Our Next Chapter Starts Here

At 56, I’m bringing a longtime idea to life. Welcome to The Pacific44 Journal—and our journey to 60 and beyond.

There’s something exciting about seeing a project you’ve carried around in your head finally become a place people can visit.

The Pacific44 Journal website is live. It’s my first website launch in years, and this one feels especially personal. It brings together interests, experiences and ideas that have followed me through different jobs, different cities and different chapters of life. At 56, I’m finally giving them a home.

If you found us through Facebook or Instagram, welcome. I’m Allen Robinson. My wife, Angie, and I live in Henderson, Nevada, and we’re figuring out our own journey to 60 and beyond. We started Pacific44 because we wanted to share more of what makes this part of life worth looking forward to.

I’ve spent much of my career helping organizations keep things moving. My work has taken me through technology, horse racing, radio, healthcare and project management. I’ve supported people, solved problems, helped build systems and learned how much happens behind the scenes to make something work.

Along the way, I’ve met people and visited places that left a lasting impression. Some of those experiences are becoming stories here. Others have shaped how I think about community, opportunity and the importance of showing up.

Writing has been part of that history, too. Back at Central High School in Waterloo, Iowa, I worked on the school newspaper and wrote an “Ask Al” column. I enjoyed having a place to put an idea, ask a question or connect with someone through words. That interest stayed with me even as my working life moved in other directions.

Years later, Angie and I built Soul Concepts Digital Marketing and Web Design in Laguna Beach. We helped other people tell their stories and present their businesses. I enjoyed that work, and it gave me another way to combine technology with creativity.

Through all those chapters, the idea of having my own publication kept coming back.

Now I get to see what happens when I give it the time and attention it deserves.

A reason to pay closer attention

Earlier this year, Angie had a health scare. It became part of the reason this project feels meaningful to us.

An experience like that gives you reason to look closely at the life you’re living. The ordinary things take on more weight: time together, a walk, a conversation, plans you’ve been putting off. You start considering what deserves more room in your days.

We still have careers, responsibilities and practical decisions to make. We’re thinking about retirement, our health and where we want the years ahead to take us. We also want to enjoy the life happening while we work through those decisions.

That’s where Pacific44 comes in.

Creating this Journal gives me something of my own to build at this stage of my career. It gives us a place to share what we’re discovering, remember what has shaped us and stay open to whatever comes next.

There’s a lot of excitement in that. I’m learning as I go, and I’m enjoying having a project that draws on so many parts of my life.

The things we want to make room for

You’ll find a variety of stories here because our lives—and probably yours—have a variety of interests.

Some days, we’ll explore a place worth visiting: a scenic road, a neighborhood restaurant, a national park or somewhere close to home that we’ve passed a hundred times without stopping.

Other days, we’ll talk about living well. Health, movement, retirement, home and the choices that help us make the most of the years ahead. These are subjects we’re considering ourselves, and we want the Journal to be a useful place to explore them.

Music belongs here, too. It has been woven through my life, from Waterloo and local radio to the songs Angie and I still play today. A familiar record can bring back a person, a room or an entire period of your life. There are plenty of those stories waiting to be told.

And there’s Angie’s Saturday Soul.

Her column brings her perspective to family, friendship, motherhood, memories and the everyday moments that stay with us. Through ViolaGirl29, she has found her own lane within this shared journey. I love seeing her voice become such an important part of Pacific44.

Together, these subjects reflect the life we’re living and the things we want to keep discovering.

An invitation to come along

At this age, we carry a lot with us. Careers we’ve built. People we’ve loved. Places we’ve called home. Mistakes, accomplishments, changes and lessons we probably couldn’t have learned any other way.

All of that can give us something valuable to bring to a new beginning.

For me, this website is one of those beginnings. I’m proud to finally put it out into the world, and I’m curious to see who finds their way here.

Maybe you’re approaching retirement. Maybe you’re starting something yourself. Maybe you want a new place to visit, a song to put on, a story that feels familiar or a little encouragement to make time for something you enjoy.

I hope you’ll find a reason to stay awhile.

Read a story. Explore a category. Spend a Saturday with Angie’s column. Join the Journal so we can keep sharing what comes next. And when something connects with you, pass it along to someone who might enjoy it, too.

Thank you for being here at the beginning. Having people arrive, read and become part of this makes the launch feel real.

Welcome to The Pacific44 Journal.

We’d love to have you along for the journey.

Allen S. Robinson
Founder & Publisher | The Pacific44 Journal
The Journey to 60 and Beyond

LIVE WELL ◆ STAY CURIOUS ◆ KEEP MOVING