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11/27/04
I missed the session this week because of a Thanksgiving turkey coma. You see turkey is loaded with an amino acid called tryptophan that makes you tired and unmotivated. I had piles of turkey at my auntie's house this week but I was still going to try and skate today. No dice. I could barely move my arms or legs! I felt like someone slipped me a mickey! Armando was going to meet me there with NYC skate legend Andy Kessler. I feel bad missing a chance to talk to him and skate but it was nice to see some of my realatives that I have not seen in a long time. I am going to get back on my horse this week. This is the longest I have gone without skating since I started back. Not good...
Avoid turkey - it's an anti-skate drug!
11/20/04
Man, I am so lame! I have not updated this site in a long time because I have been busy adding a music download section to my homepage. Sorry skate fans, I won't let it happen again!
We had a really fun session. Armando met me at the A train and we headed over to the Autumn Bowl. It was a gloomy kind of day but the session eased my fazzled nerves. I feel like I am improving slowly but the main thing I need to do is to relax when I skate. Sam noticed how tight I was when I was trying to get my carves higher and higher. "RELAX!" he screamed as I missed the coping by an inch. The next run I was able to get 2 wheels to touch! After my run Armando laughed and said skating with Sam is like skating with a drill sargeant. He meant it in a good way though because Sam pushes all of us to skate better.
I worked the mini-ramp for a while as well and almost got a frontside grind! The comfort on the borad is coming but I am in no rush. I have a great time just skating and having some laughs. This guy Ben, a genius skater, also turned me on to new beer that cost $3 a six pack! It's actually malt liquor but it tastes ok. Shoot for $3 there isn't a whole lot of I wouldn't drink. I have been on a very tight budget preparing for my fiance and her daughter to move here in June so $3 a six fits nicely into my money saving formula. Of course malt liquor is a weird kind of buzz. I think I tried to beat up a cop one time after drinking a 40 of Schlitz Malt Liquor Bull. And another time I trashed a friend's house on Halloween while drinking Olde English 800! Don't worry, I'll take it Easy!
Me - Not my best run but I am getting my carving down...
Sam sent me this picture from the session - Armando the Frontside King!
Another pic by Sam - Makes me look pretty good!
11/13/04
I always love the Saturday session at Autumn Bowl because it is usually pretty mellow and I can get plenty of much needed practice. I headed over via the three train trek to Greenpoint and as I exited the train I saw Vincas. He came out to skate for just an hour or so before he headed off to work. That's dedication! Dylan, Sam, Seth, were also there and we had a good time. Tamara, a woman that I met from my times at Chelsea also showed up with a nice dude named Alan. It was great to see her hanging tough with skating. I hear from a lot of people that start skating, but get injured and just can't make the sacrifice that skating takes. It is tough, especially in Manhattan, where time is money and if you get hurt you can't work. Not a good equation for survival...
It was a really fun session and I am slowly gaining comfort on the board but my progress is like a see saw. I feel like I am getting a little better and then I feel like I stink. I little better..stink... But that seems to be the way progress goes - bit by bit. I haven't really tried to learn anything completely new since I can remember, so it is an interesting journey to take and I am having a great time taking it. I am having a lot of laughs and good times. I wish I had rediscovered skating sooner but just remember (cue corny music), it's never too late to try anything if you really want to do it...
Seth - a beauty Frontside Grind - only his 2nd time at the bowl!!!
11/10/04
Wow, so much has changed since I have updated this site! I am now engaged to the lovely Rachelle and ready to embark on married life. I am pretty excited about it and also looking forward to having family with Rachelle's daughter, Gabrielle, who is now 8 years old. She is a hilarious kid and wants me to teach her to skate!
Fall came in like a lion as it usually does in NYC and since I have returned to skating I am experiencing the onslaught of skate spots closing for the winter. I have had a great time at all of the spots, each one with their own personality.
I met Armando at the 145th street A train stop and we made the 3 train journey to the Autumn Bowl. We haven't skated together in a while so it was good to see him. Armando is a great artist and a super nice guy. We arrived at about 7:30 p.m. and the session was already pretty crazy. I saw skaters doing all kinds of seemingly impossible moves that I haven't seen at Autumn before. It can be pretty intimidating to watch some of these guys because I think, "Man, I'll never be that good." But then I catch myself and remember skating isn't about that. I am getting good speed and starting to work the mini-ramp for at least an hour a session. I am trying to get to the point where I can frontside grind. I am starting to work my way up on the mini-ramp but it is a whole different feeling than turning backside. If you fall frontside, you are falling backwards into the ramp or bowl, and without being able to see where you are falling, serious injury can occur.
I crashed a bunch of times because my back wheels kept slipping out. I will have to try and readjust next session and try to remember that skateboarding needs less of my ham-fisted oafishness and more finesse and nuance...
My good friend Armando - perfect Frontside Grind - the specks are dust!