Weekender

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MC BOOST!!!

Despite MCs many warnings of how nice it was going to be, we went to 4Seasons on Sunday. The weather called for 30% chance of showers all day however it did not rain until night... But, we had a load of fun anyway!!



Karpenter Keith has been joining us lately which rules!! Hope he stays in the gang this season.



FatUSAKevin was along for the Sunday debouchery and had a blast!! These pics say it all!



We also had a sesh last Thursday with a big crew. The afore mentioned boardskaters and Tristen, Pat, Skateropolis Mike and Ray. SOOO FUN!

CarWash IV

So now I am out again... Not really but I am just done with the status I previously had... I am still an OG Carwasher and will show up for a sesh once in a while or on an off day for a few. I will donate with gratitude. It was an easy solution to a nasty situation. I know I would be tormented all winter about the "changes" so if I am not paying for those changes literally then I will have better piece of mind. I just have to seek other options now.

Sorry to those I am pissing off but I have to do what works for me here. I am done paying for others to skate.

MC, Dacia and Capt'n Phil and I joined together for our first Milwaukee sesh of the season. Hopefully Thursday and Sundays will be a regular thing... I bought a membership to the park this year so I hope to make the most of it. You have to go 12 times to break even. If all fairs well, I will go more than that!

We ended with a nice meal at the Palomino and even though I stayed away from fried stuff - my stomach was not happy. We also had a 45 minute delay. They shut the highway down and we had to take a nasty detour. UGH! Thanks C of Mil for letting us know it was planned. A sign or two would have helped.

But all is well... I finished an underpainting today and am going to skate Krush with Mr. Owen and Cheryl.

CARwash III

I was just informed of some changes that will occur. Smoking will be allowed on the first floor now. So this means that the 2nd hand smoke will be lingering on the 2nd floor while we skate. There are also proposed changes to the streetcourse, and a spine mod to the ramp... If this happens, I am most likely out again... FUn!

carwash II

I guess, I have reconsidered my life and future over the last week! I decided to stay in the city and not move to a crap house that I would spend all my time fixing. I decided to stay with the carwash. Even though it is an expense - it is so nice to go somewhere and skate a few times a week without driving an hour away and dealing with groms... It is so close to my apt and great for a quick sesh on a bad weather day.

So, I guess the next year or so I am keeping my life as it is. Good decision I think! I began to see that death was immanent if I chose the other path. The artwork is just getting good and hopefully the indoor season will revive my skating. I am making some personal resolutions, like getting out to art exhibits more often, and get my work out there!!!

The next question is to either stay in my place or move? decisions decisions...

carwash

To top it all off, I quit the carwash. I may have done it too soon but was given an "out" and I took it... Ugh again.. I found out later that lots of others now have keys and I feel bad because they are now in and I am out. If I knew that maybe I would have reconsidered... Well - I paid for September so I am not officially out yet I guess. But I already am leery about gong there because I know I am the enemy now... Paranoid? maybe.

At the same time, it is good for the spot and well... I am glad more people joined up. I really was not skating there much last year. I built my own ramp for goodness sake!! But now I want back in - On the fence again... shit

Earlier conversations involved the option of me taking it over and I came to the conclusion that if I had it - the design would change a great deal and then nobody would skate there... SO, I am really glad Soma took it over and I think he will do a great job keeping things together..

As for my future - I am still on the fence... Ugh.. All I know is that I am getting ready to go skate at the park I have been not too stoked on for the last 2 years and I am a hypocrite.

skate?

Nike demo carnage

Skateboarding has been going as usual. I did keep my sessions trimmed down in a much better schedule. After the big trip this summer, my body was trashed. I had some back problems and more recently knee issues. But with the cut down schedule I think things are getting back to normal now.

We had all kinds of events recently, a demo for Nike which was uneventful in terms of Pro sitings but the local sesh was one of the best in months!! All the dudes were out and we all got wrecked but still kept skating. Owen and Salon John were on and it was great!! The Uprise dudes showed up later in the sesh and put on a great show too..


City Of Chicago maintenance

But for the past many weeks I was/am pretty burned out, especially dealing with the parks in this area. But I have spent the past 2 months getting used to the usual stuff that goes on and am a local again. We had such beautiful weather in September that I must say, it is a difficult adjustment moving to rainy, cold October.

