The Lunatic Fringe: An Open Letter to Anyone Who Sucks at Skateboarding

 

The “Open Letter” was written a few years ago. Today, some parts of it may seem a bit dated. A few comments about that follow at the very end (e.g. it may help to read "The 2021 Post-Script" first, but that is certainly not required).

  The Lunatic Fringe: An Open Letter to Anyone Who Sucks at Skateboarding

[Every so often social media bubbles-up with complaints that some skaters post “boring” or “sub-standard” skate footage of themselves (e.g. “Do we really need to see, or cheer for, someone doing a kick turn or footplant?”). Not long ago another of these incidents occurred. It was time to throw down a gauntlet.]

"Maybe the basics are all you’ve got left, or all you ever had. Are simple styles less intense skating’s modern mainstream? Without question. Slappies. Bonelesses. Carving a bowl. It’s easy to argue such things are not “serious” skateboarding. Fair enough. For the sake of argument, let’s just assume they aren’t. Where does that bring us? Well, if a lack of seriousness in skateboarding is problematic for you, I suggest you get the fuck out of our subculture." -Paraphrasing Kyle DuVall

Skateboarding was once a crime. In 2020 it will be an Olympic sport. A lot has changed. Skate parks are often now sandwiched between soccer and little league fields, adjacent to a dog park, and next to some other iconic metaphor of affluent, white, suburban America. Yes, we have “made it.” Skateboarding is no longer a (social) crime. Big corporate money. Video games. VICE TV shows. ESPN. Red Bull. Monster Energy Drink. Target. Nike. The Olympics. This is not necessarily a bad thing. However, with this new normal(ization), aspects of more traditional social structures and attitudes (“sporting” and otherwise) have also emerged within skateboarding (even if they are often unspoken). Fit in. Do what your peers are doing. Don’t stand out (too much). Score more points than your opponent. Go bigger. Go longer/further. Be more tech. Use your skateboard as an extension of your ego. You aren’t “relevant” if you’re not dropping the newest “banger,” or trying your best to mimic (or fawn over) the type of skateboarding shown by modern hype media. Sure, facets of this have always existed in skating, but it now seems amplified. I am not, in anyway, trying to make the “old days” sound utopian. They certainly were not. That said, there is no denying that there are now more “normies” within skateboarding than ever before. Moreover, they are bringing their version of “normal” with them. Today there are some people in skateboarding whom likely would have been the very ones yelling “SKATE FAG!!!” at us in the not-so-distant past. All of this I find very disheartening. It is completely alien to what first drew me to the “outsider” world of skateboarding.

Personally, skateboarding has always been a means to “opt-out.” It was (and still is) my revolt against pop culture, and the standard mores of organized sport and organized society. Granted, I come from an era when skateboarding was nothing more than a cheap form of social suicide. Being a skater once automatically made you an outcast, and a target of contempt and ridicule. Now that skateboarding has become normalized, it has also become its own facet of pop culture—Thrasher apparel is now available at mall kiosks, everyone has a DC Shoes t-shirt, and there is that whole Supreme/Huf/Diamond thing, too. It almost seems as if the “goal” of skateboarding has become to post the most NBDs on Instagram. Well, fuck that. “Opting out” suddenly also means opting-out, or rebelling against, certain aspects of skateboarding itself. Irony always wins in the end.

As skateboarding becomes more and more of a social norm, and skateboarding’s own social norms become less and less distinguishable from gym class, a trip to the mall, or a large scale sporting event, I find it more important than ever to be a visible, and vocal advocate and representative of a lunatic fringe. A fringe that embraces an outcast status from both popular culture, and popular skateboard culture. A fringe that, as Lance Mountain once said, “I represented that skateboarding is fun to do by being terrible at it.” Why embrace this? Because skateboarding is more than simply outshining others at the park, out-scoring an opponent, buying placed products, or fitting in with the cool kids at the DIY. As I understand and experience it, skating is a direct insurrection against those tired social tropes. That is worth defending. That is worth fighting for.

Skateboarding is at its absolute worst when it closes doors because of ability-based social hierarchy. This is especially true, and atrocious, when it occurs at the local level. Skateboarding is at its best when it opens doors that show substantive and meaningful alternatives to a typical consumer/competitive/jock existence. With more of the "normal" seeping in, there also needs to be more overt counter-points. It is more important to be a dissident within skateboarding today than it ever was before (well, the early/mid 1990s certainly could have used some, too).

This is not to say there is, or should be, an “us v. them” dichotomy—we have far, far too much of that in the world right now. What I am saying is there is no “right,” “correct,” or “valid” way to engage with skateboarding, only different ways. Once some things are seen as “good” or “acceptable” (back tail down El Toro) others are seen as “insignificant” or “trivial” (kickturn on a micro ramp). Yet, they both stem from the same Stoke. But all of this is common sense, no? I would think so. I would hope so. Then why does it even need to be stated? Because sometimes there is great force in speaking the unspoken. I simply want to add a voice to an existing chorus. Moreover, if you go back to the first paragraph of this post, there are some that may benefit from hearing differing perspectives.

