Self censoring my blog: blogging versus fiction writing
Posted: March 4, 2012 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: blogging, fiction writing, self censorship, self e 2 Comments »
For my writing class this week I wrote a short story that I felt was creepy. The themes involved drugs, sex, and I used plenty of profanity. When I write my blog entries I am squeaky clean, and really do not test the boundaries. If someone were to read all 120 entries on my blog, they would not find one curse word. Yet for my creative fiction work, I’m willing to go grimy. I think my reasons for a clean blog are legitimate. I’ll take this entry to explain the difference of writing blog entries and writing fiction in hopes to submit somewhere. Hopefully this will be helpful to other aspiring writers.
First of all, a blog entry posted is immediate, and most of the time there is no outside judgment before you post. A few of my entries my family asked me to take down, and I did. But potentially people could have seen my facebook link to my blog and saw those entries before I deleted them. I learned that if you question anything about your topic of choice it might be better to rethink the idea or not write it. Like facebook, twitter, or any other online presence your blog represents yourself. You are in complete control of it, but also judged by it.
On the other hand if you write fiction with the intent of publishing, that is a whole other process. Let’s say you write a story, and revise it the best you can and send it out. A lot of literary journals have one percent acceptance rates or lower. To get published in print is a big deal. Stories that are accepted passed a test, and were evaluated heavily by the staff of a journal. To get published in a literary magazine or to publish a novel puts an artistic stamp to it, and gives a lot more leeway to the content. It’s not just a coworker or fellow student that wrote a crude blog, it’s turns into someone you know being a published writer or author. In literature I’m drawn to the Henry Miller’s, and for television show I like ‘The Sopranos.’ To me as librarian I don’t think fiction, literature, and art should be censured. In my own literary pursuits I should figure out my own voice, themes, and topics. Publishing fiction of any kind would be okay. But the standard is that some entity being a journal or publisher deems it publishable.
In addition to being squeaky clean, for my blog I do not put my fiction on there. I have a few fiction pieces elsewhere online, but what I’m writing now fiction wise is better. I owe it to myself to revise these five short stories I recently wrote and submit them to journals. I think once one story is published it’ll be easily to get more published. So I need to keep writing fiction, and I need to keep that writing somewhat more private so it can have a chance to be published.
Lastly since my blog is non-fiction, anything that could be construed as offensive could be interpreted as my opinion. Basically for my blog I write about things that I went to in a memoir way, reviews of my various interests, or opinion pieces. If my blog were laced with profanity or obscenity it would come off as part of my personality.
I endorse Alien Workshop and Habitat skateboards
Posted: February 25, 2012 Filed under: My reviews, Skateboarding, Uncategorized | Tags: alien workshop. skateboarding, habitat Leave a comment »
Since the fall of 2010 four out of eight or so of the skateboard decks I have ridden were Alien Workshop or Habitat decks. They are under the same company umbrella, have similar directions, and are operated out of Southern Ohio. I think they really are making quality decks, and I think I’ll keep purchasing them.
Before 2010 I had decks by this company, and I think I like the shapes. Concave is the curve dip on a deck that runs the length of the body of the board, and it makes the sides slightly raised while the center is lower. Concave varies greatly by company and rider preference. When I first started skating in the late 1980’s H-Street came out with ‘Hell concave,’ and since then it’s part of my decision making when I purchase decks. I like noticeable concave, and I like the feel from it on the Alien Workshop and Habitat decks I’ve ridden. I also for whatever reason lean toward steeper noses on my decks with a mellower tail. Most Workshop decks have steep noses and concave. As one skates these preferences are made, so I recommend people buy at a shop, it’s kind of like making sure the shoes are the right fit.
Besides the shapes, these decks last a long time for me. Granted I skate on weekends, and sometimes my sessions are only a few hours. So my experience is much different than a teenager skating everyday. But I like that they last longer, because it’s cheaper, and I feel I can get in a groove with a particular deck. I don’t want a new deck every week like I did when I was younger.
