It’s pretty much a given that if your brother-in-law calls to tell you that he was thinking about you in the shower, the conversation that follows is not going to be the same old, same old.
“I was thinking about you in my shower, Loralee, and I had an idea. And ideas in my shower are never wrong. I have come to the conclusion that you are the only one that can help me and the sherpa.”
Now, if you are anything like me, you are probably thinking, “HUH????”
Have any of you ever heard of a sherpa?
Because I hadn’t until today.
Basically, the sherpa people (Preferred spelling is with lower case lettering) are indigenous to Nepal in the high Himalayas. It basically translates into “East People”. The term “sherpa” is applied to an elite group of expert mountain guides that are take people on expeditions. They must be top notch in terms of physical endurance, knowledge of the local terrain and are extremely adept at high altitudes. You do not have to be an ethnic sherpa to be a sherpa, though many are.
I know what you’re thinking. What the freak do Nepalese mountain guides have to do with a stay-at-home mom who lives in Utah and has the muscle tone of head cheese and the endurance of a three-toed sloth?
I wondered the same thing.
My brother-in-law has a company that my husband consults for quite a bit. It handles high-end technical support and web design. In addition to that, my brother-in-law is also partner in a company called, “SuperSherpas”.
Two of the most famous sherpa founded it with other partners and they are relocating their families to America. (They’re in Wikipedia for the most treks up Everest and the fastest run up Everest. Meet Apa and Lhakpa) They not only guide expeditions to Mount Everest and other treks through the Himalayas, but they also sell various outdoor gear and merchandise made in Nepal. They also divert a percentage of proceeds to a charitable organization that will help children from their region get an education.
All of this is totally fascinating, but I still, even with my glorious imagination, could not come up with any fathomable reason as to how I could be involved in the information that he was telling me. You know, because of the aforementioned SAHM three-toed sloth made of head cheese thing.
“My company is designing and setting up their website and we’re having a problem. We do the technical coding, but that is just the bare bones of a good website. It needs good content. Nobody has time to write everything that needs to be written. I need someone who can immerse and obsess about Nepal and sherpa, Appa and Lhakpa and the company and put all that information onto the site so that it is user friendly and makes sense.”
“So…You need someone who digs research, who can totally obsess, write good content, and can be completely, and utterly a big techno-dork that still cannot grasp WordPress plugins and shuts down the power of San Bernardino when I try to play with my template?”
“Yes, that is basically it.”
“I am SO your girl.”
“That’s what I already figured out. You know, in my shower. Which is never wrong.”
The best part about this is that if I can pull this off well? They’ll hire me to do other projects. As in, real jobs. For my weird little set of skills. Do you know how bizarre it is for ME to actually feel and be useful? It is blowing my mind. I could write and get PAID? Awesome.
Plus, part of the compensation is free web design (Which I need) and possibly a trip to Nepal at cost. Hey, my 10th anniversary is coming up next year, although I’ve never really pictured myself as hanging out in the Himalayas before (Although, I did really dig the film, “The Golden Child“. Eddie Murphy cracks me up: “Nepal!” N-E-P-A-L! WOO HOO!”…Um…You’d have to see it.)
I have a 2 o’clock meeting at their company to meet with the other owners and to start getting a feel for what they are looking for. Part of me is scared shitless. I’ve never DONE this before. On the other hand? You know when you just KNOW that you can do something?
Yah, baby. I have that feeling.
Wish me luck.
Amber says:
Super cool. I’m sure you’ll be great at this. Congratulations, and good luck!
November 13th, 2007 at 12:52 pm
MacKenzie says:
That is so wicked.
November 13th, 2007 at 1:09 pm
Rachel says:
Holy cow! That’s awesome!!!!! I knew that you could bring your mad writing skills and get paid for them. Good luck, sweetie!
November 13th, 2007 at 2:37 pm
tjk says:
so good things do happen to people that live in logan.
you would be great at this job
good luck
November 13th, 2007 at 2:51 pm
The Brother says:
Wait, I just had a FABULOUS idea for some romantic historical fiction dreck! Work with me here… “Youngish mother of two from Logan suddenly wakes up to find herself transported through time and space to early-1950s Nepal. She hooks up with a dashing Sherpa and endures a series of wild adventures, culminating in Ed Hillary climbing Mt Everest with her instead of Tengzing Norgay! She becomes famous and invents the Internet!”
All I know for sure is that we’re in for a blizzard of Sherpa-ness on your blog
November 13th, 2007 at 3:02 pm
hairyshoefairy says:
Cool!! Good luck!
November 13th, 2007 at 3:08 pm
Berne says:
I wish someone would pay me to play with blogs and write stuff! Good Luck!
November 13th, 2007 at 3:57 pm
bee says:
GOOOOOOOOOOOOD LUUUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCKKK!!!
you’re gonna do awesome. i checked out apa and lhakpa too…super fascinating. i love sherpas. i love nepal. i want to go there super bad.
i’m fried. i’m a fried little crack-monkey…back to writing essays…
November 13th, 2007 at 4:21 pm
jess says:
wow. i must watch too much of the discovery channel or the learning channel because i totally knew what a sherpa was.
or i’m just smarter than you…and THAT is highly doubtful.
