EDIT: Well, this post certainly seems to be stirring up a good amount of controversy. If you actually think I am telling people what they should, and should not be doing, then I suggest you reread the first full paragraph, esp. that comment about the color blue. This post is simply about tricks I think are ugly, with some over-the-top rhetoric thrown in for humor. It might as well be post about what is better, Nickelback or One Direction (WRONG! They both suck!). Again, if you actually think I am telling people what they should/shouldn't be doing with a skateboard, then you simply shouldn't be reading this blog (or maybe anything for that matter).
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: NSBD (Never Should Be Dones)
We will soon return to updates in The Making of a Skate Punk series, but first, a rant.
Well, not really a rant, more of a no-holds barred skewering of skateboard aesthetics, and tricks that just never should be done (NSBDs) because they are hideous, mortifying, soul-crushing nightmares. Before we dive in, I must first provide a disclaimer. Skateboarding is an individual pursuit of self-expression. There is no “right” way to skate, because there is no “wrong” way to skate. There are only different ways to skate. What follows is only my perspective on given tricks and combinations. Essentially, I am arguing over what color of blue is the best. It is entirely a subjective experience, and not one that can ever be substantively “argued.” If you happen to agree with my assessment of NSBDs, cool. If not, cast these words to flames, as it should have no influence over you at all. If this post gets your panties in a bunch, well, then, good luck getting through the rest of life.
There are a few key elements to explore; flow, absurdity, and natural end points. They are all intertwined, and it can be hard to parse them out from each other. There are some tricks that just naturally flow. Smith grinds. A hand plant on transition. A backside kickflip. A McTwist. There are others, however, that are much more forced, contrived, harsh, and let’s face it, ugly, ratchet, and just fucking stupid. It is hard to definitively say what makes a given trick fall into one category vs. another. It’s more of a know-it-when-you-see-it of situation. Since it seems nearly impossible to create a theorem of what specifically constitutes a NSBD trick, we can just cite examples, and use them as semaphores to the larger skateboard landscape. Get ready. We ‘about to get ugly.
NSBD Examples
F/S Smith Grind, Kickflip Out. What a great way to simulationously ruin a Smith grind, and a kickflip. This trick is just horrible to watch. It burns the eyes. Damsels become distressed. Dragons take flight. Crops fail. Locusts. Compared to many others, this is not an absurdly technical combination, but it just lacks any real sense of flow. There is something too jarring about it. Likewise with kickflip to b/s railslide. Kickflip to f/s rail works, but to b/s? No fuckin’ way.
Melancollie to Pivot to Fakie (mini). No. Just no. Not ever. Chad Vogt did one of these, along with hundreds of other horrifying mini ramp 1-footed ollie variations, in Not the New H-Street Video. A tragedy to make Homer jealous.
Picnic Table Ollie to Nose Wheelie: Matt Hensley did one of these. People were in awe. I wanted to throw up in my own hair. Why would anyone want to do this, ever? It’s just goofy, but not like in that stupid-goofy fun way, but more like in a Sarah Palin type way. There is noting that flows about ollieing a picnic table and landing in a nose-wheelie. Nothing. The only dumber thing I can think of is ollieing a picnic table and landing in a nose wheelie. Awkward. Ugly. Obtuse. A test case in acute deformity.
Almost Any Manual that Deawon Song Has Ever Done. With that bold statement, I am sure some of you just fell off your chair. Manuals are their own special kind of stupid. The problem with manuals is the same problem that existed in the early 90s with small wheels and big pants. Loose pants are very comfortable and easy to move in. They are great for skating. Small wheels are light, and good for technical street skating. However, these were taken to absurd extremes. 70” pants and 7mm wheels. Manuals suffer the same debilitating, crippling plague. Just because we have the technical ability to build a 30 megaton hydrogen bomb, does that mean it’s a good idea, and we should do it? Nope! Just because something can be done, does not justify bringing it into existence. A simpler version of the same absurdity is continuing to ride a manual after you have dropped off of a ledge. It’s like continuing a jaw chewing motion after you have finished eating your entire plate of shrimp. It’s like double and triple kickflips. It’s like an OCD person washing their hands for the 100th time. Just stop. A natural end point was reached. Going further brings the wings of sorrow upon us all. Think of the children. Do you want them to endure such torment, terror, and death? Do you really want to be known as a “baby killer?” It’s just not a pretty word.
