Life Engaged: One Mans Journey of the Absurd

Crazy Homeless, Talks a lot Zack

2011-12-17T17:45:00.006-05:00

I'm working on finding a warehouse here in Asheville where I can set up a studio to do a show on YouTube. This was just one random day and I think he (I) may be a regular guest. I'm also looking for people who are experts or just nerdy smart about subjects that would like to a part of the show. Email me!

Hostel Life

2011-08-24T11:52:00.006-04:00

I quit my Psych Nursing position after five days in Tampa, and drove to a rest stop outside of Asheville where I lived for a week while waiting to interview for a wilderness therapy guide position. After one week I found Bon Paul and Sharky's Hostel.

I've lived at the hostel now since May 24th, three months today. At first I was renting a room in their mixed bunk dorm, currently I live in a tent in the backyard. It's wonderful.

When I first showed up to the Hostel I met Jeremy, the manager. We're best buddies now. He has a Masters in Fine Art, is a fellow Unitarian, and likes PBR. Also his mustache grows very fast.

In the last three months I've met probably over three hundred travelers. All were cordial, some were boring, others were eccentric to say the least, and a few are good friends now. I feel at home here; for now. Here are some pictures of my apartment, Jeremy, and some of my favorite guests. Also a video of our most eccentric and coolest musician to pass through, Doz Roberts.

Alligator Tales and Everglade Adventures

2011-05-05T21:59:00.018-04:00

The hostel I'm staying in is about three miles from Everglades National Park. I decided to venture over and see if I could find some trails to ride my bike.

The day started at the front desk of the hostel. Onne, the hostel owner suggested I try a secluded path a few miles off the main park roads, if I truly wanted the Everglade experience. Just keep an eye out for alligators she said, some of them like to lay in the road.

After a few minutes of driving I reached the destination.

With my trusty six inch fishing fillet knife on my side, and my backpack filled with my valuables on my back, I jumped on my bike, excited to find an alligator and possibly catch one.

As I rode down this path it became quickly evident that there was no civilivation for miles in any direction. This did not bother me, until I couldnt see the gate where I started. A paranoia started to edge on me. What if I get a flat tire, what if I fall off my bike and hit my head, what if (pause), damn no more cell phone coverage! This was it folks, I was truly on my own. I was ok with that. I've watched a lot of Man Vs Wild and Survivor man.

As I trekked on I admired the landscape. To the left were everglades and various schrub plants surviving in a barren water void basin (It is dry season here). On my right, butting up against the edge of the dirt and coral road was a swampy canal probably left over from when the road was built. I was separated from the water by a thin flimsy growth of everglades and plants and the occasional stretch of mangroves.

About seven miles in, riding under the sun soaked sky and only cathing a breeze from the speed of my pedaling, I had a realization.

Trying to focus on the task at hand, I weighed the yearning of both thirsts and decided my encounter with an alligator took precidence. Onward I went, tired but excited for adventure. Then suddenly I happened upon this majestic reptile.

Now I'll admit that my first reaction to it was "oh shit" as I passed next to it with left foot and pedal going over it, nearly wrecking into the swamp. But then my survival skills kicked in and I went to inspect it. Upon closer inspection it was dead. It was too small to eat so I carried on.

About a half mile down the road I could see a small area where the road widened. As I came to it and was crossing, a 5-6 foot alligator launched from the left side of the road, to the right, and then down into the canal. Faced with reality, I realized a fillet knife was pathetic. Scared I was but I was sure it was only because he snuck up on me. Next time I would be prepared.

You can't see it, I checked, so we'll move on.

I was getting tired and figured I was pushing my luck with life, bike mechanics and what not. I decided to bike a tad further and then turn around. As I went the little bit further the barren basin on my left started to show pools of water. Armed with some knowledge the Ranger had given me when I entered the park, I decided to stop and take a look.

Realizing that my dreams of wrestling an alligator were probably not in the near future and concerned about my need for hyperbolic responses to horse-flies, I started back on the long journey home.

Once I returned to the main road of the park I decided to stop at one of the visitor centers for a drink. As I pulled down the road I shrieked in horror when I saw the sign.

You see Big Blue is important to me, I wouldn't want her to get damaged!

Anyhoo, while talking to a German man at the edge of a path along the visitor center, he asked if I'd seen the gators over there? Over where I exclaimed! Right next to where all those people are standing on the deck bridge he said. Off I went to find literally dozens of gators hanging out on the waters edge right inside the park. I went to the edge of the earth to catch a glimpse of one gator, and all this time dozens are chillin at the visitors center?! At that moment, frustration and exhaustion culminated in a rant. A rant brought on by ego, dissapointment, and heat exhaustion.

Stay tuned. There is another adventure coming soon.

Five Star Accommodations

2011-05-04T21:45:00.020-04:00

I woke up today at the hostel excited to explore the grounds.
I hopped off my bunk and peeked out window to an oasis I couldn't believe. As I went down the steps I met a friend (I'm not sure if the drink was his). As I turned the corner I was greeted with happy memories of the hammock we use to have in our living room when I saw one tied between two trees. As I continued onward I discovered the tree house which I hear can hold 7 large adults! As I rounded the bend I found my way at the mouth of the large swimming pool/waterfall, how lovely. Onward I went until I found the life size chess board. Further on I went overwhelmed with peace until I came upon the outdoor yoga room. As I headed towards the back end of the property I came across the private suites they offered. Artistic they were. As I headed back I spotted another hammock:)... And then tonight when I walked into the outdoor shower, I was greeted with this colorful flower. Not a bad deal for 25 dollars a night if I do say so myself! Oh, did I mention they have free pancakes in the morning, as well as free wifi, big screen TV, and lovely employees who greet you and give you tips on the area? Speaking of tips they directed me to a nice secluded bike trail in Everglades National Park. Stay tuned tomorrow to hear and see that great adventure... (CLICK here to see enlarged photos)

hypnosis and all that jazz

2011-01-26T22:36:00.003-05:00

I recently took a course on hypnosis. Scared the hell out of me when I realized I actually hypnotized my friend a month ago. I didn't think I could, neither did he, but we were both open to it and that's all that is needed. Since then I've hypnotized a few friends and family members and have seem some pretty cool results from it. My Aunt was a great stage performer at our Christmas dinner, my friend found it totally reduced her stress to levels she doesn't remember, and I recently used it to help chad recall a song he had written a while back but had forgotten the words to. I have learned to hypnotise myself and used it to take away migraines and be awake in the morning without coffee. Intriguing to say the least.

Reality Has it's Benefits

2010-10-13T10:49:00.005-04:00

Among the many ideas in my head at the moment, is starting a company. I thrive on these ideas and have hundreds of them written on post-it notes scattered around the floor of my car and the hood of my washing machine (the only time I empty pockets). Every now and again I gain a little inspiration at the same time that I come across a really good idea.

My latest idea involves a company of which the mission statement would simply be: To provide new perspectives to individuals which in turn will enrich their lives and the lives of others.

I have found that one of the most powerful ways to help facilitate change is to stir up emotions in people, as opposed to laying out a rational plan. Emotions are a real motivator and they tend to propel actions in people that are genuine as opposed to those that are forced. New perspective is a powerful way to evoke and create what I have just relayed.

It is most easily seen on certain reality shows. I remember when I first heard of Wife Swap(where a wife and husband split up and are paired with the spouse of another couple),I thought it was disgusting and trashy TV. After I watched it, I thought it was beautiful. These people who had learned to take each other for granted, were reminded how great their life was, and how much they relied and cared for their significant other. The experience changed their lives; what a precious thing.

Most recently I have become a fan of Undercover Boss. Take 45 minutes out of your week and watch this show and try not to get a little choked up. You will notice there is a theme if you watch all the episodes. The CEO's all say they went in to this thinking they would learn insights into how to make policies and customer service better, and they did, but they were blown away by the humanity they encountered. They were reminded that life has feelings, and people behind those feelings. They walk away with a commitment to not only improve their company's bottom line, but nurture their employees in the process. For a man who is rarely overcome with strong visceral emotion, this show gets me every time.

There is nothing like the perspective of reality!

A Boy Can Dream

2010-08-23T23:19:00.003-04:00

You know those rare dreams that all the sudden start to get really good and before you know it you're about to...And then something really shitty happens like your dead great grandfather walks in the room and wants to have a chat with you about aliens? And then as soon as you convince your dead great grandpa to go back to his grave, the woman has mysteriously left your room or is now knitting a sweater on the rocking chair in the corner, completely uninterested? Yea I had one of them last night and, well what a bummer. Sitting here thinking, I think my ratio of "good" dreams squandered by dead relatives to "good" dreams conquered with a sleeping smile is about 8/1. Ugh.

