3-9-11

I have never felt so frustrated by something only to feel complete and utter pride at the end than I did today. So each EQIP application not only needed the map I made yesterday under the tutelage of Angie showing the endangered species, they also need one showing the conservation practices that will be included in their plan. Rich gave me a folder with some general instructions and wished me the best of luck. I having really had to do my own GIS project, by myself, in over a year. I was fearful and doubtful in my abilities to make something correctly. The problem was that under normal circumstances, you make the GIS map first and it generates the conservation plan for you. Due to time constraints, Rich had already made the conservation plan and now needed the map. Which is where I came in.

So I had to work backwards in attempting to create this map. The pressure was on as I checked it out of the NATIONAL database, where if I screwed up, someone else could check it out and see the damage I had wreaked. I began comfortably enough, adding layers that needed to be included. Finding the property I was focusing on wasn't difficult after my refresher yesterday. However, once it was time for me to make layers, then it got interesting. I had to create lines, points and polygons for the various practices. Unfortunately, if you miss one step, you can do a lot of damage. I accidentally edited a layer rather than make a new one, which then meant I spent the next hour trying to undo what I had done. Once I finally got it back to normal (which led to a loud YES! and my fists being shot into the air) I started the real work. Once I got the hang of it, it wasn't too difficult to keep repeating. Once I finished, I looked doubtfully at the attribute table, found it didn't look too shady and told Rich I had finished. I had no doubt that if someone looked carefully at the data behind what I created it would not be correct, but the map looked pretty! Then I looked at the clock and realized I had taken the entire day working on one map. Rich was amazed I had figured it out and then tried to figure out if he could get me to come in extra so he wouldn't have to do the next five applications. At the rate I took, I didn't have 25 hours during finals week to make maps. It may have taken me forever and frustrated me to the point of tears, but I successfully made a GIS map! I was very proud of my creation and left for the day smiling.