STF SPRING COLLECTION

This is from the STF's spring catalog. It's a photo. Hoagie is by Lee's, chips are by Herr's, root beer by Stewart's. Bye.

sidewalk surfing with the alien/enemy

I was at my spot, the USP parking lot, just ripping in general... some dude on a long board shows up. He was maybe five or ten years older than me. Helmeted and carrying his stick, I nodded towards him. "Hey."

He wasn't interested in crossing streams so I let him go about his business of gliding and turning. His opaque orange wheels were huge. I decided to show off my prowess of the short board with kicked nose and tail. I kickflipped and shove-it ed. I gently placed my rear axle on a parking block and smoothed the front end of my board over the far side, arching my back to execute a perfect feeble stall. I stalled till dusk.

I went for some backside 180 ollie to switch 180 frontside ollie on the downhill. Mr. Broadboard was right behind me. It was at that point that I decided I didn't want to talk to him. I was kicking my tailfeathers while he was gliding and gliding. We couldn't be expected to understand one another. He kept gliding and subtle turns, but I wanted no part of it.

"Get away from me you savage brute" he thought to himself as he pursued me.

My only getaway was to ollie off the speed bump at the bottom of the hill. I basically ollied into a time oblivion. Whatever. It was that kind of thinking that got me out of there.

Next thing I knew I was involving myself in some sort of wit battle, a battle of the wits if you will, with a yellow paint parking block. Just going for the old boardslide to feeble. Circa Rick Howard Adventures in Cheese.

I saw the longboarder waltzing matilda up the sidewalk. He had been defeated by a short sword.

Switch B/S 180 %

I found a spot down at the pharmacy school parking lot. It's a great space for a skateboarder in his or hers mid thirtydom. There are a couple speed bumps. A curb. A lil' hill. I was trying backside 180 kickflips. I couldn't even kickflip. I kept going for it and kicking it away like some sort of pussy. I felt like a dick. Then I remembered.... "What did you do when you first learned to kick flippity bro? Take it on a path that stood in the grass yo." Whoa.

Listening to some Cage/ Camu. Sorry new Cage... but old heavyset drug lovin' Cage was good. You were better when you weighed over 230. I stood by you cage. I bought your "Movies For The Blind" and stood strong as naysayers naysaid on the sidelines.

"He's just an angry white kid" they would say.

"Naw, he's good." I would say.

I would looooove to move to some sort of mid west township with a drive thru coffee place right next to the flea market. Flea Market on Saturdays and half of Sunday.

I remembered... you got to ollie.... then flip. Kick the tail, either roll the front foot out or kick it down!

I did three kickflips in a row. Then when I went to buy some dogfood.... this is crazy and you are not going to believe it but it's true, I walked out my door and saw a couple 'o med students on skateboards. The boards were of the no nose/no tail/no kick variety.

I actually walked out my front door in a nonchalance manner as they settled into a luke warm sans-push ride down Chester Ave. I spit out my toothpick and caught up to them in four pushes. I bummed the chick out when I went for a curb cut in- out maneuver. In the chick's defense, her boyfriend was way behind. I guess I felt a bit of intensity as I set their brain pom-poms on fire. I did a tiny shifty ollie over a manhole cover. A bunch of other stuff happened as well.

frontside flammer

Here's a little flim flam I maneuvered on the way to coffee with the wife. Great lyric. "On the way to coffee with the wife."

Maybe the Animal Collective or Band of Horses could learn a thing or two from some sick lyricism such as that.

Flim Flam:

Untitled from Kurt Russ on Vimeo.

I remember dangling the nose of my board in the nether regions of that non-fern plantlife while in the peak of this trick. I was tickling it ever so slightly. When I came down from the high... as you can see I was a bit maladjusted.

I wanted to do a Hurricane grind today, but i didn't even try

Well. I've gained about ten more pounds since I first complained about having to change pants and shirt sizes. I didn't even notice. I actually thought maybe I had lost weight. Then I stepped on the scale. After a morning shower I studied myself in the full body mirror. I was full bodied alright. I hopped up and down in place, "jiggle...jiggle...jig-jiggle." I could hear the magic fat. Except.. it wasn't magic at all.