Skateboarding needs visible counter narratives—ones that show “skateboarding is fun to do by being terrible at it.” Narratives that show skating is not only about ledge NBDs, triple kink rails, 15’ high gaps, and mega ramps. Of course those are all valid pursuits, but they are not the only valid pursuits. The counter-factuals are equally valid (I would argue even more so, but I’ll save that for another post). We tread shark infested waters if NBD/banger-based skating is represented as the only legitimate face of skateboarding. It is essential for those other faces to also flourish. What are those “other faces”? I leave that intentionally open and vague, but I will say this much; it certainly includes kick-turns.

Some stoked, unknown, skater.

For all the kooks out there—to all the skaters not trying to be the next Jaws, Nyjah, or Shane O’Neil, to all the people who are just beginning (adult or kids), to all the life-long skaters who have aged-out of "social relevancy," to all the skaters who pad-up just to skate a curb, to all the people who are rolling just because they love it, and are not trying to prove anything, or impress anyone, to all the people who are following their own path, and their own Stoke, I salute you. I will always applaud your efforts no matter how small others may think they are. You are valid. You are the counter-point. You are skateboarding in its best form.

So, get stoked on what ever it is that brings you a smile, in what ever form that may be. Kick turns. Skating at the same spots. Doing the same simple tricks. Maybe not even doing tricks at all--just carve and roll. Impress no one. Have fun. Your stoke does not have to meet anyone else's criteria. To that end, whatever you are doing, I will always cheer for you. Not just because at 8, or 48-years-old, that you just did your first carve, but even more significantly, because you represent the most important thing I know in skateboarding; a place outside a “sporting" norm, without any rules, judges, or point-scale gradation. A place where we follow our own Stoke, on our own terms, with our own meaning and purpose, free of anyone else telling us how anything is supposed to be done.

So, yes, absolutely share that footage with the world, because it will unequivocally inspire others. Moreover, it is the counter-narrative. Every “non-banger” clip and photo is a chink in Olympic armor, and shows that skateboarding isn’t as vapid as Street League, Thrasher, and many others make it out to be. Even better, your clips and photos show that skateboarding still has a place for people who want to opt-out. This version of skateboarding, the one that remains an “outsider,” is the skateboarding that is important to me. It is the skateboarding that I fell in love with. It is the skateboarding that I will always champion and defend, above all else.

Post-Script: To be clear, I am not in anyway knocking youthful tech dogs, stunt men, or their fans. I was once one myself in younger days. Further, there are plenty of skaters with pro-level ability who embody everything written above. I am also not knocking anyone that wants to pursue the dream of Olympic gold, or to be the best competitive skater in the world. If that is your path, I wish you the best of luck in those pursuits. What I am simply saying is that there is far more depth and soul to skateboarding than standing on a podium (real or imagined).

THE 2021 POST-SCRIPT: As I mention at the top, the "Open Letter" can feel a bit "dated" in places. To that end, there are few things to keep in mind when reading it. First, is what it was written in direct response to. Second, is who the target audience was. Those two cannot be separated from each other. The “Open Letter” was written in direct response to criticism about “sub par” skateboarders posting “boring” clips on social media. The target audience was (a) the critics, and (b) those criticized. My goal was to tell the critics to “Sit yo’ ass down,” and to tell the criticized to “Stand the fuck up.” I still fully endorse those positions. 

 

However, what now feels the most “dated” about the “Open Letter” is just how diverse skateboarding has become. Don’t get me wrong, there is still a long way to go, but the landscape has changed. A quick scan of social media shows that whatever variant of skate culture your looking for, it’s out there. Mega ramps. Mega-old guys. Ledge gangsters. Old dudes padding up just to skate curbs. Female pros. Females starting for the first time their 50s. Olympic aspirants. Satanic barrier cultists (I’m a huge fan of BA.KU.). Gender queer rippers. Hell, slalom is even making a good come back. And they now all have a place in skateboarding. That’s awesome. It seems like all disciplines, and all different groups of skaters, are all grooving with each other and sharing the Stoke. And that’s how it should be. Sure, there are some turboclowns out there. Old dudes who hate “all that flippy shit,” kids who laugh at anyone with pads and a reissue set-up, etc. But they seem to be few and far between these days. As I said in the “Open Letter,”...."the most important thing in skateboarding is when it’s a place outside the “sporting" norm, without any rules, judges, or point-scale gradation. A place where we follow our own Stoke, on our own terms, with our own meaning and purpose, free of anyone else telling us how anything is supposed to be done...This version of skateboarding is the one that is important to me. It is the skateboarding that I fell in love with. It is the skateboarding that I will always champion and defend, above all else.” While some parts of the “Open Letter” may seem dated, these sentiments remain timeless. Find your Stoke (in whatever form it comes), and follow it with reckless abandon.

