This week I am in Austin, Texas working with the Texas Society of Association Executives (TSAE) as an Association Professional.

What exactly is an Association Professional? That’s a good question.

When President/CEO Beth Brooks first contacted me about coming to Texas to work with TSAE, I had a difficult time wrapping my head around what they do.

“So, you are an association?” I asked. Beth replied, “Well yes, though we are the association of associations.”

While I was intrigued simply by the fact this actually existed, I didn’t give it much thought and put it on the back burner.

Over the past year of job offers, Beth was probably one of the most persistent people. She made a great case to come to Austin.

There are 24,000 associations in the US, 1,600 of which are in Texas. TSAE is the association of associations - meaning they provide educational training for the professionals who work for all the associations in Texas.

The land of associations sounds like a unique world in itself - I am looking forward to discovering it.

I left Wyoming early morning and arrived a few hours later at the Salt Lake City airport with plenty of time for my flight to Washington DC.

Hours before I was scheduled to leave, my name was called over the intercom stating that my plane was boarding. Curious, I quickly went to the gate.

When I got there, they told me my transferring flight through Chicago was running late, therefore I would miss the connection and not be able to get to Washington that night. The alternative was to hop on a different flight to Baltimore, about 45 minutes north of Washington.

I took it and was promised my checked luggage would be joining me once I arrived.

Well, that didn’t quite happen.

When I met Joe, the marketing director of the Capitals, he probably thought, “Wow, what did we get ourselves into? This guy looks like he can’t take care of himself - scruffy facial hair and no luggage, yet carrying a distinct odor that can only be attributed to a week spent on a farm.”

Fortunately he didn’t put me on the next flight out of town. My bags came the next day and I was able to clean up before heading to my first day on the job.

Life of a Mascot

I then entered the world of Professional Mascots. Most people probably think it’s an easy job. All mascots seem to do is show up, dance around for a bit, give some high fives, start the wave and make people laugh.

I quickly found out it’s a full-time job. Many make a great living doing it, and they take their role very seriously. When it’s not a game day, there is other stuff to do: schedule appearances in the community and private functions, take care of the suit, maintain good physical fitness…

I was surprised to find out how much actually goes into it.

I also realized how much goes on behind-the-scenes at a sporting event. As a member of the audience, you grab your seat and expect to be entertained. That truth is that everything is planned down to the minute: when they will do different promotions, run certain contests, play a particular segment.

I was able to attend the pre-game operations meeting and go through the detailed script for the night which was cool.

Getting A Handle

During the game, I followed Slapshot around as his handler, helping with his straps, getting his jersey on. With all the various parts it can be a little challenging. It was great to see the man in action so I could pick up a few pointers before it would be my turn.

At the end of the game, I was given the opportunity to go onto the ice and use the “Pucker Chucker.” It’s a gun that shoots pucks up into the crowd.

Turns out I would be the third consecutive victim of the Pucker Chucker.

After they announced the three stars of the game, I started firing. The first two came out no problem, but on the third, the compartment that holds the extra pucks exploded - sending the pucks all over the ice (let’s not forget this is in an arena filled with about 17, 000 fans).

Luckily I was well warned beforehand that this might happen, so I didn’t feel too embarrassed and simply picked up the pucks and starting throwing them into the crowd.

Ice Ice Baby

Being on the ice is an awesome experience. Looking up into the stands, hoping that you don’t slip, fall, and make a fool of yourself, you are suddenly everyones best friend.

Why? Because you got free stuff, and for some reason everyone loves free stuff.

It doesn’t matter what the random item may be or even though they know when they get home it will just go into a drawer until it’s Secret Santa time again next Christmas - the fans still want it.

Yesterday, Slapshot grew several inches when I suited up and went to the Kids Open Skate. I had a lot of fun and the kids responded well.

It is great to see the different reactions. It reminded me of my days as a Pre-school Teacher at Nature’s Childcare in Boise, Idaho - everyone is always happy to see you when you walk in the door.

Afterwards we headed to downtown DC. I had a great time interacting with all the people, playing jokes, goofing around, and just making people smile.

Today is another game day - Next up the Boston Bruins. Let’s go Caps!!

-Sean

This week I am working in Washington D.C as the Mascot for the Washington Capitals. For those of you that don’t know, The Washington Capitals is an NHL team. I will also get to help out with promotions and in-game entertainment (you know, those people that wear tracksuits at games, are always smiling handing out free stuff, making sure everyone is having a good time)

I will first learn the ropes of what it’s like to be the Capitals Mascot “Slapshot” by helping out during a game as his handler, then I will get a chance to suit up as “Slapshot” at a Kids Open Skate. It should be interesting wearing a cumbersome costume with limited visibility while a mob of kids run at you.

I will also be spending sometime outside the arena in the downtown Washington D.C area interacting with fans and getting the city excited about the team and upcoming playoff run.

Being that I am from Vancouver, I am lucky that they’re not playing the Vancouver Canucks.