I took some time to stretch and eat a semi healthy breakfast. I made sure not to drink too many beers the night prior. I even watched an old "Cribs" with Rob Dyrdek waxing nostalgic about getting Neil Blender's board after a demo.

I could barely get off the ground. I was able to clear some street obstacles like manhole covers, parking blocks, and discarded chewing gum. I came close to eating pavement on a downhill pop shove it. I was going maybe two miles per hour. It was much easier going uphill.

And I presume that is where my skateboard career is perpetually headed.

My pro heavy-weight model should be out in a couple of months.

bank to curb? from Kurt Russ on Vimeo.

This is one my local hot spots, a sick bank to curb at the A-Plus parking lot. I've thrown down many a frontside pivot and backside nosepick on this behemoth, but I chose to go classic axle stall for the camera.

Oh man, oh man. Sheesh. I'm feeling a little anxious lately. For one I just got back from my buddy's house where i realized I was rambling on an on to no end. Just motor mouth. We were enjoying a fire in his backyard because it was ladies night out, so we kicked it for a few. Then I peaced out. I was like "Sorry for rambling, I gotta go home and write this blog." He was like, "Cool." And I was all "Yeah, it's totally cool actually. Pretty cool, man."

Then after I posted the photo I realized that it's the fourth photo I've posted on the blog, of me wearing those Reed I Paths. Then I noticed that I had a photo with that same board a few posts ago. What the hell? Right? What the hell was going on I could not tell you. The board in the photo is a Ron Chatman pro model ATM Click from '93 or '94. That's what decks looked like in the early nineties. You always hear the stories. True.

Picture backside lipsliding a handrail with that popsicle stick. I prefer backside disaster to back lip. Always have. Why not just call it a backside disaster slide? Did you know that Canadians capitilize the first letter of a skateboard trick when they write about it? Backside Disaster. Double Frontside Kickflip. I was reading a copy of Canada's National Skateboard Magazine, "Skateboard", and I said to myself, "What is going on here?"

That being said, there are some great skaters born and raised up North. Rick Howie and Moses Itkonen to name a couple. Actually That's all I feel like thinking of right now. What happened to Moses? Loved that Mad Circle part.

Rambling again.... apologies, folks.

Oh yeah. Girls night out. I thought it would be a great oppurtunity for guy's night in. The last time Mrs. Feebs went out on the town with the gals I cooked myself a steak dinner and saddled up to some 70's and 80's television commercials on You Tube. Kid in a candy store, nah mean? I figured tonight I might skillet fry a burger and watch this several times: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h57LmkLOfqc

Lido's was a Saskatoonian establishment, coincidentally.

I've been seeing skaters shredding that corner of 43rd and Locust that I've been schralping over the years. Every weekend I end up at the CVS sans skateboard, looking across the street, seeing skaters of all ages putting truck to crete, and flipping and shove-iting all up and around one of my favorite West Phil stops. "I gotta get over there." I'll say aloud.

Well today I got over there and it was empty. I saw a few Gatorade bottles and Arizona cans laying about. I thought, "Cops just cleared them out." I took my chances and started frontside slappying the waxed curb. I'm more of a backside slappier so the frontside felt new and refreshing. I decided to take it over to the ledge that had been "skate proofed" maybe four months ago. Problem was they just placed upside down U s maybe eight feet apart from each other. So you can still do a little 50-50 or a nose slide if you prefer. Skaters can use the obstacles to their advantage to create exciting new combos. Like Nacho Cheese, or Classic Cheddar Cheese. I did a frontside nose slide, surprised that the trick was even in my repertoire. Followed it up with a fakie bigspin and a couple no comply variations. Just a solo party, as usual.

