faces & names @ 54

I'm moving my blog!

2010-01-10T20:04:00.001-08:00

Hey all:

I'm moving my blog to:

http://zachpacktravel.blogspot.com

Black and Gold!

2009-08-10T09:54:00.001-07:00

That's what song I'm obsessed with right about....NOW!

Besides that and the fact that it has been approximately 4 months since my last post, I have to admit it was not intentional. During the remainder of my internship I was dating a guy named Jacob, a pretty cool guy but we just didn't work out. And then I finished up my internship exhausted but ironically rejuvenated in my abilities!

I got back and literally got off the flight Sunday May 17th at 11pm, didn't make it home until about 12am and was at my new job by 8am the next day. It was an intense transition. For a while I was sure it would have been smarter to take a couple of days off. But, I digress. That's in the past.

I have an amazing job and I'm working my butt off to really build NATIVE Project's community presence up from every angle I am trained and can-whether it's social media, PR, marketing, re-branding to an overall face-lift!

I finished up my first round of physical and exams for the Peace Corps and all was smooth sailing until the shit storm of more and more exams came my way. A lump was found in my abdomen and it's been described as an inguinal hernia. It's a bummer because I have to take care of it. I'm in a couple week limbo before I take care of any of the medical right away-just waiting for my health insurance to kick in! haha!

Besides that I've been training with a friend for the Portland Marathon Oct 4 and the Vegas Marathon Dec 13. It's been brutal and fun all at the same time. I am really loving taking care of my body in the best way possible.

Also, still single...haha...nothing going on in that department.

I have a ton of little things lined up to get me out and moving around the country. I'll be at Warped Tour next weekend, Seattle the following weekend, LA for Labor Day, NYC the following weekend and Vegas the next. I'm pretty pumped about the next month...

I love you all, thanks for reading this little thing...

post-op

2009-03-06T23:28:00.000-08:00

i recently learned a few new things:

*in australia, the barby actually is short barbecue

*"24-hour coin-up laundry" means 24-hour coin OPERATED laundry.

since we last spoke, i have had quite a time.

i have been working so hard on a dave matthews band project for work. his new album comes out on june 2nd and we are working with him-he is the soundtrack for our vagabond tour! i have been doing a huge marketing campaign with them. it is exciting, but a lot of hard work.

thursday night of last week i went to a show at universal studios city walk at the hard rock cafe, i saw jon mclaughlin live. he is amazing. check him out!

friday kate, and a bunch of the crew headed down to san diego. friday night we had drinks and went out on the town in encinitas. encinitas is my favorite town in california!!! we went out and had a great time.

saturday morning we went to my favorite breakfast place, pipes cafe and then headed to point loma to sail for the day. it was a bluebird day and the wind was just right. i got to steer the sailboat for much of the day. it was awesome. as we came back into the harbor i witnessed a submarine surfacing. it was so cool. that night a bunch of the roommates left for l.a. except katie, kate and i. we watched weeds and ate bad food saturday night-it was great.

sunday i spent the day at the beach and i SURFED!!!! i love every second of it. as we left to return to l.a. kate's mom's boyfriend gave me an old wetsuit of his, even more exciting i get to use ashley's friend scott's surfboard for the remainder of my internship!!!

monday was hard for me to be back at work. all week i was recovering from a slight sunburn! haha, but again all week i have been working hard in the department to create and develop a DMB marketing campaign, and then i got hit with a second campaign, this one for TOMS. all week i have been working on these campaigns and coming home super tired. on wednesday night i went to the prop 8 rally and march in downtown l.a.

thursday the campus rep department got a free meal on TOMS at this awesome mexican place in venice called, baja venice cantina!! it was great. friday was so fun at work, we worked hard polishing our marketing campaigns to present monday. wish me luck, i present to all the head honchos!

i hope this caught you up, there is so much i'm leaving out. i love you so much and can't wait to talk to you again!!!

misinterpret

2009-02-23T20:37:00.000-08:00

i want to dedicate this post to my mom.

i read somewhere a while ago that, in a general sense, humans use five love languages (quality time, touch, act of service, gifts and words of affirmation) when communicating love with each other. i learned that my GIVING love language is quality time and touch. and my RECEIVING love language is words of affirmation and quality time.

upon further investigation, i learned that my mother's love language is gifts. that is how she gives love. i am still working on learning her receiving love language.

that said, i wanted to spend a second to recognize my mom. whether you know her or not she is an amazing woman. we find it hard sometimes to communicate love with each other but when we get it, it feels great.

dear mom,

i love you so much, and for what you do for me, and what you have done for me, i am forever grateful. thank you so much for knowing what i need when i need it, and what i need even when you shouldn't be giving it to me.

i know we don't talk much but for every time you have been selfless, forgiving, understanding and unconditionally and compassionately loving, i am forever grateful.

you mean so much to me; and although i am taking my life in new directions and going on wild adventures to discover the meaning of life i always remember that back at home, waiting with seth and ray, there you are.

i love you so much, and i miss you.

thank you.

love.

planetarium

2009-02-22T13:35:00.000-08:00

the last week has been intense.

