The Candle of Zach's Education

Do you remember the story of the little boy in Mexico City who went up to say "I now light the candle of my education" at his pre-school "graduation" and was too shy to say anything? Well, he may have gone in like a lamb, but he came out with "flamethrowers." And that's not just because Pepperdine's colors are blue and orange and the MBA hood is blue and gold... The band, "Slightly Skewed" (a great name from accounting jargon) played at the graduation dinner on Friday night. The dean and assoc dean loved this group - Zach had pulled together 2 professors, a first year student, second year, and international student earlier in the year when he and a friend created "PepperJam".
Saturday was a beautiful day in Malibu, and we all got pretty excited...
Some of the friend and fan club- Dan and Margie, Rache and Steph
Ocean, palm trees, and mountains everywhere you look...
Looking down, from about halfway up to the grad school

And we finish at The Heroes Garden, just outside the Grazadio Business School. Fitting place to pause before the next chapter! Without taking away from the memory to the 9-11 Pepperdine Alumni, Dad and I were grateful to honor our own Pepperdine hero for the way he became a friend to so many students and faculty who truly love and enjoyed him, the way he served and brought people together, and the way he studied and worked thru blood, sweat, and tears to become a man of honor in the eyes of man and God. We love you, Zach! Onward and upward!

Pepperdine Finale April 2008

So I just found this in draft form amongst the posts, I don't think it ever got posted! How sad is that?! How many songs, dreams, blog posts and masterpieces in the world never get shared because they never "get posted?" So here's to muddling and just getting it out there so it can be--well, out there. Enjoy and share together. "Let us not die with our music in us..."

The sky is the limit, apparently. Not sure what this was for...

Dean Linda Livingstone wishing us well in front of blue and orange flowers. Go waves!

Yes, those are pictures of ping-pong on the screen...ah, tournaments...

And the famous band "Slightly Skewed" With guitarist and Stats professor Joe Hahn, Bass player and Finance professor Grateful Ed Fredericks, and Graduate Singer and Guitar player Zach Pond.'

The pre ceremony gymnasium waiting for the graduates--and yes, One Accord sang the National Anthem for the occasion. Seems like a long time ago. And it feels like I finally have closure now somehow. I couldn't quite feel like I had graduated until finding that job and moving on to the next chapter. So that feels amazing. To new chapters!