Tag Archives: 80’s

The Origin of Freestyle Skateboarding. Pay Attention Little Dude.

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Check out this amazing video from 1983 – ridiculous freestyle skateboarding…before most people knew what skateboarding was. (Tip o’ the hat to Kottke.org for another great link.)

The Dude has never really been a skateboarder. I adore surfing, and I’ve snowboarded for years, but skating alluded me. I was a bit too early for the super rad skate parks that have popped up in every town and I didn’t have a skate mentor…plus no internet (how did we survive?!), so skate was always just out of reach. I’ve owned skateboards and wanted to figure it out, but never got hooked.

I think Little Dude may have the skate bug. He can operate a scooter, we have skate parks in town, and he loves being dangerous. Seems like the perfect fit…when the waves are flat.

Beyond just an amazing retro video – anything 80’s is awesome – this early generation skating is amazing. But even better than just an awesome retro video, is the fact that we get to enjoy commentary by a couple amazing skaters to help us understand just how ridonkulus this skating actually is.

This also makes you appreciate how much amazing skating can be done on flat surfaces at low speed. Crazy.

Love the tiny boards. Love the short shorts. Love the whole 80’s feel. Great video.

Little Dude, pay attention.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkpzWKp7SqA[/youtube]

 

Breakin’ Wood Part Deux

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Breakin' Wood Part Deux - Axe Kick

Breakin' Wood Part Deux - Axe Kick

As I may have mentioned on a few occasions, the Princess is a bit girly. And by “a bit,” I mean completely.

She once claimed she didn’t want to be a dancer because dancing made her ribs tired!? And I somehow passed up the opportunity to write post recapping the soccer season – I think I blocked the experience out of my memory – but let’s just say that the last game consisted of lots of tears and absolutely zero running until she realized there was a trophy at the end…anything for jewelry.

But that all changes when she steps into the dojo (That’s not the name in Tae Kwon Do, but it reminds me of the Karate Kid so deal with it TKD purists.). She becomes assertive and strong. She stays focused and doesn’t shy away from the physicality. She listens and understands the power of discipline.

Tae Kwan Do has quietly become our favorite Princess activity.

The other night The Princess broke her second board, and got her second yellow stripe, passing her test with an Axe Kick.

I didn’t include an entire 80’s montage, but I did catch the magic moments.

Public Service Announcement: Save the Blog!

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Do you remember the Public Service Announcements from the 80’s?! They were awesome!

Instead of a commercial for some sort of toy we didn’t need, our favorite cartoons (which if watched now are totally hilarious in their own right – Snorks?!) were sometimes randomly broken up by amazingly awesome announcements that the public must absolutely be aware of. Messages like cheese is a great snack, turn pot handles in on the stove, and my all-time favorite, school lunch is good.

The entire 80’s scene is priceless. Cheesy cheesiness played out to bad music.

I still find myself “hankering for a hunk-a. Slab-a slice-a, chunk-a.” And singing “Pizza! Spaghetti! Burgers!” from time to time. Oh, Chow Daddy.

Who woulda thunk PSA’s would have such a lasting effect? Where did they go? I miss you awesome PSA’s.

This PSA won’t carry that same 80’s super radness, but it must be shared.

Are you aware the blog is dieing? The blog, as a category of writing/communication, has entered its death spiral. And Facebook and Twitter are to blame (don’t forget to follow those links to my pages – wink, wink).

Yeah, not really. Blogs probably aren’t dead.  But I did read a story on Newser today – I look for my news in no more than two paragraphs – that said the number of new blogs is on the decline due to new technologies/websites like Facebook and Twitter.

I don’t think we’re headed towards the death of the blog, but I do think great blogs need support. I love blogs as a form of communication. Blogs give the ability of mass communication to everyone. They give power to the little guy. And that’s a good thing.

I learn much more from the blogs I follow than I ever have from the depressing news that pours from our tv’s. And the ideas I’m reading about our topics I’m deeply interested in.  Good blogs are worth supporting.

So, as my public service announcement, I would like to introduce you to two new blogs that were born last night. I didn’t ask for permission from these blogs, but I figure there are times in life when you need to head out on the ledge and take a chance…so I guess I’ll give a little push onto the ledge.

Drum-roll please.

World, say hello to Drama Train and Boomer Along the Watchtower.

Drama Train
Drama Train

Boomer Along the Watchtower
Boomer Along the Watchtower

Daily Pixels: Round and Round

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Mrs. Dude:  “Where’s your lunch box?”

Princess:  “I have no idea.”

Mrs. Dude:  “Think.”

Without any thought.  The Princess:  “Oh yeah, it’s at school.”

Adding too much information.  The Princess:  “I only ate half.”

Mrs. Dude:  The stink-eye, without uttering a sound.

The Princess:  “Just kidding…I’ll eat the other half tomorrow…?”

Mrs.  Dude:  “Not now.  It’s old.”

The Princess:  “I know.”

Huh?

Kid logic is great.  Just talking in circles.

Let me see if I have this right.

So, you couldn’t remember where your lunch box was, but without any thought you remembered it was at school.  You then proceeded to say that you only ate half…which Mom didn’t ask.  But come to find out you’re joking.  Joking about not knowing where the lunch box was?  Joking about only eating half?  Never mind, you say you’ll eat it tomorrow….but you also know you won’t eat it tomorrow because it’s old.

I think I deciphered that correctly.

These conversations make the Dude’s head spin round and round.

PS – Please notice how the pony’s hair is carefully braided.  We can’t have an MLP leaving the house with messy hair.

Double PS – I was going to try to fit Ratt’s classic hit Round and Round into this post, but I got lazy trying to work it in.  However, for all of my loyal readers that love 80’s Hair Metal, I felt it was my duty to stuff it into a “Double PS.”  All the metal-heads, break out your rock horns, here’s a link to your daily dose of hair:  Ratt – Round and Round.

Round and Round

Breakin’ Wood…Hearts are Next

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Let this be fair warning for all future dudes; The Priness is one tough cookie.

Here’s the Dude’s take on an 80’s video montage (think Rocky training in the mountains of Russia) to celebrate The Princess’ first Tae Kwan Do experience, which cluminated with a broken piece of wood and a yellow stripe accenting her pretty white belt.

Congrats Princess. We are so proud of you.

PS – Bonus points if you can name the movie the song is from.