Marbles and The Conspiracy of Stoke

Had a fun trip to Marbles Childrens Mueseum today. Very cool Stuff.


Stoke - To be overjoyed, elated, hyped, extremely happy over a really good thing. (The Jer Dictionary of Urban Slang 2008)

You may have noticed that some of the pictures I've been taking are rather large and fisheyed, well thats because they're shot with a fisheye lens. As some of you know I belong to a community of skateboarders called Old Man Army. Old Man Army is a skateboard company based out of Arizona, but not just a skateboard company. A company that solely caters to skaters over the age of 30. The old dudes, the guys that shouldn't be doing this anymore but just can't let it go. Dudes who tear an ACL and require surgery. (HEY DON'T ROLL YOUR EYES!!) Even more than just a company, a community of older guys all over the world that just love skating but don't neccasarily always cater to the "corer than thou" attitudes. I've met some of these guys and skated, and have always been shown nothing but true hospitality. The Chandler BBQ is truly an amazing thing to behold. Young, old, guys, gals, everybody is there for one thing. Skateboarding.

I've shared our story of all our tribulations of adoption with "the army". These guys (and gals!) have given us a tremendous amount of support to Selina and I through this whole thing, and were overjoyed when we finally got home.

Through the web forums the "Conspiracy of Stoke" was born. Basically a way (plot?) for people to help other people, something to brighten anothers day. Someone gets hurt bad, loses a job, has a kid, a way to ease some pain or celebrate a great event. I was on the receiving end of that plot when I found a package on our doorstep earlier this week. One of OMA's owners had told me he was sending me some stickers I had designed for them. Mighty large box for some stickers. When I opened it I was surprised to find a brand spankin' new Nikon fisheye lens, something I've been drooling over for quite some time. I stood there mumbling incoherently for a while before it all really hit me. Folks that I've only met a handful of times, some that I've never met at all chipped in to do this for us. My heart just dropped, I can't really explain how touched I am by this. There truly is good in this world.

Am I Stoked? Yeah, you could say that. Thank you Old Man Army.