i started monday refreshed and ready for the week. at the end of the day on monday i was asked to be in a shoot for TOMS shoes thursday. it definitely made me feel good about myself. so thursday i was set to be modeling for our Spring collection and line launch.

the campus rep department has also been crazy since the term started. a lot of my reps have already had a lot of events and programs.

the week has been pretty chill otherwise. i have been working on spending and budgeting. it has been hard, but that's how a lot of my week was dictated.

thursday we woke up at 6am for the shoot and we were actually crew as well as models. we were raking and cleaning up the house that we were doing the shoot at. i got the full hair and make-up treatment. it was great.

the weekend was great, friday i went to bed early and woke up early to drive a vw van back to huntington beach-we borrowed the van for the photo shoot. it was a '77 westfalia. hard to drive, but super fun. we walked around hungtington and returned the clothes from the shoot in newport at a place called trovata. we came home and got ready for a dinner party at kate's aunt's house in beverly hills. we had cocktails, dinner and fun. it was awesome, we then headed to the standard and the purple room. we didn't see any celebrities, but we had a great time.

sunday...i'm chilling-waiting for the oscars to start.

love

simple.

2009-02-16T12:43:00.001-08:00

this weekend...

as i said, "tomorrow [will be] brighter" and that tomorrow was saturday/sunday. Both figuratively and literally, tomorrow was better.

i slept in a lot. it felt great, the day was a lot nicer. it was sunny. it was warm and it definitely affected my mood.

here's my saturday adventures in a nutshell:
-went to culver city
-read a book
-caught up on emails
-went to a psychic/astrologer (kaylie tell your mom!)
-read a book, Power of Now
-went to bed early!

here's my sunday adventures in a nutshell:
-grocery shopping
-watched the reader
-went to the LA tar pits, for 3 minutes
-went to the Museum of Contemporary Art, saw a penis, some mirrors
-went to Little Tokyo
-saw Russell Crowe
-drove home without a native LA-er
-got lost in Compton at night
-arrived home an hour later than i should have
-stress ate ice cream: bad idea, cramps!
-watched Ellen
-watched Into the Wild
-got lifted
-laughed a lot
-cried a little

i needed peace, and i needed some strength. i remembered where that comes from and i am slowly recovering. without actually having literally been reeling in pain and emotion, i definitely put my head up and there is a light at the end of this tunnel. it's like, i always feel like, "why does this stuff always happen to me!?" i'm sure we all ask that, and there is a comfort knowing that both the good and the bad happen to all of us, it's how i choose to endure it that matters. this has made me stronger, i will be fine, another scar.

love, peace and aloha!

brakes

2009-02-14T12:52:00.000-08:00

Week 5 had me curtailed on my vision of reality. I assumed to some extent that the adult life would not be that hard. What I had not properly prepared myself for was a lack of love, resources, motivation and passion.

What is so exciting about being an adult? According to the last two months of post-graduate bliss, I have experienced a lot more post-graduate miss.

I took a leap by breaking off a relationship. That leaves me alone; in "that" sense, of course. Taking this internship was one of the most exciting and fun adult decisions I made. I would get a free place to stay. Live with 14 other people and enjoy the California lifestyle. Fact: I live in California, with 14 other people and make $50 a week. I do more than my fair share of 40 hours a week, to which I still only make $50 a week. For the last several months, I have learned the true nature of living within my means, I can still look great, but it sure beats the life they show you on TV. My motivation to do anything is curbed; a curbing of my enthusiasm! I am finding that the traces of depression that still linger are preventing me from enjoying certain things. I am hoping that this week will bring change and growth and that continuing to work towards getting the Peace Corps squared away will jump start my motivation. That leaves passion. Why do I do what I do? I do not know. I am finding that my heroes are human and that being this far from the people I love will always hinder me a little in my abilities to do the best job I can. I miss my friends and family so much sometimes, and long for that feeling when I could run and hug my parents when I needed them most to avoid a looming doom. Those days are gone and I must meet any struggles with my chin up and a strong rationale.

That brings me to the week. This week I had a lot of work to do for our Campus Reps at TOMS. I had to personally send out 200 Promo Packs to each rep and it just felt like that project was bigger that it turned out to be. I am exhausted from that alone. I am also just exhausted emotionally. I do not have a lot of people to talk to down here that I trust, or that I want to be vulnerable with so I am finding that I am bottling up a lot of my feelings. Even worse, it is causing me to shut off from anyone in general. I was faced with a couple of hard financial decisions and struggles. I have faced these problems before, and I will face them again. It all comes down to understanding that it is part of the plan, and that I am not given any hardship that God does not think I can handle. He is always there, and I have learned once more to trust him. I am also working on loving myself and working on my confidence. Do we ever achieve maximum confidence? I would hope not because the learning that goes along with finding confidence is too valuable to ever be without it.

This post for this week doesn't have many details on what I did. I did a lot of nothing. I had a lot of work to do this week and so that took up my time. I went to a wine bar on Wednesday, and Thursday went to a different wine bistro. I got an amazing care package from my dad and spent a lot of quality time with the roommates. It was a great week. I wish this was easier sometimes, this life they require you to endure. Today is hard, Tomorrow will be brighter.