Absurd Tech Variations On Ledges. These are very similar to Godot-like manuals. Example: Nollie heel hard flip, to k-grind, to 360 nollie flip out (turning with it). Yes, without question, this type of stuff is insane, and are tricks I could only do in my dreams, but those dreams would be the blackest of nightmares. There is just no flow to many of these variations and combinations. They are just awkward, jolting, and soulless (much like Ann Coulter’s public speaking skills). A counter-example would be a b/s kickflip to fakie 5-0, to half cab kickflip out. THAT flows. Everything is turning the same direction. The dismount is almost a mirror of the mount. A super rad trick that does not hurt to watch.
Double Flips (with the exception of that one Gonz did in the Blind Video), of any kind. These are just stupid, and excessive, like a jumbo size popcorn/soda at the movies. You don’t need that much of anything. What I really wonder, when I see these type of tricks done, is where were the parents when these people we growing up? I mean, didn’t they have any Home Training? Manners? Basic etiquette? Who let these children out of the house!?!
Pressure Flips. Any type or variation. These tawdry little “tricks” are a calamity to Natural History. A cancer. The claw side of a hammer should instantly be taken to the face of anyone who does these things.
Varial Flips. I am not sure why these are so nauseating, but they are. Moreover, it seems as if these are hated by almost every known species on Earth, even The Tea Party, and that is saying something. Don’t Varial Flip on Me!
Almost Anything with a Body Varial, where the board does not also spin. Example: Big spin = OK. Ollie body varial = NSBD.
Underflips. These are worse than pressure flips. When these come out roaches and sewer rats scatter in disgust.
540 Kickflips on flat (and prolly on transition, too). They just ugly, and chaotic, like a little bit of North Korea under your feet.
Hardflips: Why aren't these just called Icky-Spasmo-Flips? They aren't even fun to do. Gross.
Almost Any Tre/360 Flip Variation to Slide/Grind or Manual. Tre flip to 50/50, manual to tre flip out, backside smith to tre flip out…SHOOT. ME. NOW. This is the kind of shit that would turn Medusa to stone. There is just no flow to these. Tre flips should almost always be left to their own devices. When mixed with other tricks, things just get nasty. Ammonia and bleach. Marie Antoinette and peasants. Republicans and science. Nyjah and style.
Frontside Bigspins. They are just too awkward, and weird. Just not something any good, white, Christian, woman would ever find herself doing. (Note: I was notorious for doing this trick in the early '90s. My folly.)
As a general rule, anything where your feet stay on the board won’t cross the line into NSBD land, but this is not always the case. NSBD Example: Full cab to backside nose blunt, to 360 revert (Danny Way). Jason Carney does some curb skating in one of the H-Street videos. He does something like a rail slide, to feeble, to rail slide, to feeble, to rail slide, to smith, to rail side, to feeble, to shove-it. No, Jason. Stop, just stop. I mean, what the hell are you trying to do? Are you some aspiring circus freak? I am not sure if you are (1) having a convulsive hissy-fit because there is not enough wax on the curb, or (2) you are trying to “push the envelope” of curb skating into a swirling morass of despair and anguish. In either case, I have grave concern for your judgment and well-being. Go watch Tom Knox skate a curb for a bit, and come back tomorrow. Even basic 50/50s, rail sides, nose slides, etc. can fall into the abyss of NSBD. At some point all these can become so long that it’s just stupid. A 100-yard 50/50? Yeah, cool wax, bro. Great story. Sometimes you just need to know when it’s time to pull out.
I can’t go on much longer with these examples. All this talk, of all these wretched NSBDs, is bringing on one of my “spells” of desperation and distress. It’s just too much for one person to endure for too long. I could go on, but I think I’ve illuminated a sufficient amount of NBSDs so that we can all garner the general essence of these tragic blights on skateboarding.
I leave you with a few other dark thoughts: Airwalk to handrail boardslide. Bluntslide to backside lipslide. 1-footed tail grab nose “bonks.” Rail slide to manual to shove-it. Catastrophe. Fukashima. Hindenburg. Pompeii.
Tuesday, January 26, 2016
Thursday, January 21, 2016
Gratitude For What You Have...
