SPEAKER_01 0:01

Welcome to another episode of From the Park Bench, where an artist and an athlete sit, observe, discover, and inspire the communities of arts and sports. Because we believe that arts and sports matter and play a huge role in shaping our youth. Will we connect? Will we collide? Will we achieve common ground on the topic today? Find out as we talk From the Park Bench.

SPEAKER_00 0:30

Good morning, Kamala. Good

SPEAKER_01 0:31

morning.

SPEAKER_00 0:32

you doing

SPEAKER_01 0:33

good good

SPEAKER_00 0:34

great so I've got something exciting that I wanted to talk about or not super exciting well I shouldn't say that so my daughter has just gone on her grade 8 trip which is always exciting so they're going to Quebec City and they'll probably be back in a day or two but it was it reminded me of when I was younger and my grade 8 trips and how much fun that was because she is so excited to go and yeah so I'm looking forward to hearing how it went when she gets back but do you remember your Did you have like a grade eight sort of trip or grade seven? Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:06

Well, I do grade eight. I don't remember a grade eight. Well, it was like, it wasn't an overnight or like it wasn't a big deal. I remember doing maybe a day, but I do remember my first, my first big trip I remember in high school was a ski trip to Mount St. Ann.

SPEAKER_00 1:23

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 1:24

And, and we took a bus, right? You're there, like you're out of your element. You're in a new city. Yeah. There's so many variables that play when you're younger. The excitement of leaving, you know, like just going somewhere new with your friends who've never done it before and what to expect living with people. That's the first time you actually experience like bunking with people. Yeah, it's the best. So many memories, great experience.

SPEAKER_00 1:50

What about you? Yeah, we had a grade eight trip. I was lucky enough and it was just an overnight. It was not something as exciting as Quebec, but we just went to, it's in Claremont, Ontario, but it's in Claremont, Ontario. But one of those, whatever, cabins and stuff. And it was the whole experience of just doing a variety of fun things and, yeah, bunking with your buddies. And it was odd having, you got up in the morning and you saw your teachers in their, like... Real people. Yeah, pajamas, eating toast. And, like, it was such a mind-blowing experience from that perspective.

SPEAKER_01 2:23

It is, yeah. And to have regular, like, just to have a conversation, like, past the toast with your teacher is also just, like, wow, what's happening. Exactly, it's cool. And Niagara Falls is a big one. I like a lot of grade A trips. Or Medieval Times, that's another

SPEAKER_00 2:36

one. Right, that's a day trip. That's a day trip, yeah. The overnight trip was the one I was talking about. Well, Niagara Falls would be an overnight trip. Yeah, no, no, of course, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 2:42

But COVID, you know, what happened with COVID is that so many kids

SPEAKER_00 2:46

missed out. My son did not get to do it, yeah, which is kind of, and that's the moment in your life that, you know, you just don't get back, right? It's too bad.

SPEAKER_01 2:53

Yeah, they missed their grade 12, like the big grade 12 one. Even worse, yeah. I know, it sucks, but what can you do?

SPEAKER_00 3:01

Well, so So today's episode, we're going to be talking about pursuing your dreams as a career. Big topic. I mean, I think we all kind of think about that as we're growing up, even as you and I continue to grow up. What are you going to do when you grow up?

SPEAKER_01 3:17

Well, this is definitely from the artist's perspective. I mean, starving artist is a real thing. It still exists today. It's a saying for a reason. But I love Walt Disney. I love Disney. I love everything. I love going. but one of his quotes was dreams ideas plans not only are an escape they give me purpose and a reason to hang on and I love that because dreams like I'm a dreamer I don't know if that comes with being a creative being an artist because you have these big dreams you're sometimes looked at as a wishful thinker right a daydreamer even like whimsical a little bit absent minded even for that reason right but also yes oh you pointed at me that's hilarious but as a dreamer I also feel that I am and maybe not all dreamers but a bit of a game changer an innovator even a catalyst so where I'm going with this is from an artist perspective it is a passion and a dream you know to follow that that path but it's a tough one and there's struggles a along the way should you choose to go down that path and follow your passion and your dreams it's a tough call because there's a risk involved you know that's what comes with being that that innovator that that game changer there is high risk but all the game changers Walt Disney was high risk and look at his reward and I and I don't think that no matter what it ultimately is your decision I mean you think about it and do you go the same Yeah. you have to make that decision, but you have your community around you to ask, you know, you ask your parents, you ask your teacher, is this the right thing? And at the end of the day, you have to make that choice. And I don't, and I don't think there is a wrong choice in it because it's, you choose it and whether you play it safe or you go risk, you're going to learn so much about yourself and along the way. I