Nothing is absolute.

2010-08-17T00:45:00.006-04:00

When I was about fifteen I remember sitting in my therapist's office explaining graphically with stick figurines how we could solve the societal effects of homelessness by killing them all. Ironically a few minutes later during that same session, we were alerted that 9/11 had just taken place.

I'm not sure when but within a year or so after, I started to develop an eye for shades of gray. Suddenly things that were once an open and shut case were now debatable, filled with caveats of circumstance, and no longer dismissible as simply right or wrong.

As one might imagine, the effects of this new paradigm were taxing to my thoughts. Alas, I started my love affair with philosophy!

Over the years my beliefs, morality and things of that nature have become more solid in a theoretical framework but each circumstance still allows itself analysis. The black and white is gone. Interestingly I have found that I still believe very much in the rough draft thoughts of my youth but how I believe in carrying out my beliefs, addressing a problem, or arguing a point has changed. I'm open to discussion.

Jeez, after rereading this I think I sound like a Dick obsessed with big words. In other words, I don't see things black and white. Ok ok I'm just trying to get back in the habit of blogging so consider this post an exercise in free writing. Nothing exciting but good stuff to come; I promise!

Ciao

Slow Progress

2010-07-09T03:52:00.004-04:00

I long to play the guitar so well that I can just pick it up and play what ever is on the radio. Maybe one day. For now this is where I'm at. I don't practice like I should and this is the poduct of a couple years of on again off again toying around. I hope you enjoy. I do play birthday parties.

2010-07-09T03:20:00.001-04:00

What can you do with 90?

2010-06-15T03:08:00.005-04:00

In 90 seconds you can wake up in the morning and pee.
In 90 minutes you can learn now to lay tile at Home Depot.
In 90 hours you can watch all the episodes of LOST.
In 90 Days you can break up with that person you thought was the one.
In 90 months you can nail down a Phd.
But if you're really lucky, in 90 years you can be one hell of an awesome Grandma (Nan-Nan)!

Just a little diddy

2010-06-04T00:28:00.003-04:00

Not My Ordinary Taste

2010-05-16T12:04:00.000-04:00

Well Said

2010-05-09T01:53:00.001-04:00

My room mate Janice:)

2010-05-02T02:00:00.003-04:00

It's a jolly ole time hanging with Janice. She is fiercely independent and so am I, but we ocasionally meet in the kitchen to chat, as well as go out to dinner, and watch the Orioles on talking about how we don't like Jim Palmer.

Sweet Memories

2010-04-05T19:24:00.002-04:00

I like to save things from my past. I enjoy going back to them and reminiscing. I’ve found there are so many great memories that you forget without a trigger. I was going through some old computer files yesterday and I found an instant messenger conversation I had with a girlfriend from a couple years ago. As I read I immediately smiled and for a moment regretted the fact that I had broken up with her. Talk about chemistry, we had it!

The conversation we had was a month after we broke up and it was an emotional chat but the witty banter, cheap insults, and sexual innuendos were all there. (I’m smiling again.)

When I broke up with her it was for a variety of reasons. A large part of it was a fear of commitment on my part but a lot of it had to do with a key difference of opinion too. She was open-minded but very committed to her Christian faith. Though it didn’t bother her that I didn’t share her views, I could tell she hoped and was convinced that she would be able to help me believe her faith. My gut told me that even if everything lined up perfectly there would always be a part of us that was void, and in this case it was an area where two people could and should bond so beautifully. I had experienced this in my friendship with Chad. We are closer and share more secrets with each other than anyone else we know. However I’ve noticed on occasion a very real pain in his heart that I don’t see religion in his eyes, and that I can’t share that part of his life with him.

Anyway…Reading the chat I had with this vibrant woman filled me with beautiful emotions. At first I was saddened but I rechanneled those thoughts into hope and excitement for the love that I will encounter in the future. It’s a bittersweet feeling, yet the epitome of what makes life so amazing and exciting. Thank you Samantha, I wish great things for you!

Here's to dreaming

2010-03-25T23:22:00.003-04:00

My dreams are odd, fun, intriguing...and sometimes I don't dream at all. I often have similarly themed dreams but none so vivid or meaningful as one about my grand fathers. But first.

My Pop Pop, a simple quiet man known for jokes from Readers Digest and heartful stories about the past died when I 13. I never had a chance to talk to him as an adult and quiz him further about his past.

My Grandfather is 84 and lives in a nursing home in Baltimore. When I was very little he had a stroke and as result had a difficult time putting his thoughts in complete coherent statements (aphasia. He as well is a quiet man though from what I hear more of a strict hardliner from his older days. And though he is alive I've never been able to communicate freely with him and hear his stories as well.

But in my dreams these barriers fade away. There are mornings when I wake and can clearly remember sitting at the beach with Pop Pop listening to him tell me about the day he proposed to my grandmother, talking to me about Obama, and laughing over thanksgiving dinner with the family.

My talks with my grandfather often consist of him at the nursing home answering questions I posed to him but he was never able to answer before. He asks me about my travels and what I'm doing in school. I awake to these dreams with a smile.

I believe or maybe I should say I like to believe that my mind is able to formulate what my grandparents would most likely say based on the analysis of my previous interactions with them. I'm not one to really feel a spiritual or zen like peace often but after these dreams I feel a connection to something bigger than this world. It feels nice. It's an area of life that I never got to encounter and it's a little sad sometimes. But in your dreams anything is possible.

Dangerously fabulous

2010-03-21T18:23:00.007-04:00

On my way back home to MD, I had some adventures, as you can see from the diagram provided below.

I came upon the remnants of a hail storm. I realized this when my car independently weaved to and fro luxuriously between two lanes. As you can imagine I was confused. I thought I had a tire blow out until I realized ice was covering the road. Quite peculiar to go from sunny skys to a sheet of ice on the road.

As I traveled along I noticed my gas light was on at about 1am the first night. Using my GPS I found my way into a town in the middle of nowhere only to find the gas station wasn't open. Following a whole slew of expletives, my GPS saved me a few miles up the road at a truck stop.

In West Virginia, I came across a fellow bald man on the side of the road at about 2 am. I picked him up and drove him to Western Maryland since it was on my way. Nice guy obviously, as I am still alive.

And as I encroached the city limits of Baltimore, I had my closest call with a Deer. We're talking milliseconds away from deer disaster!

Then I made it home to Elkton. It's funny, of all my travels, this stretch was most definitely the most dangerous. And that's all good cause Dangerous is my hyphenated last name.

Commitment

2010-03-02T12:34:00.005-05:00

It's no shock to those that know me that I'm not a huge fan of committing to things.

With the exception of school, nothing in my life over the last five years has been consistent. I'm constantly seeking something else whether it is with a woman, job, lifestyle, hobby etc. During this life journey I've gone back and forth questioning my motives, pondering the phrase and philosophy of "the grass is always greener", looking inward to find why I'm not content. My conclusion: I don't know. I'm OK with that. commitment

I'm now 25 and this is when people usually start settling down, choosing a career, getting married, kids...I'm nowhere close to any of that. Occasionally I start to feel like I'm not being responsible, I give up too easily, and I'm childish. This happens especially when I make a big decision. But looking back at all the decisions I've made that I questioned, I know they were based on truth based on feeling and thought, and not on fear, the unknown, or anger.

Don't try to understand me. Just be my friend and laugh with me. I need nothing more.

That said I'm trying something new again.

Intent is Everything

2010-02-15T04:05:00.002-05:00

From the book files of the book I never finished but always said I would.

How do you react when someone cuts you off in a car? How do you react when someone spills a drink on you? How do you react when you are in a bad mood and a friend plays a joke on you? How do you react when you are sleeping and somebody wakes you up? How do you react when a friend starts dating someone you know? How do you react when someone is late? How do you react when someone accidentally breaks something of yours?

Truly think about your reactions in each of these scenarios. This only works if you are honest with yourself.

Now think of that time when you cut someone off on the road. Now think of the time you had one too many and spilled that beer or mixed drink. Think about all these scenarios and ask your self, have I ever done that?

Alright, when you cut that person off, what was your INTENT? Chances are it was accidental right? Did you mean to knock over that beer onto her pretty white dress? I didn't think so.

Unfortunately things happen everyday that frustrate us or have bad outcomes. Depending on the perspective from which you view these things, your reactions may come from one extreme or the other.

Life is short, simple, complex, anxiety producing etc...

Do we really need the added drama of anger and frustration over something that had no mal intent behind it?

I suppose our emotions are better used for things that have substance and meaning.

Ask yourself next time; accident or intent, and then proceed with an action that involves self reflection and thought.