After I completed that mission I waltzed over to the- no wait. I did a couple frontside and backside smitties on the curb and a frontside half moon manual, then I sauntered on over to the CVS. Bought a package of frozen BUBBA burgers.

cannon fodder

I fully realize that this blogspot is, more often than not, free of reference to skaters past and present, and I admit that it is somewhat intentional. While I personally love to read about others opinions of popular as well as underground skateboarders, I feel less inclined to make public my own opinions. I'd rather focus on my love of curbside shred dreams.

That being said.. I feel a burning desire (like the feeling you get when you eat a slice of pepperoni pizza) to mention the recent introduction into the pro ranks of one, Andrew Cannon. I remember seeing him on the cover of ... maybe the Skateboard Mag, or Skateboarder... he was holding his board by the trucks and looking into the camera while David Gravette was doing a footplant on the board's topside. Andrew's grip had an upside down cross paint markered on there. The image stuck out. And I was like," what's this dude's story?"

Turns out, he lived in Glen Mills PA, not far from my teen upgatherings in West Chester. He was also a Tempe, Arizona transplant which further intrigued me. What furtherer intrigued me and seems to be the largest topic of discussion surrounding his pudgy frame was his overweight build.

Honestly, I didn't think about it much. I was just into his style on the board, and the fact that he was am for World Industries (a World Industries so far and away from the original awesomeness of it's 90's being) and still got a lot of coverage.

He sports a beard and right off the bat I can relate to that. Now that I have a beer belly that isn't going anywhere yet slowly turning into a lunch meat belly.. I mean.. come on. I can relate to this guy on three levels. And after watching the following clip, I can relate to him in the fourth dimension, because I too love Luna Bars. I justify eating them by thinking of myself as a feminist's feminist.

http://skateboarding.transworld.net/1000118549/features/andrew-cannon-goes-pro-video-part/

Anyways, I knew he was in danger of falling into that perpetual man am title, but I was happy to find out yesterday that he is now pro. You don't know me Andrew, but congratulations. You deserve it.

POST SCRIPT: I switched the clip of his "day in the life" with his debut pro part. Made a little more sense since he's actually skating and not just going to work and eating pizza. Although that would be pretty great if your video part had more footage of you eating than skating. If you want to see him with the Luna bar, go here: http://www.casttv.com/video/yctajl/ergophobiatv-andrew-cannon-day-in-the-life-video

The 4th of July came and went and I was like, "I'm not gonna celebrate that shit." Then I went ahead and celebrated it with some hot dogs on the grill at Lemon Hill.

I got a photo of a two stair ollie in front of a statue of Fairmount Park's founder, Ponce De La Pants. I'm pretty sure he was the power behind my ability to kickflip twice in a row. At the base of his sculptured shroud. I mean. We were welcoming his entryway into the future via a stone cold vision of no litter.

I can't find a photo of the kickflip or the ollie. Or the B/S 180 one foot ollie.

All I got is this F/S smitty across a felled tree in the spooky swamp. I didn't land this by the way. How could I?

Frontside and Backside Ball Mash: A How To Recover

Mashed my balls on a handrail today. it was a flat rail, no stairs involved. Funny thing was, I wasn't smith grinding it or 50-50 ing it, or even boardsliding it. The trick started like this:

Sometimes I like to hang in the backyard with a beer. Sometimes I like to hang in the backyard with a beer after Mrs. Smitty has already gone to bed. The door to the back yard is in our bedroom. Rather than risk waking the Mrs. I often take the passageway to the rear yard through the front of the house. Since there is a locked gate some ten or so feet from the front door, I just hop the railing on the porch to access the rear yahard. Then I finish my beer and try not to freak out when I see a gnarly family of racoons.

When I reapproach the porch und railing to enter thru the front door I always mash my ballls. I just did it like fifteen minutes ago and only now am I recovering.

I hucked one leg over the rail then proceeded to "Chopper... Squish Balls". It's a difficult trick to remember but not an easy one to forget.

There is some pretty serious downtime and consequential radical rehabilitation that is necessary after executing such a maneuver.

1. I recommend putting together a new board. Put it together and force yourself to go skate, even if it's 96 degrees out with mega-high humidity.