In fall of 2010 I got an Alien Workshop Mikey Taylor 8.25 inch (width) deck, with the hexagon stuff on the top of the deck. I wrote a blog entry for that deck Letter to Skateboard deck. For here I’ll just say it lasted a long time, I believe that entire fall. I think with a little wider set up, I was more consistent. After that deck I tried a few other companies. Trying a railslide on a low flat rail at the L.E.S. park I cracked a deck from a different company on my first day riding it. I might be on the heavy side for rail slides, but cracking it on the first day showed that quality does vary quite a bit.
In early spring of 2011 I bought a Habitat Austyn Gillette 8.0 inch deck. This board really gelled with me, and I skated well on it. In mid summer I got the hair-brained idea that I wanted a smaller setup. So I got a new complete with an Alien Workshop Anthony Van Engelen 7.75 inch deck. My friend wanted to start back skating after many years off, and as a good citizen I gave my friend my older complete. He put that Habitat Gillette board to good use for months after I stopped riding it. For my new set up, I enjoyed the 7.75 size. I think I progressed, and started to do relatively small drops, like three stairs or so, when for years I avoided that type of thing because of my knee. In summer and fall I skated most every weekend. This Alien Workshop deck lasted from July to December. That is a long shelf life for a skateboard, and it was not totally beat either. I just wanted a new deck.
In December I started riding a Habitat Danny Garcia 7.8 inch deck. It’s been great going into the third month of riding it, and this winter has been warm, so I did not have to stop. My only complaint is I feel less consistent, but I think that has to do that the deck is too skinny. My goal is to ride this deck until late May when I plan to visit my parents in Toledo Ohio. If this deck lasts until then, I’ll treat myself to a new wider complete at my friend’s shop Just Skateboards. They carry a lot of Habitat and Alien Workshop.
I’m mostly a fan of these companies because of the quality, but their graphics and image is cool too. First off they are not the bad boy company or promote negativity like some other companies. In the last year they had a series of graphics that featured Andy Warhol’s art. I’m not the biggest fan of Andy Warhol, but it’s a good idea to promote the larger art world to skate kids in my opinion. Skating will always create an interest in Art and music from graphics and videos. So if a kid picks up a art history book because of the Alien Workshop Andy Warhol graphic that’s cool. And the company did it the legit way, because the Andy Warhol museum got a lump check or part of the royalties. I think Alien Worshop’s image is kind of artistic, and Habitat is kind of granola or hippy. But they are not bent out on offending people. In my mid thirties I’m not trying to be badass by skating or punk rock, and I’m glad I can always pick up an Alien Workshop or Habitat board knowing there is nothing offensive about it.
Lastly, on my friend’s shop, Just Skateboards facebook page, they gave an update that Alien Workshop was bought by Rob Dyrdek. He might be considered mainstream or corporate, but his dedication to promoting skating and putting skating in a positive light is apparent to me. On Just’s facebook update people weighed in on if it was good or bad that Dyrdek bought the company. He started in the industry with this company around 1991, and even after all the reality tv shows and other successes, rode for them for over twenty years and now owns the company. I think his ownership is good, and my comment on Just’s post was I hope they keep the same shapes and wood!
Who needs winter temperatures anyway?
Posted: February 21, 2012 Filed under: My attempts at humor, My take on pop culture and me., Skateboarding | Tags: climate change, Global warming, warm winter, winter 2 Comments »
In the past few months it is as if nature decided not to have winter in the NYC area. I’m sure this is the paradise before hell. Maybe in summer it will be over 100 degrees from May to September. I don’t think anyone can question climate change, either man made or the end of an ice age. Whatever happened to the weather, something has gone quirky. It would take a more scientific mind than I have to explain climate change, and I’m sure there are a ton of negative consequences from the temperature rising in this part of the world. However, for this blog entry I’m going to talk about the positives of this warm winter, it’s been great.
First and foremost I’ve been able to skate most weekends this winter. The skaters at NYC parks are really friendly and welcoming. They tolerate older and mediocre skaters like myself. The only thing I don’t like about NYC skating is the mentality that NYC is the best, and all the comparisons to California. California most likely will always be the epicenter of the skate industry because it’s more part of the culture there, and they do not have winters or the brutal humidity in the summer. I don’t think NYC needs to compare itself to other locations, but this lack of winter this year is definitely helping the skate scene here. The parks are packed when I go there, and I notice a lot of people are progressing. On facebook one of my friends said that people are getting better when usually for winter people have to slow down and take a break from skating. I’m sure this year is a fluke, but if for some reason it’s not, and there are 5 or so warm winters like this in a row, I’m sure more skaters from NYC will go pro. The energy and progression at the parks will produce good skaters.
