On the hump (day).

Let me start by saying that I’m sorry for blowing it on Monday.

Some days the proverbial plate just gets too damned full to handle all the tasks one needs to handle, and in this case, the thing that got jettisoned happened to be a post. In light of this, I’m going to dig deep on and try to make up for it now.

Firstly, I will again reference the image of this fella who stopped by my crib for a spell on Sunday;

His name is Jürgen Blümlein, and for lack of a more official title, he is a skateboard historian, founder of Berlin’s Skateboard Museum, and the one who is responsible for that there book he is holding called Skateboarding Is Not A Fashion.

So besides coming by to chew the fat, Jürgen got in touch with me about a month and a half ago regarding a show he was curating at Shepard Fairey’s Subliminal Projects Gallery that’s set to open on the 19th of this month, focusing on the DIY culture in skateboarding;

Somewhere along the way, he’d gotten wind that I had taken possession of GSD’s typewriter, and we’d solidified a deal for him to include that in the show;

Photo courtesy of Embry Rucker.

Moreover, once we began chatting, I’d noted that shortly after taking the role of steward of the machine, I’d used it to write a story which I turned into a zine chronicling the story behind it. He eagerly requested that we include that in the show as well, which upon further investigation led me to find that I am most definitely in league with giants;

This is absolutely bananas, and just goes to prove the adage regarding if one sticks to what they love long enough, they will eventually find some level of recognition for it.

Sadly, I won’t be able to attend the reception, as I will be riding my bike in the rain at that Alzado/Aflfredo/Almanzo 100 thing out there in Minnesota. However, if any of yinzers happen to be in the greater Los Angeles area on the night in question, then I suggest you get in to see what’s what. It’s most certainly going to be a show for the ages.

I’m planning on making a trip down to see it before the show closes on the 19th of June, and will most likely have a post available about it at that time.

Moving onto other topics- it was some time last month when Dirt Rag Magazine began releasing months mix tapes for the listening pleasure of anyone who has a penchant for such a thing.

I can’t recall if I approached them about letting me assemble a mix, or if they approached me, but whatever the case, it happened and is available here;

For those who might not be in the know, cassette tapes are having a bit of a resurgence these days among folks who perhaps weren’t born twenty years ago and are as of yet unaware that the cassette tape is perhaps one of the worst formats one could contain music on. But whatever. The kids will do what the kids will do. They’re gonna have their minds blown when they learn the connection between cassette tapes and this strange utensil;

Anyway- play it loud and play it hard, or if you wish, don’t play it at all.

Now at this juncture of today’s effort, I would like to share a flyer sent to be from Josh at HiFi;

Free for all. Cheap for you :).

Come hang out. And if you want to share this event poster, please do!

XO,
Josh

Not having any more information about this event besides ‘a bike show, rides, a party and mayhem’, (as well as it being cheap for me), I had to do some finger walking through the HiFi site where I found this link that elaborates on the goods like so;

It’s a Bike Party. It’s a Bike Show. It’s a social mixed-terrain ride (Saturday morning). It’s a show at a Portland brewery that’s more party and hangout than museum visit. It’s an epic, gravel-infused adventure ride (Sunday, all day). It’s an amazing weekend spent with dreamy people.

They had me at ‘dreamy people’.

If you have a similar penchant, mark your calendars, and make it happen.

Lastly, I have some real good news that I’m proud as punch to share. It was just yesterday that I got a signed letter from Scott Berkowitz of RAINN thanking us for our recent donation to their organization;

I say ‘us’ and ‘our’ because I very much feel like it was a group effort on all of our part.

Granted, it wasn’t a giant novelty check for $25,000, but it was a fair chunk of the overall sales, and as such, I consider this letter to be one written to all of us.

So from my little dusty corner, I echo Mr. Berkowitz’s sentiment. Thank you to everybody who made that payment possible. It means quite a lot to me to be able to have been a part.

Because it would seem that a huge number of people missed out on the initial pre-order, and have expressed interest in getting their hands on some of the goods after the fact, I’ve decided that on Monday, May 21st I will re-open the order window and we can do it all over again.

No ifs, and or hump days about it.