Thoai
Tran wrote 14 installments of Zen and Skateboarding. Here is Part 7. See introductory comments I wrote on this post for full context of the entire series.
Part Seven: Reflection
I have looked at this old dusty mirror for many years now. Its dullness has distorted my view of reality, causing me to see things differently, to convince myself that I am looking at the truth; when, in fact, I have seen nothing but false delusions. I have been deluded for too long now, and it is time to take a wet cloth and clean the dust, the dullness that covers this mirror, the false projection of reality that has forever prevented me from seeing the truth. With a glass cleaning bottle and cloth, I will remove all the fleeting dust particles that have distorted the reality that was, the reality that is and that will be.
My skating has been forever dull. It is covered with these fleeting objects that have prevented me from seeing the truth. But as the dust which covers my mirror shall be removed with a wet cloth, so do all these superficial objects shall be removed with the sweeping motion of time. The layers of clothing, the shoes, the trends, the fashion styles, the competition, the pride, the arrogance...all of these will be lost with time...inevitably. Only the eternal qualities shall remain to shine, to manifest themselves as the reality that was, that is and that will be...
My friend, take a moment and look within yourself...look at the mirror which you call your skating. Is it covered with these superficial objects which have clung onto your soul and prevented you from seeing the truth? Everything will disappear and be lost with time, but only the eternal qualities will remain. The current style of clothing will be lost with time, to be replaced by different ones. Invitably. The shoes will be worn out, disappeared, and forgotten. The girls which clapped at you whenever you skated by will seek different bad boys to applaud at. Inevitably. The people whom you skated with at the spots will put their boards down to pursue different hobbies and fads. The last skateable spot will be made illegal. My friend, when all of these are gone, will the love still be there? Will that love still be there to shine; or will your skating, like the dust which covers this mirror, be lost with time's sweeping hands?
My friend, reflect on this. Seek within yourself the qualities which are hidden beneath the layers of superficial objects. The love...the feeling of contentment and happiness for what you do...the harmony within yourself as you incorporate your surrounding universe whenever you step on that board, as you become one with your skating...the dedication to the purest and most fundamental truth. My friend, even when a mirror is dull and covered with dust, it still has the innate nature to shine brightly and reflect the pure and essential truth. The truth will always remain...it will always be there. What is that essential truth?
My friend, reflect for yourself...
Wednesday, November 18, 2015
The Kids In the Parking Lot
Last week, on Nov 14th, was the long awaited opening of the Boston’s mega skate park. 15+ years in the planning, 4.5 million dollars, 40,000 square feet, 3 bowls, huge street area, etc. Tony Alva, Ray Barbee, Andy MacDonald, and others were on hand for this historic event. I saw some rad skating go down, but the coolest thing I’ve seen in 30 years of skating happened right before I left. It was something that most people wouldn’t have even noticed, and if they had, they probably would have scoffed at it. Non-skaters certainly would have.
Skateboarding is becoming more “accepted” in common society. A park like this never would have happened 20 years ago. In 2015 we see a lot giant corporations entering the skateboard market. There are non-skater owned chain “skate shops” at the local mega mall. Adidas. Nike. Street League. Skaters ringing the closing bell on Wall St. The renewed push for skateboarding in the Olympics. Etc. For a long time skateboarding was very much an “outsider” activity. Be it a white suburban punk, an inner-city hip-hop kid, an artist, or metal head, to be a skater required you to be, on some level, “confrontational” with society. Now things seem a bit different. Many fear that with the sanitization of skateboarding via Big Corporation, Big Money, and Olympic status, that some part of skateboarding will “die.” Now that Boston (and many other cities) has a giant skate park, will going to the park become almost the same as going to the baseball field for “practice?” Will skateboarding become as mundane, and “safe,” as baseball, football, and basketball? For some, it might. And that is great. More power to them. Others shudder at the thought. However, what I saw on opening day, just as I was about to leave, was an affirmation that the heart of skateboarding would never change.
There, in the parking lot, rather than skating in the 40,000 square foot park, a few kids were skating a simple, little, curb. I couldn’t but help think of John Lucero, getting kicked out of Skate City, and skating the curbs outside the park. I saw these kids, and smiled. It was so…pure. A tear almost came down my face. I’m sure others would have seen this, and thought, “Dumb-ass kids come to a 4.5 million dollar park just to skate a curb…just like the one in front of their house.” The shinning example those kids illuminated is that no matter what carrot is placed before skaters, be it corporate sponsorship, Olympic gold, or a brand new, massive, skate park, there will always be those who buck the system, and follow their own path, and do things on their own terms. There will always be skaters running wild in the streets. Even in the shadow of greater things, there are those who will still rebel, and enjoy the simple...like skating a curb. The future of skateboarding looks quite different than it did years ago, but it also looks quite good.
Below is a photo of those kids, passing on a subtle, but very profound lesson for all who care enough to see it; The bling doesn't matter; skating does.
