Day of Discovery

Today was Breakout Day at the Southeastern Outdoor Press Association conference in Johnson City, Tenn. Breakout, which was held at Winged Deer Park on Boone Lake, provides a dedicated time at each year's conference when product manufacturers who can show off all that's cool and new with the communicators in attendance and the writers and manufacturers can get to know one another better. Some companies simply have products on display. Others, like the folks from Hobie, provides hands on (or feet on) opportunities to try out various products and see how they work. Chevrolet and Nissan, both supporting members of SEOPA, even had cars and trucks to test drive. Breakout is always fun and provides great opportunities to gather story content.

Tomorrow is Shooting Day, which has similar elements but is specific to the shooting side of the industry and of course held at a shooting range. Nathaniel and I are looking forward to plenty of opportunities to learn and to play at Shooting Day.

All-Day Learning

"How did you get out of school?"

Nathaniel hears that question a lot when we travel, especially when we are together on a weekday afternoon and it doesn't happen to be summer or Christmastime. "I'm home-schooled," he normally answers, with me adding that what we're doing together is part of his education.

Some folks ponder that a moment and affirm that he's probably learning more than others his age who are sitting in classrooms. Others nod their heads politely, probably convinced that he's missing much of what he's "supposed to learn" or thinking that he should be around other people his age.

A big part of our most recent trip was participation in the Southeastern Outdoor Press Association's annual conference. During the conference we took workshops related to writing skills, the publishing business and social and conservation issues. Nathaniel also learned first-hand how a membership meeting runs, shared in business conversations in the halls and around meal tables, sat at the head table for a breakfast, helped with an auction, played a big part in the pickin' and grinnin' SEOPA tradition and much more. Throughout the weekend, he spent time with writers, editors and other industry folks, plus their family members.

For a young man who has an interest in outdoors communications as at least a part of his vocation, it's hard for me to imagine better opportunities for all-day learning. He filled in an application while we were there and will soon become SEOPA's youngest student member. I'm thankful for the way the membership welcomed Nathaniel and got him involved with various aspects of the conference. He's already looking forward to next year's conference.