Speak For Change With Thomas Sage Pedersen
Welcome to Speak for Change with Thomas Sage Pedersen! Our mission is to inspire and promote positive and lasting change in our local & global communities.
Speak For Change With Thomas Sage Pedersen
Ep.154 Balancing Journalism and PR: Connecting Through Food, Community and Kindness
Have you ever wondered how journalism and PR can coexist in harmony, or how the lessons from Star Wars might apply to real-life professions?
Join us on Speak for Change as I chat with my dear friend Ashley Drew Owen, who takes us through her fascinating journey from the newsroom to the world of public relations. Ashley shares the ethical tightrope she walks to maintain her journalistic integrity while thriving in PR, and we have a bit of fun drawing parallels between these two fields and the light and dark sides of the Force.
The episode isn't just about professional transitions; it's also a heartfelt exploration of personal storytelling and its immense power. We reflect on the simple, early joys of sharing personal stories with friends and delve into the profound connections such sharing fosters.
From overcoming fears of imperfection to the therapeutic benefits of writing, we explore numerous facets of creativity and confidence.
Our conversation touches on the creative process in both personal and professional realms, celebrating achievements, nurturing curiosity, and embracing actions that lead to progress. We also dive into the enriching world of performing arts and the unique ways they enhance empathy and human understanding.
Wrapping up with a discussion about the inspiring connections between food, community, and kindness, this episode is packed with insights, stories, and themes that resonate deeply with the human experience.
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Hi, I'm your host, thomas Sage Pedersen, and welcome to Speak for Change podcast, where we explore positive and lasting change in all areas of life life. Our next guest is journalist and PR specialist and good friend, ashley Drew Owen. So, ashley, welcome to speak for change.
Speaker 2:Thank you. Thank you so much for having me.
Speaker 1:Yeah, no, it's really awesome to have you on this podcast because you're an awesome friend and let's see you do amazing things. You're a writer, you're a PR person and you've worked for like a bunch of things. I swear, when I saw your website, I was like what, what? This is my friend. I'm so cool. They have such a cool friend. Wow, so tell me about what. What do you what? What is it? What is PR stuff? What is public relations person? Yeah, what is that involved and what is right? Being a writer involved, like what? What is that life like?
Speaker 2:What is that life like? So I will say that before I got my current PR agency job that I do part-time, I did not really know what public relations truly was. I had kind of BS'd my way into a prior job, yeah, and I kind of started it all in the journalism world Cool, and I really loved being able to tell other people's stories and being able to pull out those nuggets of the story, be able to ask that question Wow, no one's ever asked me that before and then to be able to share whatever that response was with the community, et cetera. So then I always like to joke that when I started doing PR, I just went over onto the dark side.
Speaker 1:He went to the dark side.
Speaker 2:Right, Like journalists, right, I mean whatever. There's challenges of every job. But you know, journalists go out there and they tell the story, not because someone's paying them to do it, Totally PR people. You throw money at them. They will go out and say anything and push anything. You throw money at them.
Speaker 2:They will go out and say anything and push anything. So while I switched over to the dark side of public relations, I still bring that like journalistic integrity and I, you know, want to really focus on PRing for people, organizations, initiatives that like I really believe in Right, so kind of like bringing so maybe it's not all the dark side.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you're kind of like doing this morphing of the dark and the light. I don't know enough about Star.
Speaker 2:Wars, but like.
Speaker 1:I feel like there's right Is there?
Speaker 2:some character right, that dark side, light side, we've both got lightsabers.
Speaker 1:We both got lightsabers.
Speaker 2:Maybe, I don't know, can I get the double-ended one? Can I get the double-ended one? Is that only that for the Darth?
Speaker 1:Maul, right, I mean technically. I don't know how I know this, so do not. Maybe I just like Star Wars too much, I think so. Maybe this is so embarrassing, but I'll't know. Maybe I just like Star Wars too much, I think so. Maybe this is so embarrassing, but I'll own it. Uh, anyone could have a double sided lightsaber, but there's downsides, I guess, to combat. Uh, yeah, I get it because it's uh, you know, it's a little risky.
Speaker 2:Yeah Right, you could cut off your own hand.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and it's a specific type of style, yeah, um. So yeah, not everyone has a double-sided lightsaber, okay, well I that just like popped into my head but.
Speaker 1:I feel like the journalism pr I feel like I'm wielding a double-sided lightsaber pr is like the sith lord, the dark side, while journalism is like um, and I'm just paraphrase, paraphrasing what you're you're saying, uh it's like jedis, right, but I guess in most recent shows they've showed kind of like this the more complexities of like the villains right like kind of showing more of like how they're human right and how they're maybe the dark side's just misunderstood and so right.
Speaker 2:Maybe there are other aspects of the good guys.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Like everyone's complex, we're all multifaceted humans.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I and I think, like you know and everybody, there is a ugliness and a darkness that we eventually, if we want to grow as individuals, we'll have to accept and learn to be with. Yes, Right, so not to go crazy deep there on a there yeah. Boom, we're there Welcome.
Speaker 2:Immediately into Star Wars, and I don't even really know.
Speaker 1:I've only seen the only three of them. No, I'm just kidding.
Speaker 2:Yeah, let's not. Not because I'm just kidding. Yeah, let's not go down that road. Not because I'm not interested, but just because I'm not really plugged into pop culture and also the noises, I don't know. Sometimes I'm like I don't want to watch something with loud fighting guns. It's very auditorially. It's a very intense experience. Yeah, absolutely that's a very intense experience.
Speaker 1:Yeah, absolutely, that's a very particular thing and I love it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, sometimes I'm just not in the mood.
Speaker 1:Yeah, totally Anyway yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so, so, yeah. So that's kind of like how I got into it.
Speaker 1:So I guess I want to know cause you're talking about loving people's stories and it has. Has that always been a thing in your life or is it something that kind of came out of, something Like how did that occur? Like, were you just like, were you that little kid who was like hey, mom, tell me about your life? Or were you, or were you more like, did you just discover it somehow?
Speaker 2:I remember one year in high school I did like the relay for life, which is where you know everyone hangs out. It's a fundraiser for cancer funds and you have teams and it's like you walk in, turn around the track like for like, all night it's like a day to night to think so yeah, so anyway.
Speaker 2:I remember when I was not walking. I remember like sitting in the back of the gym and hanging out with a few friends and like asking each other like tell me your life story, and I mean these were like 16. So I was like I was really stretching out the life story.
Speaker 2:but even at 16, there's like a lot right, A lot going on, and so like that, I remember just like really enjoying that, because the more that you know about someone's story, where they're coming from, how they operate, the more that you can just exist with them and like in a more like I don't know fluid, happy way, Um, and the more that just you understand, you get to a deeper level and, as we know from like the that earlier conversation, I like to be in the depths. Deep sea creature reporting for duty came up to the light.
Speaker 1:Yeah. So why is that, though? Why get the depth?