A Skateboarder's Take on Gay Pride, 2018 Edition

 

Well, it’s June. That means gay pride events/parades around the country. For the last week or so, for some reason, I have felt compelled to write something about this subject. I am not quite sure why. Actually, compelled isn’t the right word, “obligated” is. Again, I ask why. Gay pride in Boston starts this weekend. The big parade is next Saturday. I have a lot of mixed feelings about it.

The first “pride” event, in June of 1969, was a bunch of liquored-up transsexual/transgender/drag queen prostitutes who started an actual riot, in retaliation of/for/to police brutality at a local gay bar in NYC. That night they decided to vote with a brick. Three nights of riots followed (sounds a lot like modern police/race relations, actually). Today, gay pride parades are family orientated events. They are often nothing more than advertisements for corporate banks, local politicians, and churches. People march down the street in pretty rainbows, behind a nice little banner with assorted corporate logos, as if they are walking commercials. Street League for homosexuals. Is this what we fought for all these years? To walk behind a bank’s advertisement?  I know I am oversimplifying the issue, but at the same time, I am absolutely not.

I suppose I feel compelled obligated to write something about “pride” because I know how important it is to be “out.” It’s a lot harder to be a homophobic asshole when one of “those people” is someone you “know.” That, in turn, helps make the world a more livable place for everyone. Part of me wants to touch on that issue, especially in the context of skate culture, because I am indeed one of “those” people (and skateboarding could certainly use it, despite the influences of BA, Lacy, etc.). Or maybe I could talk about, how what I learned from skateboarding, helped me to actually “come out” some 20+ years ago. But, I am so over per se identity politics. I’ve been “out” for over 20 years. At least in my life, being queer is mostly a moot point by now. It’s just like…*yawn*. Big fucking deal. Do I need to rehash this, again? Can't we just go get tacos, or skate a curb? To those who think of me, or anyone, as lesser person because of their sexual orientation, I'd be more than happy to take the claw side of a hammer to your face.

And yet another part of me just wants to unleash on everything I despise about so-called “gay culture.” Because of skateboarding, I grew up dirty, bruised, bleeding, in the streets, running from the police, listening to crazy-ass music, and hanging out with crazy-people, as we did crazy-ass shit. The world of high-fashion, fancy cocktails, show tunes, rainbows, some pop-diva wailing about some bullshit, and overall fabulousness makes me want to cut off my own arm, and then fist myself with my own severed limb. Ok, maybe I’m being a little bit dramatic (I am gay, after all. I mean, aren’t we’re supposed to be dramatic, or something?). That said, I really don't want this blog to dwell on the negative, so I am hesitant to totally unleash. I also don't want a skate-based blog to focus on what I despise about gay culture. Don't get me wrong--there is nothing inherently wrong with all of that stereotypical “gay” stuff I listed above, it’s just not a world I can relate to, at all. Glitter, rainbows, Armani, and Madonna? Fuck that. Blood, bikes, skateboards, and punk rock. And yes, the irony is not lost on me. I know that I am the classic stereotype of a (older, washed-up) skateboarder. I've got my Dickie's, my old-school Vans, Indys, Antihero decks & attire, and pads when I ride even a small 4' mini ramp. I own that stereotype as much as others own their vile, sick, twisted, unholy, unfathomable Beyonce/Gaga/ABBA obsessions. 

   
So, in terms of what to say about “gay pride,” all these reservations just leave me with a void. A void that I still feel an obligation to fill. I guess the only thing I really have to say, which I learned from both being a skater, and from being “queer,” is to be who ever the fuck you are, and tell the rest of the world to go fuck themselves. One thing I know for sure, is that no one, NO ONE, on their deathbed is going say, “Man, I wish I had lived a less authentic life.” Be who ever you are, and rock that party as hard as you fuckin' can.   

Chasing Phantoms & The Mythology of Rainbows

There had been a few passing rain showers in the area. The skate park, however, was mostly dry. The sun began to peek-out from behind the clouds. A few moments later a huge, vibrant, double rainbow appeared in the sky. I thought quickly--it would make a cool/funny backdrop for a skate photo, esp. considering the whole GLBT thing (I'm gay if anyone is reading blog for the first time). With the rainbow in the background, Joe took my cell phone and filmed me ollieing over a makeshift picnic table/box. This is a screen grab from that video.

(Here is a side shot of a different time I ollied it, so you can get a better idea of the size. It's not small.)

 

A little kid, who was about 12-years-old, came up to me afterwards. He looked up at me with big eyes, and sheepishly asked, “How do you ollie so high?” I laughed to myself when I heard the question. When I was his size and age, I wondered the same thing about older skaters. I responded that my legs were stronger than his, that I was taller than he was, and most of all, I had been skating for a very long time, and had spent years doing ollies. I told him that if he kept skating, he would be able to ollie much higher as he grew up, and got more practice. I gave him a few pointers on technique, and then went to sit in the shade for a bit.