Love

LOVE

2009-02-10T23:01:00.001-08:00

I LOVE BROOKE BRAMLEY!

just thought i would let you know!

pacifico

2009-02-09T13:37:00.000-08:00

Good Monday all:

Well, let me tell you...

So, Friday was intense. It was one of two intense days of rain since I have been in LA. It was a warm rain. Refreshing, in a way! In addition to the rain, we were having our sample and overstock sale at the TOMS headquarters. Which is not a good venue for a sale of shoes even more so on a rainy day. Despite the rain, we had thousands of people spending thousands of dollars on our shoes. It was great. The best part was thinking about all the shoes that we would be giving away to children in need on the Shoe Drops.

We were supposed to have the whole house go to a piano bar in Universal City-which is like the Universal Studios for adults. Bars. Restaurants. Shopping, etc. The piano bar was amazing, and we celebrated Kate's birthday. I was the designated driver so I got free juice and pop all night. We left about 11:30p-we got there at 7p. So we were tuckered out, and most of the crew had had his/her fair share of drinks. Haha. Needless to say, it was fun singing to oldies and dancing. Plus, I did not wake up Saturday with a hangover.

On Saturday morning, Kate and I were headed down to San Diego for a few things she needed to do, and I wanted to tag along. We woke up super early, 8:15a-it was especially early for her because she was a little hungover.

So, we arrived in Carlsbad, CA at about 10:30a for her to get her eyebrows waxed...why would anyone do this to themselves? What am I talking about, I did it, too! Just kidding. Haha

Right after the eyebrow waxing, we raced over to my favorite ever breakfast place in the world. And, right after I say this I know...Adam, Neil and Kelly are going to hate me! I went to Pipes!!!! It's right in Cardiff. And this day was gorgeous, we sat outside on the deck and watched the ocean. We drove by a couple of hot surf spots and watched everyone surf. I drooled. A lot.

Then we headed to Kate's house, where once we arrived I found a baby hummingbird on the sidewalk, which long story short-we nursed him back to health and he is currently in the care of the proper people.

We got ready at Kate's for a bit then actually headed into San Diego, or more specifically Point Loma. We boarded a Jenneau sailboat. I'm not sure of the model, but it was about 30'. Kyle K, I wish you could have been there. We had about 12 people on the deck drinking wine, eating finger foods, etc. There was actually a downstairs, with: 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a kitchen a dining room and a sitting area. It was amazing! Our captain was a Frenchmen named Frederique! I got to steer for a bit. I tried my first beer, Pacifico. Now, let me clarify. It was really my first beer since my ACTUAL first beer. I tried a dark, scotch ale once. Bleck! Anyway, we sailed around the San Diego harbor and saw a couple rainbows off in the distance. The buildings all glistened in the late afternoon as the water glistened with dancing sparkles on the surface. Could not have asked for a better afternoon.

Then, in the evening we headed to a function to celebrate a year of surfing at Kate's uncles resort in Indonesia: Nemberala!!! The video that was premiered was a video that featured a bunch of famous surfers and some great music. The club that we had the party at gave us free wine and appetizers! Believe me, I have my fair share of wine. But, I also had a Shirley Temple and a Roy Rogers.

Sunday morning, we headed out to travel back. We stopped at Swami's Cafe and Hanson's-my FAVE surf shop!!! Then, we stopped at the Reef sandals factory in San Clemente. Basically, the trip was stellar!

As soon as we got back to the house on Sunday, Kate and I headed out on a bike ride on our beach cruisers. The bike trail is right on the beach, along the water. We headed up to Venice, and then decided to keep going, so we kept biking right on up to the Santa Monica pier. We walked around the pier, watched trapeze artists and then rode back.

Once we got back home we went and rented Ellen, had dinner and then watched the Grammy's before calling it a night...

That's it for now, talk soon! I love you all!

Worms

2009-02-05T23:49:00.000-08:00

I thought I would let you know a little secret.

First off, I have been loving work. And today, I felt like people around the office-those people who are permanent staff-gave off a vibe like maybe they liked me.

But more importantly, I got a library card and I checked out an LSAT book. I have been studying for the last couple of nights. It's nice to be thinking again. I mean, I miss the intellectual/student mindset. It's been a treat going to bed while reading the LSAT study book.

Even better, I've fallen in love with a new band! Check out COCONUT RECORDS. I'm currently listening to their album Nighttiming. Specifically, the song "West Coast" is on repeat.

Check it out and lots of love. Talk soon!

zoinks!!!

2009-02-04T17:30:00.000-08:00

I forgot to mention...

So, I have been in correspondence via email with this guy I met at a party in LA on the night of the Inauguration. He was really cool and he gave me his card. He said we should coffee sometime. I didn't really have any information for him so I just threw out my email address at work. Well, sometimes confuse the way to spell my name. And, he did!

