By Kathryn Doorey

We are always seeing people. At the grocery store you may see at least 30 different faces milling about the aisles. You go to get your brakes fixed? That’s about three people right there. Sitting in class? Depending on which room you’re in, you’re dealing with 30-400 people. But how much do you know about any of these individuals? Probably little, their name maybe, or nothing at all. In this column we’d like to solve that by bringing a different member of the Santa Cruz community to light. That’s right, one new person each week.

Each week, we take a peek into the lives of some local folk living and working around us. This week, we chatted with Zumiez employee Ashley Dolen, who is also a second-year at UC Santa Cruz.

*Tell me about your job.* It’s intense. It’s fun. The people that work there are awesome. I’m assistant manager for Zumiez [at Capitola Mall]. I just did about eight displays/face outs [this last weekend]. It’s a lot of work keeping the store clean and managing the people, preventing things being stolen. Oh, and I love my co-workers. We just had a snowboard meeting last night. That was intense. It was fun learning about the gadgetry about snowboards, bindings, and boots.

*Do you think world peace is possible?* It is possible, but not for a very long time. There is too much war going on. It’s going to take a lot of work.

*What are some of your favorite things about being at UCSC?* The people that I live with, not just my housemates, but also the community that I live in. I feel like I have more of a connection with these people then at home [that community there]. The environment definitely. The trees, the ocean. Everyone has more of a grasp of life here, instead of at home, where it’s about being the prettiest person ever or who is popular.

*I’m taking four classes. Explain the most intense moment of your life.* My mom having an aneurysm when I was in ninth grade. Three or four months later she had a stroke which left her disabled. But she has improved a lot, I’m so proud of her.

*Happiest time of your life?* This summer, because I was surfing three or four times a week. It was just peaceful and calm because I wasn’t working or doing school for the first time in many years. It felt so good.