm study tours, rather than conferences. So "<a href="http://outstanding.beckymccray.com/2012/12/tours-as-conferences.html">tours as conferences</a>" has been running around in my head.<br />
<br />
Now I have this other idea, inspired by the post "<a href="http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/04/03/where-youtube-meets-the-farm/">Where YouTube Meets the Farm</a>" By David Bornstein in the New York Times blogs. The story profiles Rikin Gandhi, "a young American-born software engineer" and his efforts to change farm learning in rural India.<br />
<br />
The best way to teach farmers to change their practices, it turns out, isn't to have the ag extension guy come around and tell them. It's to show short videos, featuring local farmers like them, demonstrating and discussing the practice, then show them with a facilitator who creates an active discussion. The controlled field trial in India showed this lead to much more adoption of the practices and it cost less money to accomplish. Jack Gibbons of Stanford was credited with the original teaching model, Tutored Video Instruction.<br />
<br />
I think this holds some lessons we could apply in a much wider range of learning settings: conferences, workshops, churches, schools, tours, special events.<br />
<ol><b>Keys:
</b>
<li>Short videos (8 to 10 minutes)</li>
<li>Featuring "people like me"</li>
<li>From the field</li>
<li>Showing and explaining practices</li>
<li>Including mistakes</li>
<li>Shown in small local groups</li>
<li>Facilitating active discussion</li>
</ol>
<br />
<br />
<b>1. Short videos</b><br />
Who needs another hour long lecture? I don't. You don't. 8 to 10 minutes makes it possible to give enough detail, but not put everyone to sleep.<br />
<br />
<b>2. Featuring "people like me"</b><br />
The project in India found that if they showed a farmer who looked too prosperous, the audience would quit listening. If they used only men, the women wouldn't listen. If the demonstration is given by someone with an accent that clearly isn't local, the audience discounted what they said. They listened and learned best with someone very much like them.<br />
Imagine going to a local business, and shooting your video with the owner or manager, someone the business people in your audience can clearly relate to.<br />
Rather than centrally-produced videos being shown all over, it's local videos shown across a small region. How local is local in this case? Well, I think it would depend on your subject. The goal is to get someone people in the audience can completely relate to. I'll listen more to another rural business owner than I will to a "big city" business owner any day. I'll listen to a small business person before a big corporate manager. The more local, the better seems to be the bottom line.<br />
<br />
<b>3. From the field</b><br />
<b>4. Showing and explaining practices </b><br />
<div>
Not another talking head video. Just a farmer in the field showing and telling from the real world. </div>
<br />
For your business video, let's get that owner or manager in the back room to talk about inventory management.<br />
Throw away the PowerPoint slides. Just show me how it works!<br />
<br />
<b>5. Including mistakes</b><br />
I don't mean mistakes in filming, I mean having the person demonstrating discuss mistakes or problems they encountered. This was included in the project in India, and it makes sense for all kinds of subjects. Tell people the pitfalls to avoid.<br />
<br />
<b>6. Shown in small local groups</b><br />
<b>7. Facilitating active discussion </b><br />
Stop making people come together in one central location to get the latest knowledge from on high. In India, a local person is trained to act as facilitator. "Typically, the group watches once through, then a second time, with the facilitator stopping and starting, reiterating concepts, soliciting questions, asking people to share experiences, announcing follow-up discussions."<br />
<br />
<b>Random Notes</b><br />
What if one of the farmers forgot a detail or wants to review the video before trying out the practice? In India, they are planning to try making audio from the videos available by phone. (Many locals who have no electricity still have a cell phone.) In the U.S., we have the luxury of simply making the videos themselves available.<br />
<br />
The technology is here. Your cell phone shoots better video than the first video camera I owned. Video setups today can be simple and inexpensive. So there is no excuse for not making a local video.<br />
<br />
In some cases, the farmer in the video was assisted by an expert.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
And showing videos on site today is no tougher than bringing and iPad or a pico projector.<br />
<br />
<b><i>What if we combined the study tour and the facilitated video? </i></b>Becky McCrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05752231568940350610noreply@blogger.com2