I sat down behind the mini ramp, and looked up at the two giant rainbows that lingered in the sky. I followed their arcs with my eyes, looking to see how far they stretched, and where they ended. Then it really hit me.

The mythology of rainbows is that a pot of gold lies at the rainbow’s end. Of course, no one can ever reach the rainbow’s end. It’s actually quite a stark, and bleak metaphor: there are hopes and goals you can never reach, no matter how hard you try. Worse, while chasing phantoms, you lose sight of the fleeting gift that is right in front of you; the rainbow itself.

“How do you ollie so high?”

As a kid, I chased that pot of gold. I wanted to ollie over a crack in the sidewalk. Then a stick. Then a curb. Then a bench. Then a handrail. Always wanting to go higher and further. Never satisfied with where I was, or what I could already do. Always pushing. Sure, there is merit in that. But then a 12-year-old kid asks you a simple question, and your world changes.

To that kid, I had the pot of gold at the end of rainbow. The ollie I did was unimaginably high and unattainable, at least to him.  When I was his age, I thought the same way when I saw people do “big” ollies, or pretty much any trick for that matter (well, actually, I still pretty much think that when ever I see anyone else skating).

Personal progression is always a part of skateboarding, no matter how old you are. We always push for longer, higher, faster, or to learn something entirely new, or relearn something we used to be able to do. We are doomed to forever chase targets that we ourselves are always moving.  

That 12-year-old illuminated something profound. Sometimes it’s better not chase, but to just enjoy what already is. I sat behind the mini ramp for a while, and watched the double rainbow fade away to nothingness. Its existence now just a memory. Another perfect life metaphor. From across the park I heard my friends laugh while skating a curb. I stood-up, looked at the sky that was now nothing but gray clouds, and smiled.  With a profound sense of gratitude, I pushed-off in the direction of my friends, and that simple curb. 

Death of a Shop / Tears of Joy

I am lost. I really don’t even know how, or where, to start writing this post. That is because I am also a bit lost, existentially, at the moment. Today my local skate shop closed. Forever. A number of us hung there this afternoon, drank beer, and said our "goodbyes." It was a fun party, just as it should have been. Now, it’s just a huge swirling maelstrom of emotions.

In the late ‘90s I totally withdrew from skateboard culture (I’ve written about this elsewhere in this blog, I won’t rehash all of it now). While I never quit skating, I no longer had skater friends that I skated with on any regular basis. I avoided the local hot spots. I didn’t go near skate shops. I mostly skated alone. This was a complete 180 from when I worked at Boston’s main skate shop, was a staple “scenester” at Copley Sq. (Boston’s version of EMB at the time), and was sponsored by a shop and a small local board company.

About five years ago a new skate shop opened near where I lived, called Maximum Hesh. I’ve never liked skate shops that appear to be some weird version of clean-cut corporate “retail outlet.” As my friend Jason said, “I like places that look like a dirty living room.” I went by Max Hesh, after-hours, a few times just to look in the window. You can tell a lot about a shop by what it looks like, and what they stock. I wanted some idea of what I might be walking into, IF I was ever going to cross their doorstep. I could tell, within 15 seconds of looking in the darkened windows, that Max Hesh was something altogether different in the modern world of skate retail.

To make a long story short, Max Hesh drew me back into skate culture. Within three years I went from being a random solo skater, removed the skate industry and world, to being featured on the Deluxe web site, getting movie suggestions from Julien Stranger, getting personal mail sent to my house from Jim Theibaud, helping to set-up one of the only Barrier Kult video premiers / skate jams in U.S.A., building numerous DIY spots around Boston (so much so that people started calling me The DIY guy), winning a Deluxe DIY grant, and most shocking of all, at 43-years-old, I became a shop-sponsored skater again. All this happened because of a shop like Max Hesh. 

But most of all, most important, above and beyond anything else…and this is the part where the tears are going to start…I met some amazing people, laughed a lot, and had a tremendous amount of fun along the way. All of this happened when I was at somewhat of a low point in my life, so in the proverbial sense, the shop was a real life-saver. A good skate shop is more than just a store, it is a community center. Max Hesh wasn’t a skate shop. It was a social movement in the Boston scene, which just also happened to sell skate stuff. In my 30+ years of skating, I have never seen a shop that was run the way Max Hesh was, or had the same vibe that it did. Countless others say the same.

While I am beside myself with loss over the shop closing, and I feel as if a giant hole has been ripped in my life, I am filled with nothing but a deep gratitude; gratitude that the entire experience even happened.

A heartfelt thank you goes out to the entire extended Max Hesh family. A thank you for everything that you have given and meant to me, and to the community at-large. As Todd (the owner) always said, "The shop is not just one person; it is everyone who comes in the door and contributes to the scene we are creating." 

