music survey...

I was tagged by mari for this music survey, so here it goes. Sarita, a fellow knitting blogger in France tagged Mari and I, and said we were cool. Made our day. We think here site is tres cool aussi.

1. Total amount of music files on your computer?
17.4 gig at home on PC... 37 gigs at work, we have iTunes networked, small perk - good music sharing at the office.

2. The last CD you bought was:
Joe Jackson - Greatest Hits... after hearing him sing on Shatner's cover of "Common People", I had to get some more.

3. What is the song you last listened to before reading this message?

the last song I heard was "Narc" by Interpol, but the last song I chose to listen to was "Daysleeper" by REM. I like to listen to that song when I get into work early, and I was there at 5:50am today, so I did.

4. Write down 5 songs you often listen to or that mean a lot to you:

I agree a hard question, so many songs mean something to me... I could think about this for hours, here is a quick five.

going to start with an easy one.
"Losing My Religion" by REM, I am a big fan, a big fan. I think this is a amazing song, I think it captures that feeling of loving someone from a far so much, and being so scared to let them know.

"I Grieve" Peter Gabriel. Mari got me into Peter. We bought the album and saw him three times for the UP tour. This song in particular meant a lot to me when my mom passed away two years ago.

Neil Finn, singing "Throw Your Arms Around Me"... makes me think about when Mari and I were first dating.

They Might be Giants - "Birdhouse in Your Soul". Geeks can be smart and cool too.

"Smoke" Ben Folds Five. I kept journals, this song summed it up.

Hope that wasn't to lame.

I have no idea who to tag next... to be continued.

more rain in la

no skating lately. too busy to find a place to skate as it has been raining for days again here in la. to compensate I am going snowboading with my friend matt this weekend up at mammoth. i am psyched.

lunch break

some tidbits from a lunch time session. I watched more then skated.

weldness

I arrived at work this morning to find that the skate elves had left a belated x-mas present for me on my desk. A kick as slide bar. Ed and James fabricated it last night in the office metal shop (after hours). Only 12" high, and small enough to throw in the back of the truck. Ed insures me that he is "going to make me into a steet skater". I think I had better stuff the ass back of my pants with Charmin to protect my assets!

Jim and Ollie to Curb

I finally got to skate with Jim for a while. Jim bought a board about a month ago, and I am guessing has not skated in 20+ years. We decided to skate at a school near Jim's house. Jim did a great job just getting use to being on a board again. Jim's next goal should be "the ollie". I was thinking that since I an trying to relearn what I use to know, as well as learn new tricks, I could have a trick tip section? We'll see. I a may just start with the ollie.

Trick status report: I was able to ollie on to sidewalk and ride off other side. I was stoked. It really is amazing how hard ollie tricks can be. I had my ollie down for a day, but you can really psych yourself out easy. I would say the curb was 6" high, but landing high was hard. Where I was able to ollie over 8" boards before, and seemed to clear them by +4" or more, landing on top of the sidewalk was difficult. I would tend to land with my weight to far back. Although I was able to land this a few times, once right after the first, I definitely need practice. I really want to build a platform to keep in the truck.

Small accomplishments

Last night after work, Ryan, Ed and I skated for an hour or so. We set up the launch ramp and just had fun. Ed tried to ollie, with the ramp, over two oil drums... a little to high. I had a good night as I finally rode off the ramp without holding the board.



I say ride off, becuase I really just rode up the ramp and fell off the other side. But it was a big deal for me.

After trying a number of really high, really crazy tricks, Ed decided he needed to work on the basics with me... I gave him some pointers and I really think his early grab is comming along.

nice helmet

1988-89 I think. Wearing an old hockey helmet and gloves as if I recall correctly, I usually wound up in the pine tree. My mom took this picture.

Ollie Report

On Sunday I was able to ollie, consistantly over about one board on it's side (8"). I am very proud. In the past I have been able to do this for a day, and then on the next I can't ollie again. This minor accomplishment has definitly given me some additional drive to keep skating.



some video too...

Maps to skater's homes, maps to skater's homes, Homes

So on Sunday Ryan and I set out to find some new skate spots. After driving around aimlessly for an hour and a half (an activity, we agreed, our wives would hate) we stumbled upon an empty public skate park. It was so small, maybe it should be called a skate area. All metal ramp construction and very slick, we skated without the required helmet and pads for about half an hour. That's until some 10 year olds showed up, and I decided I was equally intimidated and worried we were setting a bad example. I'm badass, I know.



It is located on Jefferson and Duguerse, I think.