November 13th, 2007 at 4:55 pm
Charli says:
Congratulations! This could REALLY be your thing! You totally deserved a great thing like that to happen to you!
Gosh, I need for my siblings to get married so that I can have a brother-in-law who thinks about me in the shower! I mean, who could offer me a totally great work from home job where I get to play around with web sites!
Due to my love of the hotness that is Brad Pitt (although, since he has been with Angelina, he is TOTALLY showing his age- I’m just sayin’) I knew about sherpas. Plus, Hali and I both have sherpa boots and coats. They are so cozy! Cause, you know, here in Texas its about 85 degrees out today and I’d hate for us to get cold!
November 13th, 2007 at 5:22 pm
applesonastick says:
that is AWESOME! Good Luck, or is it break a leg..?
November 13th, 2007 at 6:02 pm
Erika says:
Wow go you. But mostly I’m just glad I’m not sucking up all the good out of the universe for myself any more. You have no idea how guilt inducing that was.
November 13th, 2007 at 6:23 pm
Vanessa says:
Good luck! You will so rock at this! I’m so proud (in that dancing happy for my blogging sister kind of way).
Oh, and… actually… I *did* know what a sherpa is. Not that that is any reflection on my worldliness at all… It would be thanks to watching “Tin-Tin in Tibet” about 63 times with the kids.
November 13th, 2007 at 6:23 pm
glittersmama says:
I can’t wait to see a picture of you with Appa and Lhaka!
November 13th, 2007 at 8:12 pm
Amber says:
You sooooooooooo don’t deserve this! We have been living and breathing SHERPAS for years now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
P.S. Congrats.
November 13th, 2007 at 8:39 pm
Katie Belle says:
Very cool! Congrats!! Tells us how it goes.
Never thought I’d know someone who knows someone that knows sherpas.
November 13th, 2007 at 8:41 pm
kip says:
You have the strangest, coolest life, Loralee.
November 13th, 2007 at 8:53 pm
Angella says:
Woohoo!
Rooting for you!
You. Will. ROCK.
November 13th, 2007 at 9:55 pm
Bridge says:
Totally sounds fun. I can pretend to be your husband if you decide to ditch him and take me along on your trip instead. HAHAHA.
November 13th, 2007 at 11:55 pm
falwyn says:
All kinds of exciting. Good luck, or break a leg, or however it goes. Woohoo!
November 14th, 2007 at 12:55 am
Alicia says:
Good luck, good luck, good luck! But you really don’t need it ’cause you’re going to rock their socks off!
November 14th, 2007 at 6:21 am
Pink says:
i’m so jealous! if only i could somehow find a job like that. wait - i have but then they said i was too young. but anyway - i loved that movie, too. i can just see you in nepal going, why is nobody turning on the heater?
November 14th, 2007 at 8:27 am
Jessie says:
the universe works in mysterious ways, but OMG you are absolutely PERFECT for this!!!
thanks for sharing this story. i feel inspired now.
two of the guys i hiked with in the himalayas hired a sherpa. the sherpa developed kind of a crush on my during our 3 week hike and oh my gosh he was so sweet and totally watched out for me. he was one of the nicest people i ever met. i wonder how he is these days….i wish i would have stayed in contact.
good luck to you with the writing!!
i love you and i’m sorry i’ve been absent from your blog so much (OMG, I’m so sorry!!). even though i haven’t been around as much as i’d like to i think about you EVERY. SINGLE. DAY! and i’m not even kidding!
November 14th, 2007 at 9:09 am
Sharon says:
That is SO cool! You will be SO good at this! I love projects like that. The research, learning everything you can about a subject, finding links to related topics, pictures, etc.
That is something I would absolutely love to do also! Can’t wait to see the finished product!!!
November 14th, 2007 at 11:08 am
little miss says:
wow- you’ve inspired me to write my own list of “talents” (ah hem) that could turn into some type of career…
I’ll let you know how it goes! ; )
btw, congrats!! You’re not just a SAHM, you’re an up and coming vocalist, journalist, world traveler, actress, runway model, and web designing national PTA president!!…(I could go on and on!!)
November 14th, 2007 at 11:43 am
jen says:
Loralee, that is AWESOME. Now. If your brother in law ever has the Idea In The Shower which consists of needing to pay someone to read books and talk about them, I am totally his gal. Let me know.
November 14th, 2007 at 1:24 pm
Gretchen says:
Good luck!
If you BIL is looking for someone to sit around and watch tv, or test vacuums… Let me know.
November 14th, 2007 at 2:18 pm
Froyd says:
Congrats! That’s fantastic!
I’d go on, but your mention of the golden child makes me want to go vomit. what a horrible movie.
it’s like eddie murphy turned into the opposite of king midas…everything he touches in hollywood turns to poo.
November 15th, 2007 at 1:45 am
Jenn says:
Let me know if you need a consultant.
November 15th, 2007 at 10:40 am
Aspen says:
Awesomeness!