2. Don't drink too many beers. It might seem like a great idea and ultimately, it is. But... Just don't start drinking before noon. Make that 3:00 PM. And have some food. Eat some food, man.

3. Skate the handrail instead of straddling it without one. If you're gonna scrape scrotum, you should be doing it on a skateboard.

4. Or maybe you should be doing it on the top of your couch whilst lisening to your fave dance tunes. That would be more soft and comfortable.

5. Don't trust anyone who doesn't ride a skateboard to give you advice on recovering from a skate related injury. First of all, they can't ollie. Second, they think a McTwist is a choco-vanilla soft serve cone from McDonald's. It actually might be called that. I hope it is.

Bottom line, they are going to think you're an idiot for hurting yourself slappy grinding a three inch high curb instead of getting a concussion playing two hand touch football.

6. Drink some beer and write some poems. If you're not into beer... drink a few Dr. Peppers and open up your soul. Open it up to anyone who gives a damn. Which is positively no one.

That's a positive though, bro.

&. Start riding a fixed gear track bike. (Knee rehabilitate) Great for the knees if you don't worry about trying to ride backwards and track stand and skid and be flashy. Just ride it from pointy A to point B at a slow and steady pace. I swear it's made my knees stronger. Not weaker. Stronger. You will look better riding the bike in tighter clothing.

8. Start eating better and just get over yourself. Next time you do the Ball Mash you can do it with some energy and a little color in your aura.

went to a party with the wife. had a great time. good conversation. drank a lot of beer. ate some pastry puffs with feta and caramalized onion? I paused being social for thirty seconds to lay down this track. switch crooks on plastic trucks to grass and gravel. Rode away clean, surprisingly enough.

TRANZENDENTAL

Duracell batteries. Life just got a little better/crazier bro. You don't need dreadlocks or an FBI snap back, yellow on blue baseball cap to listen to Boogie Down Productions. Chill Collins, "No Mac-10 Required".

Things are different now. Gone are the days of posing in front of untamed drywall with an uzi and sunglasses. But was it all a joke?

There's a lot of talk about West Vs. East and similarly, East Vs. West. I'm a man of many faces and physiques. I've been around the country...and I can honestly say that the East Coast has the best legs of any girl in the world. East wins over wezt, time and time again. I almost hate to feel competitive about it, but southern California is just so sun tanned and gay that I feel I have to put a stake in the ground of reality.

Skating in front of fruit vs skating on hundreds year old rust.

I'm gonna be demoing tomorrow. Just looking to get into some poses.. hunh. Not sure. Yoga skating? Nah, man. He-Man. AND THE MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE.

PEACE ON EARTH, ENVIRONMENTS, RELIGION AND PRAISE TO "YEAH MATT."

got re-obsessed with some late 90's to early 2000's east coast hardcore/horror hip hop. Whatever you wanna call it. Never heard that Camu Tao stuff. "Hold the Floor" So good. RIP.

got my new driver's license today. Photo center was mad hot. No ventilation.

The dude asked me if the photo was cool and I was totally, all.. "yeah." My face is fat and I look like a blury version of myself later that day. It's actually a pretty trippy photo. I think they did a great job.

Finger in the Dike, Stop the Leak

I know this is all supposed to be about skateboarding. Deep down inside i want nothing more than switch 180 ollies and slappies to reverts to be the top subjects up for discussion.

I never knew that the french with their awesome breads and cheeses, and the japanese with their technical abilities would shine through the black hole of skateboarding.

All I ever wanted to be was a dutch skateboarder with a penchant for backside 180 nollies followed up closely by fakie 360 shove its. Fakie 360 big spins. Dutch Mafia style.

Next thing I knew I was riding the warped asphalt of Philadelphia, basically surfing the streets, streetstyle.

50 50 grinds were all the rage in 1996.

I bought some Adidas tennis shoes in 1997 and they sucked.

I had a dream about some Addidas with baby blue stripes. They bummed my whole day out. I'm nearing the end of my baby blue phase. Whether or not we'll see a resurgence of olive drab and dark browns and blues, remains to be seen.