About a week later, one of the IT guys forwards me a message that is from this guy. He addressed it to zackp@tomsshoes.com, which is not me. Haha. Anyway, his name is Andres Miguel Espana, by the way. In the email he talks about getting coffee, and so at first I think OH MAN, I don't know. Then, I was like, SHUT UP! Let's just do it. I haven't had a date in a while. So, I reply and just this morning he came to the office at 10:30a for a coffee date. He is a little older than me and is a director for this amazing organization called: globalartsexhibit.org

I think he is absolutely swoon worthy, and needless to say the date was fun and very chill. I am currently in the probationary waiting time to respond...

I'll keep you posted.

Love all around.

Java

2009-02-04T13:44:00.000-08:00

(Picture is of Katie and I at the Chelsea Lately taping, featured guest was Katy Perry!)

Well, since we spoke last a lot has happened...

On Monday, our team had to reassemble for work after the greatest four-day weekend on record. Let me tell you, it was brutal! I had a hard time concentrating and then once I got in the groove at work I seemed to get a lot done. It was one of the most productive days I have had while working at TOMS!

Monday night was great, we had a cleaning party/house meeting/house bonding activity. And, as a whole it was a great time to bond and reconnect. It was a healthy activity in that we talked about a lot of the issues that we had and everything was on the table. It was healthy growth for the house.

Then, TUESDAY happened. I don't know why I emphasized Tuesday as though it was intense it was not. But it was definitely a backwards day. Our door broke, Danielle's car wouldn't start along with a slough of other not-so-pleasant things happened yesterday. At work, we were locked out because the permanent staff was out of the office at a secret meeting. So, we had no power, couldn't get in and all had to huddle in a room to work! It was fantastic.

Then, Tuesday after work we came home and tried to get ready for Kate's birthday. She's turning 23. Some of us were interested in seeing Travis, the office manager, play at a local lounge Tuesday night. It was great because we got there about an hour before Travis was scheduled to go on. It was an open mic night, but an LA open mic night. So, everyone was super awesome because they're all trying to get their foot in the door. I had a glass of chardonnay and enjoyed the couple of hours we were there.

Then, I got home and tried to get to bed quickly because we had plans to take Kate out to breakfast before work. Which means we had to be up super early. It went off without a hitch because we all hustle and bustled out of the house by 7:55a. We tricked her into throwing out her oatmeal while we were driving-so she wouldn't be full for breakfast-and she believed me when I told her the oatmeal smelled bad/rotten. That detail was key so that she was super hungry and thirsty for coffee by the time we made it to Panera Bread and Bakery. All day has been awesome, I'm at work not planning part two of three of Kate's birthday celebration.

My phone should be arriving today.

I love you.

FINALLY!!!

2009-02-01T21:27:00.000-08:00

(Pictured is the men, and me and all the women!)

Well, let me first start off by saying. MY PHONE IS FRIED. If I have not called you lately, this is why.

But, let's start from the beginning...

Since the last time we spoke, I got to celebrate my 23rd birthday in style. And, that was amazing. I just met all of the people I am living with and they already were super into planning a birthday party for me. Katie Lee is probably my best friend here, and she made sure from the second I woke up until I passed out after going out to a swanky club later that night. Ashley Luther, Claire Burke and Adam Greenberg are probably the other folks here that I have really connected with or have a strong bond with.

Anyway, so I woke up to balloons, streamers, and noise makers. It was great. All day at work was intense because all I could think about was how fun it would be to be at one of LAs most swank gay club/lounges. The Abbey, was the name and my party was the game. Once we got home from work that day Katie poured me a glass of wine to start the festivities. She gave me a lot to drink that night. So, I have a friend named Jessie Davis and he works for the Abbey, Hyde and Area in LA. Actually, he will be on a reality show on the Bravo network this summer. Check him out!!! Okay, so Jessie got us VIP section seating and free cover and made my birthday legit! Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure I was rufied by Ruthie from the Real World Hawaii! I took a picture with Ruthie and generally had an amazing time. Or so I'm told! Katie had to remind me of about 50% of the night. Now, I don't drink that much-not only do I have a low tolerance of alcohol, but I'm also a lightweight-that combination really made for a great night as I am pretty sure I was what some would call "blacked out" To me, NOT COOL! Whatever, the party of 25 people made the night wonderful enough. I ended up being rushed home to get rid of toxins in the porcelain throne!

So, needless to say MY FRIDAY WAS AWFUL! I was recovering from the worst hangover in the world and had to be jolly for work. HARDEST THING I've ever done. I was in the bathroom about 50% of the day.

That weekend, my friend Farah from Bellingham visited. We went to Santa Monica promenade, went to West Hollywood for lunch, did lots of window shopping, visited The Grove-a famous mall in LA, went to a hookah bar, had drinks at the Standard, had drinks at Luna Park. Sunday we woke up late and grocery shopped to make all the roommates a pizza dinner. She ended up leaving Monday morning.

After work Monday-which was the most stressful day of my life-here's why:
Basically, my job is very fun. But also super stressful. There are a total of 225 campus reps for TOMS Shoes across the country, and also starting this year 5 overseas in the UK, Phillipines and also a couple in Canada. Anyway, Larry Cohen and I are in charge of managing them. We have the responsibility of maintaining contact with them and keeping track of the events they do on behalf of TOMS Shoes. Campus reps are required to sell shoes, promote TOMS and put on events at their respective schools. WE HAVE TO MANAGE THEM. I have never had so many emails in my inbox IN MY LIFE!!! HAHA!