Lewd+Funny+Endearing...Read my comments after the video

2010-02-15T03:50:00.004-05:00

I came across this a couple weeks ago and each time it made me laugh. Mostly because I connected with what the guy was saying, esp in the second skit. The reality is, guys, even nice guys think these things, and we never share them with the ones we date. And it the end I love how the guy who seems somewhat shallow and cynical shows compassion and gratitude for finally finding love. If you ask me, it's a beautiful thing!

Lately I'm extremely annoyed with how anyone who is offended with something seems to have the power to censor it. If this offends you I'll say this: Why are you offended. Is it because it really bothers you, or you have been conditioned to be offended based on the movement of modern day society. Bottom line if it's not funny to you that's ok but don't be offended, ignore it. Save that frustration for something that really matters like when someone cheats on you, lies to you, or decieves you. Those are the real injustices of today, and it seems they get more of a free ride than calling someone black instead of African American. I'm just asking you to think before you get mad. Are you truly offended or is it conditioning. Kind of like when you say "bless you" when someone sneezes. Usually there is no real sincerity behind it, we just do it because we've been trained to do so. Food for thought...Pancake nipples, haha I love it!

Bruce Cockburn

2010-01-31T09:59:00.000-05:00

My 96 year old buddy

2010-01-25T11:56:00.002-05:00

I had a patient the other day who was admitted around three in the morning and he was nestled in his bed, quiet, and not speaking. His brother in law told us he was 96 and usually communicated well but the ER diagnosed him with pneumonia and possible aspiration and well "he's just not himself"

About an hour later my preceptor and I did his admission and he did not say much. When I asked him if he smoked he rasped off "I smoked two cigarettes one day and never again" then gave me a weak smile. I liked this guy.

Throughout the night he yelled at me that I didn't know how to make a bed, to turn the light off, to bring him breakfast, and to help him pee. In fact that is all he said all night and he always yelled at me. But he let me help him nonetheless. The other female nurses, cna's, and phlebotomist were all called assholes and things of that sort and occasionally he'd go to hit one of them, but never me.

Here is how I saw it: He was an old man set in his ways. When he yelled, I saw a frustrated man, but I knew there was a kind soul inside. I ignored his temper and countered with things like thank you, smiles, and a touch to the back. Some of the other health care workers went into defense mode and complained of how rude and a pain in the ass he was and I think by having this mindset they were unable to see that if they tried, they could bond, and find a human being behind the layer of frustration.

At one point during the night he demanded eggs and ham and coffee. I explained that he would have to wait until the kitchen opened up in the morning and he bitched, pulled his covers over his head and turned away. I let him be. In the morning before I left I went in and he started yelling at me. I put my hand on his shoulder told him to hold his horses and that the ham and eggs he asked for would be in his room in about 30 minutes. He gave me a big smile as if to say "you son of a bitch, you're not half bad" And then he did speak. He said "thank you, even though I yell at you I'm glad you listen to me and help me, you don't get enough credit." It made me feel good that I made him feel good. I did my job.

A Few Things...

2010-01-22T11:28:00.002-05:00

First of all I'm loving Colorado.

There are a lot of reasons this is so. Here are a few off the top of my head.

1) It's a challenge
2) My new job is going great due to an amazing preceptor who is training me!
3) My new bank gave me an Ipod Shuffle.
4) A hand full of new friends who have helped me get settled in.
5) The talk radio line up out here is superb, but I do miss Ron Smith and C4.
6) Chick-fil-a is everywhere.
7) Due to the altitude my ear no longer bothers me.
8) So far the goverment agencies I've dealt with are fast and kind as could be.
9) A guy who I loved to watch on C-Span back home is running for CO Governor.

Well my friends

2010-01-08T20:08:00.002-05:00

It's been a while since I've really had much to say, so here's an update.

I arrived in Denver on November 1st in hopes of landng a nursing job and getting my own place downtown. After two months and tons and tons of applications, I had no prospects and an extremely sad bank account:(

And then an early Christmas present, an interview for nursing job!
The interview went great and two days before Christmas I was offered a job on a neuro/trauma unit near downtown. They told me to go home for Christmas and New Years and be back on the 4th and that's just what I did. Yay for family and friends!

I'm excited about my new job and two other newbies on the floor with me are pretty cool so I hope or good things in the future. Next step get a place of my own; woot woot!

A radio station celebration

2010-01-02T20:38:00.003-05:00

I was listening to the radio the other day and it was playing not so super famous music; the stuff I like. I always post Langhorne Slim on here. He is a relatively unknown artist and they played his music. I'm giddy, so much great music and a new way to find more artists I like! Here is one I heard on the radio and liked.

Oh, so you wanna double park cause your car is more important

2009-12-14T02:45:00.004-05:00

Well here's my passive agressive protest punk!

Music is My Religion

2009-12-06T07:58:00.002-05:00

I hear this phrase or something similar to it often. I really enjoy music but I find my radio tuned to talk radio more often then not. I have a couple hundred songs on my computer and mp3 player but rarely listen to it. Every now and again I pull up pandora.com on the radio. The music calms my soul, puts things in perspective, reminds me that life is beautiful, and puts me in a long term focus state of mind versus one that seeks simple pleasures. It is interesting how music does all this for me but I don't regularly seek it out.

Many other things in my life are very similar yet I don't often seek them out either. I would venture to guess that it is because my life is very pleasing regardless of these extraordinary splendors. Nevertheless I am going to seek these things out more. They make a great life more enjoyable.

Here is a song which I consider one of my all time favorites. It's called Reason To Live By The Mosquitos. Enjoy.

Finally!

2009-12-04T02:28:00.002-05:00

I came across this guy's videos on YouTube awhile back and then lost it. After searching I found him again and made sure to save one particular video as a favorite. When I went to add it to my blog, it said the video was private:( And so it's been private for about three months. Not anymore!!!

He's made quite a few. I've noticed depending on the circumstances in my life at the time I watch them, some are more entertaining than others. Waste an hour and find the ones you like.

The Importance of Sharing Your Thoughts

2009-12-01T00:08:00.002-05:00

I saw a commercial a couple of months ago that made me role on the floor laughing. This has never happened so I was excited and shared it with Chad and Chasta and we spent the next ten minutes replaying the commercial on tivo.

Well a couple weeks later I went to find it on the internet so I could share it on here with the rest of you and I couldn't remember what the ad was for. So for the next week, just about every friend I ran into, I told about the commercial, and asked if they saw it to tell me what the commercial was actually selling so I could find it.

Chad called me today excited to say he saw the commercial and told me what it was for.

You see, I'm very open with others,sharing my dreams, desires, insecurities, and passions. A lot of people keep their thoughts to themselves and I can only say to those, share. Good things come from it. Why just this week by sharing my woes and hopes with Bob's girlfriend's father, he introduced me to a line of work that I might enjoy involving nursing that I never even considered. By sharing with Bob's girlfriend's sister, I found out she was a professional resume writer for a while and she offered to help me perfect mine. I also mentioned to her in conversation that I needed to get my oil changed soon and she gave me a free coupon she had laying around. In return I installed her new flat screen that I knew she purchased. Then by randomly saying I need to get a haircut one evening at Bob's house, his girlfriend handed me a coupon from the paper for half off a cut!

And in return of course you have to listen to them and help them out when your knowledge and skills can be useful. We can only get so far on our own. Opening up to others, propels us in all aspects of life. Community is beautiful!

Anyhow here is the commercial that made me laugh so hard. The best comeback line ever!

Why I like Craigslist

2009-11-30T15:38:00.001-05:00

When I interact with Craigslist this is my mindset: Be cautious, don't reveal too much too soon, but take risk. So without further adieu this is why I like Craigslist.

1) Through their personals section I've met some very interesting women. One captivated my heart, one turned out to be a super model, one happened to become a great friend, and one turned out to be 100 pounds bigger than her picture.

2) Through their volunteer section I landed a job for a music festival where I got to meet some big name country artists and attend the concert free of charge.

3) Through their groups section while traveling in Oregon, I came across an interesting post titled polyamory social group. I had no clue what that meant until I googled it and thought it interesting so I stopped by for dinner and drinks to chat about it.

4) Most recently, frustrated with the process of job hunting in the nursing field, I posted a rant and rave talking about being frustrated with the nursing application process. I got one reply. It was from an older man inquiring about my frustration and littered with suggestions and hints for job hunting. The man had worked as an HR manager in IT and thought he would be friendly and offer some advice. I wrote him back and filled him in and he sent another email with more advice. We met for coffee and chatted about life for an hour while also going over scenario interview questions and things of the like. What a nice man, retired, and just wanting to help out the youth of today.

