i don't have to explain LIFE to anyone. We all live it, we all have experience with it. There are some incredible times and there are difficult times. The trick is to find things that help you make it through those tough times in one piece. One of those things which has saved my life on more than one occasion is skateboarding. Because of this i have dreamt, for some time now, of opening a skate shop so that i may share and pass on that soul-saving wooden toy.
Recently i was able to do just that. A vision and a passion have come together.
Skateboarding has become a holy and soulful thing in my life and in my shop i want to create a sanctuary. In times past churches were a place where all could take asylum. A place where all could go for safety and escape. Churches have become something very different in modern history with locks and exclusivity. Gone are the days when a wayward knight could find refuge, shelter, and peace beneath a steeple.
As a modern punk monk i am striving to create that time honored sanctuary. A judgement-free shelter where all can come to find some peace, an ear to listen, and a sense of belonging. Where the weary, road-rashed skater can converse openly with brothers (and sisters) sharing stories. Where the seasoned and maybe a bit out of season can re-connect with the activity and counter-culture that has brought so much joy to their life. Where wide-eyed kids can explore the magic that 4 wheels and 7 plys can bring. Where parents can feel welcome and comfortable enough to support their children's passions.
We all need our escapes in life. Some of us have found that in skateboarding. Shouldn't our skate shops be a church-like sanctuary for skaters everywhere? Skaters of all walks and skill levels? That is what i am hoping to accomplish with my little shop... a place of sanctuary.
Apr 15, 2012
Jan 4, 2012
No Such Thing As A Born-Again Straight Edge
i do not drink. i do not smoke. Because i am a punk and i do not do these things i frequently get asked if i am straight edge. i answer no.
i have always laughed at those born-again Christians who claim to have re-gained their virginity. It is fucking hysterical. If you had sex, you are not a virgin. That is the very definition of the term. Life is a river that only flows one way. You do not get do-overs, re-do's, or Mulligans. What you have done you have done. Own it and learn from it... all of it.
i am experimental by nature. i enjoy the growth that occurs from trying new things. Alcohol and drugs have been a part of that in my past. The experiences i had and the lessons i learned about myself, the world, and perspectives are important parts of who i am today. i value them and do not regret them.
i have learned what i can from those chemicals and have no interest in further pursuing them. i like being sober all the time. i like being dangerous because my mind is working sharply at all times. i like that i am at a place in my life now where my maturity, knowledge, and experiences have given me a level of confidence that i did not have when i was younger so now i face adversities head on.
i hold sentimental fondness for the straight edge movement and have a lot of respect for it. i relate strongly with that movement and enjoy the company of straight edgers as i feel i have a lot in common with them. Out of respect for the straight edge movement, out of respect for my past experiences, and out of respect for myself, i choose not to place that label upon myself.
i believe that freedom is more important than my personal ideals in most situations (of course not all). i actually think that marijuana should be legalized. If it was i still would not use it but it is less harmful than alcohol (a legal drug) and many medications that people take on a daily basis.
i also am fine with other people doing harder drugs such as heroin. If they steal to support their habit or harm someone while under the influence then they have broken laws and should be treated accordingly, but the simple act of taking drugs is something i see as a personal choice. If you want to shoot up and hide away from the world in your living room... so be it.
Your life, your choice so long as you do not harm anyone else. People destroy themselves all the time from a broad variety of things. Should we make fast food illegal for obese people because they are killing themselves with it?
i am proud of the fact that i do not drink and that i do not take drugs, but i am also proud that it is MY choice. i absolutely hate when people tell me what to do so i respectfully want to allow others the freedom to make THEIR choice. If we can respect each other's right to make choices, imagine what other respect might follow.
i have always laughed at those born-again Christians who claim to have re-gained their virginity. It is fucking hysterical. If you had sex, you are not a virgin. That is the very definition of the term. Life is a river that only flows one way. You do not get do-overs, re-do's, or Mulligans. What you have done you have done. Own it and learn from it... all of it.
i am experimental by nature. i enjoy the growth that occurs from trying new things. Alcohol and drugs have been a part of that in my past. The experiences i had and the lessons i learned about myself, the world, and perspectives are important parts of who i am today. i value them and do not regret them.
i have learned what i can from those chemicals and have no interest in further pursuing them. i like being sober all the time. i like being dangerous because my mind is working sharply at all times. i like that i am at a place in my life now where my maturity, knowledge, and experiences have given me a level of confidence that i did not have when i was younger so now i face adversities head on.
i hold sentimental fondness for the straight edge movement and have a lot of respect for it. i relate strongly with that movement and enjoy the company of straight edgers as i feel i have a lot in common with them. Out of respect for the straight edge movement, out of respect for my past experiences, and out of respect for myself, i choose not to place that label upon myself.
i believe that freedom is more important than my personal ideals in most situations (of course not all). i actually think that marijuana should be legalized. If it was i still would not use it but it is less harmful than alcohol (a legal drug) and many medications that people take on a daily basis.
i also am fine with other people doing harder drugs such as heroin. If they steal to support their habit or harm someone while under the influence then they have broken laws and should be treated accordingly, but the simple act of taking drugs is something i see as a personal choice. If you want to shoot up and hide away from the world in your living room... so be it.
Your life, your choice so long as you do not harm anyone else. People destroy themselves all the time from a broad variety of things. Should we make fast food illegal for obese people because they are killing themselves with it?
i am proud of the fact that i do not drink and that i do not take drugs, but i am also proud that it is MY choice. i absolutely hate when people tell me what to do so i respectfully want to allow others the freedom to make THEIR choice. If we can respect each other's right to make choices, imagine what other respect might follow.
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