SPEAKER_00 5:53

mean, I completely agree. And I feel like I'm not as creative as you, but I'm completely a dreamer. Like I, that is how I tend to live my life. So I, I, I don't know. I do not understand. I know it's important to have a job. It's important to have money. All that stuff is important. It's important to have benefits, I suppose, but I don't care about, I care about the money, but I don't care about those things. Like I think about what do I want to do? The stuff kind of works itself out. I really believe that. Like if you're doing what you want to do, you will figure it out. You're not going to forget to make money. You're not going to. And the one quote that I like, too, is that says, what is your plan to do with this one wild and precious life? Like, why the hell would you waste your time being an accountant if you don't want to be an accountant? Nothing against accountants. But but like, don't do the thing that makes you want to do the thing that makes you happy. You'll find the money like you just will. Right. So I don't I have never understood that. I don't know. And people have their own damage in their life and their parents didn't have money and they were so desperate just to make sure I can pay the bill I certainly get that but to me that's it's just it's like a prison to live inside of I just can't do it

SPEAKER_01 7:03

it's so funny that we talk about pursuing your passion and your dreams and you bring money into it because well no what I'm saying is like that's what people do because it's that dreamer and that reality like the practical the safe and the risk

SPEAKER_00 7:17

right

SPEAKER_01 7:18

the safe is just get that job get that money and pay those bills forget about your passion forget about your dreams because they're just hyperactive dreams right right so because that's a practical and and you're right they exist it's not like you know um sometimes i'm looked at as you know my head in the clouds because like hey there's bills to pay but i truly believe what you're saying is correct is that when i mean there's so many quotes on it pursue your passion and you'll never work a day in your life like money will flow yeah and i believe that to be true but sometimes it doesn't happen so you're on your path following your passion and your dreams and you're like where is the money I'm still here the starving artist and the money isn't coming and I look at that and I think what's blocking it because I view money as energy and you're blocking that energy from coming in in some way are you giving everything to this passion is there anything that you're leaving on the table like your point of view and I know this about you, you are a dreamer, although you're not creative, but you're so open-minded, so open to it that you're like, whatever happens, happens. Just throw caution to the wind and truly let it all out and go full out for that passion. Maybe that's what needs to happen.

SPEAKER_00 8:45

Yeah, it's definitely, you do have to have a balance, obviously, right? I don't like the shackles of, you know, the nine-to-five job that, I mean, I've had nine-to-five jobs and I've liked them, but it was in a space that I wanted to be in. But yeah, it's, it's actually before I started my company, I was talking to a buddy because it was, you know, risky. Right. And even I understood that, but I knew that I just was not happy where I was. Like I thought, I don't want to, I don't want to do this for the rest of my life. And he'd said to me, he's, well, what's the worst thing that can happen? Because if you fail, will you get a job in the industry that you're in right now? I'm like, of course I think I will. Right. He's like, okay, so there's no risk. I think it was 45 at the time. So I'm like, okay, thank you. thank God I had the permission to say, go for it. Right. So, but like you say, community is what helps you kind of get there sometimes. Uh, and not every risk is worth it and you have to be careful and all that sort of stuff. But, um, but you definitely need people like he was supportive of the idea that I do this because he understood kind of as you do that this is something that I want to do. Right. And, and when you have people that don't get that, that's where it really starts to, it's hard to kind of be in that space because they kind of have to be on the same page or at least it Well,

SPEAKER_01 9:58

when I was younger, I mean, in school, I obviously knew that art was the only way I wanted to go. Like there wasn't even any other option for me. It's what I loved. And I was like, this is what I'm good at. Why would I can't be an accountant? I'm not good at math. This is what I'm good at. And I love it. So I'm good at it. I love it. This is the path I'm going to take. And it was there. There are struggles when you go down as the artist. And even in school, when I was looking at other artists, I was like, I'm not good at math. and my levels compared to them I mean there were some that were just unbelievable and I said this before I was never jealous of them I looked at them in awe like thinking man I thought I was good you are fantastic which you know is part of anything but we're all different and we have we bring unique qualities it's not just a skill set it's a mindset as well so I don't regret taking my artist path at all I did struggle because of that because it was more of the riskier route, but I don't regret doing it because it gave me the foundation as an artist that I can implement into marketing or into other things.