All of these experiences have played part in broadening my horizons and learning more about this world, who I am, what I believe, etc. Craigslist is a place where random chance is thrown out the window and people of like minds or curiosity connect. It enhances our chances of opportunity and I think that's beautiful.

A Semi-Political Thought

2009-11-28T00:12:00.003-05:00

Did you hear about the couple that went under the radar and fooled the secret service into letting them attend Obama's State dinner the other night?

What should happen to them?

Hmmm. Well that's up to the big guy I guess. It's his safety in question.

If it were me, I'd come down hard on them with hefty fines and jail time. Sure they were just doing it for kicks and no harm done. But supposing instead of putting their are around the President for a pic, they put their arm around his neck and...

I wonder if he is mad at the Secret Service or if he had a beer with them and talked things over so it won't happen again.

Another from Charlie Winston

2009-11-27T03:02:00.001-05:00

Writers Block

2009-11-22T18:26:00.003-05:00

I have found myself with a ton of free time but nothing to write about. I don't have any rants currently. I think things might change when I get a job. Right now I'm almost an introvert. My social interaction is limited.

Oh one thing that I can share with you. Being limited on money I have not been driving alot. I've had a tank of gas last me over ten days now! That is incredible. I don't think I've ever done that:) I usually averaged 400 miles a week in my car when I was home in MD.

Okie Doke, off to celebrate a birthday for Bob's girlfriend's daughter. Mmmm cake!

I love this guys sense of humor!

2009-11-16T02:35:00.001-05:00

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From the guys who brought you United Breaks Guitars

2009-11-15T04:56:00.001-05:00

8 Days of thoughts

2009-11-12T23:33:00.002-05:00

Day 1 I'm gonna live like a king out here in Denver!

Day 2 Well maybe not like a king until I pay off my bills. Better get a job.

Day 3 No one will call me back for an interview, this sucks, I want to go home.

Day 4 Duh, Of course I'm lonely this is a big step, I'll be ok.

Day 5 Relax, it's the weekend, go on a 4 mile hike.

Day 6 Ok I'm really out of shape. I'll blame it on the altitude.

Day 7 Call back the recruiters and then go hiking again, it's fun!

Day 8 Ok I've got a job, relax, eat Chick-Fil-A, enjoy Colorado.

The Office Music Video

2009-11-10T22:26:00.004-05:00

Well if you are me, you will love this.

I find the Indian woman in the video attractive though I'm not attracted to her. If you understand that you are awesome.

The white girl intrigues me.

I can only hope my neighbor is as cool as Andy, the third guy.

I don't much care for pimp daddy.

If you have not seen The Office, it's time you do.

You never know...

2009-11-07T23:30:00.005-05:00

(CLICK ON THE COMIC TO ENLARGE IT)

I stumbled across this pretty cool website of which everyone already knows about apparently, but it was new to me and a few of the comics delighted me.

This one in particular I really liked. To me it speaks to a secret of life. If you never take risks for fear of rejection or a little humiliation, you will miss out on some magical moments in life that will bring you immense happiness. And dammit, they are so worth the few embarrassing moments along the way!

Free and Clear

2009-11-05T17:54:00.002-05:00

Update: I must say that my new car is much more accommodating to sleep than my Scion. And I sure am glad Dad gave me his sleeping bag right before I departed! The drive was easy enough. I'm use to driving mile after mile knowing that is all you will do for the day. Some things I observed along the way:

1) Ohio has an abnormally large population of young blondes driving on the highway.

2) Indiana must be competing with Virginia for the most tickets written.

3) I-70 averages a dead deer about every 20 miles. You literally see a 10 by 15 chunk of road that looks like it's been painted deep maroon, and then you see a bloated unlucky on the shoulder.

4) Burg is way overused in Pennsylvania towns.

5) Cruise Control is nice, but it scares me.

On The Road Again

2009-11-01T17:06:00.002-05:00

I'm moving to Denver; in about ten minutes.

Double Play Tuesday

2009-10-27T17:51:00.002-04:00

I'm forever grateful to Amanda for turning me on to these guys. One of my favorite CDs.

A Fair Goodbye To My Friends And Maryland

2009-10-25T23:28:00.006-04:00

I'm heading on the road again, this time moving to Denver. Since I won't be here for Halloween we had to celebrate early! What better way to pregame then dancing to an Irish drinking song before we went out on the town. Naturally Green Man was the DD.

I love it!

2009-10-23T01:23:00.001-04:00

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Just Fun

2009-10-21T19:54:00.000-04:00

It's a Beautiful Thing!

2009-10-20T23:43:00.003-04:00

Over the last couple weeks that I've been home, I've been tracking down some old mentors of mine. Recently I met my old therapist from about 9 years ago for lunch. I googled his name and found him and gave him a ring. He decided we should go to the Chinese buffet, recalling it was my favorite place to dine. He remembered! Lunch was great. I expected an old man to walk in the restaurant but to my surprise he looked more youthful then I remembered. I filled him in on my transition to my beautiful life since I last saw him and we exchanged countless memories and new laughs. It was an interesting dynamic to sit with him now as a man. The last time we had a face to face, I was a short, chubby, puberty going boy with acne and a depressed outlook. Now I'm a slightly balding, fare-skinned man with the world at my fingertips and an emotionally intelligent outlook on life; due to him and the many others that stuck with me despite my defiant natures of the past.

As we wrapped things up I thought to myself, If I was to meet this guy today, say at work or something, we would be friends. Awesome feeling! We walked out of the restaurant shook hands and then noticed the window of a dirty car with the word penis written largely across the back window. We laughed together. That wouldn't have happened nine years ago and it shouldn't have. I was a boy and he was a mentor, we weren't buddies. I felt like we were buddies now.

Arguably the biggest love of my life

2009-10-19T23:00:00.003-04:00

Our relationship lasted 3 and a half years. She was good to me. I use to look forward in the morning to sitting in her lap. We would go on long drives all the time and not once did she ever say to me "can we stop, I gotta pee." One time she got a little heated with me but I made her drink some antifreeze and she cooled off. Goodbye my love.

Eastwood Ain't Got Nothing On Us!

2009-10-18T16:14:00.002-04:00

Family Fun

2009-10-13T00:35:00.002-04:00

Jumbo Crabs

Cheese cake

Diet Pepsi

And Family

You can't go wrong.

My saving grace

2009-10-13T00:23:00.005-04:00

I gladly traded the paper for the 2001 Honda CRV. Not having a car literally drained the life out of me. I'm back baby!

I Love weddings!

2009-10-13T00:05:00.002-04:00

And this one was especially great! My long time friend Sarah from college tied the knot with one outstanding guy who I've gotten to know over the last couple years. They're meant for each other and I was glad to be a part of their special day. I had been feeling down lately and their wedding lifted my spirits.

In my head today

2009-10-06T13:44:00.005-04:00

A lot has changed since I left.

Dr. Bauer was right. People rarely escape their social class. The choices they make are tied to the culture from which they grew up in. It's an invisible prison; for good or for bad.

I find myself being irritated more lately. It's true when I'm really really stressed out my patience goes down. But it's not that Im more easily annoyed, I'm just much more likely to let others know I'm mad as opposed to letting things go. I kind of like it. Though, I haven't figured out a happy medium yet.

Things I've been told that frustrate me:

Were only human....

You have not been in that situation yet...

Never say never...

Lower your bar...

http://omg.yahoo.com/news/jokes-apologies-from-david-letterman-on-his-show/29057?nc
David Letterman is an asshole. I currently am not holding people I know to the same asshole standards.

Maybe Im crazy

Good people constantly let me down.

Am I abnormal in my ability to use restraint. Or are others capable, they just cop out?

Will I have many friends when I'm older?

Will I be bitter?

Will I care as much about making a difference?

It's only 2pm.

Volvo 850 Review

2009-10-02T20:03:00.002-04:00

I've been searching the car ads like crazy lately and following up on the few cars I've found which are always sold when I call...But anyhow I've looked at a few Volvos and was interested in in a Volvo 850 sedan. It's inspected, has a new timing belt, the miles are decent and the price is right. So my next step was reading the reviews. This one made me smile:)

"i loved this car it was safe and comfy i never once had it serviced except for general upkeep (oil change, tune up) it was extremly reliable. there was always enough room for my 3 yr old and all the stuff he requirers to take with him. i would still have this car if it wasn't totalled in a accident. the car was a total loss per the insurace co. but my boyfriend who was driving my car only broke 3 teeth from the air bags, any other car and i truelly believe he would be dead to today"

Taking a break

2009-10-01T00:56:00.002-04:00

Not having a car amidst a myriad of other frustrating things right now is leaving me without motivation to blog. Check back in a week or so.

