The Story of True Motion Video Magazine

The seeds of my video production company, True Motion were planted back in 1990 when I purchased my first video camera. I bought it on credit from a local audio/video retailer in my hometown of St. Catharines. It was a VHS-C, recorded in 640×480 (a long way from high def!) and was the greatest thing I had ever bought. It went everywhere with me. It changed every skate session from that day forward. Videos were really becoming embedded in the skateboard culture. As one video quoted “If you don’t have video, you’re shit!”. Well now I had video. It could be a mediocre skate session happening, but as soon as the camera came out and the chance to be immortalized on film became present, everyone stepped up their game. We all took risks we wouldn’t normally take. With video you could invite all your friends over later and show them just how sick of a skater your were even if they couldn’t be at the session. The whole room would cheer and slap each other on the back as if the trick just happened in real life. The only problem was fast-forwarding through the countless hours of tape to get to those precious few moments of fame and inspiration. That’s when I realized this all needed to be edited to a watchable format. Boiled down to the good stuff. I went back to the same retailer and purchased a video toaster (a keyboard), fader controller and an editing VCR. The toaster and fader went between two VCRs to allow you to edit, fade between scenes and add titles. The editing VCR had a “flying eraserhead” which allowed for clean edits and none of those warbly lines between clips. It was fun, but challenging because everything was done on the fly as the clip played on one VCR and the other recorded. IT was more like being a video DJ then an editor. After my first video was complete with edits, titles and music I invited everyone back over for a viewing party. It was a crazy atmosphere and one of my favorite memories. I knew from that day that this would be my hobby.

After only a few years I decided that this hobby of mine would become my first business and so I made the leap. I left my job as a kitchen manager, bought all new digital video equipment and spent 3 months learning how to edit on a computer. I had never even owned a computer before so this was a huge learning curve, but I did it. I filmed my first full-length skateboard video using my new camera and computer. Now it was time to get it out there into the world. I used every bit of skateboard clout I had. I traveled to every store in Ontario acting as my own sales rep and convinced a distributor in Toronto to duplicate & distribute my video. Game on.

This was my first attempt. It was to be a quarterly video magazine show casing young, up and coming local talent. I would mix in some pro demos and contests to give it sales appeal, but my real motive was getting our scene coverage. To help pave a road full of new sponsorship opportunities for everyone I skated with. The first video was clearly a lot of experimentation. It was over-titled, over-edited and reeked of amateurism, but I was learning, honing my craft and passionate about my company. This was only the beginning.

The #EpicDayOff

I wrote briefly about my epic days off last year in a previous post. I spoke about fitting in as much as I could into one day. Multiple sports, multiple challenges, long runs or whatever else I could think of to test my limits and generally make the day interesting. I received a great response from everyone who would interact with me throughout my adventures via social media. This is what gave me the idea to make it a "thing". To try and grow it organically, to use it as a tool to inspire others and show them just how obtainable an epic adventure can be. Hence the hashtag #EpicDayOff. Most of us are grinding it out 5 days a week and some choose to relax on their time off. To each their own and whatever pleases you is the right thing to do. For those of us who feel like we sell ourselves 5 days a week for 2 free ones (which is what we are doing), we need something epic to burn off that stress.

I've decided that to keep it interesting, like a game, it will need some basic rules for everyone to follow.

Here's what I've come up with:

1. The adventure must cost less than $20. The budget does not include food or snacks packed from home. This means there is going to need to be some creativity involved. Anyone could have an epic day if they spent $200.
2. It needs to push you outside your comfort zone. Now this doesn't mean risking your life or doing something you don't want to. It could mean hiking for a hour or two longer than you ever have before or taking on a DIY project that you think is beyond your skill.
3. Don't be afraid to fail. In fact if you do fail, then congratulations you found your limit! It means you still have a goal to complete a little later down the road.
4. It doesn't have to be risky. In fact it should be as safe as possible. We all have to go back to work for 5 more days to earn another weekend!
5. It should be one day. It's #EpicDayOff, not #EpicWeekend. Leave one of your days to recover from all the epicness!
6. It can be alone or with a friend! Mine happen to be lonely adventures as usually one of my days off are through the week when most people are working.