Oh man… If I could find something like that, but about New Zealand. I’ve got the obsession thing going already…
November 15th, 2007 at 11:27 am
Zac Jenks says:
Lo, I love sherpa’s! There is a guy in Alpine from Nepal and does a trip back there every year and he takes people back with him and does a trip with some friends of his that are sherpa’s. I’ve always wanted to go to Nepal and spend some quality time with some supersherpa’s. LOL good luck sounds like somthing right up your ally!
November 15th, 2007 at 2:55 pm
Doug says:
I hope this works out! It sounds fun, if not scary. But I just cannot buy that you’ve never heard of a sherpa before. There were so many words I studied for the GRE, and as soon as I knew them, I would hear them around, much to my surprise. You’ll go through the same thing now.
November 15th, 2007 at 8:53 pm
Natasha says:
I’m going to chime in my belated “Awesome” now. Some of our closest friends are from Nepal and I’m dying of jealousy over your all-expenses trip . . .
November 16th, 2007 at 12:44 am
loralee says:
TAKING A DEEP BREATH AND FLEXING WRITING MUSCLES:
Amber:
THANK YOU!
MacKenzie:
So is the fact that you used the term “Wicked”. Can’t wait to see you at the bloggity luncheon.
Rachel:
Did you know that “Mad Skills” is one of my favorite terms??? Awesome.
tjk:
Yes, despite my siblings labeling it “Hell Mouth” due to all the life suck our family seems to go through, Logan is still rockin’ in my opinion.
The Brother:
I think that if there was ever any doubt that my weirdness is genetic you just put those wonders to bed, bro.
I’m still trying to recover from the copious amounts of laughter garnered from your ideas about the “Loralee Sherpa graphic t-shirt collection”. Are you trying to kill me or something?
hairyshoefairy:
Thanks, much!
Berne:
I can’t quite believe that I’m getting the opportunity. I’ll have to not screw it up.
bee says:
Thank you, sweet Bee. Aren’t they just cool. The more I learn about them the more I admire the hell out of them. Their stories are amazing.
jess:
You’re totally smarter than I am. Plus, you know, you have that nervous donkey laughter going on that I totally covet.
I knew about them, but hadn’t heard the term before.
Charli:
Because of Brad Pitt? Wait, is that the Seven Years in Tibet Movie? Because I loved that show.
applesonastick:
Frankly, I think I need both!
Erika:
See? This is why I heart you. Which should be just cutsey enough to make you shudder. My brother loves your snarkiness. He says it is much needed around here.
Vanessa:
OMG. “Tin-Tin in Tibet�?? What is that about??? I am finding that I am rather alone in my naiveté about sherpa.
glittersmama:
I am hoping to meet with them soonish and interview them. Bet your bottom dollar I will post about it.
Amber:
I SOOOOOO know. Here you are, scaling freaking mountains FOR FUN and I land this thing! However, if you ever get out to Salt Lake, I can introduce you.
Katie Belle:
I know! Isn’t it random?
kip:
All the better to blog about, dearie!
Angella:
Oh, I really, really hope so!
Bridge:
That would totally be cool. Except I’d have the sherpa stay home and have you be my bitch. Wink.
falwyn:
Both phrases are totally acceptable and welcome!
Alicia says:
Rock their socks? I TOTALLY need to be using that phrase.
Pink:
It will be interesting to see if I can get it all to work. It isn’t totally a done deal. We have to see how it goes, if I am good at it and if there are enough projects that I can stay busy and profitable. I really hope so!
Jessie!
You were one of the FIRST people I thought of when I got this call. I love this story of yours and I think about you all the time and wish I was sitting with you in Minneapolis in that awesome coffee shop. Sigh…
Sharon:
Oh, I hope I will be good at it! It really does seem to be right up my ally. I love projects like that as well.
Little Miss:
Awe, shucks! Is it any wonder that we shop well together? You can keep going on if you like… Hee hee.
Jen:
Now THAT would be an even more awesome job, I admit it.
Gretchen:
TEST VACUUMS? HA! Ok, you have to explain that one.
Froyd:
I know. While I love good film, I am also notorious for loving really HORRIBLE film, too. Granted, I first watched this thing when I was like, 12. I know nothing about it being on last week or me watching it.
Jen:
Absolutely. How fun would that be? Sigh.
Aspen:
It is a bit weird to have to force an obsession, but I’m finding it surprisingly easy. It is a totally intriguing area and I am loving what I’m learning about it (So is NZ, for that matter. I would LOVE to go there)
Zac:
I think after this day I could use one of our weekly outings. I’ll text you!
I am totally not surprised that you know a sherpa.
Dougie:
Yup, I did know what they did, but I didn’t know the term for them.
Natasha:
Oh, the trip is soooooo tentative and it would be at cost. Still, how cool is that?
November 16th, 2007 at 2:27 am
loraleeslooneytunes.com » Sideblog:SuperSherpas, Batman! says:
[…] Batman! Remember how I’ve been totally re-writing the website content for the famous Sherpa from Nepal? Their American partner (And my client) is ALL the freak over the news lately for returning TWO […]
November 30th, 2007 at 8:06 am