I went grocery shopping with/for my dad this afternoon. Sometimes I get frustrated that I can't skateboard as well as I could when I was 25.
Then I remember I can walk.
Tuesday, January 12, 2016
Andre Had a Posse
Ever seen an Andre the Giant Has a Posse sticker? Or the whole “OBEY” line of clothing? The creator, Sheppard Fairy, also made the famous “HOPE” poster for Obama in 2008. Fairy is now a rock star. Back in the day, he was just a skateboarder who went to RISDY in RI. We skated together a few times at ZT Maximus, in Cambridge, MA. He made some funny Andre the Giant stickers. People liked them. Evolution and marketing did its thing. Anyway, below is a very, very old “explanation” Sheppard wrote about the whole Andre thing. I wonder what he would say about this in 2016. The “not for profit” thing clearly changed.
A Social and Psychological Explanation of Andre the Giant Has a Posse
The Andre the Giant sticker campaign can be explained as an experiment in Phenomenology. Heidegger describes Phenomenology as “the process of letting things manifest themselves.” Phenomenology attempts to enable people to see clearly something that is right before there eyes but obscured; things that are so taken for granted that they are muted by abstract observation. The first aim of Phenomenology is to reawaken a sense of wonder about one’s environment. The Andre the Giant sticker attempts to stimulate curiosity and bring people to question both the sticker and their relationship with their surroundings. Because people are not used to seeing advertisements or propaganda for which the product or motive is not obvious, frequent and novel encounters with the sticker provoke thought and possible frustration, nevertheless revitalizing the viewer’s perception and attention to detail. The sticker has no meaning but exists only to cause people to react, to contemplate and search for meaning in the sticker. Because Andre the Giant has a Posse has no actual meaning, the various reactions and interpretations of those who view it reflect their personality and nature of their sensibilities. Many people who are familiar with the sticker find the image itself amusing, recognizing it as nonsensical, and are able to derive straightforward visual pleasure without burdening themselves with an explanation. The paranoid or conservative viewer however may be confused by the sticker’s persistent presence and condemn it as an underground cult with subversive intentions. Many stickers have been peeled down by people who were annoyed with the sticker which they consider an eye sore and an act of petty vandalism, which is ironic considering the number of commercial graphic images everyone in American society is assaulted with daily. Another phenomenon the sticker has brought to light is the trendy and conspicuously consumptive nature of many members of society. For those who have been surrounded by the sticker, its familiarity and cultural resonance is comforting and owning a sticker provides a souvenir of keepsake, a memento. People have often demanded the sticker merely because they have seen it everywhere and possessing a sticker provides a sense of belonging. The Andre sticker seems mostly to be embraced by those who are, or at least what to seem rebellious. Even though these people may not know the meaning of the sticker, they enjoy its slightly disruptive underground quality and wish to contribute to the furthering of its humorous and absurd presence which seems to somehow be anti-establishment / social convention.
Andre the Giant stickers are both embraced and rejected, the reasoning behind which, upon examination reflects the psyche of the viewer. Whether the reaction be positive or negative, the sticker’s existence is worthy as long as it causes people to consider the details and meanings of their surroundings, In the name of fun and observation, the experiment continues…
Thank you for your interest,
(no matter what the reason.)
-Shepard Fairey
Over 350 thousand Andre stickers have been distributed over the last few years. Though the campaign is an experiment and not a profit seeking venture, I must cover my costs in order to maintain production….”
