Best sibs ever!!!

I love my sibs! I really treasure the time we get to spend together. I am quite a bit older than them. We didn't grow up together but now we are making up for lost time. We skate, play music, laugh and talk. I am truly blessed. In a couple of weeks I am taking my wife to see her sister. My wife is all about her sibs too. I understand how my wife feels about her sibs. I also consider her sibs, my sibs. I love ALL my sibs... I have the Best sibs in the world... all four of them! ;)

Skateboarding is!

How do you categorize skateboarding? It has been said that skateboarding is a sport, like football, running or skiing. Other people have argued that skateboarding is an art-form, a venue for self expression.... maybe skateboarding is a science? What happens at the coping? Is it a trick... is it a maneuver... or is it an EXPERIMENT!?!?!



P sporting his D.I.Y. goggles made from Gatorade lids and an old drum head. Rock to fakie sans vision.

Out with the old....

I used to grab behind my front heal for about 99% of my backside airs (see first two pics). It always worked great for the "pre-grab" airs of the old days... Last week I decided to change my "go to" backside grab from behind my front heal to the standard "in front of the front heal grab". This works much better with the "late grab". Now, I can get a better pump into the transition and go higher. My goal is the top of the safety rail! (about four feet).

88-ish Little Park ramp

The Little park ramp had amazing views. It blew over during a wind storm. This ramp was later cut down to four feet high, a victum of the mini ramp craze..... what a shame.

Kvon getting comfortable with the new grab. July 27, 2008 Photo P

[over] One week late

A U2 song is playing on VH1 classic, I realize that although I did not like this song (desire) originally, I love it now. Maybe it's a great song... or maybe I just feel good! I wonder if I will ever sing that well, I wonder if I will ever have a video on MTV... (I mean a video airing that I didn't pay for airtime... been there, done that). The point of all this: everything is always going on... all at once. Since my last post we had three birthdays a funeral life celebration, several large get togethers... life has been very busy... lots of fun.. but very busy.

Pretty much every family member who was in town showed up at our place for lunch last Sunday. I managed to get them all to stand still for the camera. I LOVE THESE PEOPLE!

Career musings one

Forget the bucket list. I want to make a life list. I don't want to do some crazy thing once... so I can cross it off my list. LIFE IS NOT ABOUT CROSSING THINGS OFF OF A @#$% LIST! LIFE... is about living, every day... to the fullest! It's not about rare moments... It's about every moment! Don't get me wrong, I believe a person should bloom where they are planted.... but every now and then I ask myself if I am being fair... to the gift of life... but it's not that easy is it? The question I mean... "What do I want to do with my life?" Who knows? I must be doing what I AM doing for some reason.... ??? SO, What do I want to do with my life?

I want to do what I do now... only better!

1. I want to spend more quality time with my family

2. I want to play guitar in an original band that gets paid and has a fan base.

3. I want to play drums in an original band that gets paid and has a fan base.

4. I want to Skate and NOT get hurt. Bigger air, longer slides and grinds!

5. I want to make interesting artistic movies. Characters and story line, poo-poo on action and c.g.

6. I want to take mind blowing photographs.

7. I want to do paintings worthy of hanging on my wall.

Nostalgia Tuesday on Monday

I miss launch ramps and I miss the method air!!!! I Love the method air! Here are a few pictures from my archives of our little method airs of the 80's


Me circa 87? Background: Bob J, Joe C, Jim J, John.. NOTE: The Background now is the location of a Super Walmart!

Tim Hartman

Tino, Dan G. in background

You call that skateboarding? volume 1

Welcome to the first installment of "You call that Skateboarding". Ever get the feeling that people just don't understand? For example... kids these days... anytime I skate in public I get a grab-bag of looks and stares from the under twenty population. I know the same theme is playing through each of their adolescent, A.D.D. minds... "wtf is that?" Four wheels, two trucks and a deck... it must be skateboarding. Yesterday we went to the lake to cool off after a weekend of skating in the heat. The lake was great and my kids had a blast. B fell off the monkey bars and landed flat on his side but he seems to be doing fine now. On the way home from the lake we decided to stop off at a tiny "skate park". The eight foot tall ramp has nine foot transitions so it stops just short of vert. Anyway, we show up and there are several kids lounging around on the ramp chatting. The kids took one look at us and asked if we were there to go swimming. "No, we are here to skate" I said in a friendly tone. We put on our pads and made our way through the gate and across the concrete slab to the ramp. They stared and stared. All geared up with helmets and pads, I guess we looked like that scene in the "right stuff" where the astronauts are [in super slow-mo] walking toward the space rocket. The kids cleared the small ramp with jaws dropped. I felt awkward, Not necessarily cool, maybe more like a circus act. We started skating and having fun. I pulled a little hand plant below the lip, one of the kids said "what was that?" to which the other kid replied "That was with out a doubt the cool-ist thing I have ever seen!". lol! Then one of the other kids (sans board) piped up and said "Would you like me to give you a pointer on your 50/50's?" "Sure!" I said very genuinely. Help is always welcome. "Do your Ollie into it sooner" said the kid very matter of fact. I smiled, I had in no way been ollieing into my 50/50's, at this point that is beyond my skill level. Oh well the kid thought that is what I needed to do so I thanked him for the advice. While we were there we inspired another kid to actually try skating the ramp. He had a blast. Maybe next time we show up the kids will be skating... and wearing pads! lol! Either way I am sure they will look at me and think, "YOU CALL THAT SKATEBOARDING?"