Zack

God Help The Girl

2009-09-26T02:48:00.002-04:00

Update on life: Searching for a car under 1500 buckaroos. Cathing up with friends. Tracking down old mentors. Deciding where I'm gonna live. Searching for a nursing job. Sleeping well on Ben's couch.

Train Stories

2009-09-23T12:51:00.003-04:00

A little birdie told me my train stories from before were lacking. Well, I rode the train again and things got interesting. Let me set the stage:

It's 2 am. I can't sleep. I wander down the bouncing aisles of the train making my way to the lounge car. It's there that I met:

The 390 pound Greek guy. By the early morning we all referred to him as Feta Cheese. He was a bouncer for a strip club in Austin and had many many stories to share. He was the drunkest amongst us.

The 250 pound African guy with dreadlocks. He was mellow and like me enjoyed the antics of the group. He was a truck driver, about 47, and by the early morning he came to be known as Shitlocks.

The skinny Mexican. He was about 8 sheets to the wind but like I said, Feta Cheese had him beat. He was between jobs and though 37 seemed to have a thing for the older ladies. He kept bragging about hooking up with a 62 year old lady at a club. He was simply referred to as the Drunk Chicana.

And then there was I. The 193 pound Czech. I wasn't drinking, just observing and speaking up here and there to deliver some well placed one liners. By the early morning I became know as the Run DMC hat wearing Kolojo looking nigga.

Through out the night we covered tons of topics, from which country produces the hottest women, to which slow song by Lionel Richie evokes the most emotion. There was laughter and cussing, racial slurs flying left and right, people falling over, even an occasional tear. It was male bonding at it's finest.

Around 4 in the morning Feta was trying to think of a song he wanted to tell us about. He started yelling at us saying he couldn't think with all of us talking. He told us he was going to the bathroom so he could think. We never saw him again.

Around 4:30 things calmed down. About this time an older white guy walks in to the lounge with an older black guy. They in no way seemed to be from the same place in life but they were traveling together. The white guy starts telling everyone he is a drummer and that his daughter was on American Idol last year. Then he says I'm taking James here (the black guy) to NYC to get a record deal. He then prompts James to sing and he does just that. I was polite and told him nice job, all the while thinking what in the hell is going on here. Then he starts singing another song unprompted. All of a sudden two other guys who had been quiet all night start singing too! As a group they weren't bad:) I got up from my chair while they were finishing "Just My Imagination" by The Temptations, and looked over to the other side of the lounge car. There sat four Amish men and one young Amish girl starring stoically at everyone singing. I smiled, where else does culture blend like this, even if only awkwardly. I like riding the train.

I'm home for now. I had a great trip. Thanks for traveling with me.

2009-09-20T00:36:00.004-04:00

Love is more than an emotion; it's a responsibility
-Zadaro

2009-09-17T18:00:00.002-04:00

It's A Beautiful World

2009-09-17T01:57:00.003-04:00

Shortly after I crashed my car, my friends Megan and Lyndsey who left MD a couple weeks after me, on their way to San Diego, stopped By Eureka to say hi. We went up to trinity beach to take in the scenery and swap road trip stories.

The next day my friend Kat who lives in Redding (and refused to have her picture taken) came and picked me up in Eureka to take me to the train station in Redding. I really appreciated the kind gesture, as it was a 3 hour trip one way. We spent the day together exploring the parks, malls, and dining attractions and then she saw me off.

At the station I met an interesting man who was a writer. He was on his way to LA to promote his book in which he claimed he had proven that over time and through evolution the soul has evolved out of the human body. He showed me his book and we chatted some more until the train showed up.

Over the next 44 hours I made my way to Sacramento and then Denver. The train was peaceful. The seats had plenty of room and when I would become antsy I would walk to the observation deck, dine with travelers, or wander from car to car people watching.

I arrived in Denver around 8pm and Bob and family picked me up. And here I am for now.

Myspace Karaoke Baby!

2009-09-16T17:57:00.008-04:00

I was chilling with Bob's girlfriend's son earlier today and we picked Achy Breaky Heart to sing. And of course I couldn't help giving it a go on an Elvis tune too. Check it out, you gotta give it a try!
http://kSolo.MySpace.com/zadaro

Figuring it all out

2009-09-12T19:09:00.001-04:00

I'm hopping a train back to Denver for the time being to figure out my plans. I should have a couple neat train tales in a couple days. Until then, please enjoy the mighty fine Roger Miller. One of my all time favorites!

The Unfortunate

2009-09-08T17:01:00.003-04:00

While getting ready to head south to LA, I was in a car accident. I am fine and no one was hurt. Luckily I was visiting my cousin and I have a place to stay. But it could be a couple weeks before my car is fixed. So at this point I'm contemplating a job or volunteering to keep myself from going stir-crazy in this small town. My insurance did cover a rental car and they told me all I have to do is cover gas. There is no mileage charge as long as I stay in California. Hmmm. This would be a good time to promote my volunteering initiative to fund my trip. If you like reading my blog and want to see the direct impact of your donation to charity, you can donate to my site and I will blog about my volunteering adventures. Want to challenge me? Go ahead and tell me what type of volunteer work you want to see done. The success of this initiative will likely determine if I take advantage of the free mileage on the rental and head south. Oh the things I'd blog about on my way down the coast!

2009-09-06T21:44:00.000-04:00

They Call Me Kayak Zack

2009-09-06T21:17:00.004-04:00

I was down at Blue Lake with Mike and a couple of his buddies relaxing on the beach drinking a few beers and skipping stones. Mike and his friends dogs kept us amused as did the naked hippie couple we came across up river. After a while I told Mike I was going to take his Kayak for a little spin and show off some skills. They decided to video my short lived trip. The water was cold but amazingly clear. You could see hundreds of fish swimming in the blue tinted lake. Just another splendor of Northern California.

Too Much Tea

2009-09-05T18:24:00.004-04:00

I could not sleep last night. After 3 hours of tossing and turning, I turned on my computer and went through all my pictures from last years road trip. It was great. I thumbed through about 600 pictures. Occasionally I would stop at one and recall a memory and smile. I remember thinking to myself that when it comes time for me to pass on I want to watch a slide show of the pictures and videos of my life. For me it was symbolic. Instead of being overcome with anger, disappointment, sadness and regret, I was overcome with a sense of internal pride. If I passed on tomorrow their would be no sorrow. I've always done what I wanted with my life. I've gone after my dreams, I've overcome my fears, I've listened to my desires instead of the desires of others. I'm not a passenger sitting on a train, peering out the window wondering where the locomotive will stop next. I'm the conductor and I stop wherever I damn well please.

Do you?

Pacific Sunset

2009-09-04T19:14:00.001-04:00

Country Music Madness Part II

2009-09-02T17:24:00.005-04:00

It was Friday evening. After spending some time exploring Eugene, Oregon I returned to the festival around 7pm to enjoy the the headliners Jason Michael Carrol and Emerson Drive. I was scheduled to work security at midnight so before I sat down to enjoy the music I went to check in at the security tent.

"Oh my god were glad to see you, were short staffed. We tried calling you today! Let me get you a shirt and hat." I thought about it for a second and then half willingly went along with her. I figured this way I would have now volunteered over 20 hours and would have fulfilled my contract for free tickets, camping and such.

With shirt and hat, she asked me to go relieve a guy down by the gate. When I asked for instructions she said he would fill me in. When I got to the gate I was told only people with vendor passes, orange shirts, or a girl with a cast on her leg were allowed through. Well two minutes later I tell a man he has to use the main entrance and he starts yelling at me saying he is camp supervisor and kind of pushed his own way in. I think about leaving the festival at this point. I'm really being treated like shit at this place and I'm a volunteer!

After a few minutes the other guy comes back from his break and I report back to the head security woman. She says I'm free until the last band ends. She informs me that I will be patrolling everything inside the gates as well as the backstage area come midnight. I make my way back to the security tent to get a sandwich and a guy about my age also volunteering comes into the tent holding his jaw. I ask him whats wrong and he tells me a man pulled around backstage without proper ID (he said he lost it) and he told the man he had to go to the front gate and sort it out before he could come back. With that the guy who he described multiple times as having huge arms, got out of his truck and socked him in his face. Did you have a radio? I asked. He said no they never gave me one. How about a flashlight? No they didn't have any but I have this one (the size of a double A battery). Nothing comes of the incident and they never found the guy. This is where I'm working all night by myself in about an hour. Zack goes into serious no bullshit mode.