I've listed a few ideas that are on the drawing board:

• Triathalon - any distance. It could be as simple as doing the distance in a pool, hopping on a bike and riding for the afternoon and then going for a run through your neighborhood. The bike and run portions could be mapped out on Google for free.
• Climb a Mountain. Well at least the height of one. Find a nice long hill or set of stairs. Climb, repeat. May sound boring, but put on some great tunes or an audio book and just grind it out to see when you'll break.
• Walk across your entire city and take the bus back. Again the secret for me, if you're on your own, is podcasts or audio books. Music is great but after a few hours you'll need a break and heck, why not learn something new. Multi-tasking!
• Ride a bike to another city or further! Most people have a bike that spends far too much time tucked away on the back of the garage or shed. Drizzle some oil on that squeaking mice nest of a chain and get out on the asphalt!

Well you get the idea. If you need a little inspiration just watch the short video I've included here documenting my last #EpicDayOff when I skateboarded 80km from Hamilton to Toronto.

Good luck on your adventures and keep me posted through social media. Let me know if you have any rules to add!

Twitter: @Sk8Philosopher

Facebook: The Skateboard Philosopher

Instagram: skateboardphilosopher

B.S.A.

If you've gotten this far you're probably here wondering what the hell B.S.A. stands for. It's an initialism I created a few years ago when I was working as a food service manager and stressed out beyond the help any drug could offer. I sat down one night and proceded to spark up a joint as I always did in those days. It was movie night and I love a good movie. Especially when you're baked out of your mind and looking to zone away. This was going to be the perfect movie I thought - Surfer, Dude. The main character was a hippie-esque, weed smokin' surfer who was always zen. It stared Matthew McConaughey and I figured it would be like his iconic character "Wooderson" from Dazed and Confused, "You got a joint? It'd be a whole lot cooler if you did."

Now I'm not trying to claim that this movie should have taken the Oscars by storm, but it surprised me and was just what I needed. McConaughey is the only actor I can think of that could pull of a character like Surfer, Dude's Steve Addington and not come off as cheesy as Kraft Dinner (Hey a Canadian Favorite!)

Addington took each day as it's own and never worried about anything. He had blind faith that everything would just work out. He lived for surfing, but refused to compete. To him it was all about fulfilling the soul. That's what I needed. To find my flow, my zen, a quiet place in my mind where the stress and anxiety from work could catch me. B.S.A., Be Steve Addington.

And it worked. For a while anyway. My days off consisted of strolling around with my dog Lola, smoking one fat joint after another. I'd spend my day soaking in the sunshine and trying to run away from my thoughts. That's the funny thing about thoughts though, you can't run away and you can't escape. Not from your own mind. So eventually the work stress hunted me down like Elmer Fudd. "Be verwy, verwy quiet, I'm hunting Ryan's last nerve"

I ended up quitting fairly soon after that, leaving behind the highest paying career I have ever had. The funny thing was I didn't miss it or the money. The money had me convinced that I needed it, but once it was gone my life actually got better.

It was in the spirit of a zen surfer caring only about the moment that I rediscovered who I really was and what I needed to be happy. Money can buy you a shit tonne of stuff, but it will never purchase you peace of mind. And so it is to this day that I still remind myself when I get caught up in the bullshit rat race that is modern society, to just be Steve Addington. 

A Skateboarder's Philosophy

Where to even begin? 

This really should have been my first post. I just wanted to jot down a few points (mostly for myself) as to what this blog's purpose is, as well as a few guidelines.

