LIVING THE DREAM

BY NICK AHRENS:

1.

Victoria Palmer is going to school to be a veterinarian nurse and currently working her dream job in the city she has dreamt of living in for years.

 

Tell me a little about yourself.

My name is Victoria Palmer. I am living in San Diego and working in an animal hospital.

What is society’s definition of living the dream compared to your definition of living the dream?

Oh, very different. My favorite comedian says it best: “You start out in the gutter, you get all your money and things and stick it in your ear and go, ‘pfffff’.”  I remember hearing that and thinking that’s what people really think it is. They just grow up to make money, and that’s it.

But for me, it’s different. Yes, you need money to be able to survive and eat. But you don’t need a whole bunch of weird shit. I have been in both situations. I was really wealthy and had everything I wanted, but then my house burned down, and I lost it all. Had absolutely nothing.

Can you tell me more about that?

When I was very wealthy, though I had all those things and owned my own business, that was when I was most miserable. When the house burned down, my fiancé left and took all the money, so I was then basically starting from the very bottom. My dream became being happy. I always wanted to be in San Diego. Your surroundings play a big role in [your happiness].

What changed?

I always had an excuse for not doing what I loved and just taking the money…so I decided to just screw it and put the money into school. I knew I loved animals and always wanted to work with them, because, let’s face it, they are better than working with people. I always enjoyed medicine and figured out what it would take for me to be a nurse at an animal hospital. So, I start school, and within this past year, my first year of school, I nail my dream job. This place is like the mayo clinic of animal medicine. We put a pacemaker in a ferret the other day. It’s just amazing. Every day is like this new adventure.

How was the transition to moving to San Diego?

I was living off twelve dollars an hour, and in San Diego, that’s nothing. So I got this apartment for two, but I live here alone and had to, like, get donated furniture and reupholster things I found in the street, and little by little over this past year, I have built my ideal, dream life. I come home from my dream job to nobody but my dogs, who think I’m the coolest person in the world.

I’m on cloud nine right now. When I had all the things that people say you need, I was miserable. Then, when everything I thought I wanted disappeared, I can now say hands down that I’m the happiest I have ever been in my entire life.

 

2.

Frank Folino is a fireman, but he likes to focus on the family he’s been blessed with instead of his career.

 

So, tell me a bit about about yourself.

My name is Frank Folino; I am an Engineer at the Santa Clara Fire Station. I’m a husband and father of two boys.

What are some of the first thoughts that come to mind for you when I say, ‘living the dream’?

Three words: family, health, and happiness. The first two kinda have a little to do with luck having a loving and caring family and having everyone healthy, because we all know unexpected health problems do arise. And the happiness aspect has a lot more to do with a choice. Family health and happiness.

Do you think that is a universal concept? The dream of having those three?

I do think that if you keep those three things in mind, you will be happy. In my job, we see all walks of the American people, and we see homeless people that are happier than millionaires.  Living the superficial life is just a temporary fix, in my opinion.

According to your definition, would you say you yourself are living the dream?

I am living the dream.  With all the the three: family, health and happiness in line. My job gives me a chance to move toward goals such as spending time with my family, being able to successfully provide for my family and building a beautiful house.

You said earlier that happiness can be seen as a choice. Could you elaborate on that?

In my opinion, having a goal is a dream of what you see in the future. And working toward and achieving your goals is in fact living your dream. Well, the happiness as a choice is like this for me…We both go to Alton Baker Park to chill in the summer. You get there by driving a Lamborghini, and I get there by LTD bus.  Once we’re both there and enjoying the grass, nice weather, trails, etcetera… we’re both enjoying the same thing. It doesn’t matter how we got there or how much money we have in our pocket. At that point, it comes down to a choice of what we want to enjoy or let make us happy.

 

BY DOMINIC STRAZULO:

1.

Blake Kingsly is a junior at the University of Oregon. A Portland native, Kingsly started working for the Oregon Women’s Basketball team as a team manager in the fall of 2013. His love for the game and desire to learn puts him in an optimal position to fulfill his dream.  

 

What’s your daily routine as the team manager?

Usually we get assigned tasks to do. There’s either “pre”, which is making the Gatorade, mixing up the water, making the water bottles for the girls. One of us will run the nutrition bar, set up practice, get the towels, bring all the Gatorades up to the practice courts. And then practice starts. We rebound for the first 15 minutes of practice for shooting drills. And then usually, I’ll just watch when they play five on five…when practice is done, I clean everything up, bring all the Gatorade and water downstairs, make sure the court is clean, and one of us will have laundry. After practice, the girls put all their practice loops in the bin. We put it into the laundry room, start that, and then it’s done. Oh, and then team dinner is usually after every practice, so that’s nice to have.

Why did you want to work for the women’s basketball team?

I watched a “30 for 30” documentary on Paul Westhead, and I was really inspired by the way he wanted to play basketball. He was successful at the way he did it too, and I wanted to learn about that. I didn’t even know he was the coach of the women, so I looked him up, Googled him, and it said he was working for the Oregon Women’s team. And I said, well, I want to be a part of that. So I called and e-mailed the director of Basketball Operations, saying ‘Hey, I’d love to be a practice player and a manager’. And she said that there wouldn’t be any practice player availability, so I decided to be a team manager. I wanted to coach basketball, and Paul Westhead is one of my biggest inspirations…I just wanted to learn from him, basically.

