There were so many things associated with it in terms of music and fashion, and a different way of thinking that, for me, skateboarding represented so much of what I wanted to do with my life at an early age.

You might not make it to the top, but if you are doing what you love, there is much more happiness there than being rich or famous.

In ramp skating, theres this guy Alex Perelson whos really coming into his own and doing some amazing new stuff we havent seen before. Just different types of spin.

I never imagined getting to do what I love for a living and having so many people appreciate it. There was only one other skater in my high school and we were the lowest form of cool. Our classmates couldn't figure out why we liked such a loser sport, or why we hadn't grown out of it yet.

Snowboarding is a spawn of skating, and skating is my passion.

I believe that people should take pride in what they do, even if it is scorned or misunderstood by the public at large.

The best advice I can give is to believe in yourself and to create new challenges no matter how far you get. Even if you think you earned it all or if you're considered the best in the world, keep challenging yourself because you're only as good as your last trick in the public's eye. But only do it because you love it. Don't do it because you think it's your ticket to fame or fortune. If that's the motivation and you reach any of those goals, you're not going to keep that passion.