Okay, so Monday was stressful because we had to do web conferences to train the Campus Reps. It was just a lot of work. The best part of Monday was that that evening we went to a Clippers game against the Trailblazers. Clippers lost. Haha!

Tuesday was long, and a little cloudy. But I survived. Best part of the week was that all the permanent staff had a four-day weekend retreat. So interns had a four-day FUN weekend.

Wednesday night Devika Daga's dad bought all of us Indian food. It was awesome. Did a little Target shopping.

Thursday was a great sleep in day. Thursday afternoon we went to 826la to work with students and tutor them. It was part of TOMS Shoes intern outreach. It was awesome. I worked with a kid named Cesar! I will miss him. He was hilarious and extremely smart. We talked about the Cuban Missile Crisis, Presidential Assasinations, Obama and his presidency, etc. Thursday night we went to trivia at a bar. We lost. But it was fun! We came back and had some more drinks!

Friday was great! A couple of the interns and I went to 826la early in the morning. And it was gorgeous, hot, and a blue-bird day! We worked with local junior high kids as part of an anti-gang initiative. So, Noah a screenwriting professor came in and taught them about that and movies. The kids were hardcore but awesome and hilarious. Best part of Friday was we went to a live taping of Chelsea Lately. We got VIP and were the first guests let in. Friday night Katie and started to play a drinking game where we watched Pineapple Express and every time someone in the movie said weed, gonja, hash, etc. we had a sip of wine. Then, I got an invite to the Abbey with a couple friends. It was another fun night, I saw Jessie and danced a lot. Returned home kinda early, but nonetheless great time!

Saturday was fun, to recover from the night before Ashley, Katie and Adam and I went on a bike ride on beach cruisers to Venice Beach. On such a warm and amazing day, a nice bike ride was in store. It was wonderful. We did a lot of people watching and Danielle wanted a Rasta hat, and a Bob Marley shirt. I got her them. We found a cute little patio cafe, one street up from the boardwalk and less people were there. It was great and cheap. We walked into Venice a little bit. I found my new favorite surf shop called Mollusk. And my new favorite eatery: Seed-all organic and vegan. Saturday night I went to bed by 9p.

Sunday was late wake up, and party plan for the Super Bowl. Once again, Katie and I took charge to put the party together and it went off without a hitch.

I'm on here now writing to you. Thanks for reading I have one last thing to say...

I love you Mom.
I love you Dad.
I love you Kelsea.
I love you Seth.
I love you Ray.
I love you Rick.
I love you Dawn.
I love you Kellen.
I love you Kaylie.
I love you Jacob.
I love you Megan.
I love you Adam.
I love you Neil.
I love you Andrew.
I love you Kyle K.
I love you Kyle G.
I love you Phil.
I love you Elise.
I love you Allison.
I love you Dawn A.
I love you Adam D.
I love you Bridget.
I love you Cassie.
I love you Pam.
I love you Scott.
I love you Heidi.
I love you everyone. I miss you all so much.

Talk soon, Aloha

ripple

2009-01-20T09:44:00.000-08:00

I wept....

...God Bless America the Beautiful.

I was up at 7am to get my seat ready!

What a glorious day!

Bow Chicka Bow Wow!

2009-01-19T17:28:00.000-08:00

(Picture is Adam, Ashley, Justin, me and Paige at Turtle Racing.)

So Thursday last Thursday night...

Our house made a trip to this bar that featured Turtle Racing. It was hilarious, and awesome. The night before Katie made me drink a little too much so I took it easy on Thursday night. Our turtle lost the race.

We had a ton of fun dancing and making fools of ourselves, Larry, my roommate, accidentally got into a barfight. He actually got kicked in the chest.

Friday was great because it was Friday, and after interviewing possible College/ High School aged students applying to be part of our campus internship 6p could not have come quicker. Friday night was chill, but our whole house headed to a mustache party in Venice benefiting the Falling Whistles organization. It was great. We all dressed up. Put on mustaches. Enjoyed live music. Enjoyed some short films and dancing!!! I was the DD! It was nice not to drink but still have a great time!

On Saturday, once again, the weather was approximately 80 degrees and we had to wake up early to go pick up our free shoes at the TOMS Store in Venice. I got a great pair of sapphire blue corduroy TOMS. We then headed to Newport Beach/Costa Mesa for thrift store shopping, but we drove along the Pacific Coast Highway and drove through Huntington Beach. It was awesome. I didn't find any bow ties, which has been my super obsession since I arrived in California. Unfortunately, I haven't found any bow ties and I have been thrift store shopping for weeks. Hint: Birthday Idea!!!

That night was pretty chill, and I watched Slumdog Millionaire. It was great!

Sunday we woke up early for Pilates in Santa Monica, at the free class at Lulu Lemon. I am still sore.

