neckdeep*march*ramblings*

Friday. March 30, 2001 - 7:04pm

It was only a matter of time. CrossRocket is gone, so is MonsterSkate...oh well.

Thursday. March 29, 2001 - 3:15pm

What you've all been waiting for a Kato Photo Gallery! (well three photos, I don't know if that's a gallery...)

Also, here's a great vegan link...submitted by Teri.

Weds. March 28, 2001 - 5:55pm

A little tan dog named Kato has been running around my house for about 24 hours now.. I'm still a bit stressed, leaving her alone for most of today and feeling bad, but in a week or two it should be life as normal. Photos soon...

Tuesday. March 27, 2001 - 4:23pm

Seems like At-the-Drive-In have broken up...damn.

Thanks to Frank for letting me know...Tom, stop crying.

Tuesday. March 27, 2001 - 10:05am

I just added a photogallery of the Santa Cruz skate video premiere party to the threatmedia* site, check it out.

I pick up my dog today.

Monday. March 26, 2001 - 9:08am

I haven't been much for updates on weekends lately...sorry about that.

-The big news is that Jess and I got a dog this weekend. We have named her Kato...based on both the Bruce Lee character from The Green Hornet and Inspector Clouseau's house boy from the Pink Panther series. She's a mutt, but it's believed she has a little Pit in her. We adopted her from SF Animal Control. She is currently being fixed and we should have her home by the end of the week.

- Murder City Devils were pretty damn good Saturday. The crowd didn't seem too into it, but it was still a good show. It's funny how Spencer sings the same lyrics to the song, but swaps the placement around. He doesn't make it easy to sing along...

- The Academy Awards last night were OK. I was glad Traffic won best Director, and that Crouching Tiger won best Art Direction..as well as three other Oscars apiece. I have never seen Gladiator , but I'm not a fan of Russell Crowe...but I guess I'll have to watch that now. Traffic should have won best picture, but whatever. Steve Martin really busted Russell Crowe's ass, which was great. The guy takes himself way too seriously. His best film was Romper Stomper (I guess The Insider was cool). Also, Almost Famous winning for best original screenplay was awesome...that movie was amazing.

I also updated the WHAT I'M WATCHING COLUMN...

Friday. March 23, 2001 - 1:40pm

Well, what do ya know? Fecal Face has posted my opener artwork, so go check it out. More design work there soon...

Friday. March 23, 2001 - 11:22am

I've been a bit slack on the updates...but this one is being done directly from the new threatmedia* office on 476 Fifth Street, San Francisco. After much work we are in and rocking. Now all we need is the final DSL install. 56k is for the birds.

In other news...Jess and I are trying to decide on adopting a dog, and I am excited to see the Murder City Devils show tomorrow.

Tuesday. March 20, 2001 - 7:02pm

I've been in Tahoe and Sacto. for the last two days...Sacramento reminds be alot of Richmond VA. Small tight city. The snow in Tahoe is melting fast...Sierra was good on Monday, Alpine was pretty lame this morning. That's about it...I don't feel much like writing...go here, and here, and here...this is what I've been up to.

Friday. March 16, 2001 - 10:30am

This is one of the best interviews I've read in a while...Scott Bourne. Nice to find a skateboarder with some clarity and depth.

Thursday. March 15, 2001 - 5:23pm

The SIA Las Vegas photo gallery is up at threatmedia*. Click the link in the news section. Some funny stuff. I also added a new home page image...ga' bless PhotoShop™. Look for that to change quite a bit.

Weds. March 14, 2001 - 8:43pm

The new Thrasher Magazine (April 2001) is the Skater of the Year Issue and features the winner, Geoff Rowley on the cover. He happens to be juggling grenades, some with the pins pulled out. The story features a bunch of grenade shots as well. Geoff is my favorite skater, and I used the grenade with pin pulled as the threatmedia* logo. Hmmm...very interesting...

Tuesday. March 13, 2001 - 9:45am

(as written Monday, March 12, 3:30pm)
I'm writing this on the plane as I travel back from horrible Las Vegas, and the SIA tradeshow. Overall it was an amazing show for threatmedia*. If even half of the companies we spoke to sign on, our plate will be full for the next year. I'll run down the highlights and lowlights...

