Where's Your Pocket Protector Joke Now?

As a CPA, I am subject to more stereotypes and broad generalizations than homosexuals, American Indians, and female Asian motorists put together.

You know the image: stuffy…dull…anal-retentive. Blessed with pasty white skin, thick glasses, and a healthy fear of our own shadow, the only thing less impressive than our sense of humor is our aerobic capacity. I present to you Exhibit A:

Pretty funny stuff, right?

CPAs, it has long been my contention, are subject to more scorn and ridicule than any other profession in America, save for perhaps male nurses.

What’s my point? Well, on Friday I attended a local continuing education class. Aspen has a small number of CPAs, so when a class comes to town, pretty much the entire accounting community turns out. As I took my seat, I looked around and had myself a little chuckle, for even in Aspen – perhaps the most outdoor-oriented community in the country – the cast of characters in attendance looked pretty much like the little guy at the top of this post. Stereotype: 10,452, CPAs: 0.

As Terry Schaeffer stumbled in, groggy and incoherent from waking before 11 for the first time in recent memory, he took the seat next to me. He also surveyed the room, and in doing so, stopped suddenly, leaned over to me, and whispered: “There’s Mike Marolt.”

“Who’s Mike Marolt?” I responded?

Well, THIS is Mike Marolt.



I could attempt an introduction, but it’s probably best if I just link directly from the everestnews.com website:

Mike Marolt is recognized as one of the world's best extreme skiers. Mike along with his twin brother Steve, lead and became the first Americans (first from the western hemisphere) to climb and ski from 8,000 meters. Mike and Steve, both CPA's, became the first Americans to ski from the death zone on Mt. Everest.

I can say with absolute certaintly, that is the first and only time since the dawn of man that “CPA” and “death zone” have been used in the same sentence.

In case that paragraph didn’t take hold, let me sum it up for you. THEY. SKIED. EVEREST. Who skis Everest??? Nobody skis Everest. Even the most genetically gifted and mentally tough among us ascend Everest with the sole goal of survival; I can’t imagine what level of insanity it takes to climb 26,000 feet, look around, and say, “this seems like as good a place as any to click in.”

It’s safe to say, based on any scale or measurement method you use for this sort of thing, the Marolt brothers are serious, serious badasses. And most importantly, their status as badasses strikes a blow for CPAs everywhere. And for that, I am forever in their debt.

If you would like to learn more about the Marolt brothers and their other ski descents including Mt. Rainer, Mt. McKinley, Mt. Saint Elias, Mt. Shishapangma, and…oh, most of the 14,000 peaks of Colorado, please consult your local library. Or you could just click here.