Contemplative.

[caption id=“attachment_2862” align=“aligncenter” width=“450” caption=“Pete the Ox, contemplating a landing.”]

“When I die, I want to go peacefully like my Grandfather did, in his sleep – not screaming, like the passengers in his car.” I  began the year appropriately enough. I had friends over to ‘Ridiculous’, and everyone skated. It was epic. I read in the morning, as I rise very early. I am finishing a book of stories by Rudyard Kipling. In one story, a man returns to his home all beaten & bruised about the face. His family see him & say, “God be praised. You have taken all his misfortune on thy head.” It made me laugh. I was reminded of how we slam as skaters & end up eating a cement sandwich sometimes. Today, Kevin Burke was riding the pool. KB rips…period! He pulled a huge FS ollie in the deep end & rolled up into the shallows. He went to pop his board up into his hand & slid out. We watched as he fell -asshole & elbows- all twisted up, straight to a quick, pool plaster beatdown. He got up directly, but I could tell he hurt. Sometimes, life is that way, I would think. When things are going great, we are kicked sideways & take lifes misfortunes on our heads. In this next year, I want to learn some new things. Lien airs, rock-n-rolls, and how to interact & deal with people in a better manner. I want to be more tolerant. I want to be a better human being. Pondering. Learning. Thanks to Chris Tietz & Bryce Kanights for the great images. Skate-Ozzie