I'll root my philosophy and writings in the following principles:

1. A simple life is easier to maintain, less stressful and very fulfilling.
2. A simple life means living with as few possessions as you need to feel fulfilled.
3. Work to live, don't live to work. (I'm a bit of a hypocrite here, but I'm working on it!)
4. Find a way to enjoy your work.
5. Find and follow your passions.
6. Be a well rounded and open-minded individual.
7. Life-long learning is the key to the previous point.
8. Don't be afraid of failure, that's where we learn.
9. Love is of the utmost importance.
10. Health is of the utmost importance.

My blogs will come from the heart, be honest, thoughtful and attempt to inspire others. I will keep them reasonably short and concise and use humor wherever I can. I may use vulgar language when appropriate or just because I feel like it. Most importantly I won't hold back. I'll be open about my thoughts and emotions concerning any topic that floats through my mind. After all, my true philosophy is nothing more than deep contemplation. The topics can range from the mindbogglingly difficult, like what the universe is made of to the benignly simple, like "why I like camouflage patterns so much?". 

I tend to ponder the question: "What is a good life?", the most. To me, it is a simple one without drama, without anger or anxiety, yet one where we strive to always be better versions of ourselves. Simple lives give us more time for reflection, to live our passions, to find our path in life and to simply relax. For me it's in this relaxed state that the magic happens. This could be swinging gently in a hammock in the shade of a hot summer's day or through the countless kilometers clicked off while riding a bike, running a trail or skating down a smooth paved road.

Here's to the simple life, may you have even just a slice for now.

Pushing Past Another Day

Last year I began a weekly tradition of planning and executed (or at least attempting to execute) a mini adventure. It became known as "Epic Fridays" or whatever day of the week I had off. I ran 50km with a fully loaded backpack along the Bruce Trail from Vineland to Hamilton, only to break myself in the end. I would pack my day with skateboarding, dirt jumping, rock climbing, open water swimming and long bike rides. I would set weird goals like 10 different skate tricks at 10 parks. I've rocked skatepark tours and hit more than a dozen in a day. 

Why would I do this?

The reason is simple and two fold: to test my limits, but more importantly to inspire others. To prove that we are all capable of so much more than we think. To demonstrate that an adventure doesn't need to be huge to be amazing. You can have epic experiences on any given day and these life shaping moments come in all shapes and sizes. It could be the first time you run a 5km or just stayed up all night to watch the sunset and then rise again.
 
Earlier this year I was inspired once again to try something new and different. One Morning in January an interesting race popped up in my Facebook feed. a 24 hour skateboard race. I had been running long distances on trails for the previous two years and an event that combined both skateboarding and endurance seemed right up my alley. The only issue was that it was in Miami, Florida. I wasn't about to drop the kind of moolah it would take to travel down there just to skate laps around the speedway, but it did give me an idea. What if I just applied that concept to one of my epic days off? How far could I skate?

I also had the inkling to build up a couple fat-wheeled cruiser boards for my wife Chris and I. I mean she married a skateboarder so it was about time she got with the program. As the stars aligned I just happened to develop a fascination with hitchhiking and train-hopping. I was falling in love with the romance of packing a backpack and heading out on the road in search of adventure. As I drifted deeper down the rabbit hole that is You Tube I stumbled upon a cool little documentary by a couple skateboarders.  Their Idea? A  250 mile skate trip from Boston to New York. Not the typical kind of skateboard road trip like via automobile where you stop to hit sweet street spots. Nope, back your backpack and "Push" your way there. I would say that's pretty epic, but the best part was that it's easily obtainable by any skater. It's like a big 'ol party pizza, not too many of us could eat 24 slices all at once, but if we just munch up a few at a time you can get there. An adventure like this costs next to nothing, but the reward is priceless. They slept on rooftops in a tent, crashed on strangers couches (turning strangers into friends) and did something most people would say couldn't be done.

So thanks to all this inspiration it's time for another Epic Day Off! I'm off to hit the streets and attempt to skateboard from Hamilton to Toronto, 75km in a day. I do mean attempt because I have never tried anything like this before. I have a cruiser board now so that's going to help. I'm also packing a backpack full of "urban survival gear" as if I was on the journey with my previously mentioned skateboard brethren. This is just a test and if all goes well I too would love to try a trip like this combined with hitchhiking and see where it could take me. 

