You Look Like a Torture Victim

A regular patron at work came up to me last week. He said, "It is frightening. You always limp in here. Open wounds on knees and elbows. Scabs all over your shins. Palms look like you were just taken down from a cross. You look like a torture victim. It's frightening because there is obviously on-going bodily injury. It makes people recoil to see that. I have to ask. What the hell is going on with you?"

Without a second's hesitation I responded, "I am a skateboarder."

"Oh," he said, "That makes sense."

Things That Speak for Themselves

Three random photos from the Instagram accounts of Antihero and Nike SB. 

Wisdom From the Acient Masters of Alt.Skate-Board (Part 5)

Thoai Tran wrote 14 installments of Zen and Skateboarding. Here is Part 5. See introductory comments I wrote on this post for full context of the entire series. 

NOTE ON PART 5: In Part 5, Tran's writing does seem somewhat dated, mostly because he speaks of rollerbladers. They are now mostly absent from skate parks and skate spots. I am sure if Tran was writing this in 2015, he would be talking about scooters, or maybe longboarders (albeit they don't directly copy skate culture as much as rollerbladers did, and scooter kids are never found outside a skate park. When was the last time a scooter got in your way at your local curb?). That said, there are much deeper lessons in Part 5 than surface level distinctions between rollerbladers and scooter-people. One must not mistake the finger pointing at the moon, for the moon itself.    

Part Five: Songs of Life

I had a grudge against rollerbladers. I did not like the way they imitated skaters, wore the same style of clothing, use the same skate lingo, and pull off those lame easy tricks. I was disgusted to see rollerbladers everywhere, including at all the skate-spots. I listened to many skaters, as they condemned rollerblading, giving lists after lists of attributes that make our sport so much better, so much more beautiful. Master Ch'an was in the area, so I decided to drop by, and discussed my impressions with him about rollerblading. Surely the master himself must agree with me...and perhaps may even give some of his own reasons.

This was what Master Ch'an said:

"Every morning, I am greeted by this wonderful lark. It sings the most beautiful melodies as it flies down to one of the trees outside my house. It sings exactly when the morning sun is coming up, as though to greet the brightness of the day and welcome the inevitable sunshine. It does this every morning, regardless whether other birds are present. It does not seem to particularly care about the other birds, because it does not stop singing when they are around. It does not stop singing to see what the other birds might do, to contemplate its differences, to feel superior or inferior to them. It just sings and sings, every morning, day after day. It is the lark's inherent nature to do so, to do what is natural and perfect for itself. It is content with its own nature."

"My friend, too often have I seen arrogance among skaters. Like this lark that is content with its own being, if you are happy with who you are, then why should you let other people bother you, upset you? If you love what you do so much, then why should you stop and reflect on your differences with others? Why should you stop your skating to condemn others? It is your own inherent nature to skate. You skate because it is natural, it is a reflection of you, not because others aren't the same as you or aren't part of your reflection. Does this lark stop singing because other birds are around? So you too must not stop skating when other people, who may not have the inherent nature to skate, but perhaps to ride a bicycle, or drive a car, or do things on rollerblades...when these people are around. Another bird can sing beautiful melodies just before twilight or can fly longer distances. Does that make this lark or the other bird inferior or less beautiful? Absolutely not, because it is still beautiful with its own special inherent nature. "

"My friend, let skating become the locus of your universe. Let it become part of your reality, part of your inherent nature. Skate because it is natural for you and for you only. Like a lark that sings the most beautiful melodies, use your skating to bring refreshing melodies into your life. Don't stop skating when others are around you. If you see rollerbladers around you, don't get upset and let them ruin your skating. Why should others ruin what is natural, what is inherent, or perfect for you? Learn to appreciate the beauty of your own skating, as well the beauty of others. Sing your own melodies that will greet the burning sun within you."

"Just shut up and skate"*

So spoke Master Ch'an

*T.A. Paterson

For the Moment, It Is Ours.

I often skate this curb after work. I get off shift around 2:45am. My sessions are alone, and very late. One night I noticed that black car in the background. Looked like a cop car. Thought I would soon get kicked out. Nothing happened. After a bit of time, I realized it was just parked there. No one seemed to be sitting in it. Prolly an overnight worker at the near by building. Didn’t think anything of it.  