Speaker 2:I just don't think. I don't know, I just the the, the superficial conversation. They just don't do it for me. I don't know, I just the the the superficial conversation. They just don't do it for me.
Speaker 1:I don't know.
Speaker 2:I just I think that something about the human ability to really be able to understand someone, no matter how different your journeys have been up until that moment, I think is really powerful.
Speaker 1:I think, speaking on kind of the power of those stories and kind of that empathy, it seems like as a as a result of that, what are some other benefits that come out of, you know, your PR work in journalism work?
Speaker 2:Um, you know, I think that some like I mean a lot of people that are doing really amazing things are sometimes humble or, you know, they have visions for how they want it to look next, which can sometimes make it hard for them to accurately and fully express how amazing what they're doing right now is. Yeah, Like, when are you going to interview you?
Speaker 1:on this podcast. That would be so much fun. That would be a mind-fuck.
Speaker 2:Are we allowed to swear?
Speaker 1:Yeah, of course, yeah, yeah, I think I would just like jump back and forth in my chair Like, so, thomas, why are you getting this line of work? And I'd be like, well, let me tell you, thomas, why are you getting this line of work? And I'd be like, well, let me tell you, thomas. Yeah, it would be a really weird conversation. But yeah, I understand, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:I think that and you know, sometimes other people in our, in our lives are can hold up a more accurate mirror to ourselves because, right, we are our own like worst critic oftentimes, which means that, even if we're doing amazing things, we may, you know, find that one little imperfection and, as a recovering perfectionist, definitely relate to that, you know, find that one little thing and then not be able to to really highlight what we're doing or feel, or feel, oh, I don't want to like. Some people are like, oh, I don't really want to like talk about myself because that just feels like I'm so full of myself but I. The downside of that is that nobody gets to know how awesome you are and all of the incredible things that you're doing and the contributions that you're making.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and there's a like what you're saying I don't know, uh, from from my experience doing this podcast, I've had people really're taught to look ahead, right, we're taught to be like, yeah, the next thing, whatever that next thing is. But it's like you kind of are always moving forward, never really taking the chance to really look at yourself. And you know, there's this uh, super athlete, ex Navy SEAL guy named David Goggins.
Speaker 1:Yeahins, yeah he's crazy, but I love him and he's intense, yeah, totally. And uh, he he talks a lot about, surprisingly, how writing his own, because he had a ghost writer and his ghost writer and him. The only reason I know that is because when you listen to the book it's like a podcast. It's like him, his ghostwriter, saying, like saying the chapters and then in between the chapters they like reflect together on the chapters, which I think is such a great thing. I mean so beautiful, right, I mean I think that's amazing.
Speaker 1:But he talks a lot about how, when he sat down to write his story, that changed him. Just the fact of reflecting back on your story, being able to see your story and being able to actually articulate it and talk about it and like kind of process, it really allowed him to go the next level in himself and really understand who he was authentically. Things emerged that he didn't even expect emerged in that process, and so he recommends a lot of people to just write their story, just for themselves, you know, not even for any kind of particular purpose, but just do that process of writing your own story because it will make a transformative impact on yourself. Do you resonate with that kind of statement?
Speaker 2:yeah, oh, absolutely, and like self-reflection can feel really scary, like oh no, yeah, you know, because then it's like, oh well, who was driving this boat?
Speaker 2:oh, damn it was me, it was me which right like I don't like you know, if you have regrets or if you wish you did something different, especially, but also if you, you know, i't know just expectations of all of that stuff, it can be that can feel daunting and kind of you don't want to look at it, yeah, but I think yeah it would. It's probably very surprising for people to realize how far they've come, how much they've done, realize how far they've come, how much they've done, and sharing that with other people again, it's like sometimes it takes that outsider's perspective to say that's incredible, you did that. You just jumped right in and you did that. You had that inkling of an idea and you watered it and sewed it and told it it was beautiful, because plants grow better when you give them positive feedback. You're a beautiful little plant, it's true.
Speaker 2:I know I love it, yeah, but all of that, like really right. Like I mean, then you are blooming this beautiful flower, but sometimes you're like, oh, I thought the sunflower was going to be like five feet and it's only four feet. And it's like, well, well, I thought the sunflower was going to be like five feet and it's only four feet. And it's like, well, okay, yeah, okay.
Speaker 1:All right.
Speaker 2:Still, you grew this from a seed.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And that's not something that everyone can do or that everybody is committed to doing, because it's also the commitment to whatever work or whatever path we're on that sometimes like it's that is that is just as important path we're on that sometimes like it's that is that is just as important, like you were saying to me when I was woeing to you about how, oh well, I want to do this thing, but I'm unsure and I want it to be perfect and it may not, and you were like throw that idea of perfection out the window and just like do it and commit to it and make it happen, and each time that you do it you're going to get better and you're doing the thing that you said you want to do, which, in my brain, creates this like I just feel like these like really happy synapses start firing off of, like oh my gosh, I'm doing the thing.
Speaker 2:Like when I bought a mountain bike because I lived, I moved to Santa Cruz and so you're supposed to, you're supposed to like, you know or at least I was like I must do all of the Santa Cruz things. So I bought a mountain bike and after I went through my initial, I'm intimidated, I'm scared of it, I'm not going to touch it, I'm not going to ride it. Then I was like, okay, ashley, cause I started saying like every day I had this mountain bike and I was like, okay, I got to get on the mountain. You spent a lot of money on it, you want it to do it, you want to be out there, you want to be mountain biking room room up the hill, down the hill, get out there. But every day I was putting so much pressure on myself. You should be, I could be out there today. I could be out there, I could be mountain biking while doing this podcast. Right now, it's possible. Good try, anyway.
Speaker 2:But as a result, I was putting too much pressure on myself. So I decided, okay, you know what? How about just one day a week? Ash, just commit to one day a week Mountain Bike Monday. It has a nice alliterative zing to it. So that worked great for me and it was like that commitment to just once a week and just continuing to do it. And then I was like you know, looking back on that journey, I was like, oh my gosh, I'm doing it. I'm doing mountain bike Mondays, don't ask me if I went mountain biking today, Is it Monday?
Speaker 2:Is it Monday? Yeah, it's Monday.
Speaker 1:I did a lot of other good stuff. That's okay. No, it reminds me of how you think. Have you heard the book called it's like magic or something it's like is it magic? It's the same author who wrote Eat Pray Love. She wrote this other book and one of the things she gets asked is like I don't even know if it's in the book. I think maybe this was an interview from her, but she said something along the lines of like. Someone asked like, oh, like, how do you when do you like write a book? Or you know, they were just confused about the process of writing and writing a book or something. And she's like you either have a book or you don't like. It's that simple. You know you either have a book or you don't like you. It's that's. That's the end. You know if you want to be a book or you don't like you. That's, that's the end. You know if you want to be a writer and you want to have a book, you got to make a book.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:You know, and I think that simplicity in this realm of reality. We live in a complex world and a complex mind with conflict, complex bodies. You know there's a lot of complexity out there. Mind with conflict, complex bodies you know there's a lot of complexity out there. But one of the great things about what we're talking about, like the creative process even, is that it's it's a fairly simple algorithm, you know. Yes, it's like just do it and just allow yourself to do it and keep going Right, and it's, it's.