As far as my own skating, I think I’m staying at the same level. That is better than getting worse, which I would get if I took a month or more off because of cold weather. This 3-day weekend, I skated Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. My first day was a flushing meadows and I skated the unisphere with my friend. I didn’t skate for almost two weeks prior, and it was a rough session. I kept missing kickflips. My friend and I had a few games of s.k.a.t.e. that took way too long because neither of us were skating that well, and couldn’t land much. I think I skated less than a few hours. On Sunday after a night out, I went to the Astoria skate park by myself. It took me awhile to warm up, but I had a good session. I’m glad I could ollie down the 3 stairs without too much bailing. It’s such a small drop and not far so my trouble with it is a mental block. I’ll never throw myself down large drops, but I need to not be afraid of things I’m capable off. I also spent some time doing railslides on a low curb. I got a few, and I think I am in more control of that trick. Then on Monday, I simply went to my local park, Forest Park. I saw some good skating, and stayed there about 3 hours. I worked on some things, and it was not too crowded. So I figured out a few lines. By far, the third day in a row of skating I skated my best, and I think the sport is something that the more regularly done, the better people get. If I could skate a few hours every day, I’m sure I could progress even though I’m older. And skating once a week or so during the whole winter is a lot better than skating nothing for the season.
My second point and I guess my last point in why the warm weather has been good is the economy. People here are acting like they all have spring fever. I went out a couple of times this weekend in the middle of queens, and the bars have been packed, and people are walking in the streets in sweatshirts, dresses, and not too worried about wearing coats. I live near a bunch of malls, and people are out shopping. Maybe this winter will end the recession because normally people take it easy during the winter. Now people are out and about.
February is over in 9 days, and usually in March the temperature starts to warm. I’m willing to bet we will not even have a cold dip in the temperature at all. It’ll go down as the year that we skipped winter.
Occupy Wall Street, good intentions, but goes against the American Dream
Posted: February 15, 2012 Filed under: Opinion piece | Tags: occupy wall street, occupy wall street and american dream 13 Comments »For a long time I’ve wanted to put my two cents in about the Occupy Wall Street movement. I have not done so yet because I see how emotional some people are about it. The majority of my facebook friends are liberal. I see so many pro occupy stuff on facebook regularly. Even though I don’t consider myself political I’m more liberal than conservative. I’ve voted for the democratic candidate in the past four presidential elections. I do not follow the news that much, but I’m pro education, pro-choice, and I think big government spending could be a good thing if quality services are provided. But I have some problems with the theology of Occupy Wall Street.
First I’ll start that the concerns the movements bring up are legitimate. Hopefully the economy is getting better but every young person deserves the chance to work. The only way to learn work ethic, customer service, teamwork, skills, and so much more is to get an entry-level job. It use to be that once someone turns 16 they could apply to fast food, retail, or other work and get experience over the summer. Now a lot of those jobs are taken by over qualified older people out of work. Teens and college kids need those summer and part time jobs. Volunteering is not the same thing, people should be paid even if it’s minimum wage. Later in life people need career entry-level jobs. How can recent college grads compete with hundreds of experienced workers in their same fields?
There is corporate greed, and it appears that the bulk of money in our country is controlled and contained by what occupy calls the one percent. This past week Mayor Bloomberg announced his preliminary budget. I’m a librarian, and the city libraries collectively are facing about a 100 million cut, more than was proposed last year. Libraries are something that can potentially serve everyone in the various NYC communities. I’ll save my library pitch for future blog entries. I just wanted to say I was fuming when Bloomberg announced this horrible doomsday budget and at the end said the saving grace was that taxes would not be raised. What I know of the tax structure is that rich and upper middle class pay the majority of taxes while the poor do not. I’m in the middle class technically and I always get a refund of some kind. So the burden of increased taxes is by far of more concern to people that are well off. Should not having a tax burden for people that can afford it more important than city services that help educate and enlighten everyone? I think it is necessary to raise taxes to continue services. I think the Occupy people would agree that education for everyone is worth the expense.