SPEAKER_00 11:05

Exactly. So you found the money. Yeah. Right. You found a way to take your passion and allow yourself to have a job, which career.

SPEAKER_01 11:14

And sometimes I did have to do just the regular nine to five. Right. You mean like I had to do something completely different, but I always had my creativity on the side, even if my job isn't creative. I need to have a creative outlet on the side because that's who I am. I need that.

SPEAKER_00 11:32

And that's a reality for, I mean, we're talking in sort of absolutes here, like to go for it entirely, but you definitely want to have, you have to sort of feed your soul in some way. So if you have a soulless job nine to five, have something that feeds your soul from whatever, five to nine, right? So you've got to have that thing. And obviously the ideal situation is when you can put both together. Or

SPEAKER_01 11:53

even if they switch, right? All of a sudden you're doing this nine to five but then all of a sudden your side maybe can grow and then there's a moment where the balance and then you kind of move. But from a sports perspective, when you're following your passion or your dreams, like every kid wants to be in the NHL, right? Like, I mean, if you're playing hockey.

SPEAKER_00 12:13

I did. I wanted to be in the NHL. I wanted to play for the Blue Jays. I just wanted to be a pro athlete because as a kid, that's all you can think about. For me, anyways, it was, yeah, for sure. How about you? What was your dream as a kid? Disney. Oh, Disney. Right. Yeah. Like, I

SPEAKER_01 12:27

mean, when like that's it, like that's that's the NHL. That's the big hoopla. I mean, that's where you want to go is working for Disney at the time. But yeah, like you have those like as a kid, just because you're playing hockey and you're automatically thinking that you want to go to the NHL. And there's so many spots in between and so many things to do in the middle, you know. And this is where, you know, the community comes in is that the kid has that that that Do you squash it? Do you say, hey, you're never going to be in the NHL, but that's okay? Or do you just let them think they're going to be in the NHL? And along the way, they'll realize, I'm not going to be in

SPEAKER_00 13:09

the NHL, but that's okay. you don't know and I don't know right there are so many late bloomers or people like you said you know you know compared to maybe people not that you don't have natural talent but there are just people like there's always somebody better than you right always yes and like oh my god that's amazing right but you kept going which is great but you know you have the sort of wherewithal to continue because that was what you wanted to do right so the perseverance yeah I wouldn't say to somebody oh be an accountant or whatever silly other job or don't you're Dreams don't matter. Like kill

SPEAKER_01 13:57

the dream

SPEAKER_00 13:57

early on. Yeah, never kill the dream. Because that's an old school thing where you must have a job that pays you money or whatever. Had the old stories, right? But I think always let the dream be there. That's kind of the point. The quote I read earlier about you have this one wonderful life, whatever that quote was. Well,

SPEAKER_01 14:16

that's so true because, I mean, I think, I view the same way, is that why tell them right off the hop, you're not going to be in the NHL because I think they're going to come to that conclusion on their own eventually they're going to see it you're going to see the other like there was a point where I'm like I'm never going to Disney like maybe I had that that was my goal that was my vision and then if you come to that conclusion on your own then it could be a hard wall you hit and you're like I'm never going to the NHL what do I do now because that is what I've been searching for but if it's almost like a slow crawl sometimes it's a wall and sometimes it's kind of okay I'm not going what's option B I can still be in the hockey space I can coach I can do so many things within that space I don't have to be in the NHL but if that was your goal it's a tough one to hit it is a wall that you're hitting because that's where you wanted to be that was the money I mean NHL that's like I can provide for my family like I'm getting there that's where I need to be

SPEAKER_00 15:19

yeah yeah no that's a great point and I think as you go down that path when you're young it's very black and white I just want to be in the NHL but as there are lots of middle steps so you if you're a good hockey player but not NHL you can still get a scholarship you can still have your you know your university paid for and your education and so there's a lot of things where you start to say okay that makes sense and some reality but everybody has to figure that out for themselves but I think let them figure it out like let them dream until they can't dream anymore and if they hit a wall be there to be the community that supports them but I don't know I just don't think that I know what we're talking about. You're like, you want kids to be realistic or people to be realistic, but I don't know. I just think we don't have the answers. Like, wait, I don't know what my kids can do. Not really. I support them, but let them surprise. Exactly. So why would I be the person that says, well, you shouldn't do that? Yeah. I just think that's, you can give them some counsel, but just go for it. If you want to do it, just go for it.

