Sk8te or die
Almost daily I get an IM from my friend Nathan at work asking if I want to go out to skate. My favorite is when he sends the imperative "Sk8te or die," instead of asking if I want to go since I usually have a "reason" I can't. Often, it is improper footwear.
I started skateboarding when I got back from Montana. Lulu was gracious enough to lend me her skateboard and I've collected a loaner from Nathan too. He's an excellent teacher. If it wasn't for him, I would've given up already. He's really patient and knows when to instruct and when to just let me fiddle about.
Today was the first time I went out in 2 weeks. I didn't go at all over vacation. I was tempted to ask some neighborhood kids if I could borrow one of their boards, but I suck and a 12-year-old boy would have had a field day making fun of me.
Usually the first 10 minutes of skating in the parking deck with Nathan are terrifying. The skateboard feels totally foreign. I wobble and can't figure out where my feet want to go. The second 10 or 20 minutes are great. I get more confident. I go down the hill, manage to do some slight turns, and hop around on the board. Sometimes these 20 minutes breaks last 40 minutes cause I am having so much fun.
However, today was different. It took me all of a minute to get comfortable on the board, my feet seemed to know where they wanted to go and my turns were actual slices down the hill instead of a straight shot down that varies by 4 degrees because that's all the turning my scared knees can muster. Nathan helped me nail the turning movement and I can zigzag comfortably. I can't wait until we go out again tomorrow.
Of course, I still suck. I'm scared of the speed. I usually jump off the board halfway down the hill because I am going too fast and turning too slowly to reduce my speed. I don't do such a hot job of pushing off once moving. I push, wait until I am almost stopped and push again.
And I ain't anywhere near an ollie, which supposedly is the sign of being comfortable on the skateboard. But I've got nothing but time to practice, and every time I go out I improve dramatically so I don't care if I suck. Soon I'll get myself to the skate park to try and pick up hot skater boys with my skills.
I started skateboarding when I got back from Montana. Lulu was gracious enough to lend me her skateboard and I've collected a loaner from Nathan too. He's an excellent teacher. If it wasn't for him, I would've given up already. He's really patient and knows when to instruct and when to just let me fiddle about.
Today was the first time I went out in 2 weeks. I didn't go at all over vacation. I was tempted to ask some neighborhood kids if I could borrow one of their boards, but I suck and a 12-year-old boy would have had a field day making fun of me.
Usually the first 10 minutes of skating in the parking deck with Nathan are terrifying. The skateboard feels totally foreign. I wobble and can't figure out where my feet want to go. The second 10 or 20 minutes are great. I get more confident. I go down the hill, manage to do some slight turns, and hop around on the board. Sometimes these 20 minutes breaks last 40 minutes cause I am having so much fun.
However, today was different. It took me all of a minute to get comfortable on the board, my feet seemed to know where they wanted to go and my turns were actual slices down the hill instead of a straight shot down that varies by 4 degrees because that's all the turning my scared knees can muster. Nathan helped me nail the turning movement and I can zigzag comfortably. I can't wait until we go out again tomorrow.
Of course, I still suck. I'm scared of the speed. I usually jump off the board halfway down the hill because I am going too fast and turning too slowly to reduce my speed. I don't do such a hot job of pushing off once moving. I push, wait until I am almost stopped and push again.
And I ain't anywhere near an ollie, which supposedly is the sign of being comfortable on the skateboard. But I've got nothing but time to practice, and every time I go out I improve dramatically so I don't care if I suck. Soon I'll get myself to the skate park to try and pick up hot skater boys with my skills.
posted by Kristine at
7:41 PM
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