A Social and Psychological Explanation of Andre the Giant Has a Posse
The Andre the Giant sticker campaign can be explained as an experiment in Phenomenology. Heidegger describes Phenomenology as “the process of letting things manifest themselves.” Phenomenology attempts to enable people to see clearly something that is right before there eyes but obscured; things that are so taken for granted that they are muted by abstract observation. The first aim of Phenomenology is to reawaken a sense of wonder about one’s environment. The Andre the Giant sticker attempts to stimulate curiosity and bring people to question both the sticker and their relationship with their surroundings. Because people are not used to seeing advertisements or propaganda for which the product or motive is not obvious, frequent and novel encounters with the sticker provoke thought and possible frustration, nevertheless revitalizing the viewer’s perception and attention to detail. The sticker has no meaning but exists only to cause people to react, to contemplate and search for meaning in the sticker. Because Andre the Giant has a Posse has no actual meaning, the various reactions and interpretations of those who view it reflect their personality and nature of their sensibilities. Many people who are familiar with the sticker find the image itself amusing, recognizing it as nonsensical, and are able to derive straightforward visual pleasure without burdening themselves with an explanation. The paranoid or conservative viewer however may be confused by the sticker’s persistent presence and condemn it as an underground cult with subversive intentions. Many stickers have been peeled down by people who were annoyed with the sticker which they consider an eye sore and an act of petty vandalism, which is ironic considering the number of commercial graphic images everyone in American society is assaulted with daily. Another phenomenon the sticker has brought to light is the trendy and conspicuously consumptive nature of many members of society. For those who have been surrounded by the sticker, its familiarity and cultural resonance is comforting and owning a sticker provides a souvenir of keepsake, a memento. People have often demanded the sticker merely because they have seen it everywhere and possessing a sticker provides a sense of belonging. The Andre sticker seems mostly to be embraced by those who are, or at least what to seem rebellious. Even though these people may not know the meaning of the sticker, they enjoy its slightly disruptive underground quality and wish to contribute to the furthering of its humorous and absurd presence which seems to somehow be anti-establishment / social convention.
Andre the Giant stickers are both embraced and rejected, the reasoning behind which, upon examination reflects the psyche of the viewer. Whether the reaction be positive or negative, the sticker’s existence is worthy as long as it causes people to consider the details and meanings of their surroundings, In the name of fun and observation, the experiment continues…
Thank you for your interest,
(no matter what the reason.)
-Shepard Fairey
Over 350 thousand Andre stickers have been distributed over the last few years. Though the campaign is an experiment and not a profit seeking venture, I must cover my costs in order to maintain production….”
Sunday, December 20, 2015
Deluxe Family > Lynch Family
On Nov 14, 2015 Boston opened the Lynch Family Skatepark. 40,000 square foot, near 5 million dollars, and over 15 years in the making. Big corporate money/sponsorship involved. Glam, glitz, and pretty.
Today, a DIY spot appeared in another part of Boston. It prolly cost about $120 to build, and took 30 min worth of planning. It had origins in the The Build Project, coming out of the Deluxe family.
Both spots are under bridges. The DIY spot is dark, dank, and filthy. High speed traffic is on either side of it. It smells horrible: some unknown rotting something, and urine. Somewhere in the salt piles is a homeless encampment / outpost. Combined with how difficult jersey barriers are to skate, everything about this spot is raw, gnarly, and brutal. There is nothing pretty, refined, or "family orientated" about it. In short, it is everything a real skate spot should be; every aspect of it, location to production, is on the fringe and outskirts of how things are "normally" done. That this spot was built in the immediate shadow of Lynch Skatepark replenishes my faith. Skaters, and skateboarding, cannot be contained. No matter what "carrot" is placed, there will always be some who say, "Nah. We are doing it our way, on our terms, on our streets." The Deluxe crowd gets this more than most, which is why The Build Project is so perfect.
The Lynch Family park is rad, no doubt. But I'd rather skate something like this. Deluxe, thank you.
Today, a DIY spot appeared in another part of Boston. It prolly cost about $120 to build, and took 30 min worth of planning. It had origins in the The Build Project, coming out of the Deluxe family.
Both spots are under bridges. The DIY spot is dark, dank, and filthy. High speed traffic is on either side of it. It smells horrible: some unknown rotting something, and urine. Somewhere in the salt piles is a homeless encampment / outpost. Combined with how difficult jersey barriers are to skate, everything about this spot is raw, gnarly, and brutal. There is nothing pretty, refined, or "family orientated" about it. In short, it is everything a real skate spot should be; every aspect of it, location to production, is on the fringe and outskirts of how things are "normally" done. That this spot was built in the immediate shadow of Lynch Skatepark replenishes my faith. Skaters, and skateboarding, cannot be contained. No matter what "carrot" is placed, there will always be some who say, "Nah. We are doing it our way, on our terms, on our streets." The Deluxe crowd gets this more than most, which is why The Build Project is so perfect.
The Lynch Family park is rad, no doubt. But I'd rather skate something like this. Deluxe, thank you.