SPEAKER_01 16:18

Keep going for that dream. I know because, and along the way you could find another one, right? Yeah. It's not like, you know, I only have one. Yeah. Especially as a dreamer, there's so many things, there's so many possibilities. Even Walt at the same time, I mean, he had a bigger dream, but within that big dream was other dreams. And that's the thing.

SPEAKER_00 16:37

You just made me think, sorry to jump at you, but it's almost, what is the why behind your dream? Okay, I wanted to play in the NHL. Why? What was it about? You don't think beyond the fact that I just want to be that person. But I think as you get older, you discover, oh, you know what it really was? It was this. And I can get this. from so many different places it's you can't explain that to a kid let them find it out on their own or anybody and some adults don't understand it but I think that's the thing you don't want to kill like they're enthusiastic like dream is really the enthusiasm for life I think this is what I want right so but you're right it does morph and change over time oh my

SPEAKER_01 17:15

gosh that's so true and that made me think of to that point of let's say you're going for the NHL but you know you can't for some reason maybe you know you you break your leg or, well, I'm thinking of physical inability, but let's say there's an inability for you not to get there.

SPEAKER_00 17:32

It's a, you know, for sure that, you know, for sure

SPEAKER_01 17:34

it's not an option, but that doesn't mean you can't be in the space. It doesn't mean you can't inspire other people. So for me as an artist, I don't necessarily, cause someone said to me, well, how many, you must pump out a lot of paintings and I barely do any, but you know, sometimes inspiring other people or extracting the artist within other people is something that I love too. Yeah. so part of this journey part of this dream is just to inspire others within a creative space and I was like oh wow that's what I love to do even more like when I paint there's something about it I was like hey I still got this it is there is something that I love about it but inspiring others to kind of tap into their inner artist that's something that I love even more so you realize so in that hockey space maybe you wanted to coach more than maybe you wanted to to help someone get to the nhl uplift and propel someone forward because it's so funny when you do come across someone that's really good

SPEAKER_00 18:32

yeah

SPEAKER_01 18:33

you think you'd be like oh gosh look at them you know what a beep and and you're so angry or you're like man you are good you need to keep going because you are fantastic and you help them propel them

SPEAKER_00 18:47

forward yeah it's interesting um I think I say that too many times, but it is interesting. It's so interesting. Oh my God. Can you believe it? Um, it's interesting for me because of course, um, you know, newsflash, I did not make the NHL and I almost made the Blue Jays. It was so close, but, um, but you know, in my life and when I had that moment, uh, whatever, seven or eight years ago, when I was talking to a friend of mine, I knew for me, I wanted to, I wanted to do what you were saying in the sports space. Cause I've been in sports space my whole career and I wanted to do something that, um, helped um support kids when they were in this like a sport is so important like that's like that's the definition for me of the dream like everybody plays hostley or competitive or whatever they're playing like you get to be in the soup of the dream for your younger years until you're 18 or whatever until reality sets in but but like you want to but that's such an important space to be in and so for me i wanted to make sure as part of what i do for the rest of my life to make sure that kids have that experience and in the best possible way. And who knows what happens, but there are kids that can't afford to be in that space. And there's lots of great programs that help families. But I just thought, I want to be a part of that solution because it's meant so much to me. So I did meet the NHL, but what I'm doing now is in that space where I get to impact those kids. I'm not coaching them or things along those lines, but it does allow me to do something I feel it's kind of my why. And I think now Like the NHL, I'm so soured on pro sports. I'm like, oh, thank God I never did that. Not that I had the choice. But I just feel like it's such a very specific thing and had I done it, I would have loved it. We don't

SPEAKER_01 20:32

really mean it, pro sports.