We spent Sunday afternoon doing the typical Hollywood tourist business. Saw Grauman's Chinese Theater, the Hollywood Sign, etc.

We had lunch on Melrose and did MORE THRIFT STORE Shopping. Again, did not find any bow ties. It was great walking around on Melrose. It was awesome!!!

NO BOW TIES, though.

Sunday night was once again chill, as I knew I had to wake up earlier than usual for work for a meeting at 8:30am for a Creative Department meeting.

I am currently at work, sore but powering through all of my projects.

Just BTW!!! My birthday is Thursday and I am accepting CARE PACKAGES. FOOD WOULD BE GREAT, BOW TIES WOULD BE BETTER!

Aloha for now...

old coffee

2009-01-15T13:58:00.000-08:00

(Picture is me at the Falling Whistles Party in Santa Monica, we saw the guy from the Chronicles of Narnia and we had to wear mustaches to get in. BTW-no one else had mustaches!)

Hey Friends and Family and possibly Foes...

I have doing amazingly down in California. The weather has been amazing and I couldn't ask for a better experience.

I moved in last Thursday to this great house in Santa Monica and the weather has been fantastic. It's been about 80 degrees for the last week. As soon as I was picked up from the airport I felt comfortable. The people have been awesome, too. We were in training all day Friday but the rest of the weekend we got to hang out, if you will. We traveled to IKEA, Pasadena and just had a GREAT weekend sight seeing. It was awesome. I have been enjoying my time getting to know all the people I live with. Their passion is awesome. I'm already completely obsessed with TOMS.

Our house is great and we're about 2 blocks from the beach, and I have been running every morning on the beach. It gorgeous and I'm definitely spoiled.

We have been having some great times and I hope some of y'all can come visit.

Any questions!?

FedEx

2009-01-09T19:56:00.000-08:00

(Picture is of first night in LA at the Garter, a club/bar on Lincoln and Washington)
So...

I arrived in LA yesterday and quickly got comfortable with the group as soon as I arrived. I was hella nervous, walking into two places a condo full of traveling interns and then the house in LA for all of us permanent interns. It was definitely fun meeting about 30 new people. I hope I made a great first impression. I haven't actually told anyone I'm gay yet so we'll see how that goes.

The guys that I'm rooming with are super rad! Adam and Larry are pretty funny and sarcastic-this will be good! Justin arrived today so I'm yet to get to know him. He's the Australian! The guys are great.

Today we had orientation and rules and we watched an amazing video that detailed the history of TOMS. I'll bring one home!!!

It's been great. We're all these similar, passionate, hardworking and compassionate groups of 14 men and women who are about to embark on a truly stellar journey.

Our house is amazing, we are a two minute walk from the beach and our weather is gorgeous. Our house is a two-story home with a great vibe already going. I share a bathroom with 8 people. Our whole house is into organic and healthy food which is super awesome. I am also in a house with like 6 runners, even better! Lastly, we have been very organized about the term of our internship-from rides, who cooks, chores, etc . I LOVE IT!!!

I'll post pics later,

Aloha

money. care packages. love.

2009-01-08T10:48:00.000-08:00

Here's my address in California:

Zach Pullin
325 Waterview Street
Playa del Rey, CA 90293

Baggage Claim

2009-01-08T10:38:00.000-08:00

(Picture is me walking on the beach by our house at sunset.)

Just arrived at the airport. My bag was 69 pounds-insert laugh-and that is what she said.

Sucks! An overweight bag on delta is $90. Boo. Whatever. On top of the $15 for the first bag, my trip's off to a great start.

Anyhoozlebees! I'm siting by my gate-kinda tearing up. Leaving Seth and my mom and rick bums me out. My dad and I had a great time and my sister and I got super close over break. I'm going to miss that. If you're wondering-I'm going to miss the austins and cass, too. Please be thinking and keeping scott in your prayers.

Besides that...I'm going to have a lot of down time today! Reading and slumming at the airport. But, this is it. I stared over. LA for a while and then Peace Corps. It's all happening and it feels so good!

Assignment for today: tell someone you love them. Look them in the eyes and say it genuinely. So, they know you mean it. I saw a lot of friends and all my family while at home, what I learned is a deficiency in all of us to just let the people closest to us how we feel.

I'll be in touch! Now I get to work on a real tan-I'm kinda burnt from kelsea and I obsessively and competitively tanning. She's winning.

Ok-I'm out. I just needed to write!

I'll be back soon...

Aloha

Snapshots...

2008-12-30T17:52:00.000-08:00

Well...

As it goes, I talked to Anne Fraser again at the Peace Corps and it looks like Central Asia is calling! She did a recommendation and the review was great for my application. I am looking at either Georgia, which I would really like, Turkmenistan, Albania, Moldova, etc...Basically, it looks like I will be working with the local NGO's (Non-Governmental Organizations) and developing community programs as well as working on the infrastructure of a few of the NGOs in the community.

In addition, I just visited the NATIVE Project, and my has it changed. It truly made me miss it! Thanks everyone for a warm welcome and I will be keeping in touch.

Lastly, we finally had some sun today...

So, as they say yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery and today is a gift-that's why it's called PRESENT!