Thursday, December 17, 2015
Wisdom From the Acient Masters of Alt.Skate-Board (Part 8)
Thoai Tran wrote 14 installments of Zen and Skateboarding. Here is Part 8. See introductory comments I wrote on this post for full context of the entire series.
Part Eight
Why do I hear all these beautiful melodies whenever I go skating? So many melodies, each so different from all others, with its own natural time course, its own flowing rhythm, and characteristic mood. One melodic line is joyous, with its galloping rhythm and simplicity; while another is somber and introspective. One melodic line is triumphant, with notes that steadily ascend the scale; as though to indicate a rise in the spirit when all obstacles are overcome. Another melody is sad and pathetic, with notes that steadily descend the scale. So too the tears during moments of despair. Infinite number of melodic lines, all integrated to form this harmony that encompasses every note, every time signature, every mood, every rhythmic pulse... Each melody, each song, is a world onto itself, a separate universe; but each is so important in creating this harmony that's within me. All the universes become just one timeless and complete simultaneity, no more...and no less. A single additional note to just one of the infinite melodies will forever disrupt this harmony. Likewise, a deletion of a single note will forever change this harmony within me...
Why do I feel this harmony whenever I go skating? My board is a world onto itself, with its own characteristics, its unique features. Each of the four wheels beneath my board rolls at different rates. Occasionally, the spinning bearing makes an almost predictable and rhythmic clic, as though to indicate that speed is perfect, that no additional work is required of me...no more, no less. The front truck is somewhat looser; thus the board can turn immediately with minimum pressure...like notes modulating up and down the scale, with total disregard to rigidity or stability. And how symmetric and simple this deck is. Like a fugue held together by counterpoint, this deck too consists of identical parts - that is, seven layers of tightly bound hard maple wood. My board is indeed a wonderful melody...
My body is a universe onto itself. Each of the millions of cells within me is governed by its own sets of laws, its own dynamics, its own preprogrammed destiny. The pulse that beats within me is a reflection of my own reality and existence. It too is rhythmic, occasionally accelerating during strenuous exercise; but always returning to its preprogrammed rate...like a central tonality, from which notes may occasional deviate from, but to which they will always and inevitably return...
Like the harmony that encompasses all the infinite number of melodies, the harmony that I feel whenever I go skating is all-encompassing. All the melodies suddenly lose their respective distinction and characteristic. I am no longer aware of my body or skateboard. I am no longer aware of the cars that pass by me, the pedestrians that walk by me, the tall buildings that surround my body. I no longer realize the smoothness of the asphalt on the street or the roughness of the cement on the sidewalk. The sounds of this urban jungle, through which I roll, alone, wild, free...
...the sounds of the jungle: the honking’s of the cars, the yelling’s of the aggravated people, the crackling noises of the airplane above me, they all suddenly lose their distinction...They cease to exist! Their respective reality suddenly dissolves into this all-encompassing reality within me. I and they are just one simultaneity...timeless and complete.
Whenever I go skating, I am no longer aware of the superficial clothes that cover my body. Like an extraneous note that ruins the complete harmony, attachment to materialistic trends will forever disrupt the harmony within me. Why do I want to add unnecessary elements that will ruin what is already perfect and complete? Being arrogant, disliking others because they do not look the same as me, feeling inadequate because I do not have the latest shoes, throwing my board twenty feet away because I can't land the latest the things I do not want to add to my skating, to that which is already perfect and complete. Likewise, I do not want to remove the important elements that will change this harmony within me. Patience...commitment to skate for its own sake, because it is natural and perfect for me...helping others who may need my guidance...indifference to the other people's attitudes. Why do I want to change what is already perfect and complete?
There were moments when I landed every trick I attempted; and even tricks that I practiced for many days, but just couldn't land no matter how hard I tried. The feeling was always triumphant. The spirit was elevated to an entirely different plane. There were also moments when nothing seemed to go my way, and all the problems in the world seemed to be on my shoulder for me to bear...and no tricks were ever landed. One melody is triumphant; while another is gloomy. But this harmony is constant and shall continue to flow despite the ups and downs of life. All the emotions just dissolve away, for the only thing that is felt is this harmony. Everything else in my life is transient, but whenever I go skating, my life is always complete.
This is the harmony of skating...