Speaker 1:You know I, I told myself when I started the podcast that I'm probably not going to be good till episode 100, you know, I was like, I was like I'll't even know, maybe like 200 is like the thing you know, like, but all in all, it's. I've been, I'm a person of action. You know which is good and bad. It's a weird thing to be in this society, you know, because, and a lot in different different types of realities, right when you go in, and normal people are not used to like directness or people who are like, just do the thing, and they're just like oh, you know, they get kind of wobbly and I'm like, oh, it's, it's okay, like we can manage this, we can, like we can do things right. You know we can figure this out, and if it's, if it's wrong, we'll like figure that out.
Speaker 1:You know, and I think there's a type of confidence that comes with when you, when you start practicing, doing things, you are, you are kind of akin to that You're writing, you're doing the things, you're a journalist I mean that's pretty awesome. And you are a PR person, you know that's like this kind of cool thing. You're just doing it. And I know a lot of people who love writing, who just don't do things Right, and so I'm wondering how has confidence played a role in your work?
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's a good question, Thank you. Well, I think that the repetition and the muscle memory and like what like successful, you know person can say, oh yeah, the first time that I wrote an article or the first painting I painted was my best thing I've ever made, Like most of the time the story.
Speaker 1:I feel sorry for people if they, if they actually did do that Cause like oh my God, you're always trying to chase that and that's never as good.
Speaker 2:And you're like what hat did I hit my head? Yeah, exactly, Sorry.
Speaker 1:No, no, no, but that's not.
Speaker 2:That's not how it typically goes, and if it does, it's like I don't, I don't know, I. Most of the story is like right. It's like all of these stories of the rise to success and whatever people are doing. It's like right when I started. It was terrible. When I started. I had no idea. When I started I was who knows.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:You know, and it's really about that. And so I think I mean I am constantly, I think, refining my own writing. I read things that I wrote in the past and I would edit myself, of course, because, right, that's just how it is, and also as an editor, it's like I cannot help myself. Um, but it is. It is really just about continuing on. And also I will say that there is a difference, like so I have a personal project of a book that I'm working on and the it is currently in hibernation mode.
Speaker 2:But our friend Kim was like, oh no, well, summer's not the time to write fall and winter, when it's cold out, and I was like, thank you, that feels really good. But it's like you know that there is nobody lighting a fire underneath me except for me on that personal project, and it also has like a lot of personal, like kind of themes and familial storylines in it. So it's, you know, it is an undertaking. It's not just like I'm going to write a book about whatever, something that doesn't have as much like personal ties and depth to it versus, you know, when I'm, when I'm writing an article for a publication. It's like we got to like there is a deadline. I mean, yes, I have a article due today that I will be finishing after this.
Speaker 2:It's like this, feels like suddenly it became confession after this it's like this, feels like it, suddenly it became confession, but you know so, of course like having, you know, having that deadline.
Speaker 2:I'm a very deadline oriented person, um, but I think that that just doing it and and seeing the finished product, and then realizing that I wrote this thing, and realizing that, yes, it was hard but I like how it turned out, and also it really fuels me, because I'm not writing about a research study that I read, I'm writing about a personal story that somebody told me about their life and it's really important to me in any whether I'm wearing my PR hat or my journalist hat oh, I was going to bring hats, I'm just kidding.
Speaker 1:But I do keep it just like sidebar because I'm very like.
Speaker 2:I'm very passionate about, like, journalistic integrity and really about how journalism is supposed to work, which is a watchdog on democracy and which is like the voice that cannot be bought.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:I don't write a lot about like hard hitting news or you know things about, like you know the city, for example. I'm doing more like lifestyle, like feature profiles, but either way, like I think that's really important, so I keep those two sides of the business very separate.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:And when, like cause, people don't always like understand that. So I'll say like, for example, if a PR client is like oh, I want, like can you, can you pitch an article to write for a publication that you write for, I'm like, no, I can't pitch that as a freelancer because that would be like very dirty and icky to be being paid double Like that's just not a good look. Um, but you know, I kind of can, I can pitch another journalist to write about them. And because I am a journalist, I you know I can, I understand how it all works.
Speaker 2:So I understand what parts of the story to really highlight. Um, but anyway, like being able to tell someone's story in a way that when they read the article about their business or them as an individual or whatever I want, I want them to be like wow, that was that, captured it really well.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:This I had one person tell me that I told their story better than anyone ever has and better than they ever could, and that I was like, wow, can.
Speaker 1:I re.
Speaker 2:Can you say that again? Can I record this Not to go? I mean, of course, that'd be cool on my website as a testimonial, but it really was just a big validation moment for me. Even sometimes it feels like I'm just writing these articles and is it making a difference? And yes, it is, and that's really special to me and that's a big part of of what I, why I like doing this.
Speaker 1:That's so special. I'm wondering cause you're writing your personal thing, that's on hibernation, and you're in your human being, right, supposedly? You know, for the most part. Um, I just know, when I write, I, I, I don't, I have. So I have so much mad respect for journalists, um, in so many ways, because when I write, it's very personal. I write very personal things. I'm a very intimate, vulnerable writer. You know, I, my, my, I put my heart on my sleeve and go to town, right, and then I'm like that's totally cringe, right, you know, like, wow, did I just write some emo shit? Yes, I did, and I am. Oh, it's out in the world. Okay, thomas, what the fuck are you thinking? You know, and everyone's like are you okay? I'm like, I don't know, I'm just honest.
Speaker 1:Um, yeah, but I guess I guess how does cause for me writing so personal? I don't know if that is the case for you. Um, I would like to know. But also, how does writing articles and doing this PR work affect your personal life and your personal writing? Does it have an effect?
Speaker 2:Yes, yes, sometimes good, sometimes less good, like I would say a good thing is that, because I am, I've got that, even if I'm not writing an article, even if it's just to know someone better, I really like to be engaged in conversation and I want to ask those questions. I want to know why did you like, why did you start doing this thing? Like, what was the turning point? What makes you tick, like, what's the what's going on here?
Speaker 2:What's the deal, even if it's just for my own. Oh yeah, yeah, oh yeah, I know like I I feel like I have a better perspective of whatever it is right, um, so I think that is just a positive thing, because I'm generally interested, I'm a very I'm pretty aware of my like when I'm just out and about. I'm like I was at afro beats last thursday and I just like I love like just kind of observing people and the community and my roommate and I was like watching this, these parents that were like having a blast and dancing, and then their like maybe 10 year old son that was like very embarrassed and it was like guys like like and it was like just watching this little family dynamic play out and like the dad was like clearly, like just like intentionally, you know, kind of it was just this little snapshot of of humanity and of just life.
