Go create

Hello. I say it every year around my birthday (which was yesterday) and actually do follow up the idea - I should do more. This year as you may well know I have taken up skateboarding again after 30 years, today was a good day for that. I took my son to an indoor ramp where for the first time I dropped in on the half pipe. If that means nothing to you it's because either A) you're young and don't skateboard or B)you're old and have no idea what I'm on about. For the benefit of both parties it means that I went off the top of a platform into a curve running away from said platform in a gravitationally challenged aspect. At least that was the plan. The first 15 attempts ended in a wipeout akin to dropping a pig carcass from 2 stories. Eventually though and with plenty of encouragement from the kids there, I did it. As the young might say, I was 'stoked'.

The downside is apparent though, I think I've either broken or seriously sprained a toe, have bruises on my knees (pads? only on elbows) and ache, but never mind, I enjoyed it enormously!

Aside from the above, the other thing I've just got back to is photography. Having graduated from Erith Comprehensive in 1980something with a solid CSE grade in the subject, other than using pro photographers work commercially, I've not done much of my own. Sure there were holiday snaps, but nothing I was really proud of. The past few years I've had a colleague who has been enthusiastic about images and she's really helped. The wanting to 'out do each other' means we both paid more attention, even to the point of several trips out for the sole purpose of taking photos.

We've worked together to produce good quality commercial photos for our mutual employer and the rewards personally have been great (we got diddly squat from the company) and pushed us to achieve better each time. Now were in a photo project group with another colleague and a few other friends and the results are all good. Each of us want to produce better images to impress each other I think and that is a good thing. Without the competition you're never driven quite as hard.

Now, if I can combine photos and skateboarding without getting arrested or broken, I will!