The last point I’ll mention that I agree with Occupy is that America spends too much money on wars. I heard that about a third of the federal budget is allocated to the military. A strong military is important because we have turned into the nation that protects democracy and so forth. But a third of the budget, if that’s true, is too much. Why not allocate one-fifth or one-six of the budget to defense, and then add more money to things like education, roads, and all the other things that need to be improved.
Now I’ll state my problems with Occupy Wall Street. There hasn’t been much information since the park was shut down in fall, but I’m sure in spring it will be revamped. Basically they camped out for months, toward the end the news stated there were rapes down there, and to some degree it turned into a bad scene. I did not go down there, even though I was interested in the library they created from scratch for the protesters. A friend of mine that went down there told me the smell of weed was heavy in the air. I’m not judging these kids, but if Occupy Wall Street is a ‘scene’ or like a parking lot of a concert it does not have substance. And to camp out for a few months there, I read some people stopped their studies for this, is not the best use of time for people. I’m guessing some people had breakdowns. I think it’s harmful for some of the participants to every day encounter stressful situations and confrontations.
My main beef with Occupy Wall Street is philosophical. The whole campaign is the 99 percent against the 1 percent. While I agree that there is a vast disparity between the wealthy and poor I have a different take on it. Before I state it, one of my friends argued to me that a lot of first world countries in Europe have less poverty than we do here. So I agree that there should be more of a middle class and less poverty. But the problem with focusing a whole movement against the 1 percent is that everyone wants to be in that 1 percent. All Americans growing up through different levels of school want to attain and dream about success. For the kids that play a musical instrument look up to successful musicians. For someone that looks up to Jay Z is not looking for someone in the 1 percent, but a self-made rapper in the 0.000092 percentile. For sports the real stars make a ton of money. For kids into science can look up to Nobel Prize winners. The good thing about our country is that we award the people that are very talented and succeed. Even though people always complain about our education system compared to other countries Americans produce a large portion of game changers in the world, with technology fields and creativity fields. To tell kids that they can only make as much as their parents did or a certain amount of money would ruin their dreams. The idea that people decide what they want to do, work for it, and be rewarded for success drives people. In other countries people do what their parents do, or have to test into fields at an early age. Here people can strive for what they want, and without the benefit of potential success and financial security it would be different.
Lastly, some of the super wealthy people are innovators and game changers, and can improve the world. Andrew Carnegie financed the future of libraries at the turn of the twentieth century. Today Bill Gates and Warren Buffett are philanthropists and are doing some good things. My library has scanners from a Gates grant.
Occupy Wall Street has some good points, but I think could be handled in another way, like putting pressure on the government through letters, or media campaigns. I think they are right that there are some problems and inequalities in this country. However I think we need some tweaking to our system, and not a whole overhaul. And the basic democracy and principals of this country have worked better than anywhere else.
My defense of sports
Posted: February 2, 2012 Filed under: My take on pop culture and me. 2 Comments »Three weeks, or four weeks tops into my gym fitness come back and I’m feeling quite sure of myself. I also just wrote a short story about baseball this past week. And on Sunday the Superbowl will be played. So in this entry, which will be brief since it’s past midnight on a work night, I will defend sports.
As a child I tried soccer, then baseball, before I fell in love with skateboarding in middle school and high school. Skateboarding albeit a unique one is a sport in my opinion because it takes athletic ability, one progresses at it, and there is a judgment of what is good or not.
When I focused on skating when I was younger after school each day I would spend hours at a time trying to learn. Before I was old enough to drive, a lot of times I would be outside practicing and would come home only when it was time for dinner. Today there is a change in society were kids after school simply want computer time or to play with gadgets. It’s sad that a lot of kids are inactive.
This is a digression, but a lot of people say that childhood obesity is a product of unhealthy food choices. I’m sure that is part of it, but I’d be willing to bet that lack of activity has more to do with the nationwide problem.
I think kids should be motivated to play sports, and for that they need to be inspired by something. They need to see on television or better in person something that makes them wonder how did that person do that. Every kid needs to see something athletic that gives him or her this reaction; how is that possible? I want to be able to do that, and I’m going to practice until I can do that. For kids to be inspired there needs to be professional sports, and a goal to attain or dream about.