Speaker 2:Nothing especially special, right. It was just an a Thursday night that, like the fam decided to go to Abbott square and yeah and it's just I don't know. Just being a human is like really something.
Speaker 1:And with you like like how does that affect your writing and who you are as a person?
Speaker 2:um, I think, having that attention to detail and that noticing, and that wanting to find the through line, the common threads. Um, so my personal book is it is based on truth and on my family, but I am taking a lot of creative liberty, so I don't know what the official term is like. Semi-fiction is what we're going to go with right now. Um, and so that like learning and it's the it's in four sections. Going back on my matriarchal side to my great grandmother. And then every section is like great grandmother, grandmother, mother, me.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:So you know, having learned the stories of my I mean, I know my own story, knowing the story of my mom and then learning more about the story of my grandmother and my great grandmother, like just having that attention to those little details and that like, oh well, I can see these generational patterns like repeating themselves. I can see how what my great grandmother did, you know, ripple affected, and then what my grandmother did and what my mom did and now how I am existing I mean one it's. This is like a. The book is also somewhat of like a, a therapy, like processing experience for me, which is pretty cool because it's also helping me get to know myself better and how I became the person that I am. The things that either I experienced or my ancestors experienced, that, you know, trickle down and impact me years and years later, just all helps me understand how it works better.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Um, so even that I think if I was not someone that was paying attention and that was like interested, not because I'm trying to like make a bunch of money or whatever, just because genuinely I am very fascinated by those connections and by you know how these things play out, either within someone's life or over multiple generations.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that cure. It sounds like curiosity and I'm wondering if, if that's always been a theme in your life.
Speaker 2:Um, I think so. Yeah, I think it definitely has been. Um, I spent a lot, of, a lot of time outside when I was like younger, was always like trying to hang out with the animals, and I was like obsessed with chipmunks for like a period of time and I like really wanted to like catch one, so I would like tie an acorn to a string and like put it in the hole. It never worked it's creative though.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, very creative.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I love that, yeah and I also did a lot of um performance, so I was in a lot of. I was in a lot of ballet performances, I was in voice lessons, I was singing, I was playing instruments, I was in plays and musicals, and I think that like um donning different roles, yeah, and stepping into different um, not real people but, like you know, different people's stories, yeah, and characters and and archetypes also just made me more attuned to all of those different ways that people exist.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And you know the observing right. Because like especially if you're, if you're acting, you have to be really self-aware of yourself and you have to be aware of the character. Yeah Wow, I never thought about that.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:The light bulb just went off, a big fluorescent. What Never thought, of what I never I never thought of how acting as different characters is kind of like that character study really translates to the journalism and the PR work, because it's like a similar idea. You have to understand how that character operates, what their motivations are, what makes them tick in order to become them.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I feel like, uh, I forgot where and when I had this conversation, but I did this, this test, once you know one of those career tests a long time ago and it said you should be an actor and I thought like that's a bit insulting and I was like at the time I was like what does that even mean? But, like, after years probably a decade or more of like contemplating this and like observing myself, I realized like I do have a, I actually do have a personality that can like morph into things and I think it's actually helped a lot with empathy, like cause, I could step into the role of like the person I'm having a disagreement with or something, and in my own time I'll, like I could actually like embody that person and understand like the nuances of their character, of like who they are, like, what the pain or what the trend like, what are they thinking, what are they feeling and actually like, and I come out of it being kind of having this real clarity and it's similar to like family systems, therapy stuff, you know where it's like all these things have a character and you love them and all you give it love and that whole deal and it's interesting that you bring up with the journalist side of it, and it's that makes complete sense. And I think it's also another kind of nod to the power of the arts. You know, the power of how the arts bring empathy, and the arts bring this awareness of humanity that other things just can't do. You know, and it's something that I believe when we're in a time of crisis, like you know, right now, it's like a pretty I would say, we're pretty crisis-y, you know what I mean, with housing and with politics and with we just got out of a pandemic and all these different elements like and the arts are not being funded right now.
Speaker 1:I mean, I'm on a lot of boards, right, so I kind of see like, oh, wow, a lot of people have backed out or bigger organizations have decided to focus, like almost directly on issues instead of the arts, and I think that's just such a bad idea. Uh, and this is just a reminder for me um, that that's true, and so have you always been kind of an artistic person, like an artistic mindset, cause you know, we've also played music together, which is, I think, like I keep forgetting that you're like a brilliant singer and you know I'm just like where did. Where did the arts come into your life and how did you nourish that, and how do you continue to nourish that?
Speaker 2:Oh my gosh. Yeah, I mean I. You know, a lot of people took dance classes when they were three and then they stopped when they were like 10.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:I didn't stop. I did ballet from when I was three through high school and I did. I was in, I did like touring company nutcrackers. So every winter for years, from July or August when we started rehearsal, I was every single weekend rehearsing for the Nutcracker and then every single weekend from the weekend after Thanksgiving until the weekend before Christmas, touring shows all over like central Massachusetts area. Yeah, like two like multiple shows a week or, I'm sorry, like two shows a day, one or two shows a day, like Friday, saturday, sunday, like in the zone in the dance zone.
Speaker 2:And then through that I also started taking voice lessons, because I think I just was probably in choruses and in school and then, um, I, I, oh, I should say my grandfather was a musician. Yeah, I should say also, like I have a lot of music, like in my family, my grandfather was a musician. He started a record label one of his.
Speaker 1:He was like a serious musician like yeah, he started a record label.
Speaker 2:one of his songs was covered by lou monti, who's like a really famous old Italian singer. Yeah, one of my grandfather's songs is called Babalucci and it's a. Babalucci is a pet name for like a snail or a periwinkle on the beach. It's like this whole song about snails like fucking.
Speaker 1:Good, good family ties there yeah.
Speaker 2:I know, I know, I know, oh my gosh, my mom's always like we gotta get babaluchi famous. It's the, it's the, whatever anniversary, let's get it on ellen.
Speaker 2:She's like how do we get out of everything, ellen? She's like I feel like, because you know she did the voice for the fish and finding name, I'm like I don't know how to get this to Ellen. Yeah, I'm sorry, but anyway. So the music is definitely like in my family. Yeah and um and my dad. Well, my dad really wanted to play the guitar or the drums but his dad bought him an accordion. It was like here, you can play this. My dad was like thanks, can play this. So my dad was like thanks, bro, like oh, my gosh. But but so my dad, you know was, is really into music and both of my parents love listening to music also. So it was always around and I'm sure I was like singing and prancing about really big disney music, disney movie, when I was young, like a lot of us.
Speaker 2:So I think like there was a period when I would wake up every morning and before school I would watch the circle of life intro to the lion King and I'd be like in the living room like doing doing some.
Speaker 1:African dancing.