Skateboarding is becoming more “accepted” in common society. A park like this never would have happened 20 years ago. In 2015 we see a lot giant corporations entering the skateboard market. There are non-skater owned chain “skate shops” at the local mega mall. Adidas. Nike. Street League. Skaters ringing the closing bell on Wall St. The renewed push for skateboarding in the Olympics. Etc. For a long time skateboarding was very much an “outsider” activity. Be it a white suburban punk, an inner-city hip-hop kid, an artist, or metal head, to be a skater required you to be, on some level, “confrontational” with society. Now things seem a bit different. Many fear that with the sanitization of skateboarding via Big Corporation, Big Money, and Olympic status, that some part of skateboarding will “die.” Now that Boston (and many other cities) has a giant skate park, will going to the park become almost the same as going to the baseball field for “practice?” Will skateboarding become as mundane, and “safe,” as baseball, football, and basketball? For some, it might. And that is great. More power to them. Others shudder at the thought. However, what I saw on opening day, just as I was about to leave, was an affirmation that the heart of skateboarding would never change.
There, in the parking lot, rather than skating in the 40,000 square foot park, a few kids were skating a simple, little, curb. I couldn’t but help think of John Lucero, getting kicked out of Skate City, and skating the curbs outside the park. I saw these kids, and smiled. It was so…pure. A tear almost came down my face. I’m sure others would have seen this, and thought, “Dumb-ass kids come to a 4.5 million dollar park just to skate a curb…just like the one in front of their house.” The shinning example those kids illuminated is that no matter what carrot is placed before skaters, be it corporate sponsorship, Olympic gold, or a brand new, massive, skate park, there will always be those who buck the system, and follow their own path, and do things on their own terms. There will always be skaters running wild in the streets. Even in the shadow of greater things, there are those who will still rebel, and enjoy the simple...like skating a curb. The future of skateboarding looks quite different than it did years ago, but it also looks quite good.
Below is a photo of those kids, passing on a subtle, but very profound lesson for all who care enough to see it; The bling doesn't matter; skating does.
Saturday, September 26, 2015
Wisdom From the Acient Masters of Alt.Skate-Board (Part 6)
Thoai
Tran wrote 14 installments of Zen and Skateboarding. Here is Part 6. See introductory comments I wrote on this post for full context of the entire series.
I work at a bar. It closes at 2am. My sessions often don't start until after 3am. Thus, I often skate alone, and very late at night. Part Six rings true, in many ways.
Part Six: Shining Star
One night, Master Ch'an reflected.
"I come here to skate at this spot each night. I am always alone. The groups of kids which came here together had departed from this place together. The sounds of the boards popping against the ground, the crackling grinds on the waxed curbs, and the yellings and screamings had since departed with them too. As I sit on this board, catching my breaths after a long session has just ended, my eyes gaze at the stars that line the blackness of the night's skies..."
"Each of those stars that my eyes are fixed upon is so far away from my body and my world, and from each other. Each has a certain shine unique to itself. One star seems to have a constant shine; while another sparkles on and off, on and off. Another star appears to have a brighter glow, perhaps indicative of a closer distance to my world; while that little speck above me is barely noticeable. Each is so far away, so alone in the infinite vastness of the universe. Yet each shines ever brightly, for years and years, and for many years to come...and for many years, each has been looked at, scrutinized, and mapped out by traveling sailors who look above for guidance..."
"The road to the stars is never easy. It is always traveled alone. While others are engaged in futile mimicry of fleeting trends, I find myself alone at this spot, to pursue that which is eternal and infinite, to self-cultivate my own spiritual being, to be in harmony with myself, my skateboard, and my infinite universe. While others are engaging in senseless competition, to see who has the higher ollie, to see who can do the most flips, to see who has the better skate clothes, I find myself alone to cultivate my own development and perfect my own art...Thus my spiritual development will indeed shine."
"While others wait for the telephone to ring, I find myself alone at this spot, because I am the one who has decided to go skating, regardless whether others just happen to be in the mood to do so, regardless whether others are planning a get-together. I have taken it upon myself to do what is natural and perfect for me, because the road to the stars is walked upon by my own two feet..."
"Although other people may not agree with my ideas, have the same tastes, dress the same, or look the same as me, that does not justify my looking down on them, feeling superior, or becoming arrogant towards them. Like a fruit that looks so fresh and ripe on the outside, but is rotten with maggots and worms in its core, an arrogant skater is nothing but a spoiled fruit that ruins the whole barrel. I am alone, but younger skaters shall look up to me for guidance because I am the only one who shall show them the right directions when they are lost. I am the only one who shall show them how to slide their front foot during an ollie. Although my repertoire is limited in the number of complex maneuvers and intricate flip tricks, I am willing to extend my hands to others when they need my help. Like the familiar star that greets the lost traveler, I will thus shine..."