Do you think you are learning from Coach Westhead?

Oh, definitely. Definitely. He’s a great coach, and he’s, quote unquote, a “player’s-coach”. I didn’t really know what that meant until I started working with him and saw how he really has a relationship with his players. So what I want to do is have a much deeper relationship than he even has with his players, and I think that’s a really big part of it. Jim Valvano is another one of my inspirations, and he would tell his players that he loved them, hug them and everything, and I think that’s super important, especially in basketball, where there’s only 5 people on the court but so many different people play, so everybody needs to be on the same page.

Is it your dream to become a head coach?

Yes. [Coaching in] the NBA would really be my dream job.

Would you say that your job now is putting you on track to live your dream?

I think so. I think that there have been team managers – I believe the old Nets coach before Jason Kidd was a team manager for the University of Indiana. Frank Vogel, the Indiana Pacers head coach, was a team manager for Kentucky. The Baylor head coach was an undergrad assistant coach at Valpariso.  But that’s actually something I want to do next year. I’m going to apply to be an undergrad assistant coach. I mean, it doesn’t hurt to apply, so hopefully that goes well.  I think I have a good relationship with the girls, the assistant coaches, and Coach Westhead. So, if Coach Westhead stays, I think it would be a great opportunity. And if he’s not there, then it’s also a fresh face who will possibly give me an opportunity.

Are you living the dream?

I am living the dream, man. Going to college, I’m 21, I get to be around basketball all day, and it’s basketball season. I love to learn, and it’s great because I’m in a position where I don’t have to teach. I don’t have to know everything. I can just keep my mouth shut and listen during all practice. I don’t have too much – my responsibility is to get the waters to the girls, you know? Get them their towel on game day. So I just get to take everything in, and I enjoy doing that, so I’m definitely living the dream.

 

2.

Ben Rupers is a double major in art and history at the University of Oregon. His Bay Area roots have provided him a lush culture and beauty that has shaped him as an artist.

 

Tell me a little about yourself, Ben.

Alright, well, I’m 21 years old, and I’m a junior here at the U of O. I’m a double major in art and in history. I’m from San Anselmo, Ca.; it’s about 20 minutes north of San Francisco – a small town that’s about 35 minutes from the beach too. I grew up playing sports all my life with my older brother and all my buddies. I lived in a really beautiful area my whole life, so I also got to experience nature quite a bit. I think growing up in the Bay Area really formed the person I am today, and I wouldn’t change that for the world. I actually didn’t go to school here right after high school. I went to USC my freshman year of college. I majored in ceramics down there, had a good time, but when it came down to it I’m just not an “L.A. guy”. Their program down there was phenomenal, but I figured I could find another school with just as good an art program. And luckily, I was able to find that at the University of Oregon.

As a double major, do you favor one subject over the other?

Oh, I definitely enjoy being an art major much more. But don’t get me wrong, I like history, otherwise I wouldn’t be majoring in it. For me, history is something so rich, and it’s something that you can always learn from. American history in particular is something I think we all should have a better understanding of. Recently I’ve been taking a lot of European history classes, which have definitely broadened my perspective on things. I just think studying history allows you to understand things that you couldn’t otherwise. With all that said, I love being an art major. Art is everything. It’s life. It’s what makes everything beautiful. It’s funny because I don’t even see myself as having that much talent as an artist, but I love it so much and always am super into every project that I do, and it allows me to keep pushing myself to limits that I didn’t even know existed.

Who or what is your biggest inspiration as an artist?

My biggest inspiration is Mr. J. He was my high school ceramics teacher, and he really changed the way I think. Not only is he an amazing ceramic artist, but he is the most down-to-earth person I have ever met.  Just the way he teaches his classes in high school is so cool. He always has reggae music playing while the students are working, and he interacts with them in a way that shows he actually cares.  Without Mr. J, my love and passion for ceramics probably wouldn’t have skyrocketed through the roof like it did.

Would you rather be doing anything else right now?

Of course not. I’m in college, living with a bunch of buddies, getting a good education. I get to study history, which I love, and I get to make art for my classes, which I love to do even more. I really am living the dream here at the University of Oregon.

 

BY ISABEL ZACHARIAS:

1.

Nirali Torres is a senior at the University of Oregon. She recently returned from studying abroad in Brazil and is preparing to graduate within the next year. Her loving energy as well as her commitments to travel and self-care make are the things she dreams most of developing as she transitions into adult life.

 

So, you just got back from Brazil in September. Why did you decide to study abroad, and what did you take away from it?

I’m always up for experiencing new things and being hyper-stimulated…seeing, smelling, experiencing, hearing, touching, feeling. I learned Portuguese, and I made it a point, since I was so broke, to not spend any money on souvenirs so that I could stay another three months. I didn’t bring anything back with me. I felt like everything I wanted to bring back with me – my friends, my memories, the relationships – was intangible. And, of course, I brought back the pictures.