Nostalgia Tuesday on Friday afternoon

You asked for it you got it... Going all the way back to May 13, 2004, Gas prices had climbed to an astronomical $2.50 per gallon. I took this self portrait using the camera's timer, the camera was perched on one of those safety barrier posts by the pump.

Caption: Look, here's a pic of me, paying $2.50 a gallon for gas in Henderson Nevada!

$ too high

A few years back gas hit $2.50 a gallon. Everyone was outraged. I remember pulling into a gas station to fill up. We were on our way to see my sister-in-law in Phoenix. I was shocked at the price for gas "$2.50 per gallon". I took out my camera, leaned down next to the pump handle and clicked a self portrait. The guy filling up behind me laughed out loud, he said "Caption: Look, here's a pic of me, paying $2.50 a gallon for gas in Henderson Nevada hahaha". I laughed as well. He was right, I thought $2.50 was crazy. When I got home I did this picture... my own little protest. The design was made to go onto a t-shirt. Last week I filled up my Toyota Camry's 14 gallon tank... cost me around $60! If my protest inflated as fast as the gas prices... it might be the size of a small moon!

Crazy 4th weekend rap up

Well, I guess I kinda overbooked myself (who me?) for the fourth of July. Amidst the quirky mix of fun and stress we were able to take a few fun pictures.

I forgot my tripod and even scoffed at a few people with cameras (I don't believe a fireworks display is something that can legitimately be reproduced in binary code) never the less when the big booming started I raised my camera like a programed zombi. My method of rebellion here was to ignore the fireworks as the focal point.

Self portrait

I forgot I had set my iso at 1600 the night before, consequently my skys are blown out for the next few shots.... AMATEUR. Anyway, here is a shot of our campsite.

Mom, P, Andy and D. What is it with boys and toy guns?

Ouray is!

We packed up and took the the fam to Ridgway to try out the Small Grindline park

D is pushing regular foot pretty well these days.

I am stoked that my girl is lovin skating. I am trying not to stress too much about her safety.


Sar took a few pics of me as well. Concrete just scares me, I definitely take it down several notches from the ramp to the park. FS air..barely at the coping. :(

P didn't let up for the hard crete surface, I made him do this boneless fifteen times to get a shot that I liked. P has been getting good and he is developing his own style!

We finished up the weekend at our ramp. P pulled several front-side rocks! That means he has one trick on me... for the moment ;)


We were exausted the best style was in our funny faces!

Fun in the studio

art...e.. Thursday!

I consider myself an artist. For the most part I struggle with never being satisfied with anything I do. I want to be able to create something fantastic out of everything that comes across my path. I want to produce more, more often. I want to have endless cool things to show my arty friends... ya know... when everyone is sitting around the Mac book pro saying "OH! did you see this [cool thing] I did for a client last week?" YA! Thats fun! Only... I am getting tired of doing my art for clients, I want to start doing it for me. (sticks out tongue, "pffffffffft") Here is a design I did several months ago. Its my #1 girl and I did it for me... and her of course. Now she uses it on her blog. I am very flattered!

Nostalgia Tuesday on Wednesday

When you think Moab Utah, Jeep Safari is probably the first thing that comes to mind. You might never have guessed that moab was a favorite skateboarding getaway for me in the late 80's. There was Mr. J's Skate Ramp, lots of quirky street spots, plenty of folk lure and SLICK ROCK, a mass of sandstone earth smooth enough (in places) to skate! There is something real cool about riding a surface that was not built by man!

Here is a pic of me, out on the rock. I loved those old Airwalk hi-tops! circa 1987



Here is a shot of my friend Jeremy P. Jeremy was THE local ripper and our close Moabite friend! circa 1987