"Like a star that is fueled by unmeasurable amount of energy, I am fueled by my love for skating. All tangible materials are fleeting and shall be lost with time. The skate shoes that I wore when I first started had since long disappeared, to be replaced by the different ones, with different colors, and different styles. But they too shall disappear with time, and many skaters will disappear with them. But this fuel within me, this love, is intangible and all encompassing. It shall continue to burn, long after the night's darkness is replaced by the morning's brightness. Friends come and go, and they too shall disappear into the night's darkness after the skate session has ended. But the love shall remain to shine in the darkness of night. Even when the clouds cover the skies and prevent other people from looking at this brightness, it does not matter to me, because I know that it is still there...to burn for me and me only. Even when my flesh is covered by different styles of clothing, it does not matter, because that glow shall remain the same..."
"The road to the stars is never easy...It is always traveled alone...but it always good to have love as your traveling partner..."
So shines the star...
I work at a bar. It closes at 2am. My sessions often don't start until after 3am. Thus, I often skate alone, and very late at night. Part Six rings true, in many ways.
Part Six: Shining Star
One night, Master Ch'an reflected.
"I come here to skate at this spot each night. I am always alone. The groups of kids which came here together had departed from this place together. The sounds of the boards popping against the ground, the crackling grinds on the waxed curbs, and the yellings and screamings had since departed with them too. As I sit on this board, catching my breaths after a long session has just ended, my eyes gaze at the stars that line the blackness of the night's skies..."
"Each of those stars that my eyes are fixed upon is so far away from my body and my world, and from each other. Each has a certain shine unique to itself. One star seems to have a constant shine; while another sparkles on and off, on and off. Another star appears to have a brighter glow, perhaps indicative of a closer distance to my world; while that little speck above me is barely noticeable. Each is so far away, so alone in the infinite vastness of the universe. Yet each shines ever brightly, for years and years, and for many years to come...and for many years, each has been looked at, scrutinized, and mapped out by traveling sailors who look above for guidance..."
"The road to the stars is never easy. It is always traveled alone. While others are engaged in futile mimicry of fleeting trends, I find myself alone at this spot, to pursue that which is eternal and infinite, to self-cultivate my own spiritual being, to be in harmony with myself, my skateboard, and my infinite universe. While others are engaging in senseless competition, to see who has the higher ollie, to see who can do the most flips, to see who has the better skate clothes, I find myself alone to cultivate my own development and perfect my own art...Thus my spiritual development will indeed shine."
"While others wait for the telephone to ring, I find myself alone at this spot, because I am the one who has decided to go skating, regardless whether others just happen to be in the mood to do so, regardless whether others are planning a get-together. I have taken it upon myself to do what is natural and perfect for me, because the road to the stars is walked upon by my own two feet..."
"Although other people may not agree with my ideas, have the same tastes, dress the same, or look the same as me, that does not justify my looking down on them, feeling superior, or becoming arrogant towards them. Like a fruit that looks so fresh and ripe on the outside, but is rotten with maggots and worms in its core, an arrogant skater is nothing but a spoiled fruit that ruins the whole barrel. I am alone, but younger skaters shall look up to me for guidance because I am the only one who shall show them the right directions when they are lost. I am the only one who shall show them how to slide their front foot during an ollie. Although my repertoire is limited in the number of complex maneuvers and intricate flip tricks, I am willing to extend my hands to others when they need my help. Like the familiar star that greets the lost traveler, I will thus shine..."
"Like a star that is fueled by unmeasurable amount of energy, I am fueled by my love for skating. All tangible materials are fleeting and shall be lost with time. The skate shoes that I wore when I first started had since long disappeared, to be replaced by the different ones, with different colors, and different styles. But they too shall disappear with time, and many skaters will disappear with them. But this fuel within me, this love, is intangible and all encompassing. It shall continue to burn, long after the night's darkness is replaced by the morning's brightness. Friends come and go, and they too shall disappear into the night's darkness after the skate session has ended. But the love shall remain to shine in the darkness of night. Even when the clouds cover the skies and prevent other people from looking at this brightness, it does not matter to me, because I know that it is still there...to burn for me and me only. Even when my flesh is covered by different styles of clothing, it does not matter, because that glow shall remain the same..."
"The road to the stars is never easy...It is always traveled alone...but it always good to have love as your traveling partner..."
So shines the star...
Thursday, September 17, 2015
He Nodded, Knowingly
I work at a large bar/nightclub in a large city. You see/deal with crazy shit. It changes you.
Tonight: Violent patron. Fight. Blood. Restrain until police arrived. EMTs. We legit had to mop up blood before it was all over. Co-worker later said to me, "I hit my knee hard on the floor when he took me down." I said to him, "Working here is a lot like skateboarding, only you don't get hurt as much." He nodded.
Tonight: Violent patron. Fight. Blood. Restrain until police arrived. EMTs. We legit had to mop up blood before it was all over. Co-worker later said to me, "I hit my knee hard on the floor when he took me down." I said to him, "Working here is a lot like skateboarding, only you don't get hurt as much." He nodded.
Sunday, August 30, 2015
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."
Without a second's hesitation I responded, "I am a skateboarder."
"Oh," he said, "That makes sense."
Sunday, August 23, 2015
Things That Speak for Themselves
Three random photos from the Instagram accounts of Antihero and Nike SB.
Saturday, August 22, 2015
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.
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
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
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