Trust and patience for most of our problems and concerns are all any of us can ask for. I have been dealing with some stuff, in addition to the support of my family, it takes a little lesson in trust, as well.

Aloha

CALIFORNIA IN T-MINUS...9 DAYS!

Once I get down to California I'll have pictures and my address, because you know I'll need a care package or two!!

Frames

2008-12-28T15:10:00.000-08:00

WOW!!!

First off, happy belated holidays.

Second, Spokane has about 4 feet of snow. Really, now!? Annoying.

Anyway, I'm finally getting the ball rolling a little more on Peace Corps stuff. I talked to Anne Fraser at the Peace Corps office in Seattle and she said she would be nominating me for an NGO job in Central Asia!!! Wow!!! Awesome!

Lastly, Shannon and I are going to discuss some possible Master's Programs while I'm in the Peace Corps.

Talk soon!

Aloha

Nutcrackering

2008-12-22T14:00:00.000-08:00

Well...

As the devil god of everything bad dumps more and more depressing obstacles on me preventing me from making it home, I am also remembering grace, patience and understanding.

I got stuck in the snow 20 minutes before my bus was to depart for Seattle to hang out with the Goodwins! After I finally got to the bus station, I found out my bus was cancelled. Then, my saving grace, RACHEL ECKES. She saved me in my most vulnerable time of need and took me to Seattle. I've been watching flight info, weather conditions and airport status like a hawk-so far so good, knock on wood!

Now, I'm just trying to recover from the morning, and am awaiting the last part of my journey this evening. When you feel like everything is going wrong, sometime God gives you a surprise. I'm still waiting. Haha.

Even weirder, having just graduated it's been weird not actually having any of the graduating, moving or transitioning hit me, yet. I'm still waiting...although, I did see Seven Pounds last night and I cried a little. I'm assuming CryWaterfall'08 will hit when everyone else is back in school and I'm not...

Anyway, I love you all-if I didn't get to see you or talk to you before I left, I apologize as traveling has taken up much of my time and energy-I'll get a hold of you soon!

Aloha

Cat's in the Cradle

2008-12-20T20:20:00.000-08:00

I have t-minus two days left at my home in Bellingham.

It's kinda hitting me hard. It's weird to look back at everything I've done and the life I created here. It scares me to think I have to start over.

In the midst of the whirlwind of trying to get home during a blizzard, I have been doing a lot of work for Peace Corps. I have a meeting with Anne Fraser on Monday about finalizing a job and such.

I'm almost home, and I can hardly wait!

Aloha for now. Stay warm and stay safe!

John Denver

2008-12-13T23:00:00.000-08:00

I graduated 12 hours ago.

My mom and that whole side of the family were in town for a couple of days to celebrate. It was exactly what I needed to get me through the week. I miss being home and with my family. They don't know that, because I'm not good at expressing, but I hope they felt the love and adoration I have for them.

...

But now, I'm finally sitting by myself in my empty room, waiting for the 22nd to get here to return home. Even worse than the reservoir of tears backed up behind my eyes, I watched Family Stone tonight with the roomies, so I'm a little more nostalgic about my place in the world.

I graduated, took pictures, had lunch with my Pops, Sissy and Dawn and my aunt and Kaylie. Afterwards, I spent all afternoon packing and going through everything I have saved for the last four years. It was bittersweet. Kaylie was here to reminisce about everything together. I have been trying to hold it all together for the past couple of days because I want to seem in control of my emotions, whilst everything else in life is not completely in my control.

I had a grad party at Lisa's, and I almost wept. I gave a toast, and got a lot of accolades which is going to make me miss this place. Lisa is amazing. We sang karaoke!

Nevertheless, I'm at the top floor of our house, in an empty room, sitting in my recliner staring out at the beautiful snowy scene waiting to cry. It will come. It will be a good release.

Love

Scooters and dried bananas

2008-12-10T13:07:00.000-08:00

Well, after my comm final got over about an hour and a half before I thought it would, I was off to the FalalalalaiNN on campus, a Christmas party with the on-campus ministry I was involved in. So, the fact that I had just attended my last class did not hit me. Well, it actually still has not hit me, yet!

It's hard to believe I'm done. I worked so hard, and it's weird because sometimes I would take the little defeats-bad grades, bad teachers and worse assignments and tell myself that I wasn't smart, I wasn't a hard worker and that I didn't deserve to leave/graduate, but really looking back I worked my tail off and I produced some pretty stellar academic work in the last four years. So, YA! I do deserve this, and I am pumped.

Megan is back from Guatemala and we're having some fun catching up! Her being here means that my family is closer to being here, too. My mom, Dad, Rick, Kels, Seth, Ray, Cassie, Pam, Scott, Grandma, Kaylie, Dawn will be here within 24 hours! And that rocks!!!!

I'm also just pumped for the actual graduation, I hear it's good closure. I need that, plus I could use a good cry. Haha...Even more excited, I ordered a lei for graduation. I'm not actually Hawaiian, but I always wanted one since my friend Mike had one at our high school graduation!