A lot of people see professional sports as a childish dream that does not mesh with the adult world. I think the skill displayed in any sport at that level makes as much impact on society as artists, musicians, and maybe even writers. This brings the question of what is more of value, intellectual pursuits, or sports. Of course we need artists, musicians, and writers, but I think athletes can be put in cultural significance as well. Each of these disciplines takes incredibly hard work, but sports do not get the credit for making one think, but all athletes can think through situations in a very quick manner.
I never watched much football until I started watching some games with my roommate about eight years ago. When you watch a full game you see the strategy involved by the plays, and also the coordination it takes. My favorite play that you see regularly in football is when a receiver catches a ball near the sideline, and manages to keep his feet inbounds while running a full pace. I can’t imagine to focus on catching a ball, and to know precisely where your feet are. Millions of kids want to be able to do that, and if they practice toward it I think that’s okay.
In high school I ran track only for two years, my junior and senior year. Even though in my adult years, my exercise routines are sporadic, I know how to get in shape from running. I think the more kids fall in love with sports, and are given the opportunity and support to practice, society will be healthier because healthy kids more than likely became healthy adults.
Taking it easy and progressing at the same time
Posted: January 28, 2012 Filed under: My good days. Diary/log, My life 2 Comments »Sometimes changing things up a little bit can be rejuvenating. That has been the case for me for the last three weeks. During the weeks or months of the holidays I went out quite a bit. I’m glad that I have friends to socialize with, but when you’re out three or so times a week it’s hard to get things done. Maybe I had a delayed drive to do some resolution stuff, but I’ve followed through on making some changes on how I spend my spare time.
First I started to politely decline offers to go out. In the future I’ll see these people, they are all my friends, and I’m sure they understood that I need time by myself. With time available I finally got into a gym schedule that makes sense. For the past three weeks I’ve been going to the gym on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday nights. And I go on either Saturday or Sunday. This totals four workouts that I lift and run a week. It is a little more regular and more intense that the three times a week I tried to do in fall.
I wouldn’t call it cooking. But having cereal, easy to boil noodles, fruit, and other easy to make food at home has decreased my spending bills. So on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday when I get back from the gym I can eat simply and not have to go out again for takeout. I work late Monday and Thursday, and I’ve been eating cheaply at home on those nights too.
Over the past month I’ve read a little more, which I find is easier to do when I stay in. I can kind of make a routine, and I have my comfy chair in my room. Sometimes I do dork around on the computer, but not everything has to be productive, and there are worse things to do than watching videos on youtube or listening to Pandora.
Lastly, and the change I’m most proud of is that I wrote a short story this week. I signed up for another class at Gotham Writers. The first class was last Sunday. I decided to sign up to pass my story out at the next class to be critiqued the following week. So basically I had a deadline. For months now I’ve thought about this story. The teacher said the maximum length for a story was 15 pages double-spaced. My concept of a story was longer than that. I quickly figured out how to shorten it. On Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday nights I wrote it out by hand. On Thursday like a maniac I typed up the whole thing. It ended up being 13 pages and 4,000 words. Today I fixed the obvious typos, and on Sunday when I pass it out, I’ll say it’s a first draft, and ask for suggestions on how to revise. I learned from this that ideas I have for stories I just need to think it over a little bit and then start writing.
I feel I’m taking it easy in some ways but also improving quite a bit at writing, and my general health. And tomorrow I plan to skate (50 degrees in late January) and have a relaxed dinner with some friends.
Headphones ruin memories, an Opinion with no research at all.
Posted: January 21, 2012 Filed under: Lifestyle choices, My attempts at humor, My take on pop culture and me. Leave a comment »I’m 34 going on 84 with this entry. I have not used my blog to simply say my opinions, and I’ll try to start with this one. The topic at hand is Ipods, or the fact that everyone walking around wears headphones listening to their own little soundtrack. Right now I have headphones and I’m listening to Pandora as I type while my roommate watches television in the same room. But I do not walk around with headphones on in public!
Safety first. To me when I’m walking through NYC I like that I can hear cars at intersections, or if someone is walking around me. I know that NYC is supposedly safer than Disney World these days, but being aware of one surroundings is important. If there is a danger, or a collision about to be made, having the sense of hearing can give one a heads up. I used to run on the streets with headphones, so that is all I will say about safety.