Every night I go skating, it is there. Sometimes in a different spot, but always at that exact same far end of the parking lot. With time, it became part of the background. I never noticed it anymore. Until one night, about 3 months ago. It was about 4:30am. I had been skating for about 45 min at that point. Suddenly, a light in the car went on. Then one of the doors opened. Someone got out. They started walking towards me. I am a security guard (e.g. bouncer) at a bar/night club, and I took Shotokan karate for 5 years. I am not afraid of conflict (nor do I seek it). "The life of a Repo Man is always intense."

As the person walked towards me, I just thought, “OK, let’s see where this goes.” The person then turned off into the bushes, took a piss, and went back to the car. I now realized what this whole car was about. Someone was living out of it. This is where they parked at night. This was "home." A mix of feelings came over me.

First, was annoyance. I liked this spot because I was all alone at night. Now there was an invader.

Second, I was wondering if the noise from skating woke them up/kept them awake. Should I feel bad? No. Huge parking lot. They could move to other side if that was an issue.  

Third, was the realization that they were most likely thinking the same thing about me. Who is this invader freak that comes skateboarding at 4am? GTFO. 

Forth, and most important, was a sense of solidarity. This parking lot is normally filled with normal people, going about their normal lives. At 4am, nothing normal is going on here. Rather, it is a place of exile. A place for rejects, losers, and outliers to escape. Tonight, the auto-dweller was watching me skate for a while. In turn, I was watching them, watching me. There seems to be an unspoken understanding between us. At 4am, this parking lot becomes a sanctuary for the underclass, a place where we are free from the judgmental eye of  normal people. Here, at 4am, we share a space and time, knowing that for the moment, it is ours.

Do what you love, before you can’t.

Someone made a comment to me about skateboarding and the so-called mid life crisis the other day (e.g. the implied that I was having one, and that’s why I was still skating). Paraphrased, this was my response.

A mid-life crisis is when someone tries to either assert how so-called young they are, or they decide their life is not going the way they wanted it to, and suddenly make some rash/bad decisions. I have been skateboarding for 29 years. There is nothing in life I have loved more. The reality check is that I am 41-years-old. I do not have many more summers in me where I will be skateboard, at all, let alone with what ability I still have. I need make the best use of the time I have left, before age, and a crippled body, takes it away from me forever. I am not asserting how young I am. Quite the contrary. I am asserting how old I am. I have not decided I don’t like where my life is going. I am a skateboarder, and that is exactly where I want my life to be. It’s not a mid-crisis. It’s a mid-life awakening. Do what you love, before you can’t.

Wisdom From the Acient Masters of Alt.Skate-Board (Part 4)

Thoai Tran wrote 14 installments of Zen and Skateboarding. Here is Part 4. This one is amazing. See introductory comments I wrote on this post for full context. 

 

Part Four

A young skater once remarked to Master Ch'an:

" You don't wear the latest skate clothes. You don't even have on real skate shoes. If you are going to skate, you might as well have the image that goes along with it! The girls aint going to like you if you sport those 10 dollars no name jammies from PayLess. Get with the program man!"

So began Master Ch'an:

"A little seedling that sprouts out of the forest floor requires the crudest and simplest requirements for life. Requiring just the water that comes down from the clouds above, the all-encompassing air, and the minerals found in the forest soil, this little seedling will grow, and develop into a mighty oak or spruce tree. Placing a pair of Airwalks or Etnies by this seedling won't stop it from growing. It just keeps growing. Placing t-shirts with logos of skate companies by this seedling won't hinder its inevitable growth into a tall tree. Hanging a pair of baggy Levis on one of its many branches won't cause it to die...

"Like a seedling that requires only the simplest elements for life, your skating requires very few elements for you to grow and develop into a mighty fortress that stands tall and proud among your peers..

"Use your infinite curiosity to break away from the shell that has encapsulated your skating and prevented you from sprouting out of the soil of mediocrity. You will grow...