Whenever I think about this period of my life, and the people involved, and all that happened, and all that it meant to me and so many others…a few tears will certainly fall from my eyes, but the radiant smile across my face will show they are tears of joy, not sorrow.

Godspeed.

(Below are assorted Max Hesh related pics that capture some of my favorite memories and/or show what Max Hesh was all about. I'll post more pics in the coming days.)

When Jim T. came by to hang out.

When the shop donated bunch of boards to at-risk kids.

When Todd and I dressed up as construction workers to paint a curb in a high-visibility commercial area.

Paul Schmitt!

One of the only TWO premieres of Horde II in the United States.

When they broke all molds and announced that some old dude was now one of their team riders (e.g. me).

Orange Abe from Fancy Lad fame and Todd gearing-up for a pop-up skate park / art show.

The day I got to hang out with Mike Vallely. As a 12-year-old I looked up to him because he was a rad skater. As a 43-year-old, I look up to him because he "gets" it. Not often that childhood heroes remain relevant in adult life.

Ben at our epic Wednesday Night Summer Slappy Sessions.

Love this shop sticker.

When Deluxe put us on their web site. Me, with Spitfire shirt. 

This was so rad. Todd was always trying to get more of the non-stereotypical people into skating. He was hugely supportive of all the local female skaters.

Pete Talbot, of the infamous Pete's Pigs, was often by the shop dropping off decks. An internet video of Pete skating recently hit the 1 million viewers mark! A true local legend, and amazing guy. 

Shows at the shop!

Zak, wallie at the HORDE II skate jam.

When REAL put us up on their Instagram account. We raised more $3,000 with the Build Project that Deluxe sponsored, which was among the highest of all the 250 shops involved.

       

My wall-hanger.

Button Kevin T. made and passed out today at the closing party. All the letters are from famous punk bands / skate brands.

      

Roll For Rob, DIYing It, and Some Other Stuff

[I’ve always tried to only post when I have some larger point or message to convey. While this has not always been the case, it mostly holds true. I’m going to end that, at least for the time being. I have long maintained (and written about) that if you can’t find liberation, or meaning, in daily life, then you won’t be able to find it anywhere. Hence, I am going to start including more posts about “mundane” daily life, and the meaningful things, good and bad, that I experience on the day-to-day.]

It’s 12:50am on Tuesday night. I am at work. The bar is empty. Consequently, I don’t have much to do. I broke out the laptop, and started typing away. A few updates from “This American Skate Life” (phrase stolen from David Thornton).

(1)  I’d be a miss if I didn’t mention something about this…There was Roll for Rob event last weekend in Boston. Friday night was an art show / silent auction. Various people donated artwork for it, including the likes of Todd Francis, Mark Gonzales, Jason Jesse, Mark Oblow, Shapard Fairey, etc. Todd Francis is a favorite of mine, and I would have loved to see an original of his in person, but no go. I had to work. Oh, well.

Saturday was the big skate jam at the Lynch Family Skate Park. Despite the park having been open for over a year, I’ve only skated there about three times. I hate dealing with big crowds at skate parks. Always have. Always will. I headed over to Lynch on Saturday because (1) It’s a good cause, and (2) I wanted to meet Jim Theibaud. He and I have been conversing on Instagram for a while, and I’ve been involved with a few of the Deluxe Build Projects (via Max Hesh skates hop, and I won one of the individual grants). I rode my bike over Saturday afternoon. The place was total chaos. Worse than expected. So many skaters. Despite having my board, I decided I wasn’t even going to bother trying to skate. Place was just too hectic. A few promotional booths were set up to one side. I hung out near those, and just watched for a bit. After I had been there about 15 min, Jim T. comes skating up to the booths (he had JUST arrived to the park). After it looked like he was finished making the rounds with everyone, I went over to introduce myself. Before I was even done, he said, “Yeah, I know who you are. I recognize you.” I was floored. I responded with, ‘Well, I just wanted to say hello,” and then I wandered off, not wanting to force some weird manufactured conversation. I had said all I wanted to say. Shortly after I headed home, and went skating for a while in my area of the city, alone. I was still rolling for Rob, however. 

Yesterday, I saw this group photo taken at the event. Skateboarders do amazing things off the board, too. All of it was very inspiring, on many levels.

(2)  We’ve been making a lot of renegade DIY stuff the last month or so. We built up abandoned street in Boston, and it’s really turning into a legit DIY spot. Six builds are there already, with more soon coming. It’s a great feeling when I see clips on Instagram people doing rad shit, and having fun, on something I (and friends) built. It’s a cool way to give back.