Speaker 2:Yeah, Just like losing my shit singing the circle of life. It was like my, like good morning world, yeah anyway. So got you know, started taking voice lessons and then started doing um musicals. My first musical was in middle school and it was the hobbit the musical oh, thank you to my parents for sitting through all of the eternally long shows.
Speaker 2:What, what role did you play in the Hobbit? Oh, I was Thorin Oakenshield, the leader of the dwarves. My first line was I am Thorin Oakenshield and these dwarves. These dwarves are my men and because I was really into dance, I got them to let me do this like this, like dwarf, like ballet solo. Oh my gosh, it was like really silly.
Speaker 2:Dear Ashley's parents, please, If you have video of this it's on VHS, thomas, and I will tell you that the last time I attempted to watch it, it's like over three hours long. It is torture.
Speaker 1:Please send me this my my email.
Speaker 2:speak for change podcast full beard like the full deal anyway, like that's amazing. Yeah, it was really, really special. Yeah, the songs were, were something. That's amazing. Who knew the Hobbit was a musical?
Speaker 1:I mean no one should know. I mean, it makes sense, I could see it, yeah.
Speaker 2:So anyway, yeah, so I was like on stage a lot.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and then, like through high school, like, yeah, I was in concert choir, jazz choir, magicals, I was in the concert band, I was in a band, I was. I tried to let them in. I tried to get them to let me in the jazz band, yeah, playing the flute, but they were like I didn't get the jazz flute thing and I don't think I was. Maybe I was good enough, who knows. Yeah, but anyway, and in, like all the musicals and plays and I directed some, which was also really great and I really enjoyed directing actually which makes sense because I like to be in charge. Um, but yeah, I was. I I was really into it and it was just a huge part of my life.
Speaker 2:And so then, when I started college and when I was applying to schools, I was like I think I'm going to major in acting or musical theater or something, cause that was like seemed like what I was interested in and I didn't have any other, like I didn't have any academic things that I was so hyped up about. I was like I don't know, maybe I'll major in acting. Or like math yeah, jackal and hide much Acting. Or math. Like okay, frickin, hit your head again acting. Or mad like okay, freaking, hit your head again.
Speaker 1:That's amazing. What made you not you like stopped the story right when it was like what?
Speaker 2:okay, so. So then, so I applied to I don't even the whole like college thing and like 16 year olds yeah having to know what they want to do when they've had little to no exposure of anything that makes sense.
Speaker 2:Yeah, plus. Then it's like you're you are deciding whether or not you want to go into debt with with amounts of money that your little teenage at least my little teenage brain, I remember my dad was like well, if you go to school out of state, you're going to have to take out loans. And my 17 year old know it all ass was like yeah, but that's why I'm going to college, so I can, like, get a job and then I'll pay off the loans.
Speaker 2:Yeah, okay, so I, you know, applied to whatever and was just kind of like I don't know, I'm just applying because that's what you do Right, just kind of like I don't know, I'm just applying because that's what you do, right. And I wanted to go far away from my family, not because they were terrible, but just because I wanted to get out of town, like as far as possible. And so I got into Syracuse University and I was like, okay, well, that's five hours away, it's a big university I had gone to visit. It seemed fun. And so I was undecided for my first two years.
Speaker 2:But I auditioned to be an acting major my freshman year and it was the worst audition I have ever done. I bombed it so hard I guess I was. I memorized a monologue but I didn't. I didn't stick. It was, yeah, it was. And I um, I was usually really good at auditions like I could and without practicing a ton. Yeah, I'm a winging it kind of person oftentimes. And and it was like snowing and I had to like take it. I had to like walk to downtown syracuse in the snow because I couldn't get a cab, like Like it was just. The universe was like you shall not major in acting. So I, I bombed and like the week before I had auditioned to be in this like freshmen musical and it was like the musical for freshmen that are not acting majors.
Speaker 1:Oh, interesting.
Speaker 2:And I auditioned for West side story and I got the role that I wanted. I got Anita, which was like for my vocal range like the best role.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I was. So I was all like hyped up. I was like look at me now, like look, how bitches like tanked it so bad. And I was so I was so sad. I was so like depressed, and I had. I had come from a small town where I was pretty good.
Speaker 2:And so I would, I would go out for a role and I would probably get it, or I would get, like you know, the next roll down and I was just like every like, yeah, freshman year of collegeley was like what, oh. So I remember like I, my parents, like flew me home for the weekend because I was like so devastated and it was like a really scary.
Speaker 2:The syracuse airport is really small, so the plane was like yeah, oh my god anyway. So like that was terrible, but I'm so glad that that didn't happen. And then, yeah, I spent two years like I don't know what am I gonna major and I was like I picked picking the most random class, like art, photography or right, greek mythology or whatever. Yeah, and then I took an advertising class and I hated it. Also, the teacher was was bad. She was just it was like one of her first teach. She just was not great, not in the zone, but something about that, the advertising class that I hated. And then, oh, I went to a like special lecture of this graduate of the new house school, which is the communication school at new house, and he had started this like media company that was all about telling stories with really nice photos and like audio recording over it. This was not in the day before moving pictures. Like think back on that. I'm like why wasn't he does?
Speaker 2:he does make movies now, but I remember like just like that um presentation yeah and just, and he was telling some really hard stories about people like really having a hard time, like really down on their luck, like totally really going through it and I was like shit, oh my God, like I want to, I want to tell stories, like I want to get in there, like peel back the layers and tell these stories of being human that are good or that are hard, that like show us that we're all human. And so that was. I'm really grateful to have taken that shitty ad class and then to have somehow found myself at that lecture Cause. Then I was like okay, magazine journalism.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Cause I didn't. My mom was always like you should be on broadcast television, like you should be a broadcast journalist, and I just always would love they just look like such squares up there.
Speaker 1:Yeah, they do. It was like not really my style. Yeah, yeah, but yeah.
Speaker 2:So that was kind of that journey man.
Speaker 1:I love the creative journeys, you know it's like the artists. You know we never have just like a straight line, we're just like what's over here. Like wow, look, there goes my toe. All right, so we're going to transition into the question round now. Okay, are you ready? Yes, great, what was that? Are we in a bog hold on hold, on hold on.
Speaker 1:Welcome to the question I feel like I should have I didn't know those buttons did things until kim came in and was all looking at them and then we ended up like pressing a bunch of buttons and now I'm very addicted to the magical one.
Speaker 2:Oh, okay, yeah, what are the other ones? Sound like I want to press one.
Speaker 1:Here's this one. They're so cheesy, they're really good. And then I'll do these last two.
Speaker 2:That's like the Halloween question edition.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's way too. I didn't know. I assumed, like they had program things, that you would have to program them, and I think the volume has always been down, and so I just kind of thought they were just not programmed until they turned up the volume level and then I just pressed a button and it became a thing. Wow, ok.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:So welcome to the question round.
Speaker 2:Thank you.