"Use your dedication to hold your body strongly within the skating foundation. Let it provides the minerals and nourishments for your inevitable growth. Let it provides the sunshine that gives your skating life. Through the violent rain, the freezing cold, and the sweltering heat of summer does this young tree remain attached to its very foundation. You too must remain attached to your skating during moments when friends are away, when the last skateable spot suddenly has "No Skateboarding Permitted" signs, when your art is viewed as obscene and unlawful, when no one is there to support your art. Indeed, you will grow...

"Use your creativity to blossom and give rise to countless leaves which will absorb completely the brilliant light - the essence of skating and of life. A seedling which is transplanted into a distant forest, where it is surrounded entirely by plants and trees of different species, can still grow tall and mighty.. Your skating too, although different and strictly your own, will inevitably grow, despite being surrounded by mediocrity. Use your creativity to blossom among the endless rows of common maple trees. Indeed, you will grow...

"But most importantly, use your love for your art, for your skating, to grow. This is the one thing that no Airwalks, Stussy shirts, or Levi pants can ever replace. Fashion comes and goes, like so many other trends. But the sun, and the rain, and the minerals will always be there to nurture the seedling and help it grow. Seek within yourself the qualities which are eternal, infinite, and everlasting. It is so easy to say "Hey, check out these Airwalks. I love the way they look." But saying " I love skating" requires something which lies deep within your soul, something which outlasts even the most beautiful shoes...

"Remember this, and your skating will inevitably grow...

So spoke Master Ch'an.

Wisdom From the Acient Masters of Alt.Skate-Board (Part 3)

Thoai Tran wrote 14 installments of Zen and Skateboarding. Here is Part 3. See introductory comments I wrote on this post for full context. Part 3, below, is one of my personal favorites that Tran wrote. 
 

Part Three: Flowing Stream

Master Ch'an visited a skatespot where skaters from the area came and performed their art. On that day, a local skater was doing long 50-50 grinds on a waxed ledge. Master Ch'an applauded after each time the skater came off the ledge. This was rather unusual for the skater, who had never been applauded for doing a regular 50-50 grind. After the skate session had ended, the skater approached Master Ch'an and asked:

" You applauded whenever I did 50-50 grinds on this ledge. Why did you find this trick worthy to be applauded, when, in fact, there are so many other tricks which are more difficult and complicated than that? A 50-50 grind is simple, plain...it is not even beautiful! I can show you the other tricks right now, then you will be truly impressed!"

Master Ch'an replied:

" How can something so small and insignificant be so important in the whole scheme of things? Look at this rock that I am holding...it is indeed plain and simple. It has no monetary worth, and not too many people will find this beautiful. But if I were to throw it into a flowing stream, this small and insignificant rock would change that stream completely and forever. It would change the way the stream flowed by adding a new source of turbulence and displacing millions of water molecules to travel in different directions. Indeed, the stream would forever be different with this rock in it..."

" Like a rock that is so essential for making the stream the way it is, your skateboard is an essential part of you. It is part of your body and soul...it becomes incorporated into your being. Indeed, many skaters have noted how their board doesn't seem at all like a separate entity when they skate. This is completely true because your soul absorbs your board completely, making its reality one with yours. You are one with your skateboard..."

" And like the stream that continue to flow despite having an external rock placed into it, your skating must also flow continuosly, despite having a board placed beneath your feet. Tricks should be landed smoothly and consistently to maintain this everlasting flow. A 50-50 grind, simple as it may be, is a reflection of the stream within you, the reality that is everlasting and infinite...it is beautiful. Therefore, my friend, if you land a new trick that you had spent many hours practicing, remember to do it again and again, until it perfect...until you are at a point where you can do it anytime, anywhere. The stream continues to flow whether it is in the woods or in the open, whether it is during the daytime or night-time. Remember my friend, when you go skating, don't be dependent on others to decide what is cool and what is not. You should skate to satisfy your own thirst for absolute perfection. Surely a stream won't change its course of direction or stop flowing because there are people standing nearby. So you too must not change your skating when other skaters are around you..."

" My friend, when you realize this, your skating will become a stream that flows to absolute perfection..."

So spoke Master Ch'an.