My main beef with headphones is that people think it gives them the right not to be bothered, and not to be approached. A few years ago in Forest Hills, a more well to do part of Queens, I saw a sight that pissed me off. This kind of attractive women in her twenties took off her headphones, got ugly, and said to an elderly immigrant woman, ‘Do you not see that I have headphones on? That means I’m don’t want to talk to anyone, *(&^%.” I realized that this elderly woman was simply asking for directions. I thought the younger woman really reacted like a spoiled child, and anyone lost should be able to ask directions. Wearing headphones does not simply erase being decent to other people. The street map in Queens and the city can be confusing, and I’m glad that when I ask directions, people respond with an answer. The people I’ve asked for directions might give me the directions, think they know and give wrong directions, or say they don’t know. But I’ve very rarely been chewed out for asking directions. And I’m not a meek old lady with an accent. So headphones or no headphones, that woman was out of line.
But I think a lot of people in this city wear headphones for that exact reason, so they can avoid conversations with strangers. It’s kind of weird concept. That on your commute to your job, or from point A to B, you can close off encounters and background noise by just having your own soundtrack. I’m a fan of music, but either at home on my computer, or in a bar where the musical experience is shared with the people in the establishment. I like that I can be aware on my commutes. If someone asks me directions, and I can point them toward the right way, I feel good, not pressed upon.
Lastly, I’m not the first to point this off in the skate world. But if you’re skating with people I think it’s rude to wear headphones, it’s nulls the shared experience. On a larger scale of that, I think wearing headphones in any group situation or around people is rude. I think memorable events for everyone involves a group of characters. To tell a good personal story, you need to remember what other people said, what the surroundings were, and the string of events. If people have their headphones on all the time, they are cutting of several perceptual senses, and therefore have less interesting things happen to them. That’s a stretch, but is an idea. I think to be part of something you need to be there, and not in a personal soundtrack la la land.
Trying to accept the fact I can’t grow full beards by shaving
Posted: January 11, 2012 Filed under: My good days. Diary/log, My life | Tags: facial hair, hair styles, winter beard Leave a comment »
More than ten days have passed since I wrote up a blog entry. Should one write about anything to keep a schedule or should one wait until they have something to write about? From my experience with blogging, it needs to be regular, which means at least once a week. Then you get views from the people you email the post, and those that see it on facebook, twitter, and other sites. But the more your write on different subjects the more searches can get to your blog. Because of that I think more is better, and it only takes one media person to link a post on a major site to get exposure. I really do not have much to talk about today, so I’m going to stoop low and talk about hair, facial hair that is.
For the past few winters I got the itch to grow a beard. My facial hair is not the fullest, and is kind of straggly. To a certain point it looks good. One friend 3 or 4 years ago told me the trick is to shave your neck, and that gives some boundaries for the beard and makes it look better. I decided in early November to grow a beard so I would have one for my thanksgiving holiday. I had my beard until tonight, and other than shaving my neck every few days I did not trim it at all.
Over dinner on Sunday, my sister kind of looked at my beard and said, “It’s starting to look a little wild.” With that statement she kind of had a smile or an expression to make me think it was getting out of control. My sister is a very smart woman, and knows a lot about fashion. She told me years ago never to buy pleated slacks, but always get flat front slacks. And she is right.
Anyway, my beard was freshly on my mind. On Monday morning after a quick shower before work I headed out toward the bus stop. I put my hand on my beard and noticed it was still wet. We have had some super warm weather recently, but what happens when it does get really cold. Would I have a frozen beard? When I eat pizza, does the grease stay on my beard and chin? If my nose starts running, would the snot stay on my mustache? I’m not a neat freak, but maybe it’s called being ‘clean’ shaven because it’s more hygienic.
Today at work, my beard is still on my mind. I asked a few coworkers. Someone pointed out either trim it or shave it off. A few customers made funny but nice comments on it, so I decided I would shave it off. Originally I planned to keep it until April, but I guess I’m a quitter.
On the bus ride home I saw a dude that had a thick beard. I could grow it until next thanksgiving, and mine would not look like a manly beard. So I came home and walked to my barber, but the barber closed at seven. So I got some food, came home, and started the long process of shaving. I started with a small pair of scissors I use to trim my nose hair. And then I found a disposable razor, and then I used the expensive razor. This felt like it took a long time.