Speaker 1:Yeah. First question Do you have a favorite failure to success story?
Speaker 2:Well, I was thinking about this as I do. I have known to think about things, maybe a little more than necessary, and I think the idea of failure is it's like is it really a failure? Is it a misdirection or a redirection? Like, for example, the acting story? I actually was thinking that was going to be what.
Speaker 1:I would say for this.
Speaker 2:But it's like, if you took that in the little Tupperware container of I auditioned to be an acting major and I did not become an acting major, that is a failure. Yeah, but I am so glad that I did not become an acting major, and so it's like I don't know the idea of failure. I think also, as someone that, like, really struggles with perfectionism, I'm really like I'm, I, I'm, I'm trying to kick it out of here, trying to redefine it. So I don't know, I think there are so many like so many of us have had these we think that we're going to do something and then actually that's not what happens, but actually we're pretty okay with the fact that it didn't work out that way, absolutely. So I don't know, I feel like lots of like, little like. I feel like sometimes a pinball in the machine and it's like I haven't fallen through the little paddles bottom and I'm just otherwise like dinging around all of the things.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so yeah, that's a good answer. That's a good answer. Do you have any quotes that you live by or think of often?
Speaker 2:Um, yes, um, the one that I think of and try to live by is I would rather be kind than right. I love that. That was um, a friend of mine that I met in Sedona, who was a very wise person, and that was how he lived his life and it really resonated with me and I heard it like over 10 years ago.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I, I I've heard a similar thing that is like definitely ruled my life. But I don't think of it Like. It's kind of like when you're driving with somebody and you know you could, you know the fastest route to the place, but they're like really want to go this way, it's like that's you could, you could push and be like, hey, you should go this way, this will be faster. And they're like, and then start a struggle and do all this whole stuff, or you just like enjoy the journey and just like be cool.
Speaker 2:Enjoy the fact that you're not driving.
Speaker 1:Yeah, totally Like put on a song, yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 2:Roll down the sunroof. Yeah, maybe put your head through it, if you're feeling wild, wild.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you have a sunroof, I do. Yep, yes, so do you, so do, yeah, yeah but yeah, mine's a little better, Okay, um, we'll come back to that. What?
Speaker 2:is something that you believe that other people think is crazy. So I don't know if other people would think this is crazy, necessarily, but I believe that we could solve a lot of problems and make a lot of improvements in our society by focusing on food. I think food is something that connects all of us and all of us need it. Um and like, if you look at it from an environmental perspective, from a health and nutrition perspective, from a cultural perspective I mean the list goes on and on ripple effects to then opening up doors to better addressing a lot of these other like really complicated issues in our world that it's like how will we ever solve this?
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Anyway, that's my that's amazing.
Speaker 1:I feel like you have a whole podcast episode on just that concept. And, yeah, you're definitely the first person who notices all my fruit trees in my backyard like fast, quickly. Everyone does, but eventually, but you're like boom and like orange, yeah, and you're like what do I look? And it's like I could see the wheels turning in your head whenever I, whenever you go in the backyard. It's hilarious. You're just like and I'm like what is she?
Speaker 2:okay, this is the thing, yeah, but so, like you know, there is, like even in in santa cruz, like especially having grown up in massachusetts very different climate, very different, like just cultural, yeah, existence. Um, the backyard fruit tree bounty in this town, or front yard, I don't care, whatever these like random fruit trees all over the place, just blow my mind and I think it is. It's so like, it's so cool to me just because it's so different. But it's also like what a great example of all of the bounty and all of the things that exist without us even doing anything. And what if there was? And like there are a lot of people that are hungry and that could use food, especially like good, nutritious things, like fruits.
Speaker 2:Of course you need other things, but right so it's like this is all growing without anyone hardly doing anything and with you know you walk, you can't walk more than a few blocks before you hit a box more community scale, like what other bounties, especially in food, could be shared.
Speaker 2:How else could we be growing things that is more beneficial for the environment and not just not destroying it but actually regenerating it and making it better and making, like you know, creating more places for native pollinators to thrive, which in turn would like enrich all of the plants? And then how would that help people's nutrition and you know the cost of healthcare, right, if everyone's healthier and fuller. And then there's a whole other like cultural side of like traditional foods, traditional food systems, the traditional, like old ways of growing things and how we've been like no, we want Monsanto, we want it. Monocrop, we want it yesterday, we want it. Yeah, it's like, actually, if we were to replace importance and value on like the traditional ways of growing food and really value the voices of like indigenous communities, like just anyway, yeah, whole other podcast episode oh man, the threat of the food system.
Speaker 2:Yeah, this has been my like, oh man, my concept that I just think it's like one of those things from the noticing and from the having like studied a lot about food, and from the growing it all the way through to the nutrition and being just really passionate about it personally, and then like, what is the like, the things that we all come together around like food? So from like a building community and like a pot, not just like fixing the problems but like making things better.
Speaker 1:Yeah, like man, I love this. I love this kind of focus on food as being something that can create communal change and seemingly potential liberation for people, and I just love that idea, man.
Speaker 2:Okay, we're going to have to talk about that oh man okay so what is, what is something, what is something people often get wrong about you um, I think people get wrong about me that I um, so I, especially in a professional setting I come, I have my professional, ashley vibe. I'm very front side of the mullet yes.
Speaker 1:Front side of the mullet.
Speaker 2:But I am the full mullet. I got business and I got party. I know, can you, can I just tell you that, like in my day job, when I, when I'm like working with like people in my PR agency, sometimes I use the mullet analogy. I say a lot of weird shit just because I think it's like really fun.
Speaker 1:This is like some Kamala Harris thing with the coconut thing. You hear about the, you hear that meme.
Speaker 2:How could I not?
Speaker 1:What did she say? You think you just fell off the coconut tree and fell down Exactly. You're like I'm just the top of the mullet.
Speaker 2:Yeah, no, I am the full mullet, but I think sometimes I come off more like maybe like uptight or put together or like organized or like you know, like like I've got all my shit together.
Speaker 2:But, I think that's a thing that, like, we look at everyone else and we're like, oh my gosh, like they have it all together, they're doing all of these incredible things, they're super organized, they're on their game, they're like, but we all have our truths that maybe are not as like shared or present, but, yeah, like I, I interviewed a couple of people for a story over the phone, right, and then I saw them in person and one of them said, wow, you're not how I envisioned you at all. And I was like, when they saw me, I was just like wearing like jeans and a t-shirt and being me myself, totally cash, the full, comprehensive, mullet experience. Um, but I, I, how I like thought about that, was like, okay, because I, you know, have my hi, okay, thank you so much. Here I am to answer, to ask you some questions. Oh, interesting, oh, expand on that.
Speaker 1:Yeah so.
Speaker 2:I don't know.
Speaker 1:I love that. Yeah, yeah, I mean that. That makes sense. That makes sense. If you had to gift only one book to somebody, what would it be?