The music ends and I report to the head lady again. She tells me to monitor the autograph tent. and starts to walk away. I call her back and firmly say what is my role? What is my authority? Too fluttered and overwhelmed to notice the seriousness of my tone she says again just watch the area. I walk over to the tent.

At the tent I'm chatting with some vendors waiting for Emerson Drive to come sign posters when I notice them behind me. I was resting against a chair that I realized they were to sit at and politely pulled the chair out for who turned out to be the lead singer. He said thanks and I said no prob. Then I stood their for an hour while the fans went crazy with excitement. Over the course of the signing I chatted with the members of the band and they seemed pretty friendly. It was pretty cool.

Then comes time for my initial shift. Everyone is cleared from the area and the site manager (remember I'm not a fan) radios the lady and says the area is secured. She looks at me and says I'll check back with you frequently and starts to leave. I realize it's time to go from laid back to stern with this woman. I need a radio and a flashlight! What am I to do if I find someone in the area? Where will you be? Whats the protocol for the radio? How does it work?....She responds with: You don't have your own flashlight? If you see someone question them. We will be outside the gates in the campgrounds all night.

I start to walk the perimeter of the gate when the site manager shows up to to tell me he has locked down the entire area except for one gate and points it out to me. I ask him about all the other areas that I knew were open and he again says they are locked. After a walk of the perimeter I found them to all be unlocked. Including the 20 foot entrance where it is wide open with no gating at all.

Over the next few hours I walk constantly to keep from being bored and to check on all the entrances. I'm checked on by the security woman every 30 minutes or so and am amused by the conversation by the other security guys throughout the campsites. Then it all stops. From 3-5 am it was silent. Guess they all went to bed. I'm ticked off at this poit but at the same time I'm excited. It's 4 in the morning, its dark, and I'm roaming about 6 football fields looking for trouble. To my left their are vendor stations with anything from clothes and jewelry to carnival food and free samples from grizzly snuff. To my right are a large amount of generators and electrical equipment. In front of me a large completely black field littered with port-o-pots and to my back, the stage, its seats and the buses of some huge names in country music. It's kind of cool walking the rows of the musicians RVs with flashlight in hand. Even though, really I'm a joke. I'm not security. I'm the fool that takes the beating when trouble arrives with the hope that I can get a call out on the radio before I'm beaten to a pulp. I accepted that. This was a neat experience.

Around five the head honcho awoke and he said I could tag along with him on a sweep of the whole place. We got some coffee, chatted with some late night campers and then headed back to the stage area. He said things are quiet you can take off if you want. And with that I left.

Country Music Madness

2009-09-01T17:21:00.005-04:00

Well folks, this weekend was the country music festival in Brownsville, Oregon. I showed up an hour prior to my gust services volunteer shift so I could figure out what it was I was supposed to do. I drove all around and no one had a clue what I was supposed to be doing. A little confused I went to the coffee shop down the road for a sandwich. turns out that was the check in station and I met with Kay, the volunteer coordinator. She was under a huge amount of stress but had a very calm laid back demeanor. We got along well and she pointed out where I should go to get instructions for my job.

I arrived at the little shack at the front gates (still 30 min early) and was greeted by two young girls. I asked them to explain the process and they said it was easy. When the campers arrive, find their name in the file and give them their packet. They said it was simple and they had been doing it all day. With that they bounced out early.

The first two campers were a breeze. Then it stopped being simple. This was going to be a long four hours...I made my own rules for a while to keep the campers happy and then I was given the number of a woman to call if I had any problems and called her quite a bit! When the campers had packets it was very easy, and when they didn't, this volunteer with one line of instruction was taking the heat. I disliked it. Not because of the stress, but because I couldn't help those who were expecting me to help them.

Prior to the other girls leaving I saw them look at an older couple, and innocently and quite unconcerning say "I don't know." It made me think. These young girls were not rude, they in fact did not know. But, they did not stress about not knowing and it inspired me to pick up a pen for another chapter for my book. In essence, cluelessness is not a fair defense. Their are certain things we as people should do, or know to do when in certain roles. Some are taught these traits, some naturally are aware, but some never are "clued" in on them. So if I ever finish this damn book of mine, take a peak.

I ended up working the shift after mine because it was dark and they didn't want the other woman working to be alone since their were no lights (one of the many oversights of the site manager). I met this guy later that evening when he just happened to be there when a camper came up to our shack frustrated that the row his RV was to park in had not been marked for anyone and they had no names on slots as promised. The site manager didn't hesitate to jump on this guy in a hostile manner using a very sorry excuse of were doing the best we can with the staff we have. After the incident of which the camper backed down, the manager looked at us and said if you have nay other problems with people be firm, don't back down, and that will take care of any problems. I thought to myself, maybe in your head it solves the problem of you having to deal with the inadequacy of your job, but it is not a solution to the actual problem. Before he left I casually asked for his cell number. Hopefully some of the people who had problems later that night gave him an earful after I calmly apologized for the inconvenience, acknowledged their frustration and offered them the number of the man in charge:)

It was now midnight. I went to bed.

Time to fly the coop

2009-08-28T16:09:00.003-04:00

My Cousin Mike was a great host. He let me crash with him for about a week. He's living the life out in Eureka. 10 minutes to the beach or the mountains! He has a great job as the head mechanic of a local bike shop and seems to really enjoy it. After all that's his passion. This is pic of us eating in the town of Arcata where he works just before I took off.

This is where I slept for the last week. It's small, it's inside of a closet, and it's perfect. If you put a toilet in one corner, a shower in the other, and gave me an electrical outlet for a George Foreman Grill, I'd be in heaven! If I could find a place like this for a hundred a month I would snatch it up! No use paying for a luxury place if you're always on the go like me.

Flying Objects

2009-08-28T15:56:00.003-04:00

I was hanging it out with a friend in Redding CA. We were chatting on a bench and this little fellow decides to jump off a tree above me and smack me in the head. I looked over to my left and saw a small object. I thought it was a twig or cone that fell from the tree and picked it up. Imagine my surprise when it was all gooey and started to exude a certain liquid:/ When your senses are not expecting something, the experience is quite odd. It's kind of like drinking soda when you think it's water. Thats happened to all of us right?

Eureka California

2009-08-25T17:21:00.003-04:00

The Weather here in Eureka is on the cool side. I was reading that the hottest day on recording was 87 degrees back in 1993. While I've been here it has lingered between the low 60s to low 70s. Often, there is a beautiful mist that comes across the shoreline that pours into the town . It looks as if a storm is about to unleash its fury; but it just lingers.

Here are some shots of Mikes dog Kallie having a good time on the beach. She's a fun dog!

Look out for Elk

2009-08-23T03:56:00.004-04:00

On my way down coastal highway 101 to see Michael, I crossed through the California border. About ten miles in, I came to a gated entry that looked like a toll booth. It was a check station to check vegetation that might be coming into the state with the intent on reducing plant derived illnesses from outside species not native to California. When it came my turn, the woman looked at me and said do you have and fruits, vegetables or plants with you? "Um, no I don't "I replied. "OK, have a nice day" she said. I couldn't help but think to myself: How thorough and beneficial this service must be for the state. Glad they didn't cut the budget in this dept. I know, cynical me:)

About 100 miles farther I saw a sign that said Elk territory or something of the sort. What are the odds I'll see elk I thought. Well about three miles down the road a herd of elk were crossing the highway. I caught them just as they got across and hopped a fence.

What has Craigslist done for you lately?

2009-08-19T19:08:00.003-04:00

I was browsing the volunteer section in Portland Oregon last week and came across a posting asking for volunteers to help run a country music festival. I sent them an email, attended a meeting, and now I'm pulling a couple shifts acting as night time security and main gate greeter next week. And so with a just a few hours volunteered, I now have free camping and tickets for the four day festival. How bout that!

Among the headlining artists are Chris Young and Lonestar. Check it out:
http://www.willamettecountrymusicfest.com/

A Night Of Grand Proportion

2009-08-19T03:55:00.002-04:00

I went to Silver Falls State Park a few days ago in the mountains of Oregon. I had heard of a star gazing night that was taking place and I decided to check it out.

At the top of the mountain there lay a field of about 15 acres with a small building planted on an odd angle in the center. It was pitch black but I could see some light emitting from the structure and I approached it through a corner door. Inside, myself and about 200 other people listened to a park ranger give a brief synopsis on our solar system and the surrounding universe. As I listened to the woman speak I wandered over to the refreshment table and helped myself to a cup of hot chocolate. I took my first sip and found myself becoming very relaxed. It was as if this public gathering had been magically transformed into an intimate setting. Though I was alone, I was not.