Fakie kickflip ala Scott Johnston/Mad Circle, Steeley Dan/Peg

manual to over the shoulder boulder holder

Man, I don't know what this morning will bring, but I most certainly hope it's frontside tailslides to fakies. I was skating through Univ Cit a few ago and when it was warm out. I did shifties all the way up Locust Street, past the fuckin red Dwarf or whatever it's called. Got no beef with that place, but I do have some beef with the VIDEO LIBRARY. I actually didn't mean to have that on caps lock but looking back I think it reiterates the BEEF. Fuck the video libary.

They moved outta town some months back and they were pretty "whatever peasants" about it. I personally looked at the sign on the window, "We moved to 16th and Passyunk, clear across the country of Philadelphia, but, yo, your credit is still good."

All that aside, up the street and to the right from there at 40th and Spruce I was doing half moon manuals on this section of steppage. Semi circle manual, 1/4 switch g-turn, whatever you wanna call it. I may be the only dude manualing this bit 'o slab. I mean, I'm sure there is a dude with flip flops on a long board skating by and not looking at it at all. Maybe that's his version of a skateboard maneuver. Check the fly hun-huns out across the street. Slice of pizza to mid term.

Here's a photo of the sneakers, at FDR. I'm pretty sure it's a secret sign, signaling the various types of drugs you can get at the park. The most popular one seems to be 100% pure adrenalin followed up by a hit of just plain fun.

I celebrated the 50 degree temp and absence of snow on the sidelines with a switch 180 ollie followed by a frontside shuv. I threw in a 180 no comply for good measure.

For dinner I made roasted potatoes, asparagus and buttered round eye steak. It was cool, man.

ANAL PILOT

This is the cover of my newest band's latest first record.

It's a noise band. Basically... it's me, a couple distortion pedals plugged into a 1995 "MAXVPOWERAMP" with a dual cassette recorder. I bypassed the record function obstructor so I could manipulate eight tracks simultaneously.

One of the songs is called "Ground Beef for Brains, You Are Who You Meet" and there's a 9 minute, 36 second B-side entitled "ANSWERING MACHINE".

Triple blue vinyl, first 230 copies.

dropping in: Joe "Jackhammer" Kalucki

Got a call from Ant, Saturday morning.

After some coffee and a couple slices of pot cake, we got in his carpeted van, (real cozy by the way) and went to FDR.

The van is of the "Surf's Up!"variety and therefore blessed with a quality tape deck. So we listened to the Led Zeppelin/Fugazi mix tape I made at Ant's request. A Zep song would come on and we'd be like "Fuck yeah!" then a Fugazi song would follow and we'd be all "Fuckin'.. right on man!"

Happily new year, but yo.. the emperor has no clothes

Chief Inspector La-La Buddington doing the "STONEWALL JACKSON"

Totally cool bro. I got the "uh...............um......." style going right now. I'm pretty fixated on that and for good reason!

Life will deal you some sour hands from time to time, but I really can't complain.

I've never been a thin guy, but somewhere around eighth grade, I started shedding some of my baby fat and maintained a pretty consistent "middleweight" physique for a good 15 or so years. Then I actually wanted to put on pounds. I felt I could pull it off. I continued to rebel against nothing, while wearing tight, navy blue, fruit of the loom t-shirts. Not a care in the world!

Then gravity made it's plans quite clear, and the next thing I knew I had a beer belly and potential man tits. The medium navy blue shirts needed to be downgraded to larges. No longer could I get by on the size 34 waist jeans with the top button undone. I had to switch to 36 to ensure proper comfort.

It's cool. I don't mind so much. It's the little things that make me want to lose some pounds and get fit. I was doing yoga with Mrs. Smitty yesterday and I was out of breath, belching and farting just trying to pull off a simple "upwardly mobile spiraling lion" pose. I'm not sure what it was called exactly. It could have been a "downward hurtling beaver chomp".

I've been lifting weights though. I'm over pacifism. It's a cop out. I'm ready to punch someone in the face.

Happy New Year!

...soon!

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