America's next Baseball

As much as I love skateboarding, Chris Troy, kids, and analyzing people's handwriting, this cultural phenomena makes me sad. This past weekend while at Dew Tour in Boston, I sat cheering amongst adults who knew nothing about skateboarding aside from "Ryan Sheckler" and "P Rod". Their children rushing the edges of the stands as soon as a pro skater was in sight. Meanwhile I applauded Vanessa Torres, Amy Caron, Lacey Baker, Eli Reed, Bastian Salabanzo, Greg Lutzka, and Sierra Fellers and contemplated the future of skateboarding from within a giant basketball stadium. After the surprise appearances of Red Bull's Shawn White and Travis Pastrana (this guy doesnt even skateboard), who both recited "stoke" speeches, I became sentimental for the simplicity of skateboarding in a park with people. Started to resent being one of these anxious, non-skateboarding spectators. Conversely, perhaps I am glad to not be one of the skateboarders who is skating for someone/some sponsor!

I've realized how much power skateboarding has lately. It's cultural influence has reached the masses. You can find evidence of legitimate skateboarding culture in photography for Urban Outfitters catalogs, and purchase various "skateboards" at Target. There is even a "teen focused meat snack brand" involved in sponsoring these events along with various sugar-water companies. There's validity in supporting the skateboarding industry, and as a creative person I want to offer some responsibility in that. A more authentic progression of skateboarding is worth fighting for.

im about to sleep when im dead

you know its bad when this song/video is your sanity.
ok—kale, too.

PHASES

New moons are the new full moons. After a 12 hour work day, tonight my car got broken in to. Now I sit at home and watch a University of Minnesota building burn. The faint smell of burning rubber and the people fighting above me will certainly soothe me to sleep.

A Declaration for Real Time

Junk


Recently was told that I need to "update my blogs or delete them, they are boring."
This is me trying to connect with people on a different social level, or not at all.
A real time ultimatum.

daily oregon

sorry. this is all i got. not going back to you for a while yet.

TWITTER DRULZ

MYSTERESE.COM @ everyone: my liver hurts. too much party. less than a minute ago from old laptop. in reply to everyone who thinks we care

KINDA SICK'UH IT

blog after blog after blog after blog

STRATEGY

A sad strategy. A perfect photograph. Al Grillo for the New York Times.

TROUBLED YOUTH

Circa 1997. Imagine this plus 40" wide legged JNCO's. everyday.

WHY WIN?

So it is time to address this poll to the right here. Staying in Minnesota won by a landslide. Now, there is a concern that this electoral collage was rigged, by my parents. Judging by their technical skills, I would say that is near impossible. Either way, I dont think a vote actually clarifies anything. I still have no idea what I am going to do until I am doing it.

This is the same sentiment I will feel when I mail out my ballot. Yes, I get to vote this weekend. I don't expect my vote to really count for much, and I am going to be prepared with a punching bag at my side when the nomination is announced anyway. Four years ago, I was working to get out the vote for change with an organization called Democracy Matters. My friends and I worked tirelessly throughout the city of Duluth. Despite the sad ending, Duluth was acknowledged with having the highest voter turnout out of any city in the country! 91% of our citizens voted! An hour before the polls closed, I literally took the hand of a stoned college student and led him to the poll that was right across the street from his house! No excuses, vote at least to say you did something.

I feel like I am not doing anything.

HIPSTERESE

not calling myself a hipster, here. but this article has perplexed me for a while. how is the world responding? hot off the html, read how to LOVE YOURSELF, HIPSTER.

*caution. both articles are best read along with reader commentary.

to: everyone

I believe that we have a tremendous amount of idealism and hope coming to our streets today, to speak out for change. Change is what we really need. It is HORRIBLE that our police forces and tax dollars are going to suppress that idealism and that energy rather than celebrate it. What is happening in the streets really is a democratic exercise. We should be embracing that. As an attorney, I embrace people exercising their rights. I wish that was what the entire city was doing.
Everyones gettin outraged about the anarchists. We are not threatened. Our public security is not threatened by a blockade in the street. Our society can survive if a the RNC runs an hour or two behind schedule if a delegate bus is delayed. We can deal with this without violating human rights. Recognizing the right to protest doesnt mean sending emails. It means gettin out in the streets. Speaking loud, and maybe doin things that not everyone approves of but is not violent and does not threaten our society.

-pres. Minnesota National Lawyer's Guild

BLOGS = NARCISSISM?

please hate me for this, please.

i have discovered an ethical way to eat meat; DO IT FOR THE LOVE OF IT.
(as in love for this most potent of protein. for your health!)

after 4 years of fear, i am back on beef.

i went to high school once

in this video, snowboarders are trying so appear so badass.
(hoax-style)

im so glad the blog frames cut this shit short. THEY DONT EVEN BIKE TO ROCKNROLLLLL

its decided

i very recently and very intensely decided i am going to buy a motorcycle soon. like, when im outta school next year.
cant wait!!


dont asky me why, either. its just that my hair is getting so long (again, no idea why its this long--except its lookin great because kate cut it in january!) so i might as well fit the character and join up on riding the back of the wind with other angsty greasers!
(i am so damn sick of cars, people driving a whole car with just themselves (like me), cell phone companies, corporations and oh i am going to love my relationship with direct loans for the rest of my life.
by this time next year, i will be in alaska, hopefully without a phone. just a website, portfolio, and job. just me and the back of the wind.)

cripes! i wish i hadnt discovered that vbs.tv now works on our server. im really bummed that jerry hsu and louie barletta didnt demo with enjoi last week at renegade.

sometimes i wish i could do this. all of this. anything to feel more real than electronics, paper, grids and graphics. device device.
i should de-vice for only 2 more weeks of school!

winter soldier

WHY ISNT THERE A MASSIVE REVOLT AGAINST THE WAR?! WHAT IS WRONG WITH US?

these veterans are the only people worth listening to until then.
real people, folks. Iraq Veterans Against the War
I dont care that some vets had glamorized visions in their heads about heroism, masculinity, and domination by signing up. I dont even care if they signed up because they were weak enough to 'not see any other way to pay for college' and all the bullshit. Sometimes, like two of my best friends in high school, the service is their heritage. Probably never in history has there been such deception and mistreatment of people who have given up their lives for our political regime.
read this, and do something massive.

anti-RNC will win in '08.

dog days f'real

so it can't be any coincidence that i peered at this top 10 smartest/dumbest dog slideshow this morning, only to then disprove that entire proclamation with the findings of THIS!!!!!

Xtreme Pete!