Go Caps Go!

I caught a flight to Salt Lake City last Sunday morning, a few hours away from La Barge, Wyoming where I would be working on a ranch with a cowboy named Chet.

Chet’s wife, Billy, picked me up from the airport. We then drove about an hour to a neighboring town where we met Chet and his friend Cody. I was quickly immersed into the Cowboy lifestyle.

About 15 minutes into our drive, Billy explained, “Sean, we’re going to throw you right into it - we’re going to a roping today!”

I had no idea what that meant, but I was excited nonetheless. It’s not everyday your reality changes so drastically. Only several hours earlier I had woken up before sunrise in a Los Angeles suburb, now I found myself on route to a ‘roping’ in rural Wyoming.

Learning the Ropes

The roping was organized in teams of three. Each goes out into the enclosed area with about 10 calves. The judge announces one of the calves numbers and the team of three cowboys has to successfully rope the front and back legs of the assigned calf in the shortest time possible. (I won’t tell you how I did).

Afterwards we made our way to the ranch where Chet and Billy currently work. The ranch is located in a a beautiful setting - a valley surrounded on both sides by steep rock faced mountains. A green river flows from the nearby mountains through the ranch splitting at one point to create a small island.

For some reason I forgot that it would be cold this time of year in Wyoming, though the thin layer of snow simply added to the picturesque scene. I can imagine the landscape must be equally impressive with the change of season.

It is calving season at the ranch - for the next couple of months everyday they are new arrivals. Chet’s main priority is to make sure everything is going smoothly, that there are no complications with the birth, the calf is feeding properly, and each one must be tagged.

It’s an around the clock job, Chet would wake up a couple times a night to go check on the heifers (female cows that have yet to give birth for the first time, usually around 2 years old) to make sure that everything was okay.

I didn’t realize this until my last night there, so I was able spend my nights sleeping soundly.

Riding Into The Sunset

I enjoyed many things about this week: the beautiful scenery, working with animals, great people, and not to mention good home cooked meals. But most of all, I enjoyed my time on a horse.

My horse for the week was named “Hiccup.” He was very gentle, though in his old days he has become a bit lazy and somewhat stubborn. He was the boss, he walked as fast as he wanted, when he wanted, where he wanted… he managed to comply just enough so you couldn’t really get mad at him.

One thing that I have always wanted to do is gallop on a horse. Good ol’ Hiccup helped me out in small bursts.

I didn’t have much control of where we were going, but we were going, and going there fast. The power and sheer strength of horses is something that has always amazed me.

Speaking Cowboy

Chet and Billy found my random calling out “Yeehaw” amusing and I managed to debunk a few myths associated with Cowboy talk.

Unfortunately, Chet never says “yeehaw” or “giddy-up,” not even “heyah” when he wants his horse to go faster. I guess I wasn’t all that surprised. These sayings have been so ingrained through pop culture that it’s hard not to whip them out when you are in such a setting.

I found myself giving ol’ Hiccup a good John Wayne style “heyah” when I wanted to gallop and certain no one was in ear shot.

I had a great week as Cowboy. Chet and Billy were a lot of fun and I was able to do many activities I had never done before: go to a roping, visit Wyoming, gallop on a horse, tag calves, sort bulls, ride a tractor to feed cows…

During the summer months I was told it’s a different experience. For the most part the cows will graze on government owned undeveloped land in their natural environment and a Cowboy will ride out to meet them and check on them daily.

I hope someday I will be able to return.

-Sean

Ian here, (the project videographer) filling in for Sean. I’m currently in our hometown Vancouver, while he’s in the middle of Wyoming working as a Cowboy. When we last parted ways, he said he’d be somewhere remote, and likely not have internet access.

Well, he was right.

So instead of waiting until the end of the week for Sean to update, I thought I’d write a pseudo-update, imagining all the things Sean may (or may not) be doing at this very moment.

See! Sean spending his time suiting up in cowboy gear (chaps, spurs, the whole bit) and swinging his leg up and over a saddle. See! Sean pat the horse and tip is hat down low. See! The stalk of wheat protruding from his lips as he gazes out at the cattle and engages in cowboy conversation with his mentor Chet. I imagine they’re saying things like, “Yup” “I reckin” and the classic “Uh-huh.”

That wasn’t so hard right?

Now, I could in fact be wrong.

It could be that the life of a cowboy is no longer about beans from a can, campfires under the stars, and a life lived in heroic solitude. It could be that a cowboy lives in a nice home, with cable TV, and drives around in a big truck instead of taming stallions.

It could be a lot of things. But I guess we’ll have to wait until Sean emerges from his digital silence with a real update, won’t we?

Until next time,

- Ian

This week I will be working as a Cowboy at a ranch near La Barge, Wyoming.

I have no idea what to expect. When I think of a Cowboy, a cliche of images come to mind. The infamous Cowboy hat, boots, jacket, horse, piece of hay in the mouth, accent, riding in open fields for miles and miles.