One thing I was on the fence about shaving my beard was if I did that at the barber, I would have to get a hair cut too. But by shaving myself I can continue to let my hair grow.
I’m not trying to tell people not to grow beards with this blog entry, but encourage people to try different things and do what works. For me, I don’t think facial hair works, unless I spent time styling it, which I won’t do.
2011 year in review, 2012 new year goals, and 2011 book lot
Posted: December 31, 2011 Filed under: My goals for self improvement, My good days. Diary/log, My reviews Leave a comment »Happy New Year everyone! I’m going to review my last year, set my 2012 goals, and give you my 2011 reading log, all in this one entry. I am also going to make an effort to write in shorter paragraphs and say what I need to say with fewer words.
Winter was cold. My skating was solid up until January and then it was sporadic practically until April. My memory is kind of hazy of January through March 2011, but I guess nothing traumatic happened.
In late April I took a solo trip to Las Vegas. To say it was a spiritual journey would be a stretch. But it was important for me to travel by myself. I made my itinerary and did what I wanted. When you travel with people there is always a compromise, but by myself I was able to do things I wanted. I skated every day, saw nature sites, and had nights out. I’d like to travel more, but not in 2012, I need to get to where I can pay for my trips, and not charge them. Now I want to travel, whereas before my Vegas trip I thought I didn’t have an interest in going places. Here is my ridiculously long blog entry after the trip. {Vegas blog entry }
In spring I skated quite a bit, but a lot of my focus was in my library work with advocacy against the budget cuts. Aside from the yearly budget threat and a low materials budget work is going well. I’ve been at the same location, and have been able to concentrate on improving services. I get a lot out of work and feel that librarianship is the career for me. Here is an advocacy blog I wrote about this year’s read in. {24 hour read in }
In June I was suppose to go to Toledo for a full week of vacation. I planned to skate, read, write, and hang out. My parents changed that when they say they needed help cleaning out the farm in Virginia. So I flew into Detroit, and we drove down to Virginia. It’s beautiful down there, and I’m glad I went. Here’s my entry with a lot of good pictures. {Farm entry }
Over the summer it was beastly hot and affected my skating big time. I remember on some days only being out for an hour or less, being winded, and sweating profusely. I did not skate as much this summer as I planned too. In August I vacationed down in Florida with my whole immediate family, it was a great time. I try to read a lot on my vacation, and here is the blog entry I wrote about my Florida vacation. {Florida reading }
September, October, November, and December had lovely weather. I think after a lull I’ve finally started to progress some at skating and I’m having fun. I’ve made a routine of skating Flushing Meadows, and I’ve blogged several entries on how I like my weekend skating routing.
This fall I also took a writing class that was beneficial. I think discussing writing for 3 hours on Sundays motivates me, and I think I want to seriously pursue writing. My goal is a short story a month. And after I have some bulk I’ll revise hopefully with more detachment.
During thanksgiving I went home and it was a nice visit with family. And I did get to skate a couple new parks in the Northwest Ohio area.
Overall 2011 was a good year for me, and I documented it well on my blog. I think that is one thing that I’ve been consistent at is writing of a blog every week or so.
2012 GOALS
- I need to get back to the gym pronto. It’s amazing how easy it is to stop working out, and how difficult in can be to get back into the routine. I haven’t been to the gym since well before Thanksgiving. So I’ll be just as bad as all the other resolution people.
- Live healthier. That means being moderate on nights out or abstaining altogether. I need to at least check out a book on general nutrition, and make an effort to not eat junk food. I seem to have a sugar tooth, and like fried things, and grease. I’ll start small like stopping drinking soda, but I need to have a good all around diet and lifestyle.
- Try to progress at skating, and other pursuits in my life.
- Meet more people, listen better to others, and not focus on myself all the time.
READING HABITS
Lastly for this entry, here is my 2011 reading log. I read less than 2010, but maybe more variety. I learned I really like a good autobiography on rock n’ rollers. I enjoyed both the Keith Richards and Patti Smith memoirs greatly. I spent a great deal of time reading ‘Buddenbrooks’ by Thomas Mann and did not finish it. Since I didn’t finish it, I can’t put it on the list! Also with better selections for my work book club, I’m getting a lot of good reading from that too and really enjoy that part of my work.