If you could pick any career to get after graduating, any career at all, what would it be?

I think I realized that my dream job would actually be to be a travel writer. Just to travel, and write about it. That’s, like, super, super dream job, because I have no journalism experience, nothing. But I think the most important thing is that my dream job would be something that I do because it brings so much joy to me that it spills over into other people, you know? My dream would also include being more committed to my yoga practice. And living somewhere where there’s more sun and vitamin D.

When are you graduating and what are your plans for after grad?

So, here’s the thing with that: I could graduate this summer, but I have better things to do with my summer. I don’t want to rush through it to graduate, so I’ve kind of cast my net out into the universe and applied for a million things…we’ll see when I actually finish. And after, I don’t really know what I’m going to do, but I feel like I’ll end up wherever I need to be.

How are you feeling about post-college life?

It’s scary as shit. The idea of graduating, it’s like, you’re about to jump off the edge of a cliff, and you don’t know if you’re gonna eat shit or you’re actually going to grow some wings and start flying. And then you have this social pressure of doing something with your degree as opposed to just living. Like, living. I feel like, during midterms and finals, I don’t live. I’m like a machine. Everything revolves around getting work done as opposed to self-care. So, in that sense, I’m excited to get out of school.

Would you say that college lived up to your expectations?

Here’s the thing: I think that expectations are the source of unhappiness. When you imagine what something’s going to be like, you ruin its essence. You ruin what it is. When I came to college, I was just like, “I guess this is the next thing I need to do.” I wasn’t thinking, “This is going to be the best time of my life.” But it was the best time of my life. It’s been fucking amazing. I’ve met a lot of friends. I’ve traveled a lot, which has been one of my priorities since I was a kid…through my student involvement, I got sent to the Dominican Republic for a social justice delegation. Just so many amazing opportunities.

I know you said your dream career would be travel writing, but what do you think is the most likely place for you to be in ten years?

I always somehow end up playing the role of a mentor, either as a F.I.G. (freshman interest group) advisor, or various mentorship on campus, or being a summer camp counselor. I never really think about it, but I’m always naturally inclined to do that. I think that, after I dance around other career possibilities, I want to end up in education. Take my summers to go travel.

Who are some people you dream of being more like?

Hmm…my mom. That is so cliché. But. My mom. Well, my mom in some aspects, but also, a better me. You know? Not really anyone else. A better me that I know is possible.

 

2.

Taylor Richmond is a University of Oregon cheerleader. Though her current life position is one many young girls dream of, Richmond’s aspirations extend lengthily out in front of her, and they are not athletically related in the least.

 

What do you enjoy about cheerleading here?

Well, obviously, just being on the field in Autzen is the best feeling…just a crazy adrenaline rush. There’s nothing like the energy in the stadium, and we get to be right in the middle of it, feeling it all. I’ve also enjoyed away games, though – getting a chance to see more of the country with my team. Also, they’re great because I realize how many out-of-state Duck fans there are, and how our reputation is so much bigger than our school or even our state. But honestly, I would say some of my favorite things are the more service-related appearances we have; we’ll perform at kids camps, do shows for donors, special needs events. We’ll even show up at little kids’ birthday parties sometimes. It feels great to genuinely give back to the community, and that’s a part of being a cheerleader that I don’t think gets enough emphasis.

There are lots of stereotypical concepts and “living the dream” ideals associated with cheerleading. How have you experienced and dealt with these?

I mean, I’ve been fighting the stereotypes about cheerleaders since I started. I try my best to be the best possible representation: positive, personable, and active in the community. Someone who represents the school’s spirit in more than just sports. I think it’s important to talk to people about it, to be like, “Hey, we do a lot more than you think.” I’ve been impressed with the way the athletic department has taken special care to treat us more like student athletes and less like the cheerleader stereotype. They’ve done a good job of letting us be more involved in more things. But me, all I can do is try to fight the stereotypical stuff on a personal level. The more people really get to know you and know the stereotypes aren’t true, the better.

What are you studying right now, and where do you hope to be, say, ten years after you graduate?

I’m in advertising right now, and I love it. I’m more into the creative side of things. I would love to work in an ad agency or somewhere doing art direction, since I’m really into art. I actually almost went to art school, but I came here instead after trying out and getting into the cheer program. Anyway, my ideal career would be to work really creatively with brands to solve problems in unique ways and create advertising that’s purposeful, beautiful, and well thought-out. Using my art in that way and doing something useful with it. That’s what I want.

What would you say your definition of “living the dream” is?

Wow, that’s a tough one. You always think of going off to do this this crazy thing and be in this crazy place and living the dream that way, but I don’t know if it’s really like that. I think that what I’ve learned over the past few years, from my experience moving here from Utah and meeting new friends and everything, is that it’s more about the people you’re doing it than what you’re doing. Every time. Doing something you love is only going to be as great as doing it with the people you love, if that makes sense. And I’ve been pretty lucky with the people I’ve had in my life. In a lot of ways, I think I’m living the dream right now, and I can only hope I keep doing that.