Hello and thank you for checking out “Thoughts From The Ninja” blog. My name is Gardner Douglas and I’m just your average “JOE” who happens to be a Nationally Ranked Oyster Shucker and ARMY veteran. You can find me “Making Oysters Great Again” all over the DMV as your local shucker for hire. You can also find me talking about my world and the people who drop in on The Oyster Ninja Podcast.
“Making Oysters Great Again” is bigger than Donald Trumps slogan re-worded. To a humble shucker from the Eastern Shore of Virginia it’s a olive branch to bring everyone together with bivalves. Oysters have placed me in conversations and rooms I would’ve never dreamed of. I’ve took selfies with governors, shucked for the Obama’s, and gave a 18 month old her first oyster. Some would say “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life” and that was my thought process coming back from Afghanistan.
You don’t need to be a oyster expert to follow along on this journey. This blog is about oysters but it also will include the discussion of raw bars, foodie festivals, non-profits, etc. Be prepared to read about the worlds fastest Oyster Shucker and the next week about Ocean Acidification. You don’t need to be a oyster expert but I hope you are willing to ride the wave. Again thanks for taking time out to read this first post and I hope you enjoy the journey.