2011 Book Log
- The Island Beneath the Sea by Isabel Allende. January
- Giavonni’s Room by James Baldwin, January
- Schizophrenia, a very short introduction by Christopher Firth. February
- Finding Nouf by Zoe Ferraris. February
- Angels of the Universe by Eina Margudmussen. March
- The Heretic’s Daughter by Kathleen Kent. March
- Down and out in Paris and London. George Orwell. March
- Shattered by Karen Robards. April
- City of Thieves by David Bernioff. April
- Life by Keith Richards. April/May
- The Zookeepers Wife by Diane Ackerman. May
- Someone Knows my Name by Laurence Hill. June
- Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter Thompson. June
- Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier. July
- You Believers by Jane Bradley. July/August
- Their Eyes Were Watching God by Neale Zora Hurston. August.
- Goodbye, Columbus by Phillip Roth. August
- Herzog by Saul Bellow. August
- Witches by Rould Dahl. August
- Every Last One. By Anne Quindlen. September
- Light in August by William Faulkner. September/October
- Just Kids by Patti Smith. October
- Indfidel by Ayan Hirshi Ali. November
- Fatal Convictions by Randy Singer. November/December
- The assistant by Bernard Malamud. December
- The marriage Plot by Jeffrey Euginides. December (almost finished)
Review of Transworld Skateboarding 30 most influential skaters.
Posted: December 21, 2011 Filed under: My reviews, Skateboarding | Tags: 30 most influential skaters, matt hensley, rodney mullen, steve cabellero, tony alva, Transworld Skateboarding, transworld skateboarding magazine Leave a comment »Transworld 30 most influential skaters , (link to Transworld online article)
I’m not sure if many people review magazines, but I think it’s worth giving a shot. Out of my library I checked out the new Transworld Skateboarding magazine, January 2012, and I think I’ll return it, go to a store and buy a copy.
To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Transworld they decided to highlight the 30 most influential skateboarders of all time. Thrasher also celebrated their 30th anniversary recently, and it’s interesting they both started around the same time. What makes this issue of Transworld so unique is that they interview all of the 30 people listed, and about 6 additional people about their own careers and the history of skateboarding. Also throughout the main article they have a timeline of important events in skateboarding.
They list Duane Peters, Tony Alva, and Steve Cabellero in the top 30. Duane Peters and Tony Alva are over 50 years old, and Steve Cabellero is approaching 50. All three continue to skate well. In the magazine Steve Cabellero states he now likes getting older because he can continue to push the boundaries and can see how long he can keep at it.
Also listed were several vert and street skaters from the 1980’s. Lance Mountain says some interesting things in his interview, and I also enjoyed Matt Hensley’s interview.
On the timeline for the year 2007 the magazine states this about the Lakai video, “Mike Carroll and Eric Koston prove the 90’s generation is still comfortably in the driver’s seat.” (page 129) I always felt it amazing that some of this guys were popular when I was in high school, and still are pro and testing the limits. Several skaters on this list are from my generation. I think skaters in their mid thirties now that skated through the late 1980’s to the mid 1990’s did see skating become dynamic. In the magazine it states that Rodney Mullen invented the 360 flip in 1987. That was right before I started to skate. That trick must have caught on like wild fire, because by 1989 it was common. Also Blind’s Video Days came out in 1991, and The Questionable Video came out in 1992, and they had a much different image and trick variation with just a year between release dates.
Anyone that would think about the most influential skaters would agree that Rodney Mullen, Tony Hawk, and Mark Gonzales would place at the top of the list. Out of the 30 skaters though, I recognized almost all of them, and could think a few important skaters not on the list. It really shows that even though skateboarding is very individual, a lot of people contributed to the progression of the sport. I also enjoyed that this issue interviewed the skaters, and had a long interview with the rated most influential skater Mark Gonzales. A running theme of the skaters that made the list was longevity. Their impact was over a long span, and they still skate.
Anyway I’ll keep this short. If you skate or skated at some point, go get this issue of Transworld.
Here is one of Mark Gonzales’s famous clips:
