A Puppy By Any Other Name
September 10, 2007 | by brett | Permalink
by Noah Pollock
noah@pursuethepassion.com
A nickname can be a beautiful, or truly awful thing. Some are lucky enough to have a name conducive to an automatic nickname. Daniel Weber has been D-Web since the day he was born. Other appellations intend to offer a constant reminder of some joke among friends, then spreading to people completely uninvolved with the original joke. So was the case with my middle school/high school moniker Rat. In this, the long tradition of applied sobriquet, I offer for your approval Zach “Puppy” Hubbell.
What began as a cynic’s condescension of youthful exuberance, the Puppy has become so much more. The greatest nicknames spring from humble beginnings as the new owner grows into the name, like bougainvillea slowly occupying the seemingly uninhabitable face of a brick wall. Zach Hubbell, arguably the kindest, gentlest soul this world has ever known, has become the Puppy, for the reasons listed below and almost certainly more that we have yet to discover.
Youthful Exuberance: Constantly excitable, the Puppy has a seemingly endless reserve of earnest interest in everything. Furthermore, this excitement cannot be hidden behind a veneer of apathetic adulthood. At 25, the Puppy still giggles like a schoolgirl at the thought of a hike, fun night out, or a delicious meal.
Voracious Appetite: If not told to stop, the Puppy would eat the plate on which his meals are served. I once saw him eat an entire set of patio furniture with little regard for the impending stomachache caused by the consumption of large quantities of metal. The Puppy loves food, much like, well, a puppy, while constantly maintaining the svelte-ness of a 2-month old Golden Retriever.
Run, Puppy, Run: Upon arrival in every city, the Puppy rips off his shirt and starts running. To where he runs we have little idea, knowing only that he gets lost nearly every time. But this Puppy, with the aide of opposable thumbs, always calls home for directions. Dripping with sweat, he wanders back into whomever’s home we are currently occupying and rhetorically asks permission to use the shower.
Crate Training: As the fourth member of the group, the Puppy sleeps on a bench. He recently discovered the hallway of the RV as a more spacious sleeping area. He had neither blanket nor pillow for the first 2 months of the trip, having been finally bestowed both by Christian Eichenlaub of the Humane Society of Minneapolis. The following is a partial list of sleeping environments utilized by the Puppy: face down on top of the RV, face down on a 38th story Chicago balcony, carpets in nine states, off the edge of a California king-size bed, a basement in Buffalo, somewhere in Vegas, many couches and a hammock. The Puppy recently said that he naturally analyzes the depth of carpets in every home he now enters, judging whether or not they would be suitable to sleep on.
At this moment, we sit in a beautiful beach house in Cape Cod. Some of us work. The Puppy is out chasing the Frisbee.
Good nickname?
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THERE ARE 9 RESPONSES TO THIS INTERVIEW
Steve Says:
September 10th, 2007
How fun to hihglight one of your own on video. I think you should do one team member each week. The personalities of the PTP team are just as interesting as the interviews. Plus, you are in the process of building your “brand.” You guys are the brand. Good idea Brett.
Kelly G Says:
September 10th, 2007
The write up, video and music had me in stitches! Good job you guys. You really captured the “puppy”! Gotta love you Zach!
Eli Says:
September 10th, 2007
Also, if you pretend to throw a ball, Zach, or “The Puppy” as he is now known, will chase it for a second.
Taneika Says:
September 10th, 2007
Eh Eh, Puppppay!!
Danielle Says:
September 10th, 2007
Hahaha. I had one of those Mondays where your brain just wants to melt out the side of your head. This was great. Thanks guys! Hope traffic wasn’t too bad on your way to NY.
Carol Says:
September 11th, 2007
I agree with Steve about highlighting each of the Pursue the Passion team. You are each very special and we miss you all. This is a great way to let us know what each of you is up to.
Scott Says:
September 11th, 2007
Was the music composed and performed by Jay and Noah?
brett Says:
September 11th, 2007
The music was composed and performed by Haiku D’etat.
Stephen Hopson Says:
September 12th, 2007
Hey Puppy!
What a great write up on yourself. Very cool video too. Like some of the others say, I think it’d be neat to have a YouTube and “self analysis” for each member of PTP. It’d give everyone a chance to know up close who you guys are.
And I think “The Puppy” is a great branding name but I think it’ll only stick as long as you continue to display your youthful playfulness.
Stephen
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