Part Eight
Why do I hear all these beautiful melodies whenever I go skating? So many melodies, each so different from all others, with its own natural time course, its own flowing rhythm, and characteristic mood. One melodic line is joyous, with its galloping rhythm and simplicity; while another is somber and introspective. One melodic line is triumphant, with notes that steadily ascend the scale; as though to indicate a rise in the spirit when all obstacles are overcome. Another melody is sad and pathetic, with notes that steadily descend the scale. So too the tears during moments of despair. Infinite number of melodic lines, all integrated to form this harmony that encompasses every note, every time signature, every mood, every rhythmic pulse... Each melody, each song, is a world onto itself, a separate universe; but each is so important in creating this harmony that's within me. All the universes become just one timeless and complete simultaneity, no more...and no less. A single additional note to just one of the infinite melodies will forever disrupt this harmony. Likewise, a deletion of a single note will forever change this harmony within me...
Why do I feel this harmony whenever I go skating? My board is a world onto itself, with its own characteristics, its unique features. Each of the four wheels beneath my board rolls at different rates. Occasionally, the spinning bearing makes an almost predictable and rhythmic clic, as though to indicate that speed is perfect, that no additional work is required of me...no more, no less. The front truck is somewhat looser; thus the board can turn immediately with minimum pressure...like notes modulating up and down the scale, with total disregard to rigidity or stability. And how symmetric and simple this deck is. Like a fugue held together by counterpoint, this deck too consists of identical parts - that is, seven layers of tightly bound hard maple wood. My board is indeed a wonderful melody...
My body is a universe onto itself. Each of the millions of cells within me is governed by its own sets of laws, its own dynamics, its own preprogrammed destiny. The pulse that beats within me is a reflection of my own reality and existence. It too is rhythmic, occasionally accelerating during strenuous exercise; but always returning to its preprogrammed rate...like a central tonality, from which notes may occasional deviate from, but to which they will always and inevitably return...
Like the harmony that encompasses all the infinite number of melodies, the harmony that I feel whenever I go skating is all-encompassing. All the melodies suddenly lose their respective distinction and characteristic. I am no longer aware of my body or skateboard. I am no longer aware of the cars that pass by me, the pedestrians that walk by me, the tall buildings that surround my body. I no longer realize the smoothness of the asphalt on the street or the roughness of the cement on the sidewalk. The sounds of this urban jungle, through which I roll, alone, wild, free...
No other trees can grow in a sandal forest,
A lion lies usually in a thick bush and strolls
Alone at ease in quiet and familiar
Haunts from which all other beasts and birds have fled
...the sounds of the jungle: the honking’s of the cars, the yelling’s of the aggravated people, the crackling noises of the airplane above me, they all suddenly lose their distinction...They cease to exist! Their respective reality suddenly dissolves into this all-encompassing reality within me. I and they are just one simultaneity...timeless and complete.
Whenever I go skating, I am no longer aware of the superficial clothes that cover my body. Like an extraneous note that ruins the complete harmony, attachment to materialistic trends will forever disrupt the harmony within me. Why do I want to add unnecessary elements that will ruin what is already perfect and complete? Being arrogant, disliking others because they do not look the same as me, feeling inadequate because I do not have the latest shoes, throwing my board twenty feet away because I can't land the latest the things I do not want to add to my skating, to that which is already perfect and complete. Likewise, I do not want to remove the important elements that will change this harmony within me. Patience...commitment to skate for its own sake, because it is natural and perfect for me...helping others who may need my guidance...indifference to the other people's attitudes. Why do I want to change what is already perfect and complete?
There were moments when I landed every trick I attempted; and even tricks that I practiced for many days, but just couldn't land no matter how hard I tried. The feeling was always triumphant. The spirit was elevated to an entirely different plane. There were also moments when nothing seemed to go my way, and all the problems in the world seemed to be on my shoulder for me to bear...and no tricks were ever landed. One melody is triumphant; while another is gloomy. But this harmony is constant and shall continue to flow despite the ups and downs of life. All the emotions just dissolve away, for the only thing that is felt is this harmony. Everything else in my life is transient, but whenever I go skating, my life is always complete.
This is the harmony of skating...
Wednesday, November 18, 2015
Wisdom From the Acient Masters of Alt.Skate-Board (Part 7)
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...
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...
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.
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