Monday, June 27, 2011

I believe I can fly..


Do you want to go fast? I do! No celebrities or news of me trying to go Hollywood on you this week. (Not that that isn't still part of my plan...I love wearing my shades at night, usually out of necessity.) Nope, this week I am actually going to focus on what most of you know me for..skating. In a few hours I will be flying to the other end of the country for what I'm expecting to be one of the most intense and enjoyable experiences of my life, Maryhill Festival of Speed. This technically won't be the first downhill event I've competed in but Major Stokem was "just the tip" compared to this coming weeks events. That's my favorite game by the way...

I have to admit that I'm just a bit nervous and not because of the speed, though I won't be totally confident with that until I get my first run of the hill in. To be honest what I'm really nervous about is not performing at the level I believe myself to be capable of. It took a lot for me to say that but I have to give you the truth here. I know my city and the rest of our worldwide Bustin family has my back but I also know I have my haters(undercover admirers) who laugh at the thought of the self-proclaimed "king" competing at anything other than endurance push races.  I want to succeed for them, for you, for me. Hopefully this will encourage more people from the Beast Coast and more specifically from the NYC area to try their hand at downhill competition. If I can do it then you definitely can! And don't worry about the haters getting in my head too much...they're to busy getting on it.

I have quite a bit more I would like to say but blog etiquette dictates that I not give you too much to read and I have a bit of packing to finish and I would like to get a few hours of rest. To everyone that has encouraged me in this new endeavor...Thanks a million. To our Bustin staff much thanks for allowing me the opportunity to go represent us. I bleed Bustin. If you would like to keep tabs of what's going on follow me @stayskatin and/or @bustinboards on twitter. Maryhill here I come!

Stay Skatin'!

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Mingling with the stars!

Happy Father's Day. To my dad...thanks for everything. I didn't grow up with you around much but it was enough. You put me in the right situation that has led to me becoming the man I am today. Also much thanks to Magnum XL for ensuring that today is not my holiday.

Another week of me on my acting grind. My dopest gig this week was playing background for Men in Black 3. I didn't get cast as a skater but guess who'll you'll find skating behind Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones as they converse in Battery Park in the last scenes of the movie? Yezzir! I'm taking my venture into acting seriously so I was real cool on set even though I was close enough to reach out and punch the Fresh Prince at times. I wouldn't punch him...just putting it in perspective. The tourists hanging in the park didn't have any reason not to scream out for his attention and some were even rewarded for their efforts.
While we are on the subject of celebrities I want you to check this shot out...
That's Spike Lee and his family...with his son rockin' the Bustin Longboards Maestro. Jackson Lee has been one of the regular groms at our Bustin Brooklyn shop and more recently at our Longboard Loft location in Manhattan. I just found out he was Spike Lee's son when another friend of mine sent me a message from the airport saying he had run into Spike and his son who was carrying his longboard with him. Apparently I am a role model and they were stoked about the connection. That's NYC for you.
My last photo and my favorite of the week. That's Brooklyn and she is awesome! Thanks for the photo David. And no I am not the daddy! I prefer practicing how to get one rather than having to constantly change diapers.
Stay Skatin'

Sunday, June 12, 2011

I know you like my style!!

Welcome to the inaugural edition of my blog. I have been meaning to do this for quite some time now but I have been just a bit too complacent with the progression of things in my life. Don't get it twisted, I am definitely on my hustle but haven't been thinking big enough and fear of failure has had me immobilized for some time now. Time to break the chains and this is as good a point as any to start. I am going to skip the "let's get to know me" introduction and go straight to letting you get to know me. I'll say right now my thoughts and viewpoints here are my thoughts and should not be taken as coming from Bustin Boards. If you don't like what I say and feel the need to bash someone feel free to bash me. I just had titanium skin implants so it won't bother me much. I would compare it to be tickled, it's amusing and sometimes annoying but always harmless.

Now to what I've been up to lately. I have always been fascinated and drawn to the craft of acting. When I look at movies and shows I am more wondering what the actor is thinking or why that scene was included rather than what is actually going on in the film. I usually have the movie or show figured out well before the end anyway. So with my work schedule allowing me lots of free time while living this dream I figure I would use this time to follow my dreams. Following this path I was cast on two HBO shows this past week as an extra, "How to make it in America" and a new series called "Girls". Both gigs happened to be party scenes and I have enjoyed every minute of it! On the first show I ran into Adam Crigler's old roommate Will Tully and it was no surprise he had a board with him, Bustin of course. Connecting with Tully was the best thing that could have happened for us, we both kept ourselves and others entertained. The highlight of the first show for me was is between a scene joking with Kid Cudi and having him pass us his joint...which turned out to be fake. I left that show around 7 in the morning and skated the Williamsburg Bridge home for literally a couple hours of sleep. I woke tired but excited for the Central Park Race and somehow managed to place fourth before being burned out for the rest of the weekend. Good times.

On Tuesday I started shooting this other show which involved a Brooklyn hipster party scene. Wow! Take all the "crazy" types that you see on the streets of NYC and put them in a concentrated area and you have one hell of a party. The party scene was fake but the fun was real, especially off set. What was made even more clearly apparent was that all the people we generally call crazy, weird, flashy or even cocky are the "real" people. I met so many people that were awesomely talented and different  but above all that they were super comfortable with being themselves. It has been inspiring. And then there's the whole sex crazed young and having fun aspect...that has been a lot of fun to watch. Beautiful women with minimal clothing and a surplus of guys more than willing to chase after them. Of course I enjoy the scenery but I like to think if she wants it she'll let me know. And if she doesn't have the balls to be real about that then she definitely isn't getting mine. Ha! Seriously though I'm having lots of fun. I spend most of my time skating and giving lessons and I'm getting payed for it. I was cast as a skater and spend my time on and off camera exactly how I do every other day, sweaty and topless. What a life! Now many of these "hipsters" are excited about skating! And based on me asking the same questions of quite a few of these guys I have decided to take a few classes, mostly on acting technique. I've gotten some good reviews of HB Studios, let's see how this turns out. Stoked!

Enough talking! Here are a few pictures I've snapped from my phone. My life. Your entertainment.















Oh!!! I almost forgot to add this last video. The lady in this video was one of my favorite talents and all the hooping she has done has given her an amazing body(come on, it's me here, you know I had to throw that in). She and other hoopers on set made the sport look effortless. Many sat around and was mesmerized by their grace and flow. I have already watched this multiple times myself and am hoping she will trade hula lessons for skate lessons from me. Jami you are awesome!
Stay Skatin'!