Skatin

I´ve been skating a few times this past week and it´s been pretty humbling. This past decade I haven´t learned anything. Nowadays you´re happy if you can keep up with 10% of the tricks you once had.

And when you skate here in Sweden 90% of all skaters are under 25, maybe even under 20. So it´s a little different than skating in California where my skate buddies are all over 30.

I must admit it feels like people here in Sweden look at you weird when I carry my skateboard around. Not that it bothers me, it´s just kind of funny that some would look down on a guy over 30 that skateboards.
But if the cool "I´m-35-and-I-have-a-little-beer-gut-that-I´m-trying-to-get-rid-of-by-going-to-the-gym-where-I-also-stare-at-15-year-younger-girls-while-also-adoring-yourself-because-you-own-a-2008-Mustang-and-a-€400,000-apartment-in-Birkastan-which-the-20-year-old-girl´s-surfer-boyfriend-doesn´t" would have a little sit down with say: Tony Hawk, Eric Koston, Rob Dyrdek, Spike Jonze, Rick Howard, Steve Berra, Jamie Thomas, Josh Kalis or Danny Way I think they would see skating in a different way. And if not maybe the millions of dollars in the bank would impress them because I think that´s really important to guys like Aftonbladet´s (Swedens´s biggest newspaper) Petter Ottsjo (peter.ottsjo@aftonbladet.se) who thinks it´s pathetic that "old men" skateboard.

I bet Petter feels really cool wearing shoes that were made by skateboarders.., or maybe he isn´t the sneaker type. I bet loafers or sailing shoes.. maybe Fred Perry or Lacoste sneakers on casual Fridays.
Given the opportunity (however unlikely), I wonder if Petter would ask Spike Jonze why he owns a skateboard company and why he skates..?

On the other hand I think that´s why a lot of people are attracted to skating, because it separates them from narrow minded tools like Petter.

I can try and explain to people why I started skating and while I still do it (well, on occasion) but they will never get it. If you get it you wouldn´t ask me.

My friend Todd just did a short Todcast at quicksilver.com where he rides around the Del Mar skatepark with his friends Micha and Chad. Todd is 39, turns 40 in December, and he skates and surfs more than anyone I know (as well as being a pro snowboarder). And I wish I´m doing the same when I´m 39. Well not pro obviously.


Here´s latte drinker/Riche hangaround Petter Ottosjö´s article on how lame old guys are for playing the new Tony Hawk game (and skating):
http://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/article5211142.ab