Early Grab Skate Video

The day after New Year's I took the ramp to a parking lot and skated for a while myself. I shot some video, and I just figured out how to post it. This is some sad stuff, but I am proud. Check it out.

I need to skate more.

Work has been tough lately, and it has been hard to find time to skate. It is hard to progress and improve when you only skate once every week or two. I am going to try and skate some this weekend, but we have been having more rain again.

This sucks!

I thought it was bad when it was raining and I couldn't skate, but now

it's been sunny for two days, but I am too busy at work (5am - 8pm).

Skating this weekend for sure.

Holy Sh*t, here comes Mongo.

I skate mongo, excuse me.  So Ed told me a while back that the way I

skate is called mongo.  I skated like this for years back when I was a

kid, I had no idea I was such a reject.  Skating mongo is planting your

back foot and pushing off with the front.  This, I've been told is a

very bad thing.  But last night I was watching the intro to Tony Hawk's

Skateboarding Basics video, and after describing regular stance and

goofy, he and his teaching partner went off on me and my peoples.  All I

have to say is, I am who I am.  Were also called punk footed...



Mongos and Punk Footers of the World Unite!

Benihana Anyone

So after the holidays and all the rain... we had a small break and Ed and I skated the launch ramp Ryan and I made. I think I was able to increase my altitude from 2" to 4". I like to consider it a 100% improvement. Ed just kicked ass.




We have plans for him to lauch over my truck in the near future. Stay tuned.

1987

So I've decided to include some of my embarrassing past...



Your author, circa 1987, my first real board. I had one of those plastic ones, but this was my first deck. I got it at Modells, which on Long Island was like a cheap Walmart. My Nash (maybe Ash) missile board was a big fatty, with an almost flat tail, and no nose. All I ever did on this board, was roll down my driveway and skate around the local tennis court. I used these same truck for two more years though.



Check out those feet. I should have tried landing healflips back then....

more to come in the future. happy new year.

More Rainy Days

Today was another abnormally rainy day here is southern california. I use to watch videos in the past to ward off my skate cravings, but I don't have any, anymore. I still have some at my parents house I think... I plan on trying to find them the next time I am home.

So since I had no skate stuff to watch... I bought. I had a gift certificate for Amazon and went to town. Did you know you can order magazine subscriptions through Amazon? In my skate package I have coming, I ordered a year of Transworld Skateboarding, 3 Hawk skate videos,
and .....

THRASHIN'... Oh yeah, I remember renting this back in '88....

some trivia off imdb.com

Later, I spent and hour at the local Borders reading, Skateboarder, Trasher and Transworld Skateboarding mags.... And I was thinking what a lame ass I was, until I spoke to Ryan later that night... he went to Borders and bought Transworld yesterday too. Were both lame, at least he's not cheap.

Rampage

We finished the ramp today...

We had a deadline, so we didn't have a chance to take lunch. Once we knocked out what we had to get done, we took a late lunch and finished the ramp. I had the stuff in my truck, so we were able to pull up near a cabinet shop near our office, and finish the build in the adjacent parking lot.

One thing, don't build a half ass ramp, in front of a cabinet shop. I understand getting heckled while we skate, but not while we build the ramp.

Actually one of the guys at the shop came out and was watching us. He said he use to skate back in the Dogtown days. I told him about my quest of skating again. He said our ramp looked small.

After finishing the ramp, we had to test it out. We took it to a near by empty lot...

All I can say is we didn't kill ourselves. Ryan attempted to launch first... although neither of us landed, we both got damn close. Surely we will be posting photos of our fresh frontside airs soon.

I tried doing a frontside grab a few times.... it will be mine.



your author on the left, Ryan to the right (and no we didn't call each other an coordinate our outfits)



I had to include this one... how did my board get all the way over there?

Ed's been on vacation, can't wait to see what he can do with this ramp.

Rain Sucks

So, it's been raining all week long... Ryan and I were able to skate for about 15 minutes today, after it stopped raining for a few hours. How are we ever goign to go pro, if we can't practice???

All I Want For X-mas is a Launch Ramp

So Ryan and I have decided to build a launch ramp, as we figured the stores would be closed on Christmas Eve, we headed down to our local lumber yard at lunch yesterday.

We initially wanted to build two ramps, one 18” launch ramp (it’s higher than you think), an 18” high straight ramp, and a 18” platform… basically making a transportable funbox.

Once we started looking into how much time and money we wanted to spent, we decided we would start with the launch ramp. I remembered that back in the day, some people would sheath their ramps in masonite, and since the lumber yard had no ¼” ply, we decided it would work for our ramp too.