I am the type that is very sensitive to the seasons, physically and emotionally. I often get all nostalgic in the Spring, depressed in the Winter, care-free in the Summer and reflective in Fall. Fall also is change and I always seem to go for big changes or projects in the Fall... For example I built my 80s vert ramp that I ride alone last Fall... I moved back to the city as well... And as long as we are on that subject, I was really feeling the itch to move and buy a house?

I missed out on a big opportunity over the summer on a house that I have been drooling over for years.. It sold for 110 and I never would have imagined! The new owners destroyed it already - I'll have to sneek pics.

So anyway I went through this whole need to build more stuff and a calling to get some concrete projects going. I let my imagination run away and suddenly got pre-approved on a home loan. I went through the ritual of looking for property and seeing that it is too expensive. Then looking for homes with a barn and property and knowing it was way too much for where I want to be. Then looking at all the modern homes that are barely affordable but are in areas that will not increase, only decrease and the taxes are too high. ANd the final option, looking at burned out houses in crap neighborhoods that are worthless and cheap... So what do I do? once again, I guess stay where I am?

ugh

I do not want to be in the burbs and am really calling for the rural life - but then again, I will miss the city. I used to think that maybe I could get a really cheap home, fix it up and use it as a weekend house. But I don't make enough to do stuff like that... I think the best situation is my current one, cheap rent, no responsibility, no maintenance, no parking, but savings every month..

art

So I have succeeded in my quest to make art on a larger scale/output again. I have relegated my time and really have been getting things going. I am pretty secretive but I will put one image out there. It is a drawing I finished recently. I have been working things out for quite some time now and finally am doing what I wanted to do 10 years ago before I went to grad school number II. SO I am kinda stoked but also worried that it will suck or people will not get it.

They may be repulsed by the work actually which is good. Because, the studies/series leading up to this one is well received by artists but not so much understood by others...

This piece has now been completed in the Reverse Scratch Technique that I do. I currently have 7 in that technique, 2 drawings and 5 paintings that I am working on in Technique Mixte' (oil painting). I also have 6 more panels that need 2 more coats of gesso and will start drawing on those next weekend. The agenda for this weekend is to get stage three of the under painting done on the said 5... Hope it works out.

umm......

Well it has been a while since my last confession. I am currently trying to update my laptop because it will not recognize my iphone since the OS update a few weeks back... I am also currently at PANERA bread where I like to go to get away from it all for a bit. Also to browse the INTERNET with the WIFI that comes with a coffee.. My original plan when I moved back in the city last year was to go to a cool coffee shop, become a regular and meet some babe who also loves coffee and is too cheep to pay comcast for wifi..

However, I always seem to end up at the Panera in Matteson, IL where there are less babes. ?

So, my chances are slim especially in my current physical state. I already put on the winter weight and it is OcT? SO I remain babeless.. My family is worried and wondering why I have not married a babe yet? Well, I have lots of explaining to do. It mostly has to deal with an individual who has now moved half way around the world. I know. I guess I do have a problem.. At least it is not with playing Warcraft 24/7...

But enough about the pity blog. School has been going well. It will be week 7 on MOnday and that means midterm tests begin for the next three weeks. SO, I'll be cramming grading in every pocket of time. But it is good! That means I am working, I have a job and people that look at me like a criminal because I have a killer schedule can suck it.

Lately it seems like people are suspicious of corruption in anyone. I can tell you that I am the least corrupt of most individuals I know. And I do not compliment my self or self prop - ever! So that can say it. But it bugs me when I am questioned... Mostly by family every time I see them. Do you have a job? Are you really full-time? blah blah blah... I just have to explain to them that yes, I do have a job. It took about 10-11 years of school plus a good 3 years to get the job and another 3 to get tenure. So 17 years in the making. F- off!! Because I worked for this and now I have it and it rules!! Even if some of the co-workers are butts. Most of the people are wonderful to work with and the students rock!! And that is what matters the most - the students.

I'll stop before I begin naming names and go off on some people that really suck. But I have to say that people on Facebook like to criticize my typos.. Sorry that I have an iPhone and it autocorrects all words into what it wants and whatever - I am not an English teacher. I teach Art History and Studio. I am not a genius, F-off!