Speaker 2:Okay, so I would gift um be here now by Ram Dass, because one. It is a great book and two. Um. So sometimes when we give somebody a book that we're really excited about and then we're like, oh my, have you read it yet? Have you read it yet? It creates this like expectation, disappointment, like what if they're busy? What if they don't? What if they started reading it and they didn't like it? It's like that's okay.
Speaker 2:What if? And then on the other side, it's like, especially I'm talking like novels and I think that's when I think of like gifting someone a book, I'm, I don't, I'm not, I'm thinking about like a novel or like a you know big book with lots of words that you gotta like sit. Then it's like oh, and you haven't read it, for whatever reason. Maybe you're having a non-reading moment, maybe you're reading other things, like, who knows again, maybe you didn't like it.
Speaker 2:And then it's like, oh, like I hope that they you know there's like this level of thing and I had a friend that was gifted a book by someone, by their good friend, and the person was like really loved this book. And then they came to their house and they saw that the book was like on a shelf in the closet and they took it back Cause they were like you're not valuing the book. Oh my God.
Speaker 1:So, anyway.
Speaker 2:So I would gift be here now, because there's so much diverse great content in there and it's also a no pressure, no stakes. You like, throw it on the coffee table yeah you don't? It's not like a sit down and read the thing you can flip through a random page, there's so much like wealth and of information and ways of being present and of, you know, taking off the edge like lighten the load just keep it easy, it to be fine.
Speaker 2:You know like there's so like that. I love the messages and the art and it's funny and it's weird yeah. And you could just open one page and just read, just look at that, all right.
Speaker 1:When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do?
Speaker 2:Um, I make lists. I make lists on like I make chaos, lists on like non-sticky sticky notes.
Speaker 2:I have this like rainbow thing yeah, I'll just like be like overwhelmed and I'll just like rip one off. I'll like pick a color yeah, I'll rip it off and I'll like write all of the things. And then will I actually do the things? Like probably not, because then I'm like okay, I wrote the list, I feel a lot better about this, yeah, um, but yeah, so I will like write lists or I will, um, maybe like go take my dog for a walk, like go for a hike in the woods, like do something to like get some space from all of this stuff.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And then I also always know that I have a really big assignment due, because then I find myself doing all of the other stuff on the list that I've been meaning to do the like the like. Cancel your Netflix.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I have to do this thing. Yeah, I always know. So if I feel overwhelmed, I start when all with all the easy things that I've been pushing off but that aren't actually the thing that I really need to do. Yeah, or like I'll do the dishes, or I'll like clean my room Right, that's how I know that I have something really big going on. If I'm like doing this random side project, oh my gosh, so I don't know. That's probably not words to live by, but that's amazing.
Speaker 1:I love it. Um, and then here's this last part for this. This uh part is what does positive change in yourself and the world look like to you?
Speaker 2:So I mean, I think that the food thing could be a part of it, but I think that positive change in myself and in the world looks like remembering that we are all human and we are more similar than we are different, and we're more similar than like we often think, and that's why, like getting to know someone's story and then sharing your story too, it really like helps you to see eye to eye and you know, it's like this idea I took, like ask me about any physical geography things, cause it wasn't that type of geography. I'm not good at memorizing, but it was like looking at how, like physical space impacts, whatever it is, which was super fascinating, and I remember they were talking about like borders and um, um, not nationality, what's the word I'm looking for when you're like really pumped up about your country, what's it called?
Speaker 1:Patriotism, sure, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:And that idea of like creating a border and saying this is us, yeah, and this is them, yeah, like one of the things that it does, is it like makes you feel more secure in your us yeah, because we are here, we are together, but then them over there right. That like divide, I think is, can be really challenging. I think the plus side, right Of course, is that we're like all you know, you're finding your, your people, but it's like we're all. We're all people.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And whether it's you know me feeling like what do you know? Whether it's you know me feeling annoyed like what you know, whether it's me or you know whatever, you're like feeling annoyed on, like like someone else for for um, like spacing out, like standing in the middle of a parking lot, like being in your way and it's like okay, well, so like literally the other day I was standing in the way of the parking lot just for like a second.
Speaker 2:This guy was coming and then he was like what the hell are you doing in the way? And I was like like get over it, buddy and then, like I had, this moment where I was like Ash, like sometimes you are a sass machine behind the wheel, yeah, and you get really irritated when people are having a moment of like la, la la yeah, you know and it's like we're just all sometimes la la la.
Speaker 2:So I think that, yeah, remembering that we are all people, and like really like I don't know, trying to connect on a person to person level. Uh, I was actually thinking about this on the drive over, because I know that there have been a lot of sweeps in this town just even today because of the what do I always call him, gavin or Newsom. Yeah, I said that once, like when I was really like angry and I was like Gavin or Newsom and my friend started bursting out. I was like what she was? Like you just said Gavin or, and I was like going with it, yeah, but right, because of his order, right. And now I'm like just driving around today and I'm like and I know that that happened today and um, and just thinking about like the, the unhoused situation and just this, you know, just in this town and how it can be really easy to like make assumptions or judge.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:The other, the people that don't have a house, when you know we're all like, right, Like what do they? Say, like you could be, as you know, we're all a few pay or a few bad bumps in the road away. Yeah, exactly, so you know. I think that like bringing the humanity back. And I saw this um, what is the organization here in town Housing matters? No, not that one. The one with the Santa Cruz cares.
Speaker 1:Oh, Santa Cruz cares yeah.
Speaker 2:Right, they have the blue green emblem. So they were. I saw a post that they had on Instagram today and it was talking about even though, like the you know, this has been a really traumatic experience for these individuals the community members that showed up and brought food and coffee and just came and sat with these individuals and just like, talked to them and how powerful that is and it's, like you know, just remembering these are people, these are someone's kid, someone's sibling, someone's mom or dad, and, like I think that remembering that we are all human and we are all very similar and treating everybody like that is my answer.
Speaker 1:That could. Yeah, um, I wish, yeah, I agree. Yeah, a hundred percent. All right, so here are the two silly questions. Okay, I'm not going to press the button, okay, okay. So the first question is what is your astrology sign and do you resonate with?
Speaker 2:it. I'm going to let you answer. I am a Libra, sun Leo moon, virgo rising and, especially after my recent astrology chart interpretation session with a certain person, I definitely resonate with it. Um, and yeah, I also think that I mean, I'm not a, I do not know a lot about astrology, as you know, but I do think that that it's definitely very important to know not just your sun sign, but your top three or whatever they call it, because it's like that really helps me understand where I am, how I like what's happening on the inside and kind of like where I'm going.
Speaker 1:I love that. Yeah, yeah, yeah yeah.
Speaker 2:And the Libra thing and the like decision making. But I recently learned, I recently heard this thing that was like like, if I don't know the answer to a decision, yeah, it's not that I don't know, it's that it's not time for me to decide. And I heard that and I was like, oh my gosh, that wow, yeah, that's beautiful, put that in my back pocket and bring it with me. Yeah, yeah, like that was huge.
