TRANSMISSION #18 // SO. THAT HAPPENED

Last week I rescued a group of horses that had wandered out into the middle of the road somewhere in the mountains.

And that wasn’t the strangest part of my trip.

 

 

I was in Vancouver for a week, meeting with new clients and doing some promotional work for UBC (I teach a series of writing courses there).  I assumed it would be a quick trip; in/out, see some friends, attend some meetings, simple-simple.

 

In the space of a single week:

A good friend won an election.  Overwhelmingly won it.

I experienced gaming with virtual reality goggles.  My brain is still there.

Visited with the Lil’wat Nation. Best storytelling experience ever.

 

Although each of these events seem unrelated they are all connected by storytelling.

 

What will be the narrative for Canada now?  When I think of an immersive experience this is the one that will grab us all.  I’m in completely.  Past episodes in my life (yes, I often refer to my as TV seasons) have allowed me insight into our new leader and confidence is high.

The whole thing is just a bit strange.  Awesome strange.

 

It has been a long time since I’ve experienced something that has taken my breathe away.  I was lucky enough to play a demo recently (‘play’ doesn’t quite do it justice) of VALVE’S PORTAL.  I got to interact with robots, witness a mini civilization that lives in a drawer (and now worships me), attempted to repair something before it exploded…it’s all  a bit of a blur actually.  But what I really experienced was an opportunity to create new narratives.  Stories will be told differently and I can’t wait to start.

 

An old  friend introduced me to a new friend and after a morning at the Lil’wat Nation’s Ts’zil learning centre and community centre we went on a field trip into the Pemberton Valley.  This new friend spoke casually yet extensively about events that spawned 150 years.  He spoke of railways and development, of misinformation and personal experiences.  He talked of hidden hotsprings,  of exotic fauna and something amazingly named the Hundred Lakes Plateau.  I left inspired.

And not a little sad.

 

 

I took the long route home.

Almost ten hours of driving where I was lost in my own thoughts.  New Prime Minister, new creative opportunities, new perspective.

And then I came around a corner, slammed on the breaks and looked into the eyes of a horse surrounded by friends.  This big, beautiful fellow had no intention of moving.

It took a lot of coaxing, petting and not a few treats to get him (and eventually the others) off the road all the while dodging surprised (and surprisingly angry) drivers.  I found the broken gate, managed to herd them in and watched in awe as they group charged across a field.

 

You ever watched a pack of horses charge across a stretch of open land, hooves kicking up dust as the sun starts to set over the mountains?

I have.

 

 

I’m incredibly grateful for the ongoing opportunities and moments #TAILGATEOFFICE provides me with.

Can’t wait to see what’s next.

 

END TRANSMISSION.

– SEAN