Introduction to #Boomerica: 108

Dress for success

I haven't written about my internship in a while, but that's OK. Seventy-hour work weeks will do that to ya.

My most recent experience that I'm excited to share is how I had the chance to make my debut as a professional mascot last week. I had already done some work in the community at events (Which, to the dismay of my boss, I like to call "Coopearances"), but this was my chance at the bigtime: Mascoting during a game.

My schedule was simple but hectic, go out 30 minutes before the game, interact with fans, make people smile, and fine them a good experience. Then, when the game starts, I have several stops to make, like the mascot race on the field at the end of the first inning, the boss toss out the sunroof of a car driving around the field, or the late-inning trip up to the luxury suites to make private visits to the highest-paying customers.

My favorite was doing the Gangnam Style dance on top of the dugout.

Aside from the unspeakable heat that comes with encapsulating yourself in a giant prairie chicken costume for four and a half hours, being a mascot is easy. Or maybe I just have the right personality for it.

Basically you get to run around acting crazy, dancing, and taking pictures with kids. I loved every second of it.

Of course, this isn't what I want to do with the rest of my life (although if money was no object I totally could), but I'm chalking it up as more great experiences and a chance to impress those above me with my willingness to do literally anything.

So that was a weekend of my life, including a day spent as glow stick salesperson walking up and down the stadium aisles. Again, not what I thought I'd be doing, but so unbelievably fun.

It was after a long and exhausting weekend of mascoting and glow stick selling that I realized no matter what I'm doing in life, I want to make people smile and have fun while I do it. That goes for writing, journalism, and my place else this crazy life may take me.

This world has tried vey hard, but it hasn't beaten the eternal optimist out of me yet. And if that doesn't happen this summer, I think it's a safe bet to say that I'll be this positive forever.