SPEAKER_00 20:33

No, no. By the way, we're going to have guests on soon. So if you want to be a guest. From the NHL. Yeah. No, but you do realize that there's just so much more than that one narrow thing. So

SPEAKER_01 20:45

it's funny that I guess here we're going to collide a bit because that passion, that importance that you have for the sport that's what I feel about the arts

SPEAKER_00 20:54

that's not a collision but

SPEAKER_01 20:58

it's opposite like I don't feel that importance for me in my life for sports but I do feel the importance for the arts and for anyone wanting to be in it everybody should have the opportunity to try an instrument to be on a stage to paint to write something to be in a production to create create something and put it out there with a group of people or even on your own. Like everyone should experience, everyone has some sort of artist within them, something creative. There's something creative in you. We're going to find the artist.

SPEAKER_00 21:32

She's pointing at me right now, aggressively.

SPEAKER_01 21:35

But, but that's the thing is that being, and, and that is what's important to me is that helping that space and make sure that it's not forgotten because, and this is a whole episode in itself, art and AI. I mean, with AI coming in and it's, and it's, It is scary, but at the same time, it is a tool. It's just like any other tool that would be in that space. But that's what's so important for me in nurturing that community is the arts community because I believe that it's important for everyone to have an artistic, creative outlet. Everybody has something.

SPEAKER_00 22:11

You're 100% right. I

SPEAKER_01 22:15

know.

SPEAKER_00 22:16

You're 90% right. Yeah, no, I totally agree. actually I had an idea that we'll talk about afterwards about how we can morph sports and the arts but yeah maybe it's another episode but and

SPEAKER_01 22:28

so on so with you know like following your pursuit and your passion and your dreams and that passion that skill because the dream and the passion comes from a skill that you have something that you feel that you're good at and you want to keep going in or even if you're not that great you want to hone that skill that passion but that's where even life balance comes in so we talk about about you know the risk and the day job but if you have that practical balance out have that life balance of your passion and that dream don't just let that light go don't just dim like don't just dim it keep it burning and that's where a bit of that life balance you know they talk about life balance like having time for yourself having time for your work and having time for what feeds your soul well if it's your dream and your passion then Yeah, and I think to your point

SPEAKER_00 23:33

earlier, that even if you have to have the regular nine to five job, this is we're talking about pursuing dreams as your career. It's not over, right? It's never really over. Actually, one of my one of my neighbors, she desperately wanted to be an artist when she was growing up. But her parents said, you know, it's not the practical

SPEAKER_01 24:18

thing. But, you know, the creativity there, maybe there's some, but, you know, obviously she wasn't. You have to be creative to find it. Yes, that is true. But I'd be curious to know, like, does she have any regret, you know? But it's wonderful that she's pursuing it now. So maybe just a timing thing, you know, that can, but.

SPEAKER_00 24:38

No, that's true. And that's true for all of us is to kind of hold on to that. I'm

SPEAKER_01 24:43

going to sing. Don't stop believing. Oh, gosh, I shouldn't sing.

SPEAKER_00 24:49

Yeah, that. I mean, not a career choice, but you got it out there and it's now in the public. And so please comment on Camo's ability to sing.

SPEAKER_01 24:58

Or not to sing. Yeah. So again, we want to hear what your thoughts are on all of our episode. And if you feel like I should not be singing, just let me know. I don't need it. I don't have to sing. But I guess just follow your dreams and don't give up on the NHL or Disney or whatever. Whatever it's still possible it's still possible yeah but yeah thank you again Ted for another wonderful episode and we do want to hear what you feel about the episode what you feel our thoughts are if you have any opinions on this following a maybe you're someone that did follow your dreams and it turned out to be horrendous and you want to let us

SPEAKER_00 25:41

know we would love to know yes exactly we'd love to know

SPEAKER_01 25:45

visit fromtheparkbench.ca leave us a comment follow us let other people share about this podcast, if this is something that resonated with you, please do share. And thank you for Bart Mart for helping us produce. And thank you, Ted, for all your wonderful jokes and insights.

SPEAKER_00 26:02

Sarcasm. Wisdom. Yeah, more sarcasm. Thank you,

SPEAKER_01 26:05

Kamala. Thank you. And we'll chat soon from the park bench.