The SPE conference has me totally jazzed about the outdoor industry and working for such an amazing organization as the REI cooperative. Our CEO often says that our biggest competitors are not other outdoor outfitters - they are TV and video games; the american trend towards a sedentary lifestyle. I couldn't agree more.
I've taken over 70 pages of notes - some specifics about my new position, but mostly wild brainstorms, ideas for the future of our company, thoughts on the american economy, sustainability, and promoting outdoor stewardship & exploration. The juices are flowing and I want to get every ounce of this down on paper before it fades, i.e. before I leave the mountains & the sea to head back to the land of planÃsimo.
I spent the day touring our headquarters, including finding the failure load of a carabiner in the test lab. The engineer who is still living within me was like a kid in a candy shop, and I busted out all sorts of technical lingo and questions for the lab staff.
I have never felt as invested in by an employer as I do this week. The SPE position will present huge challenges for me, and my role could have a huge impact if I am successful. Even if I end up in a totally different field in the future, this job will give me whole new skill sets to carry with me. Right now, the optimistic expectation is boiling over.
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