Even more things that I’ve learned being a teenage skatepunk

October 24, 2009 – 10:54 pm

I’ve never been so keenly aware of precipitation and the chance of snow. I watch the weather forecasts very closely. I am constantly thinking that this could very well be the last run of the season. Such is the life I live.

Today I hit it hard after a week of rain. The last place I left off was at the Eyota skate park doing slappy rail slides after work. I was starting to get some distance on their low rail. I liked that. Wiped out hard once. Tore up my knuckle a bit on the left hand. I always suck at skateboarding straight away after work. Especially in Eyota. So shitty. They have this obscenely huge quarter pipe that I hate.

So crisp this morning. Highlights included ollie to frontside boardslide, ollies down the stairs in front of the WSU library, slappies and speed, speed and more speed. I bailed so hard at one point today I was quite sure I had dislocated my spine. I walked it off feeling tough and cool. Still waiting to feel it tomorrow morning. I also crossed the tracks where Bruce “Ernie” Streng lost his life last week. So sad. A train passed by as I walked between the tracks and the WSU football field. I was tired of skating. The sun was warm.

Lessons learned on the mean streets of Winona:

I’d like to say that all skateboard tricks are 99% confidence but it’s just not true. In fact, thinking that way will get you hurt really quick. I’d say it’s fifty fifty. Physically you know what you can do. Fatigue is my worst enemy. Once I wear out I have less muscle control, things get sloppy and then I fall. I try to avoid those scenarios.

Punks that yell, “kickflip” when you skate by them deserve nothing but your middle finger.

Girls always always like skateboarders.

Careful on wet leaves.

Motorists are completely helpless when a skateboarder approaches an intersection at the same they do. It’s best to guide them.

Playgrounds are sanctuaries from the police and pesky property owners.

Leaves:

Love, The Cult

She Sells Sanctuary, The Cult

Boys Don’t Cry, The Cure

A Forest, The Cure

Charlotte Sometimes, The Cure

Human After All, Daft Punk


I did it my way

October 19, 2009 – 9:02 pm

Sitting – staring at my skateboard while my computer uploads a photo to Flickr. So irritated with myself for dropping skateboarding. All that time gone. Alas.

tedfoo12 976x1024  I did it my way

Let’s do our best to make up for lost time.


The life aquatic

October 18, 2009 – 9:40 pm

It all started out with a five gallon starter tank and a Betta named Nimh. After a week Nimh died (so typical of Bettas) and we immediately repopulated the tank with three Serpae tetra. At this point I bought more accessories and a ten gallon tank. I  wanted our fish to be happy and have the option to spread out even though they tend to stick together.

Yesterday’s addition of three Cardinal tetra and a Cory now has me thinking twenty gallons or fifty. I see a pattern developing. The  aquariums at Pet Smart come in all different sizes. Quaint villages, the suburbs (biOrb Life) and major metropolises.  I’m starting to think along the lines of perhaps – EMPIRE.

I also bought two easy drop-in plastic plants (creates instant interest!), two aquarium light bulbs tinted blue to bring out fluorescent highlights and a small Balinese lantern aquarium ornament. You know, so the fish could feel more, exotic.

I think I’ve created a nice little community of fish with a touch of the bucolic Far East. I am obviously quite pleased.

No names for the fish yet. That being the only disappointment. My inability to name fish. There are two groups. I’ve settled on gang names. The Cardinal tetras being “The Jets” and the Serpae tetras being “The Sharks”.

West Side Story:

tedfoo11 1024x676  The life aquatic

My aquarium


<3

October 16, 2009 – 9:41 pm

flickr418 1024x680  <3


Yesterday’s run to the grocery store

October 11, 2009 – 8:47 am

Last night we made dinner for my mom and dad. The main dish was from a recipe called, Chicken Bundles. C_ had made a special run to the grocery store but forgot vegetables for salad. Oh – and bread. Mom loves bread with dinner.

The grocery store is about six blocks away. Beautiful fall day. Bright, crisp and clear. All the cliches in a time frame of two hours. I decided to skateboard over to the store.

Everything felt just right about skateboarding. The poetry of it. I even ollied the “Winona Savings Bank Gap” – about a two foot gap between the bank’s ramp to walk-up service and an arbitrary curb that runs next to it. I’ll take a picture sometime. Regardless, it was one of my goals before the snow flies – which should be any day now. The rest of the run was just nice carves. I like smacking the tail of my skateboard on the curb when I fly off. It’s such a good sound.

Dinner was awesome. Mom and Dad brought a lemon meringue pie for dessert.

Feeling weird and good:

My Old Flame, John Vanderslice

Finer Feelings, Spoon

Silver Lining, Rilo Kiley

To Be Young, Ryan Adams

Touch to Feel, Girl Talk

Goodbye, Asobi Seksu


Live blogging my morning, one song at a time…

October 10, 2009 – 7:29 am

Hey it’s Saturday morning and I’ve got a little bit of coffee next to me and the Purple Rain sountrack playing on the computer. Hello computer!  Oh call me some sort of romantic but Prince’s Purple Rain has always been the soundtrack of my dreams. Peacocks, tall buildings made of pristine marble and the apocalypse-  all mixed in with When Doves Cry. It’s really pretty and terrible.

*Baby I’m a Star, Prince

And that’s about all I can take of Prince (skipping  Baby I’m a Star). Christ. You do have to admire Prince though – creating an entire career around a soundtrack to a horrible movie about a fictional account of his life (he succeeds!). That’s savvy.

*8 Ball, Underworld

Hey wait, this song is from The Beach soundtrack. iTunes seems to be kicking up a lot soundtracks on the shuffle. God this coffee is good.

*There’s no home for you here, The White Stripes

So, the idea is to go out for a photo walk this morning in place of my bike ride. Blistering cold out , 34?F!

*My Mathematical Mind, Spoon

Camera – check. Full of coffee and Kashi – check. Sunrise, 7:15a – check. Stocking cap – check.

DSC 0001 1024x676  Live blogging my morning, one song at a time…

Time to freeze. Bye now.


Just the place

October 5, 2009 – 6:30 am

flickrscans708 1023x669  Just the place


New scale, new season

October 3, 2009 – 6:49 am

For some odd reason, C_ and I decided to buy a new scale last night. I suppose it was out of curiosity. Our old scale had a needle and was probably more accurate pointing out true north than registering true zero.  So we got a digital scale. Accurate within like .03 lbs. Of course we registered more weight on the new scale (approx. 2 lbs) but like, who cares? North is toward the river and that I know for sure.

Not much skateboarding lately. Rain and more rain. Bummed. Considering a move to southern California.

Self-centered prick:

Take On Me, A-Ha

Oh Me, Nirvana

Knowing me, knowing you, ABBA

Here I Am (Come and Take Me), Al Green

All of Me, Billie Holiday

Army of Me, Bjork

Close to Me, The Cure

Levitate Me, Pixie