I'll leave you with this little tidbit of personal philosophy. I'm not afraid to fail because only through failure can I discover my limits."

You can follow my adventures on my Facebook page: The Skateboard Philosopher and on Twitter @Sk8Philosopher

How Skateboarding & Philosophy Saved My Life

     

Perhaps saved my life is too bold a statement to make. Then again maybe not. I'll break this down to be as short and sweet as I can make it.

     When I discovered skateboarding as a kid it gave me a culture, a style, a lingo to speak, friends and a brotherhood. More than that, it gave me a passion. This passion has ebbed and flowed like the high and low tides of the ocean, but has always remained an undercurrent in my life. It was simply a way to express myself in my youth and became the way I expressed my manhood through competition and eventually my career. More than all of this, it was my identity. When my body finally gave out in my mid thirties and I had to retire and be relegated to one of the rolling masses - I was not ready to lose what I saw as my identity. It was the well from which I had drawn my self-esteem. Now what was I? Just an old beat up dude that rode a skateboard half as well as I used to? What would everyone say about me? "There goes Ryan, I thought that guy used to be good, what happened to him?" I couldn't bear the thought so I left skateboarding behind to pursue something else. That something became running and I became fairly proficient at it. I love running, but it to became my identity and the vehicle for my self-esteem. I succeeded only in transferring my need to anchor my self worth as what I could accomplish, not in who I was.

     During this time I had poured myself into a career as a chef. Well not really a chef although I had gone to school and obtained my Red Seal certification. I took a job as a food service manager for a large retirement corporation. I worked hard, very hard. I once worked more than 30 hours straight to get my kitchen ready for a corporate inspection. I climbed up through the ranks and was poised to become the first regional manager for the company. All the while I was dying inside. I was using sleeping pills, smoking large amounts of marijuana, drinking and suffering from severe anxiety attacks. I had a long commute from Burlington to Toronto each day and I began to use this time more wisely. I had discovered a catalog of lecture series on every topic imaginable. I decided to start with philosophy. I knew nothing about philosophy, but I knew it was centered around deep thought and new ideas. I needed both of these intensely. It was through the study of philosophy that I began to consider my own philosophy and through this consideration held up a mirror to my own life. What I saw shook me to my core. I had a well paying career, but in the process I had sold myself out to the dollar. If the young, creative skateboarder from my youth met the corporate me, he would hate me. He would despise everything I was and everything I believed in. So I quit. Handing in my notice, with no real plan and only a few months worth of savings.

As it stands right now, I have once again become caught in the trappings of a career move for money. At the very least this time I enjoy my work and the time shared with like-minded people. That being said, I find myself trading in my time for an extra dollar or two. Again I am in deep contemplation of where I want my life to go.

Enter in skateboarding and philosophy... again.

I recently built cruiser skateboards for both my wife and I. Simple boards. The kind built for long, smooth cruising, not tricks. As I took the first few pushes on this little wooden time machine it all came washing back over me like the tide coming in. Those days of my youth when skateboarding was about rolling through life without a plan, without a to-do list, without a care in the fucking world. When happiness reigned as king and responsibility was a simple peasant. It's in this realm that philosophy blooms. It provides time to think and and clear ones mind. What do I want my life to be? What is my purpose?

It is now I realize the transient nature of self. Who I am today will not be who I am tomorrow. We are in a constant state of change, but my one common thread has been a plank of wood on four wheels. The skateboard will always be a symbol of freedom and it has now become the catalyst to once again think deeply about life.

I'm still running and cycling, as well as using the time spent in these activities to think deeply. But it is through the lense of skateboarding that I now view my core beliefs again. We are on a single journey through our lifetime and have only one chance to live it to the fullest. I will share with you my thoughts on how I will do this and hopefully inspire you to do the same.

Ryan

The Skateboard Philosopher