Speaker 1:That's a very diplomatic answer to things. Yeah too, you know like like, like someone's like, oh, you're like, instead of being oh, I don't know, you're like. This is just not the time to decide this.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I love that I mean it's very refreshing, because sometimes you're, sometimes it's not that you don't know, yeah, it's that you don't know yet. Yeah, and like that's okay, we're as you're saying we're like that, you don't know, it's that you don't know yet yeah, and like that's okay, we're as you're saying, we're like in this, like super fast pace, like always, onto the next one, the next accomplishment, the next thing, the next thing, the next thing, and it's like, what if we just like just hung out here for a moment, just like put this whole thing on ice?
Speaker 1:I love that Okay.
Speaker 2:So, here and then, if you had a power animal? What would it be If I had a power animal? Okay, so wait. What does that mean? Like an animal that just inspires you that you know, it's like do I turn into it? Is it like animals?
Speaker 1:I mean kind of. I mean, that could be it too. You know you could turn into this animal, but it's more just like give you strength or you're inspired by whatever, for whatever reason. You can even be a made up animal too, okay.
Speaker 2:Well, I obviously have to just say, cause, in case he listens to it, my power animal one would obviously be my dog fan. Love you fan. Um, just like, if he listens to the podcast, like he has to get that. But like you know, he was a little street dog coming from the south and who knows what his journey was. And he's five and I just moved and this marks the at least 12th place he has lived in his five years of existence. Most of those have been with me. We've bopped around a bunch of places, yeah, and his resilience of like he doesn't know.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:He has to put all of his trust in me and he absolutely does. He is like glued to me when he as, whenever he can be, as as you saw, and so that like just blind trust in another being, even that you can't communicate with, is so cool, yeah, and I mean it's a lot of pressure on me, but you like to be in charge?
Speaker 1:Good.
Speaker 2:Yeah, for the most part, um, yeah, so, so, like that one, just because it's, I mean, and getting a dog, wow, what. What a journey of self-reflection, at least for me, anyway. Big time I never realized, like, how much of a perfectionist I was until I noticed that I was projecting all of those expectations Not like you haven't written your book yet, you, son of a gun, no, but like you know, dog versions onto cause. I got him when he wasn't even four months old and I, you know, dog versions onto cause.
Speaker 2:I got him when he wasn't even four months old, yeah, and I, you know, was like realizing, like Whoa, like I am really expecting a lot of this animal, yeah, where's that coming from? So it's.
Speaker 1:I think that's actually really interesting because I got a cat right. You know, yes, big fan Never thought I was going to be a cat person, but um turned out turned out, you are only specific cats. I don't know.
Speaker 2:I don't know. I'm still on the fence but I love you Dolly.
Speaker 1:Um, but what did you? We're not talking for at least a week.
Speaker 2:Um you brought a dog into my house, brought this fen character Now you're talking about.
Speaker 1:You don't know if you're a cat person what the hell, man? But yeah, like I've noticed something in myself. I used to. I feel like I used to maybe get angrier at things and now, having a cat, he'll do things that you know knock over a thing and it'll spill, or he'll like scratch up something or do all this stuff. And I find myself being so pathetically like, eh, I love you, you know it's so, it's, I can't. I've not got mad at him yet. I think the most mad I've gone at him is when he's like startled and he scratched the shit out of me on accident. You ran and like like scratched me really hard and I like reacted to the pain and I was about to like yell, but then I was like I, I something has happened to me because of this or has something.
Speaker 1:I've realized something about myself that I didn't. Something has shifted since my youth, um, and it's, it's nice to see like, it's almost like a test, you know, and I think they like animals, kids, you know, whatever highlight things within you that because they're so naive, you know, there's this kind of like. They're just being like the cats is being a cat, the dogs is being a dog. You know what I mean and the way we interact with. That, I think, sheds a lot of light on how we approach ourselves and how we go about life.
Speaker 1:And I, I didn't realize that that depth until owning this cat, where I realized like sometimes I wanted to get angry, but then I was like he's just, he's just being a cat. You know, he's just, he's just a cat, and I think that's helped me on a lot of different parts of my life actually, which is really really something, yeah. So, yeah, I mean I could see, I could see, uh, I could just empathize with that. Um, okay, so now is yourself, or you're uh, just you could say whatever you want, you can promote whatever you want. Just, it's your time. You can give people words of wisdom, you could tell them about how we're to find you, we could do all the things. This is your time and just tell me when you're done, Okay.
Speaker 2:Yeah Well, um, I would say that one of the things that really struck me when I moved to Santa Cruz and, you know, started to just kind of get the feel for this town, is how people that live here at least like my perception is that people here are building the lives that they want to live and then figuring it out. There is such a pulse of entrepreneurship and vision and inspiration. I mean, like, pick any first Friday, second Thursday, the third Tuesday, like any day, and you can probably find like a really awesome market full of incredible talent, of like local, local creators, local artists. There is live music all of the time. There are incredible businesses here, big and small, of all types, like making very big impacts locally, nationally, globally, and I just think that's that's really incredible.
Speaker 2:And also, coming from the East coast where, like new things and vision, it always kind of felt like, oh, I, we don't, we don't do that, we don't do it like that, that's not how it's done.
Speaker 2:Why would you do that? The sense that I get here is like, why wouldn't you Like, yeah, that sounds awesome, do it with all different types of visions, like launch things and and make them happen and to see it be received and supported and to see things take off. So I feel very inspired here and I'm excited just to be, you know, meeting more people, making more connections. Um, you know, being able to write about people in the magazines that I write for and also help to to. You know, communicate more, like, on behalf of local businesses and individuals. Um, you know, whatever their story is like my tagline telling the stories that need to be told like I feel really strongly about that and, yeah, so I'm, I'm really excited to be able to keep doing that and it just feels like such a, such a place where there's so much going on. Yeah, I'm feeling a little overwhelmed, but like a good way, good way.
Speaker 2:I better get out my sticky notes and write a list here.
Speaker 1:let me, let me give you a piece of paper here. Yeah, so so where can people find you?
Speaker 2:You can find me on my website, which is Ashley drew comms with two M's dot com. Bit of an echo. Yeah, I know, I did it on purpose. Yeah, Ashley, do comms dot com.
Speaker 1:Say that again.
Speaker 2:What is it? Ashley drew comms dot com. What was it? No, it's dot com dot com.
Speaker 1:Well, Ashley, it was awesome to have you on the podcast. Thanks for being on.
Speaker 2:Awesome. Thank you so much. What an honor. Never have I ever been on a podcast before. Well, I can't say that anymore.
Speaker 1:Yeah there you go. This has been speak for change podcast. I'm your host, Thomas H Patterson, and thank you so much for listening. And thank you so much for listening. Have a wonderful day.