After a few more minutes everyone retreated to the fields to gaze upon the heavens and listen to another speaker from a local astronomy club. With binoculars in one hand and my hot chocolate in the other, I made my to a secluded area of the field and sat down. I took another sip of my cocoa and laid back against the dry chilly earth. Over the next hour the astronomer walked us through the night lit sky, adding commentary and facts that fascinated my mind.

I could not help but ponder how nice it would have been to have been lying with someone special sharing in this intimate and magical experience. One day; one day indeed. And I can't wait to share my hot chocolate with her.

Western Wonders

2009-08-14T22:09:00.003-04:00

This is a montage of pictures and video from Blaine, WA and The San Juan Islands. Google them, there is a lot of history and the scenery is one of a kind.

A Five Mile Journey

2009-08-14T21:32:00.003-04:00

I made it to Olympic National Park and talked with the ranger about how to find the sulphur hot springs. He gave me a map, told me what road to take and off I went. Again I packed up all my belongings in my back pack and started the 2.5 mile hike into the mountains. I was ready for any cougar attacks (video coming soon!)

At first everything was peaceful as can be, then....

I realized about a mile into the hike that I forgot my tripod. I decided not to turn back. I could tell sky was rolling dice on rain and I wanted to hurry to the springs before it fell. Five minutes later it started to pour. So I threw on my raincoat and kept going with a slight sigh. A few minutes later, I spied what I hoped for but did not expect to see; a custom built outhouse. After what can only be described as my most awkward bathroom experience ever, I trekked on in the rain.

About a mile in, I crossed a bridge made by a fallen great cedar and started to relax again. The landscape was indescribable and at every turn their seemed to be a new natural wonder of trees and unique rock formations coupled with waterfalls and green glowing sulphur streams. Before I knew it the path all but disappeared. It just stopped and ahead of me there seemed to be 20 new paths of which to choose. What is this I said! The map does not show this! I ventured on a slight distance further but was then convinced I would get lost. As I was not sure whether I was hiking trails or just barren land of the forest. I sadly retreated.

As I walked back I heard soft sounds flowing over the rocks over the bank of the mountains. I ventured up there and found the secluded hot spring. It was there that I met two masters students by the name of Tom and Michelle. Very friendly, we chatted a bit and then we took pictures for each other.

The water was hot and the smell of sulphur lingered from every corner of the mountain. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath and fell into a relaxing trance. I was on the side of a mountain in the middle of nowhere sitting in a natural hot tub laughing with fellow travelers from Idaho. Does it get any better than this?

Red Box Fail

2009-08-14T19:56:00.001-04:00

I took this pic last night in some small town in Washington.

30 days on the road

2009-08-12T22:23:00.003-04:00

That's right folks, today it has been one month since I took off from Maryland. I finally broke down and did laundry today. I decided my trips to Wal-Mart for boxers and white t-shirts had gone on long enough. And you all would be amazed, I actually folded all my clothes!!!

For the last week I had been living out of my car at rest stops and didn't mind it at all. But it is nice to shower and relax once in a while. I am sitting here in my tent at the moment in Port Angeles, WA. The KOA campsite has free wifi at every campsite!

I feel at peace here even though I am over 3,000 miles from home. Free of responsibility, free to do whatever I want, free to choose whatever life path I crave. I miss you all back home and I plan on flying back in another month or so to visit but I think I might end up staying out West for some time. I'm not sure where exactly. I am going to start making my way through California in the next couple days and am looking forward to visiting my cousins and sister along the way.

My car (The Red Chariot) is running well and I keep meeting interesting and friendly folk along the way.

Wish me luck tomorrow, as I am going to finally jump into one of the hot springs out here tomorrow and also plan on hiking into the rain forest. I have been told the mountain lions have been active this year so I have my fishing knife and am contemplating buying a taser.

Cheers everyone, I'm doing well and I hope you all are too!

Love,
Zack

Since you all liked the last artist I posted

2009-08-12T02:23:00.003-04:00

Hopefully you like this one too! This woman seduced me with this video; wowsers she has sex appeal!

Well, for the sake of being able to travel longer...

2009-08-12T02:08:00.002-04:00

A quick pit stop to the Orient

2009-08-12T01:57:00.002-04:00

List five things you don't ever want to forget.

2009-08-12T01:35:00.002-04:00

via Soul Pancake via a friend

1) The lesson learned from the PTK convention in Jersey
2) I persevered and made the forklift my bitch
3) The walk to breakfast at Snooze
4) When you defended me without questioning me
5) That time I gave you back what I stole and you had tears in your eyes

Couch surfing rocks!

2009-08-08T15:52:00.006-04:00

In the evening Bob informed me that a few of his friends were going to go on a quest to find some BBQ downtown. I was excited to go and meet more friendly faces in this city. I had no idea the amount of fun I would have. Slowly but surely we made the stops and soon all five of us were crammed into his friends corolla. Soon I found myself laughing and enjoying myself immensely. I would describe his friends as astute cynics with comedic dry overtones; open minded, laid back, and yet sometimes foul. It was wonderful. I felt at home.

We found the BBQ place, a vendor truck parked in a parking lot in Columbia City. As we made our way up to order, we were greeted by the head chef. He was outside talking with the customers as friendly as can be, encouraging us to sample anything we liked. Had the food been horrible I still would have come back, he was endearing and so was his staff. The food was excellent too! Check them out, its called Gerts.

Then it was on to cupcakes, almost backing into a car, ice cream, talks of near death on bikes, and watching an episode of The Whitest Guys You Know.

Thanks Bob, Kate, Kris, and Gabe! You made my day!

Strolling on foot through Seattle

2009-08-08T15:24:00.003-04:00

Knowing I was heading to Seattle, I sent a few emails out via couchsurfing.org and a man named Bob promptly wrote me back. He happily invited me to stay for the night. I reached Seattle around noon and then we took off to sight see a bit. He had just graduated nursing school himself so we had lots to chat about.

He asked me if I liked Thai food and I emphatically said yes. We enjoyed panang curry at one of the tons of Thai restaurants littered throughout the city and then took off towards Fremont. He explained that this was one of the very liberal parts of the city.

Along the way we came to a sculpture under the aurora bridge which he informed me was the Aurora bridge troll. Notice the volwswagon in his left hand? Ya, its real! Later down the road we encountered a statue which upon further inspection turned out to be of the father of communism, Lenin. Curious I read the blurb about the statue where it explained that though some thought this to be an insult to the city, people should in fact look at it for what it was, art. Cough Cough bullshit.

We walked aways until we came to one of Google’s headquarters. If you have ever seen the chain email that shows the heaven it must be to work at google, then you can appreciate my day dreams. Here is a picture of the luxurious play room/lounge that they provide for their employees. Notice the dart board in the background along with the air hockey table!

A couple miles of walking further and we came upon the Ballard Locks which transferred the boats from the Puget Sound to the Lake Washington Ship Canal. On the far edge of the locks was a salmon ladder so the fish could make their way to their spawning grounds uninterrupted by mans solution to boat transports. You were able to walk below and view the salmon as they swam against the current. It was there I visualized the magnificent salmon dinners I have enjoyed so far on my trip.

As we left, a large yacht came into the locks. It must have been around 80 feet in length and 28 feet in width. As I stared at the family on board my mind started to wander. I wonder what it would be like to live with that kind of wealth. I wonder what it would be like to have and enjoy whatever you wanted. I wanted to experience it. Not out of the need for materialism but out of the thought of experience. Ever since taking my first sociology course in college few years back, I have been fascinated with how others live. I enjoy the experience of living in others shoes. I would not want to live others way for long, for I am quite happy with my status quo, but I feel enriched and enlightened when I can see the world through others eyes.

Hug Point, The Pacific Coast of Oregon

2009-08-06T23:11:00.003-04:00

This beach was also riddled with a bunch of dead things. Wierd I know. I took pictures:) Check em out at Flick.com/trackzack

A little concerning

2009-08-06T23:09:00.001-04:00

Especially when there is a trailer attached!

More Portland

2009-08-06T22:32:00.003-04:00

I met a very cool Oregon native by the name of Tara and she turned me on to some of the famous sights to be seen in Portland.

Her first recommendation was Powell's Bookstore. It was incredible. It encompasses a full city block in downtown Portland and has both new and used books. I found a book on self defense titled Pressure Points and Nerve Centers for $7.50, published in 1968! I also picked up a copy of Homer's The Odyssey for $1.50!!! I could see myself buying a plane ticket back to Portland just to hang out there and read all day.

She met up with me yesterday and took me to the Rose Garden. It is a place where merchants (I think) test grow different rose breeds to see how they fare. The ones that do well, they grow in quantity and sell. Very fascinating and aromatically pleasing.