(3)  I turned 43 in April. I’ve been feeling physically old. It just takes so much more effort to do the same things that were “effortless” when I was younger. The effort it once took to skate a bench now feels like the same amount of effort it takes to skate a curb. Noah Baxter said it best, “Gravity is stronger now.” It certainly is. Worse, it takes so much longer to get “warmed up.” Age is a real thing. It’s coming for me. I consider myself lucky enough to be acutely aware of that fact. Hence, it makes everything in the moment more meaningful, and for lack of a better word…precious. I certainly won’t be able to “roll forever,” but I’m riding this train till the fuckin’ wheels fall off.             

The Tao Te Chin(g) of Skateboarding: A Guide to Stoke (Part 3)

See this post for introduction. 

This post contains 20 chapters of the Tao (I had been posting them in groups of 10).

21

The Master keeps his mind
always at one with the Stoke;
that is what gives his skating radiance.

The Stoke is ungraspable.
How can his mind, and skating, be at one with it?
Because he doesn't cling to ideas, tricks, or styles.

The Stoke is dark and unfathomable.
How can it make his skating radiant?
Because he lets it.

Since before time and space were,
this Stoke is.
It is beyond is and is not.
How do I know this is true?
I look inside skateboarding, and myself, and see.

22

If you want your skating to become whole,
let yourself be partial.
If you want to become straight,
let yourself be crooked.
If you want to become full,
let yourself be empty.
If you want to be reborn,
let yourself die.
If you want to be given everything,
give everything up.

The Master, by residing in the Stoke,
sets an example for all skaters.
Because he doesn't display himself,
people can see his light.
Because he has nothing to prove,
people can trust his words.
Because he doesn't know who he is,
people recognize themselves in him.
Because he has no goal in mind,
all of his skating succeeds.

When the ancient Masters said,
"If you want to be given everything,
give everything up,"
they weren't using empty phrases.
Only in being lived by the Stoke

can you be truly yourself.

23

When skating express yourself completely,
then keep quiet.
Be like the forces of nature:
when it blows, there is only wind;
when it rains, there is only rain;
when the clouds pass, the sun shines through.

If you open yourself to the Stoke,
you are at one with the Stoke,
and your skating can embody it completely.
If you open yourself to insight,
you are at one with insight
and you can use it completely.
If you open yourself to loss,
you are at one with loss
and you can accept it completely.

Open yourself to the Stoke,
then trust your natural responses,
and everything will roll into place.

24

He who stands on tiptoe
doesn't stand firm.
He who rushes ahead
doesn't go far.
He who tries to shine
dims his own light.
He who defines himself
can't know who he really is.
He who has power over others
can't empower himself.
He who clings to his own skating, and work
will create nothing that endures.

If you want to accord with the Stoke,
just skate, then let go.

25

There was something formless and perfect
before the First Push, and before the universe was born.
It is serene. Empty.
Solitary. Unchanging.
Infinite. Eternally present.
It is the mother of all skating.
For lack of a better name,
We call it the Stoke.

It flows through all things,
inside and outside, and returns
to the origin of all things.

The Stoke is great.
Transition is great.
Lines are great.
Skaters are great.
These are this four great powers.

Skaters follows the lines.
The lines follow the transition.
Transition follows the Stoke.
The Stoke follows only itself.

26

The small slappy is the root of the giant handrail.
The unmoved is the source of all movement.

Thus the Master skates all day
without leaving home.
However splendid the spot,
he stays serenely in himself.

Why should the lord of the country
flit about like a fool?
If you let your skating be blown to and fro,
you lose touch with your roots.
If you let restlessness move you,
you lose touch with the skater you are.

27

A good on-the-road skater has no fixed plans
and is not intent upon arriving.
A good artist lets his intuition
lead him wherever it wants.
A good scientist has freed himself of concepts
and keeps his mind open to what is.

Thus the Master is available to all people
and doesn't reject anyone.
He is ready to skate all terrain
and doesn't waste anything.
This is called embodying the light.

What is a stoked skater but an unstoked skater’s teacher?
What is an unstoked skater but a stoked skater’s job?
If you don't understand this, you will get lost,
however intelligent you are.
It is the great secret.

28

Know ollies,
yet keep to the ground:
receive the world in your arms.
If you receive the world,
the Stoke will never leave you
and you will be like a little child, with his first board.

Know backside airs,
yet keep to the lip:
be a line for the world.
If you are a line for the world,
the Stoke will be strong inside you
and there will be nothing you can't do.

Know the smooth concrete of an expensive skate park,
yet keep to the natural crust spots:
accept the world as it is.
If you accept the world,
the Stoke will be luminous inside you
and you will return to your primal self.

The world is formed from the void,
like a deck from a block of wood.
The Master knows the utensils,
yet keeps to the block:
Thus he can use, and skate, all things.

29

Do you want to improve your skating?
I don't think it can be done.

Your skating is sacred.
It can't be improved.
If you tamper with it, you'll ruin it.
If you treat it like an object, you'll lose it.

