Saved By The Torso

Endless Vacation

2009-06-27T19:32:00.003-04:00

Hey Dicknose!

2009-06-22T11:40:00.004-04:00

..no, not you. The other Dicknose..

Now that's what I'm talking about!

The John A. Grigley Mini 2, more commonly known as The Dicknose.
Dope as hell.

Go Skateboarding Day 2009

2009-06-21T23:30:00.000-04:00

...was today. So we did.
Checked this out...but somehow ended up on the paddle boats.
It was hotter than dogfire out there, so I'm not complainin'.

Smash Yer Cameras...

2009-06-14T18:14:00.003-04:00

...because the best photograph in the world has just been taken.

Any pictures taken from this point on are just useless and redundant practices in futility. While I'm not exactly thrilled that photography has become obsolete, there's just no arguing with the facts. It is what it is. So it's time to move on. But hey, there's always video...and drawing.

Sunday Sparkle Motion

2009-06-07T22:47:00.001-04:00

Shoegaze

2009-06-07T11:09:00.002-04:00

Some after work cruisin'...

Headin' to the Beer Store...

This Aint The Summer Of Love...

2009-06-03T21:51:00.005-04:00

...but it is my Summer of Vision Old Ghosts.
Santa Cruz Bullets not included.

"I Am Gravely Disappointed...."

2009-05-31T22:12:00.006-04:00

"...again you have made me unleash my Dogs of War."- The Lord Humungus

Somebody learned to ride his bike this weekend.
Now if I can just get him to stop smiling long enough to look like a Dog of War then I can post another...picture....

There! Now that's a Dog of War.
I pity anyone who tries to take gasoline out of this fellas wasteland....

Streets Is Watching...

2009-05-26T16:26:00.003-04:00

..the Street Cab that is.

An anonymous benefactor hooked me up with some birthday cash...and I bought this Steve Caballero reissue deck for one penny more than than I had in my "Skateboard Bankroll." The mailman dropped it on my porch today....Happy Freakin' Birthday to me.

A Magazine Called Sunset

2009-05-26T12:55:00.005-04:00

Wow.
I've been giving this guy hell ever since I Am Trying To Break Your Heart came out. If you watch the doc he comes off as a real jackass, but when I think really hard on it...who am I to give somebody grief for being a jackass? Seriously.

He made some great music and wrote some of Wilcos best lyrics (...something in my veins...bloodier than blood) so I'm kinda sad that he died. And 45 is waaay too young. It's also sad because he'll never get together with the Wilcos and make some good music...like on Summerteeth, Being There, and IATTBYH. Because lets face it, without Jay Bennett...Wilco is boring as hell. There I said it. Now I'm gonna go listen to some Summerteeth and not work on my back porch...you know, because it's raining.

Sweatin' To The Oldie

2009-05-24T20:32:00.002-04:00

Yeah, so I didn't work on the porch too much today.
What I did do was break out some cassette tapes, drink some beers, and grab the Black Label.

My wife grabbed the camera and got some cool shots of me doing...something.

I was out there for hours sweating my ass off and having a blast.
Would I rather be working on the porch/stairs? Not really.

Back Porch Man (Day 2)

2009-05-18T19:44:00.003-04:00

The stairs are put together and braced. Now I just gotta make an extra step and a platform for the bottom....and I'm done. With that part of it anyways.

Back Porch Man (Day 1)

2009-05-17T20:15:00.000-04:00

I will have this project completed by Memorial Day. All measurements have been made, lumber has been procured, and the hole has been cut.

The top stairs are in place and now it's time to build a platform.
Did I really say I'm gonna finish this by Memorial Day?

Black Sunshine

2009-05-11T21:28:00.002-04:00

The sun came out and it didn't rain today, so I took the Old Ghosts "Guardian" for a spin. I didn't think I'd be able to ollie it or anything, but I could. Hell, I was doing better on this pig than I was on my newer, skinny board. Maybe they're right when they say "you gotta dance with who brung ya."

Just so my new old Black Label board wouldn't feel left out I took it on the street....and ollied the dog piss out of my new funbox. Props to my photographer/daughter for getting these shots. Luckily she got her Moms patience...and didn't mind taking shot, after shot, after shot, etc.