But all stereotypes aside, what exactly is it that a Cowboy does? Is it possible to be employed as a full-time Cowboy?

I didn’t need much information before making the decision to head towards Wyoming - I would be working at a ranch located outside a small town in Wyoming with a Cowboy named Chet. What more did I need?

It was Chet’s brother who first contacted me a while back. When I finally spoke to Chet last week, he sounded excited about the idea of me coming. I still don’t know what to expect, though he did mention something about calving.

Whatever that means, I am sure that I will soon to find out!

Here’s the entire Rachael Ray clip which aired March 6, 2008. It was a lot of fun!

I arrived at the station and met with Battalion Chief Dave Messerschmidt and Captain/Paramedic Shannon Stone.

Dave had a serious face and asked me, “Sean, what is your objective here?” I went into a rather long winded answer about the project and what I was hoping to get out of my time at the fire station. His serious face made it difficult to gauge his reaction.

After a slight pause, Dave calmly replied, “Well, that’s great. My objective at the moment is to get breakfast.” We all laughed and I felt at ease.

A tradition the guys have on weekend is to visit a local diner for breakfast. We didn’t want to break tradition, so away we went to start the day off with a good meal. Afterwards we got into some training.

I learned about the use of ropes and harnesses that are used in situations when the fire can’t be attacked by ladder. I also got the chance to use the Jaws Of Life. That was an awesome experience, the sheer power of that tool is incredible. It cuts through a car like a knife through butter.

All the guys at the department are like family - they spend so much time together and their profession demands they work as a team.

It was great that they quickly accepted both Ian and myself into their group even though we were only there for a short while. I have have always been involved in team sports growing up and in College. The comradeship and interaction among them reminded me of that unique team dynamic - working together to achieve a common goal.

Firefighters are tough (some may even say intimidating). Though I must say these guys are extremely good people. They have integrity and a great sense of what is “right.”

As the Battalion Chief said, “Yes, we are like family here, all brothers and sisters. That being said, you don’t want to screw with us.” Though he added, “You must have a sense of humor to be this profession.”

-Sean

My interview and segment from when I was in studio last week will air tomorrow - Thursday, March 6/08. The station and time depends on where you live, though it’s Rachael Ray’s talk show and not the cooking one.

Here is a clip from backstage after the interview.

The first of my two 24 hour shifts at the Fort Walton Beach Fire Department started off early morning. There are three shifts at the department, A, B, and C. Each one works 24 hours (7am - 7am) and then has 48 hours off.

As I mentioned earlier, we stayed with Ryan and Lacey in Pensacola before heading an hour east to Fort Walton Beach, Florida. Ryan was kind enough to give us a ride. Once there, we decided to go out for dinner and drinks with a couple of his friends. One drink turned into several and we ended up having a late night. Not the best idea when I was set to kick off my Firefighter training early the next day. I guess I didn’t realize it would be that challenging.

I suited up with all the gear which weighs about 60lbs. After I put on the gas tank, I thought, “Hey, this isn’t so heavy.” That obvious mis-conception was soon relinquished after I began some the training exercises.

I took out the fire hose, ran with it pressurized for about 100ft. (when I say “ran” I mean exerting myself as if I was in a full out sprint, though with the weight of the hose, all my effort was translating into a full out crawl). I tried the “Denver Drill” which is a technique used to get an unresponsive firefighter out a window to safety.

I dragged a 180lbs dummy, climbed the 75 ft ladder, and simulated entering a building on my knees with the hose and sprayed the interior. It was a really cool experience, minus the fact that I was pretty close to exhaustion and I thought I was going to vomit. All part of the job I guess.

I felt like a wimp. All the firefighters on duty watching as I struggled to gain my breath trying to appear as if I had everything under control. What made the experience even more humbling was the fact that I knew there were taking it easy on me!

I have a lot of respect for firefighters. Not only do they put their lives at risk for others, but the training and physical shape they must maintain is truly impressive.

Afterwards we headed back to station then out for some lunch at a local BBQ hut called Wilbur’s Sauce. It was awesome, we ate ribs, chicken, coleslaw… he just kept bringing us food. I am beginning to see some of the perks of being a firefighter.

We got a few calls that afternoon, a couple of vehicle accidents though nothing serious.

As I discovered when I was a Park Ranger in Week 46, you are always “on-call.” In the event of an incident they are able to respond quickly and take the appropriate action, though on slow days there can be a lot of downtime spent at the fire house. I enjoyed this aspect of the job especially after the training that morning and we had a fun time hanging out with the guys and hearing all of their stories over the years.

Fighting fires is easy compared to trying to get 8 guys to agree on what they are going to cook for dinner. It was good decision and we all sat down for spaghetti.

Day 2 would bring more training drills and equal indecisiveness on what to eat for dinner, though I will write a post about it in the next couple of days.

-Sean