2011

I know everybody runs the "Best of 2011" type stuff, but I had a really great year, and I'd like to reminisce on it.

Highlight reel:
Going to Washington DC with my 9to5 internship

Tagging along on a bit of the Mystery Color Theory Tour

Working two jobs for a short period... I know there's people who work two, three, or four jobs, but for me the experience of working two was stressful and rewarding.  I'm glad I did it.

Going to Washington DC again with my family.

Going to San Diego.  Definitely didn't work out like I expected, and I probably left too early, but it was a good learning experience, I met some great people, and I'm glad I went.

Little day trips to Pueblo and Greeley with the homies.

Getting a bunch of boards together for the kids at Mercy House and teaching them how to skate (with Joey and Paul's help of course).  Also tutoring at Mercy House, for giving me perspective on life and introducing me to some great humans.

Wrapping up my toughest semester of college.

Finishing and premiering The Denver Shop video "Stakes Is High"

Top 5 Books for 2011 (to be clear, these are books that I read in 2011, not books that came out in 2011.  For the most part, I don't read a lot of contemporary literature, but I'm working on branching out):

-Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer

-The Omnivore's Dilema by Michael Pollan

-The Waves by Virginia Woolf

-Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

-Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf

As for 2012, I'm looking forward to graduating college, skating more and more, and possibly moving.  We'll see where life takes me.

Ty Bush

Gave me a little shout out on his blog... thanks Ty!

Stake Is High

Three years since "In Color", the new Denver Shop video was finally going to premiere.  Anna and I went out for breakfast the morning of.

Then I cruised to Denver Park to meet up with the Kansas City homies and Ryan.

Ryan and I wanted to skate this rail, but there was a puddle up top and some snow on the landing.  That kind of stuff bothers me, but it didn't phase Ryan.  The day of the premier he already got a banger for the next video.  He's coming up!

The cop showed up after Ryan killed it.  It's hard to kick people out when they just do it first try.

Pizza party at The Shop before heading over to The Mayan.

We had a little pre-premiere at The Shop.  By the end of the day I had seen the video three times... over it.

Chad "Damn" Lewis and Monico Candelaria

Ryan Franzman.

Garrett.  Super proud of him, Jan, and Alex for coming through with their first part.  Flaming Shit all day!

We out here!

FS

Tharsh crew.

Mrs. Greer and Mrs. Wells holding it down.

Spencer with the wildest shirt out.

This guy! So glad he made it out.  Jason Clark, Littleton legends never die.

View from up top.

The video!  Not going to lie, I was super nervous, but it seems like it was well received.  If not, we had a lot of good times making it, I know everyone worked super hard, and all our friends came to see it.  Can't complain.

Came out of the theater after the second showing and these guys were on the loose.  Didn't see anyone get arrested, so everything must've been alright.

The man of the hour... Anthony Mellick.  None of this would've happened without him.

Josh Cray... I mean Crane.

Kansas meets Colorado

Greg Knight called me on Tuesday to say he was driving from Maine to make the premiere.  Apparently he only caught the last 10 minutes or so of the video, but he made it.  It was super rad to have people come from New Mexico, California, Maine, Kansas/Missouri, Arizona, New York, etc. to see the video!

Joey and I getting weird.

Chris and Tony.  These dudes ran Brother's Boards which turned into The Denver Shop.  I love these dudes.

Littleton Rippers.

We ended up at a house party over at Dan/Owen/Jur's/Whoever else lives there.  Good times.

Yep.

Thanks again to everybody for coming out.  Next week you should be able to buy the video here.

Wisconsin for Christmas

I went to Wisconsin for Christmas with my family.  We stayed at my Uncle's lodge, had a whole room to myself. 

Breakfast at The Lodge.

My Uncle Aaron making breakfast for us all.  Thanks!

Here's the first book I read on the trip.  It's really a really insightful first-person exploration into what it's like to be perceived as crazy and the stigma that surrounds mental disorders. Definitely worth reading.  It's also interesting to see how much treatment has developed/not changed at all since its publication in the 1970's.  

A fridge full of beverages.  Mexican Coke!

On the way to my grandparent's farm we stopped at Miller'c Cheese House.  It's a Wisconsin staple.

Political sentiment outside the cheese house: "Don't tread on me" and "Re-elect no one"

Hanging out at The Farm.

Dogs!  Gizmo and KC.

My sister and I are terrible cooks/bakers.  But here's Megan attempting to make some doughnuts.

Success.

Family portraits in front of the tree.

Desserts and cookies!

My Mom's birthday is on Christmas, so we sung her "happy birthday" and she got a cake.

Here's Gizmo.

And KC.

Day 2.  Finished "The Looney-Bin Trip", started "The Alchemist".  I picked this one up on recommendation, didn't know it would have such heavy religious connotations, but the message is simple and good: follow your dreams, even if it's scary and there are obstacles, and things will work out. Not sure how much I believe in that for myself but it's nice to read about.

My sister got me a Justin Bieber toothbrush for Christmas.  Thanks a heap.

Gizmo got some pj's.

Cute!

BB gun shooting.

Nailing soda cans left and right.

Then I went inside and watched "A Christmas Story", pretty ironic after playing with a BB gun.

Lots of family.

Then pool back at The Lodge.

Always nice to get together over the holidays, but definitely psyched to be home.  The premier is tomorrow, New Years, maybe a California trip early January... time will tell.