As I am such a morning person, and Ryan had plans during the day we decided to meet back at the office to start the build Christmas Eve morning. After arriving 45 minutes late, I found Ryan skating the lot across the street.

We wound up only having about 75 minutes to build the ramp. And I have to say, I think I had as much fun building the ramp framing as I have had skating. Ryan needed to leave by 10:15… so we only got the framing done. Stay tuned for completion of the ramp.

(p.s., I still can’t ollie for squat)

Animal Chin

I was talking to Ed earlier today about old skate movies... the image under included with the title banner was a video capture from a home video of yours truely on a neighbors half-pipe. I skated right off the ramp moments later... anyway back to what I was talking about. So, I was telling Ed how I saw the Dogtown movie on the Independent FIlm Channel, and how that got my mid going about skating a few months ago. I also mentioned that I had a bunch of old videos at my parents house, packed up in a box I do believe. Included with these films are not only a bunch of bad homemade skate films featuring my friends, but my bootleg copy of, Powell Peralta's, Bones Brigade video, Search for Animal Chin.


This is the greatest skate movie ever made... the skating, for it's time was pretty damn good, but it was the cheesy acting and bad jokes that made it "kick ass".

"Maps to skaters homes, maps to skaters homes... Homes!"

Featured the music of Johnny Rad.... this is a must see for all skaters.



Sidebar, Ed sends me an e-mail about skating later which includes the line...

"never do a nose pick with a coper" and "now we're just like the dudes in 'Thrashin"...

Which I respond to with, meet me at the drainage ditch, with your boxing glove covered nunchaku... Ed has no idea what I am talking about...

HE NEVER SAW THRASHIN", I FEEL OLD.... Must find copy of Thrashin... this ain't your mommies "Gleaming the Cube"

Bum Ankle

We’ll my ankle has swollen pretty damn good. And has turned a funny purplish color, the bruising is bad enough that the blood has started to drain down to the bottom of my foot.

The plan was to not skate on it for a few days and let it rest. So much for a good plan, today at work, Ed suggested we go skate another empty lot near work… so what does an intelligent (give me the benefit of the doubt) nearly 30 year old professional do… I skate. I was smart enough to wear my old Protec kneepad on my ankle. Worked like a charm, didn’t hit the bruise again, but man did my ankle tighten up. I was walking with a limp for the rest of the day. And I have to say the ankle is a little bit more purple now.

I’m really glad I am skating again.

Ed

I’ve been skating in the mornings before work at the lot across the street for the last week. I can ride the bank, and occasionally ollie a soda can. Life is good.

So, on to new business. One of the other reasons, I think I, and Ryan have started skating again, is because of Ed. Ed works at our office as well, he is interning I think, and is planning on getting in to development and construction. Anyway, what did Ed have to do with my skating resurrection? The man is sponsored… like we all dreamed about when we were 14. I’ve asked him a little about it, but my understanding is he skates, companies send him stuff, and in turn send him places (like Spain) and he skates. Seems like a good deal to me.

I’ve informed Ed of my desire to start skating again, and I’ve invited him to one of our early morning skate sessions. (Sessions, oh yeah). Ed met me yesterday morning at the good old lot. I had been there for about for about 15 to 20 minutes before Ed arrived. By the time he got there, I was exhausted. I was just skating around, trying to ride the bank, and pop a few ollies (I think I am averaging about 4-6 inches currently). Ed on the otherhand can skate, he starts throwing out some kick flips, shove-its, and a bunch of other stuff I can’t remember what to call it, but were talking, ollie, 180-Ed, 180 board opposite direction, land fakie, kind of stuff.

I was trying to land a kick flip, and Ed was quite kind with his help. He told me to envision a pole running up from the center of my board, up through the center of my body. The attempt was to help me keep the board centered under me while I tried to ollie and do kick flips. I didn’t land any kick flips, but I did get a whole lot closer. I am going to keep working on this.

By this time a few other people had started showing up at work, and were watching us skate, well Ed skate, me more roll around. I successfully ollied a 2x4. Ed ollied a 30-36 inch high wood palette. Nice.

It is fun to skate with Ed, although I am light years away from skating at Ed’s level, and most likely never will, I do think being around someone who can skate is helpful.

