#133 Nick Adkins from Pink Socks Life
Tis the season I say for giving and kindness. There is no better guest I can think of than Nick Adkins. If you happen to see a man wearing a kilt around town, that is probably Nick. Long beard, usually rocking a hat and kilt, and a distinct pair of socks. Bright pink ankle socks with moustaches strewn upon them.
I was introduced to Nick through a mutual friend Larry Gioia who runs Connection University in Pittsburgh<— We will save with how awesome Larry is for another podcast, because he is due to come on the show in the near future. Essentially what Larry is, is a connector. I tend to think of myself the same way. You meet someone and you know they HAVE to meet another friend of yours. Energies align, vibes are felt and life takes you along a path to the next soul you are supposed to connect with, for one reason or another. Nick was that next soul. Nick travels the world giving talks to people about global communities and the non profit organization that he founded with Andrew Richards called Pink Socks Life.
What’s the deal with the socks? Is the question he hears when he travels with them. That question, that opening of a conversation… is exactly the deal. An invitation to connect with someone you may never have spoken to. In an age where we are ALL connected to our phones ( I typed this, you are reading this… it happens) As a whole nation on this Earth, everyone is lonely. As lonely as we have ever been, we are connected via the internet, but one on one conversation, and getting out of our “bubble” is becoming more and more challenging. I mean, when was the last time you made a friend in an airport or on a plane, or bus.
Most humans are engaged in a conversation with their phones. Pink Socks strives to connect people all across the world, urging acts of kindness, sharing and global connectivity.
It isn’t just the spark of asking what the socks are about, Pink Socks is also about gifting without asking anything in return, and boasting local charities. That is how this all starting with Nick and Andrew, they gifted a pair of socks to a stranger and saw his face light up. They wondered if they could make that idea bigger, and bigger, and bigger, and here we are today.
Pink Socks Life is now a non profit, that manufactures thousands of Pink Socks that get delivered directly to Nick and he sends them around the world, or hand delivers them himself! ( I haven’t met anyone that travels like he does… and that is coming from me) This week he flys to a Texas to a school that suffered from a shooting a while back, and he is bringing a pair of socks to each and every student, faculty and staff that is in that school to spread joy and kindness.
We talk about this and so much else in this uplifting episode that reminds all of us, it isn’t just the season. This can happen year round. Let’s spread that love. Head to Pinksock.life to hear how you can help and remember to use the hashtag #pinksockstribe #pinksocks on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Have a Pink Socks Story? I would love to hear about it! Be sure to share in the comments!
~YOGA SAILING RETREAT~ June 2021
This year for my podcast I am focusing on travel to uplift and inspire everyone (especially myself) I am traveling in 2021 for 6 month for my 40th birthday! While I am away, I am hosting a YOGA SAILING RETREAT in Croatia in June of 2021. It is 7 days full of yoga, swimming, wine, food and fun. Space is limited! For more information please email martafoos@gmail.com, and I can tell you all about why you should join in this amazing adventure. I cannot wait!
~Visiting Pittsburgh Soon? Come Stay at One of our Airbnbs!~
We are Super Hosts of two unique Airbnb’s in Pittsburgh, PA.
Our Artist’s Gallery Airbnb has been featured on PLT Live, NEXTPittsburgh, and the Pittsburgh Current, etc.
Artist’s Gallery Airbnb- Featured in multiple publications, the Artist Gallery Airbnb includes works from local Pittsburgh artists, and strives to be more than just a place to lay your head.
Our second Airbnb sleeps two and is a lovely romantic getaway-
Get $55 off off your first Airbnb stay with code – https://abnb.me/e/t3L2t7NNP3
Pittsburgh’s Original Libations Tour- Not your average bar crawl. Rated 5 out of 5 on Trip Advisor. Featured on KDKA PTL, Pittsburgh Current, LOCAL Pittsburgh, and Table Magazine.
Intimate groups of up to 9 people join in an afternoon of learning Pittsburgh’s prohibition and Whiskey Rebellion history while visiting some of it’s prominent wine rooms, distillery’s, and breweries. Games are played, drinks are drunk, snacks are eaten, stories are shared. “Walk, learn, imbibe, repeat!”
This episode is sponsored by Games Unlimited my go to place for choosing a puzzle, game, for my next quality time.
“Located in the popular section of Squirrel Hill in Pittsburgh, Games Unlimited opened in 1978 to serve the greater Pittsburgh are a diverse selection of classic, party, and war-games along with jigsaw puzzles. Very soon the phenomenon of Dungeons and Dragons made role playing games a staple and Games Unlimited has been a gaming hub for Pittsburgh ever since. As a small, local business it aspires to make gaming accessible to anyone through it’s wide selection of family, cooperative, and strategy games.”
Owned by Kylie Prymus, Kylie started his career in gaming writing articles about the intersection of video games and philosophy while teaching and working on his Ph. D. In 2009 he moved to Pittsburgh, and after discovering Games Unlimited, traded in his software and controllers for meeples and dice.
Before long he decided to switch careers and became the manager of Games Unlimited, eventually purchasing it in 2015. As a gaming evangelist he knows that there’s a perfect game out there for everyone, even people who say they don’t like games”
