Elephants smell like burlap...

So this is a little early for me to blog. However, I wanted to get this down before I forgot. Magic 98 is one the sponsors of the Zor Shrine Circus. Every year the newest staff member serves as honorary ringmaster. Which means you say hello and ride an elephant into the center ring. Yes it was me.
A few things.
I did not have a saddle, I had a piece of leather to hold onto and I was supposed to wave. This kind of contradicted what the trainer said, "Hold on Tightly to the strap and don't let go". Once in center ring I was handed a mic and introduced myself and the circus. People, children will cheer for anything. Put someone on a big elephant minus a saddle and they cheer louder. I waved once at a little boy and then back to holding tight. We were going to take a picture of me on said elephant, but they were loading the lions and tigers into the stage seriously inches from us. To get to my elephant I had to walk around their cage. We decided flash photography would probably not be appropriate then. That and with all the circus people around and them trying to begin the circus there really wasn't a good time to say - "Hey can we take a picture?"
I did however take a picture of my sweet elephant when she was performing solo as "Bull". Chris also bought me a cute stuffed elephant.
The Shriners were lovely gentleman and their wives were sweeties. I got a big round of encouragement on my way out and a big round of applause on my way back.
It was fun and scary and I can't believe I did it!!!
I am really glad I did, my legs are sore, my hands are a little scratched and smell midly still like burlap after several washings.
However, all that was worth it to be in the center ring of a circus on an elephant.
On a sidenote I had a dream last night PETA came and attacked me to which I yelled "Cameron Diaz rode an elephant on her eco show and you people didn't get mad at her!!!"