There is a time for being ahead of others,
a time for being behind them;
a time for being in motion,
a time for being at rest;
a time for a vigorous session,
a time for being exhausted;
a time for trying tricks that are safe,
a time for trying tricks that bring danger.

The Master sees, and skates, things as they are,
without trying to control them.
He lets them roll their own way,
and resides at the center of the bearing’s circle. (see Chap 11)

30

Whoever relies on the Stoke in governing his skating

doesn't try to force tricks or style
or become angry if there is something he can’t do.
For every force there is a counter-force.
Anger and violence, even well intentioned,
always rebounds upon oneself.

The Master skates his session
and then stops.
He understands that skating
is forever out of control,
and that trying to dominate all tricks
goes against the current of the Tao.
Because he believes in himself,
he doesn't try to convince others.
Because he is content with himself,
he doesn't need others' approval.
Because he accepts himself,
the whole world accepts him.

31*

Weapons are the tools of violence;
all decent men detest them.

Weapons are the tools of fear;
a decent man will avoid them
except in the direst necessity
and, if compelled, will use them
only with the utmost restraint.
Peace is his highest value.
If the peace has been shattered,
how can he be content?
His enemies are not demons,
but human beings like himself.
He doesn't wish them personal harm.
Nor does he rejoice in victory.
How could he rejoice in victory
and delight in the slaughter of men?

He enters a battle gravely,
with sorrow and with great compassion,
as if he were attending a funeral.

32

The Stoke can't be perceived.
Smaller than an electron,
it contains uncountable galaxies.

If skaters could remain centered in the Tao,
all of skateboarding would be in harmony.
The skate-world would become a paradise.
All skaters would be at peace,
and the law would be written in their hearts.

When you have trick names and style forms,
know that they are provisional.
When you have institution trends
know where their functions should end.
Knowing when to stop,
you can avoid any danger.

All skating ends in the Stoke
as rivers flow into the sea.

33

Knowing other skaters is intelligence;
knowing yourself is true wisdom.
Mastering other’s style is strength;
mastering your own is true power.

If you realize that you have enough,
you are truly rich.
If you stay in the center
and embrace death with your whole heart,
your skating will endure forever.

34

The great Stoke flows everywhere.
All skaters are born from it,
yet it doesn't create them.
It pours itself into a session,
yet it makes no claim.
It nourishes infinite skateboarders,
yet it doesn't hold on to them.
Since it is merged with all skaters
and hidden in their hearts,
it can be called humble.
Since all skating vanishes into it
and it alone endures,
it can be called great.
It isn't aware of its greatness;
thus it is truly great.

35

He who is centered in the Stoke
can go skate where he wishes, without danger.
He perceives the universal harmony,
even amid great pain,
because he has found peace in his heart.

Music or the smell of good cooking
may make people stop and enjoy.
But words that point to the Stoke
seem monotonous and without flavor.
When you look for it, there is nothing to see.
When you listen for it, there is nothing to hear.
When you use it, it is inexhaustible.

36

If you want to shrink something,
you must first allow it to expand.
If you want to get rid of something,
you must first allow it to flourish.
If you want to take something,
you must first allow it to be given.
This is called the subtle perception
of the way things are.

Soft truck metal overcomes a hard curb.
Slow overcomes the fast.
Let your workings remain a mystery.
Just show people the results.

37

The Stoke never grinds anything,
yet through it all grinds are done.

If skaters could center themselves in it,
the whole skate-world would be transformed
by itself, in its natural rhythms.
Skaters would be content
with their simple, everyday lives,
in harmony, and free of desire.

When there is no desire,
all things are at peace.

38

The Master doesn't try to make his skating powerful;
thus his skating truly is powerful.
The ordinary skater keeps reaching for powerful skating;
thus his skating is never powerful enough.

The Master learns nothing,
yet he leaves nothing unlearned.
The ordinary skater is always learning things,
yet many more are left to learn.

The kind skater does something,
yet something remains undone.
The just skater does something,
and leaves many things to be done.
The moral skater does something,
and when no one responds
he rolls up his sleeves and uses force.

When the Stoke is lost, there is goodness.
When goodness is lost, there is morality.
When morality is lost, there is ritual.
Ritual is the husk of true faith,
the beginning of chaos.

Therefore the Master concerns himself
with the depths and not the surface,
with the fruit and not the flower.
He has no will of his own.
He dwells in reality,
and lets all illusions go.

39

In harmony with the Stoke,
the spot is clear and spacious,
the obstacles are solid and full,
all skaters flourish together,
content with the way they are,
endlessly creating new stoked skaters,
endlessly renewing the session.

When man interferes with the Stoke,
the spots become filthy,
the obstacles become depleted,
the equilibrium crumbles,
skaters become extinct.

The Master views the parts with compassion,
because he understands the whole of skateboarding.
His constant practice is humility.
He doesn't glitter like a jewel
but lets himself be shaped by the Stoke,
as rugged and common as stone.