Anyway, I must get back to work at red.berry. I have a lot of projects I need to get done before I head out for home and then California!

Aloha for now!

Sooner rather than later

2008-12-08T23:08:00.000-08:00

Pomegranate

2008-12-08T15:36:00.000-08:00

I just finished two finals!

Wow!

One more final before I'm a graduate-well technically not until Saturday at 11:30am, well technically not until 6-8 weeks later when the school mails out my diploma-you get the picture.

I'm putting the finishing touches on leaving my mark at red.berry; that's where I work. I love that place. It's only the greatest frozen yogurt shop in the Northwest.

Anyway, I've got to get back to studying...wish me luck!

Aloha

Spots on the Mirror

2008-12-06T21:56:00.000-08:00

I was reading over an old journal I wrote about a month ago today.

It was November 10th. Adam and I had been dating about two weeks and I was flying high! I had reserved two seats to this really interesting sounding presentation by a woman who had survived the Holocaust. Her name was Naomi Ban.

The one I remember in reflecting on my journal entry from that evening was that it really made it apparent how precious family and friends were. Naomi lost her mom, her Grandmother, her 13 year-old sister and her dad. It made it all so real; the importance of family was solidified.

I remembered leaving feeling like I needed to start making more of an effort with my family, but it also vindicated my desire to get out and see the world. Obviously, we are not faced with concentration camps or imprisonment, but staying in one location and experiencing life through one scope, one lens seemed all so dumb. I needed to get out and see the world, experience life in different locations, surrounded by different people.

I don't know why I felt compelled to go to this presentation, but after I left it became clear that the stark reminder of the importance of family and friends was apparent. I'm rambling now, but that's only because I have three days left of my undergraduate career before I'll be a California boy.

Aloha

BLISTEX medicated

2008-12-04T20:36:00.000-08:00

So, I literally just walked out of my last undergraduate class...ever!

Although the feeling is great, it leaves somewhat of bittersweet feeling in the air. I drove my friend Megan and I home in her car, because she both sucks at driving and just plain hates it. As I was driving past all the university buildings on our way home, I was getting flashes of all the classes I've been in for the last four years. I was getting flashes of all the group projects I had been a part of. I was getting flashes of all the people who had touched my life.

I'm not one to get too emotional these days, it just doesn't fit into my schedule. But, let me tell you: it is the most painfully amazing feeling I have ever experienced. Have you ever been to a casino, waited for a machine and some old lady leaves? You jump to her machine, and BAM! You win a jackpot. It's that kind of a feeling.

After high school, so many things instantly became clear as to where they should lie on my life's priority list. Right away, family was at the top of my list. My friends became second, and I took a back seat. I learned so many times the power of family and friends. I would make millions of mistakes and they would always be right there to help me. I took them for granted, and it hurts to think I treated them so poorly for the last four years, but I tried. And, I hope it showed. Because at the end of the day, the clothes I'm wearing don't matter. The way I look doesn't matter. The topics I choose to educate myself on and become wise on don't matter. Friends and family are the most important thing I have. And that's all that matters.

One of my favorite movies, Into the Wild, is about a recent college grad who sells everything and runs away to Alaska to find answers to life. The one thing he came away with that trip knowing is that true happiness is only best experienced when it's shared, and shared by the people whom you love.

As Megan and I finally left the long drive out of campus, I realized, yes! I built a life here, I defined so much of my identity here, and I even charted uneasy territory-my self, and the discovery that go along with it. That's okay though, I had a great time here. And I will eventually have my great cry over it all, but I've got my family and my friends. Although, those memories serve as a reminder of where I've been and what I can do, it remains but a chapter in the life.

It reminded me that I am soooo ready for the next chapter. My internship in California, the Peace Corps, and all the work I have to do to get into Columbia!

Aloha

still in the thick of it...

2008-12-01T18:32:00.000-08:00

It's only December 1, 2008 and I have two weeks left of my undergraduate adventure.

I'm freaking out-to say the least.

I just had BESTIE TOUR '08 though, so the next couple of weeks seems a little easier, I can breathe a little better with the rejuvenation after visiting Kellen and Jacob in New York and Chicago, respectively. Kellen works at PEI, and Jacob works at Chicago Jobs Council. It was a much needed break, and I'm more ready for the next couple weeks, for sure!

What this trip has done for me is unquantifiable. For one of the first times in my life, I feel like I have some direction. Did you know that I didn't shop ONCE in New York, that's crazy! But what it showed me was that if I really want to accomplish my dreams, I must act now to ensure it can happen. Being in New York, it made me yearn to be there. I want to live there so bad!!! Not even because I was there, and Kellen living there is a bonus, it isn't my reason for this desire. I desparately need to be in that environment and culture; going to school at Columbia Law School would be AMAZING!!! I will end up there, I'll work for that!

But, I'm still in the thick of it here in Bellingham. I have a ton of homework, a ton of other things in my life I'd like to tackle before I head to my internship in Santa Monica and dealing with a depressing break-up with Adam.

I started this because my professor, Bliss Goldstein said writing is therapeutic and that I could really benefit from it. So, I'm trying it.

And so...the journey begins....