Blame It On The Rain

2009-05-11T12:31:00.002-04:00

Grip Tape Mysteries...Revealed!!!

2009-05-03T21:05:00.002-04:00

So my wife gets me a Vision "Old Ghosts" Guardian (circa 1986) for my birthday. She knew I wanted something old school to ride around after I've had a few beers or just to freak out the young'uns in the neighborhood...and she did good. This lady knows what I like.

I dig the board, but on closer inspection I realize something just isn't right with the top of the board. The grip tape job is fine, but it looks a little standard and I get the feeling I'm missing out on something...something important.
I grab a hair dryer and get to work. As the grip tape gets hotter, it gets looser, and looser, and looser...

...until Pa-DOW! I can finally see what the grip tape was hiding...and it's pretty damn cool.

So here's the top after I re-cut the grip tape. Sure it's gonna be dirty and beat all to hell eventually but for now it looks cool as hell. And for a reissue of a twenty-three year old deck that's pretty much all that counts.

Same Boy You've Always Known

2009-05-02T20:23:00.006-04:00

Reason #17 my wife rocks: A freakin' John A. Grigley Birthday cake!
You absolutely cannot front on that. Cannot.

Hell, I thought the skateboard cake was a the perfect gift....until I unwrapped an Old Ghosts Guardian w/Indys and Bones wheels! Seriously, this is some pig.

Birthdays are tough for me....and turning 37 when you still feel 17 is even tougher. But somehow every year my sweet, sexy, college girl manages to turn it into the best day of the year. Hell, if she keeps this up I may even end up looking forward to my birthdays. Maybe.

Baked Ramps and Fried Chicken Feet

2009-04-27T16:31:00.003-04:00

"Did you know there's a skatepark in Teays Valley?"

"Nope. Maybe I'll get the crew together and check it out Sunday."

"It's called Skatewinds...or something like that."

"Well, I'm going early before all the kids get there.
And before it gets too hot."

"I'll bet Little Jackie will dig it."

"I just hope I don't break anything...."

Start Choppin'

2009-04-20T13:20:00.002-04:00

Teenage Riot

2009-04-05T22:34:00.002-04:00

Everybodys coming in from the winter vacation

Taking in the sun in an exaltation to you...

You Can't Front On That

2009-04-05T21:53:00.008-04:00

So Listen In My Head I Just Want To Take 'em Down...

Imagination Set Loose And I'm Gonna Shake 'em Down...

Sunday Ramp Festival

2009-03-29T16:04:00.005-04:00

Outside it's windy and rainy, and The Draft doesn't start until 5:45PM.
On the upside it's the perfect day to build a mini-skatepark.

It's also completely possible I have too much time on my hands.

Vision re-Quest-ed

2009-03-28T23:03:00.001-04:00

Vision Quest

2009-03-26T19:00:00.005-04:00

Same Motherfucker That I Ever Was...

2009-03-15T22:56:00.004-04:00

...except I don't smoke anymore.

That's right. As of February 14th 2009 I'm a non-smoker. So suck on that all you bitches who hoped I'd die an early death due to a smoking related illness. You want me out early? Then you need to be proactive and come get some. Seriously, I've got energy for days now.

But for real here's a list so you don't have to ask me in person:

Pro: My wife is proud of me
Con: Spending some money on chewing gum

Pro: Saving money
Con: Blood-flavored chewing gum

Pro: I can smell all kinds of stuff I never smelled before
Con: Cat piss, dog shit, and poverty smells just like cat piss, dog shit and poverty

Pro: I have more time on my hands
Con: I daydream alot...which is bad in my line of work. I've been doing alot of U-Turns.

Pro: I replaced smoking with skateboarding....circa 1987
Con: A John Grigley "Mask" deck from 1987 aint cheap. But you can get an '88 Grigley reissue for something more reasonable. Word.

Quitting smoking is a bitch....for a day or two. But it's not pain, it's just uncomfortable. Me? I like having extra money to spend, and my wife and kids think I'm awesome for quitting. So I can put up with some discomfort for that kind of props. Plus I'm getting myself an old school board to cruise around as a way to reward myself. You know, because I'm awesome.