I’ve been trying an old school trick from back in the day… I’m not sure what this might be called. It is a combo of a no-comply, impossible? Trick like so: step off with front foot, like you’re was going to do a no-comply, then slap down the toe edge side of the tail to get the board to spin 180 and flip over, try and land on the griptape side of the board… If anyone has any idea if this trick has a name… fill me in. I haven’t come close to landing it, but I do seem to hit the side of my planted ankle a lot. I think I am going to start wearing a kneepad on my ankle, as it feels quite bruised.

Later skater.

This is going to be hard

This is going to be hard. I can hardly stand on the board actually. I’ve had it for a few days, but skating alone doesn’t seem like that much fun, so I’ve pulled my friend Ryan in to this as well.

The other morning we met at the office to skate before work. I got there early of course and started skating around the adjacent lot. It is fairly skate-able except for some car oil build up. I spent about 10 minutes just pushing around the lot, trying to get the feel of skating again, I am not sure where it went, but it did. As I’ve said before, I have to start all over again. Not that I was ever really that good in the first place.

I originally skated for about four years, from 12-16, with the majority of the skating happening in the middle two years. I could ollie over a deck on its side, up onto sidewalks. My kick flips were few and far between, but I had landed a few. I skated well enough that I had a lot of fun. Near the end, I learned how to drop in on a mini-halfpipe. Not so good, once I dropped in, but hey it was something. So in many ways, I am trying to be the skater I never was. I want to ollie with ease, I want to perfect at least a kick flip.

Back to my first day… by the time Ryan showed up, I was exhausted. I had only been skating for about 20 minutes, but I am not in shape and haven’t done anything athletic in a year, buy this time I could skate back and forth but that was about it. There is a little 18” bank on one side of the lot, but I couldn’t even skate that. I had mostly tired myself out trying to ollie in place. I was having a hard time, occasionally popping a 4” ollie, but I use to be able to clear 24” (in-place) back when I was 14. It hit me how different I was now. That was 15 years ago. I easily weigh 40 pounds more, and I have a lot less muscle. So as I was getting tired, I started doing what I use to do… trying tricks I could never do… shove-its, no-complies, foot plant shove-its… I think I hit myself in the ankle a dozen times with my board. Ryan and I also started trying to ride the bank.

Ryan was able to ride the bank pretty easily, we would start at the top were there was some flat, and ride down it. We eventually could both do it pretty consistently, I was proud of us. We then started trying to ride up it. I hadn’t gotten a feel for if frontside or backside would be easier. I had been riding down the bank frontside, so I tried riding up that way… that wasn’t working out.

An hence my first fall… I took a big loop around the lot, and tried to get up some speed, a was about 12 feet in front of the bank when I hit, I don’t know what, maybe a pebble or something, but the board stopped, and I didn’t. I just went over the front of the board, and hit the ground on my left side hard. I did remember one thing from back in the day, and that wasn’t to catch myself with my hands. I hit hard with my body, landing in a nice patch of automotive oil, left from all the dipping cars in this parking lot. And although my 190-pound body hit pretty hard, I was able to get up and skate a few more time around.

When I got home that night, I told my wife about having fallen; she looked quite concerned, almost upset. The fall was nothing, more of a badge of honor, than a possible injury, and the most important part was, I had so much fun. I spent some time outside, which I don’t do enough, got to hang out with a friend… good stuff. I think I am going to stick with this…

Trick Report: rolling & rolling down an 18" bank. (I’m thinking about going pro)

the birth of the sk8board chronicles

I am almost thirty and on a journey... to be the skater I never was. In this blog I will chronicle my attempt at going back 15 years, metaphorically, to the parking lots, the backyard ramps and the secret spots that we attempted to skate.

What am I talking about? Like most skaters I stopped skating at some point. For me it was when I was 15. First I got a girlfriend, then a car, and then started focusing on other things like school, getting into college, becoming an architect, and getting off of Long Island.

Even though I stopped skating back then, I held on to my deck for a while, only letting go of it about 5 years ago. It went to college with me, got me to class once or twice, but it was in the trunk of my car for a long time. Finally I gave the setup to my nephew a few years ago, so he could use the trucks, wheels and a deck I bought but never used. I don't think he uses it much though.

So a few weeks ago my wife asked me "why don't you skate anymore? Why did you quit?" Why don't I skate anymore? Well, time I guess, I am always busy, or at least I say I am... it took a lot of time, or it did, we skated and sat around for hours back in the day. But it is exactly because I am busy now, that I think skating is so important, it was a release from the stress of school, and teenage life… can’t it be that now too?

So I started skating a month ago, it’s been going kind of slow, definitely not like riding a bike, I had to start all over again… so here it is that this begins, the Sk8boarding Chronicles.