Finally she took me to my first Thai restaurant down on 23rd street. We ordered punang curry w/ tofu, and drunken noodles w/ chicken. Out of sight, dynamite, delic! I FORGOT TO TAKE A PIC. BOY WAS I HUNGRY!

After that, it was back to my home of 3 days, the rest stop off I5 in Wilsonville. Some of my best sleep ever! No really, I got about ten hours each night.

2009-08-05T14:16:00.002-04:00

I set out for a hike yesterday at Multonomah Falls. Incredible! It was about 1.5 miles up the mountain. I had my backpack with me since I didn't want to leave my computer and other valuable in the car. It added about 40 pounds. Phew, it was a workout!

Along the way I encountered lots of tourists. Have I ever told you about myself and tourists? I"m not a huge fan. When I travel I like to submerge myself in the culture and take a lowkey approach. I like to be by myself and explore. It's not the tourists fault per say, one day I will have a family and do the same but it kind of erks me a bit.

But having children crying, old people taking their time, people stopping in the middle of the path to take a picture...I know, it's my problem, I'm working on it!

All that aside, this was a very fun hike!

Pretty Damn Cool

2009-08-02T16:01:00.003-04:00

I made sure to get to the workshop barn a half hour early so I could get a good seat to see Jaymay. She rolled in a few minutes later and started chatting with a few of us before she set up. She was super friendly and down to earth! It was neat, I was literally about 5 feet away from her as she and a friend of hers by the name of Steve Lewis played.

I get to enjoy a few more hours of her music today and then I think I will explore Portland for a few more days before heading to Alaska!

I arrived at Pickathon!

2009-08-01T17:48:00.002-04:00

Stay tuned, I'm enjoying myself for now.

Books and Boise

2009-08-01T17:23:00.004-04:00

I had been driving for about ten hours through Wyoming, Utah, and Idaho and I was needing a break. I decided to stop in Boise and go to Borders. The GPS took me to the parking lot but there was no Borders to be found. I drove down the street and stumbled across a Barnes and Noble. My plan was to blog for a couple hours but first I wanted to browse books on Alaska. As I turned the corner I met Brittney sitting on the floor reading about Hawaii. We chatted for a quick minute and then I found myself on the floor too. Excellent, after hours and hours of being on the road away from civilization, it was nice to meet someone with a thirst for travel to chat with. Somewhere along the line I mentioned I was heading to a folk concert and she told me she liked folk music too. She threw out some names that I had never heard of and I was elated! Especially since I've been going through a dry spell with my musical discoveries. It started to get late and we said goodbye. I walked over to the bargain bin and ended up getting two novels for $2.34. Originally priced $30 some bucks! Feeling good, off I went to the Oregon rest stop to sleep.

Whats a boy to do?

2009-08-01T16:36:00.005-04:00

In Wyoming? The answer is entertain yourself or die. Well I like to break off in song. Here you go Julie, I know you miss my ramblings. Hope all is well at the call center!

Middle of nowhere Wyoming

2009-07-31T02:10:00.002-04:00

I rolled into Sinclair Wyoming around 3am yesterday and went inside a gas station/diner to get some coffee and a bit to eat. I started chatting with the attendant named Nate and he shared with me where I could find the next rest stop down the road. I gave him my order then sat down and drank my coffee while I waited.

There were 3 other people in the diner. An old trucker, and two women in their twenties. They had no qualms about talking sex in graphic detail with the occasional charade. Now I suppose under the right circumstances this could have been mildly arousing, but just take my word for it in this case it was not!

As I got up to leave I went to the other side of the store and started talking to Nate again. I gave him my business card with the trackzack website and then he told me he was a DJ for a local classic rock station and he was going to share my story with his listeners. Pretty rad! You never know who you are going to meet!

Feeling right at home

2009-07-31T01:47:00.003-04:00

I had a great time staying with Bob while I was in Denver. I had only planned to stay a couple days but ended up staying five! His girlfriend Lynn made me feel right at home, and boy could she cook. I ate like a king! Sitting around the dinner table with Bob, Lynn, and the kids was one of my favorite times. We all managed to make each other laugh many times over, and there was something peaceful and intimate about coming together as family and friends to share dinner. I didn't want to leave Denver, I felt at home. But alas off I went into the night. I knew if I hurried I could still reach Cheyenne.

The music is eluding me

2009-07-29T19:12:00.003-04:00

Usually an hour or so of searching yields me a couple new songs or artists that I like. But lately its been slim pickins. I did find this one though. Enjoy. I did!

I'm leaving Denver tonight and have an 18 hour drive ahead of me before I reach Pickathon campgrounds in Portland Oregon. Bob got me some energy mouth spray so hopefully that stuff works!

Ciao for now!

Directors Fail

2009-07-28T18:03:00.003-04:00

Bob and I thought we would make a documentary on pelicans...

Beautiful Colorado

2009-07-27T00:54:00.004-04:00

I headed up to the mountains today for a little hike. The park is called Red Rocks, It's where I went to concert last year. Lyle Lovett was playing tonight and I was tempted but at 65 bucks I thought it best to pass. I like 4 of his songs, i-tunes was the way to go on this one.

Anyhoo I started hiking up the rocks and to my surprise got quite the work out. Boom boom boom went my pulse. It was the altitude baby, I'm in great shape:/ About half way up one set of rocks I got stuck behind a family of 5. Two kids about 8, a mother, and a father with a baby in a back pack. I tried to keep an open mind but what the hell? The guy was moving about as fast as Eeyore talked, while he walked his clueless baby up a 45 degree incline. All I could think was please don't trip, a hysterical mother would just about put me over the top and ruin my adventure. Then I took a deep breath and said to myself, well it is sweet to see a family enjoying the splendor of nature together. Good for them. It reminded me of my adventures to the nature center with my family. Minus my antics and a crying baby in a sack on back of Dad.

Then it started to rain. I didn't mind. In fact I invited mother nature to keep it real with me. The rain added to my enjoyment. I was one with nature for a little bit and it was nice. I admit I tried the umbrella for a bit but it was taking away from the fun.

After a good hour or so, I was ready to go and I headed back to Bob's.

Another good time at Red Rocks!

The Inevitable Cop

2009-07-27T00:37:00.003-04:00

I left Texas with a 16 hour drive ahead of me before I reached Denver. I decided I would drive about 10 hours and then catch some sleep at a rest stop. Off I went. I made my way into Oklahoma and about 2 hours into it I see a cop fly out of know where and flick his lights on. Here we go...

He caught me going 84 in a 65. Before he came to my window I pulled up my average speed on my GPS and when he arrived I apologized and showed him I had been averaging the speed limit. He said OK and said follow me to my car. Deja vu! Get out of my car I asked? He said yea and then told me to take a seat in his cruiser while he wrote up his paperwork. He put me in his front seat. This is a little weird I thought...He asked me what the website on the back of my car was and I told him. I explained to him I was heading to Alaska. He then pointed to the right side of the car and said you see that town over there, that's Grenville, if you blink you'll miss it. OK I thought wtf is going on here??? He said well I'm gonna give you a souvenir. It won't cost you anything. We ended up chatting for a couple minutes then I shook his hand and I was on my way.

He was the nicest cop I've ever dealt with. It was definitely odd that he made me get in his car, but he didn't play the whole tough guy cop or anything. He was just generally friendly and told me about a few sights to check out along the way. To be honest I think he saw me speeding and used that as a way to pull me over and hear my story. It's all good. Kudos to that officer, he was a human being and treated me as such.

Oh what a beautiful morning

2009-07-24T17:33:00.006-04:00

I called Farai when I got to his campus and picked him up in my car. We instantly started bullshitting and laughing like old times. I said to him it's like I just hung out with you yesterday. Sometimes you meet an old friend and you fill each other in on what's been going on in your lives, and then it gets awkward. Not with him. I know I've got a buddy for life and that's pretty damn cool if you ask me!

We hung out last night with some fellow RAs and then headed to a get together that his fraternity hosted. Usually when Farai and I hang, he's the only black guy. This time I was the only white guy. A neat perspective though unimportant. We had a good time and I learned how to play dominoes! Finally!

He ended up having to host a freshmen orientation this weekend so we grasped hands, did the half hug and I took off for the open road again.

I have really been enjoying meeting up with friends and family on the road so when Bob got back to me I decided to head up to Denver to hang out him for a little while. A few miles after leaving Texas and entering Oklahoma I came across a sign for a scenic overlook. I decided to pull over and check it out.

My god that's some beautiful country!

Texas A+M Commerce

2009-07-24T17:22:00.003-04:00

Hooray, hooray I win! Hooray!

Oh, shit Farai I was just kidding. Good game:)