*This is the original text, unedited. I attempted to rewrite Chapter 31 substituting “weapons,” “enemies,” etc. with things like skate stoppers, wax, scooters, security guards, cops, and a whole host of other things. Nothing seemed to fit and/or feel right with the original meaning of the passage. Instead of omitting the entire chapter, I decided to just include it, unedited. Perhaps someday I’ll grasp a way to rewrite this one. Maybe a reader will show me The Way.

The Tao Te Chin(g) of Skateboarding: A Guide to Stoke (Part 2)

                                  The Tao Te Chin(g) of Skateboarding: A Guide to Stoke (Part 2)

See this post for introduction.

11

We join seven steal balls together in a bearing

but it is the center hole

that allows us to roll;

We shape concrete into a pool

but the emptiness inside

is what we occupy

We hammer wood for a DIY

but it is the space between features

that make it skateable

We work with Being,

but non-Being is what we skate.

12

Colors (of graphics) blind the eye.
Sounds (of grinds) deafen the ear.
Flavors numb the taste.
Thoughts (of skating) weaken the mind.
Desires (to improve) wither the heart.

The Master skates, and observes, the world
but trusts his inner vision.
He allows things to come and go.
His Stoke is open as the sky.

13

Success is as dangerous as failure.
Hope is as hollow as fear.

What does it mean that success is a dangerous as failure?
Whether you go up the ladder or down it,
you position is shaky.
When you stand with your two feet on the ground,
you will always keep your balance.

What does it mean that hope is as hollow as fear?
Hope and fear are both phantoms
that arise from thinking of the self.
When we don't see the self as self,
what do we have to fear?

See the Session as your self.
Have faith in the way things are.
Love the Stoke as your self;

then you can care for all that skateboarding offers.

14

Look for the Stoke, and it can't be seen.
Listen, and it can't be heard.
Reach, and it can't be grasped.

Above, it isn't bright.
Below, it isn't dark.
Seamless, unnamable,
it returns to the realm of nothing.
Form that includes all forms,
image without an image,
subtle, beyond all conception.

Approach it and there is no beginning;
follow it and there is no end.
You can't know it, but you can be it,
at ease on your board, and in your own life.
Just realize where your skating first came from; The Original Stoke.
This is the essence of wisdom.

15

The first skaters were profound and subtle.
Their Stoke was unfathomable.
There is no way to describe it.
all we can describe is their appearance.

They were careful
as someone crossing an iced-over stream.
Alert as a warrior in enemy territory.
Courteous as a guest.
Fluid as melting ice.
Shapable as a block of wood.
Receptive as a valley.
Clear as a glass of water.

Do you have the patience to wait
till your mud settles and the water is clear?
Can you remain unrolling
till the right line arises by itself?

The Master doesn't seek fulfillment.
Not seeking, not expecting,
he is present in the session, and welcomes all things.

16

Empty your mind of all thoughts.
Let your heart be at peace.
Watch the turmoil of beings,
but contemplate their return.

Each separate skater in the universe
returns to the common source.
Returning to the source is serenity.

If you don't realize the source,
you stumble in confusion and sorrow.
When you realize where your skating first came from,
you naturally become tolerant,
disinterested, amused,
kindhearted as a grandmother,
dignified as a king.
Immersed in the wonder of the Stoke,
you can deal with whatever a session, and life brings you,
and when death comes, you are ready.

17

When the Master governs, the people
are hardly aware that he exists.
Next best is a leader who is loved.
Next, one who is feared.
The worst is one who is despised.

If you don't trust the people,
you make them untrustworthy.

The Master doesn't talk, he acts.
When his work is done,
skaters say, "Amazing:
we made a DIY, all by ourselves!"

18

When the great Stoke is forgotten,
goodness and piety appear.
When the body's intelligence declines,
cleverness and knowledge step forth.
When there is no peace in the family,
filial piety begins.
When the community falls into chaos,
competition and comparison are born.

19

Throw away holiness and wisdom,
and people will be a hundred times happier.
Throw away morality and justice,
and people will do the right thing.
Throw away industry and profit,
and there won't be any thieves.

If these three aren't enough,
just stay at the center of the bearing*
and let all things roll on their course.

*See Chapter 11

20

Stop thinking, and end your problems.
What difference between yes and no?
What difference between success and failure?
Must you value the trends, tricks, and style that others value,
avoid what others avoid?
How ridiculous!

Other people are excited,
as though they were at a product toss.
I alone don't care,
I alone am expressionless,
like an infant before it can smile.

Other people have what they need;
I alone possess nothing.
I alone drift about,
like someone without a home.
I am like an idiot, my mind is so empty.

Other people are bright;
I alone am dark.
Other people are sharper;
I alone am dull.
Other people have a purpose;
I alone don't know.
I drift like a wave on the ocean,
I blow as aimless as the wind.

I am different from ordinary skaters.
I drink from the Great Mother's breasts.