HIGHLIGHTS

- Meeting Daniel Franck and talking to him about the state of the internet, as well as hearing the story of why he first started snowboarding. He just wanted to impress a girl, and one up a guy he disliked. Daniel ended up becoming one of the greatest riders ever, and a halfpipe world champion. Amazing.

- Seeing my friend, and new Transworld Snowboarding Managing Editor, Andy Blumberg two minutes before the start of the Transworld Rider Awards. He was stressed as hell but I knew he had never been happier.

- Being one of the dozen people to test the new X-Games skateboard game for PSX2 while still in development, and talking to the Japanese developers about it's game play and realism.

- Having the honor of seeing the proof of the new Heckler book, Declaration of Independence. The little I saw and read was an inspiration. Photos and writing by Bryce and other talented people...and they even got David Carson to collaborate on the cover design.

- Asking pro rider Jason Brown about the new logo for his new company, Capita. When he told me about a scene in Star Wars it was based off of I finished his sentence. His company was the best board brand at the show, and the best thing to happen to the sport in a long time. check out the website now.

and...!!

- Almost bumping into Kevin from the Backstreet Boys in the lobby of the Bellagio Hotel. Really. They were playing the MGM Grand. Bryce and I tried to chase him down to pose for a photo with me...but his bodyguard wasn�t having it. No one seemed to notice him except me. He's my favorite cause he "focuses his personal and political efforts to cleaning up and protecting the earth."

LOWLIGHTS

- The Transworld Rider Awards. In short, I was ashamed to be a snowboarder. Stupid, drunken pros holding cigarettes at the podium and giving rambling speeches that made no sense. They are great athletes, but they should let their riding speak for them. Is it that hard to thank your sponsors and have some dignity? I guess so. Horrible.

- Not eating anything but dry toast in 16hrs.

- Being too busy to hang out with my good friend Tom.

- The Las Vegas Airport and a hour long wait for a cab at 12:30 on Friday night.

- Las Vegas in general...what a dump, and people vacation there?

Look for a extensive photo gallery on threatmedia* very soon...

Friday. March 9, 2001 - 4:34pm

In a few hours I will be on my way to beautiful Las Vegas for the wonderful SIA tradeshow. The show itself is pretty cool...I like going to the Transworld Riders' Poll Awards, and seeing people I haven't seen since the last trade show. Las Vegas is a dump. My big problem is food...the town is not vegan friendly. I also don't gamble or like to spend lots of money watching women take off their clothes. So it will be a few days until the next update, as I will be trying to fuel the threatmedia* machine with new clients...

other stuff...

- It seems Fecal Face.com has an ad in the new Juxtapoz magazine...wow. Also, they are running some sort of crazy ass photo context. Go to the site for more information.

- Napster is dumb. Buy from indie labels to save money AND support people other than greedy corporate fat cats. I like artwork with my music...and MP3 players are expensive.

Wed. March 7, 2001 - 10:02am

At this very second I am typing this on my laptop while I sit at Levan Auto Glass. Yesterday, while driving home from the new office, my windshield spider cracked on the right hand side. No stone hit it, no huge bump in the road...nothing. The bastards here claim it was hit with something, but I WATCHED IT BREAK. I had it replaced here almost two months ago. I now have to pay $120.00. If I spend any more money on auto glass, I could buy a new car. They claim this isn't covered by the Limited Lifetime Warranty...I'm calling the manager.

Also, I just added a photo gallery highlighting a trip to Sugar Bowl to the threatmedia* website. Go and check it out...I dig the design, I'm trying to change it up each story.

Tuesday. March 6, 2001 - 10:12am

It sounds terrible, but I'm surprised there aren't more school shootings. Everytime this happens the reporter at the scene looks stunned. They are so amazed that a kid could do such a thing. Did you go to high school? Oh wait, you were the popular, pretty one...lucky you. Kids are damn cruel, and guns are far too easy to get.

I'm waiting for the media to start the anti-skateboarding campaign. It's reported that Charles Williams was "a skateboarder who couldn't do tricks" who was "really a poser" and he was picked on "at the skate park, where he would hang out". When I was in High School I used skating to escape all the bullshit. I hope skating hasn't turned into a skills contest, like all the High School sports I wanted nothing to do with.

Monday. March 5, 2001 - 9:00am

I was too tired to go see the new ex- onelinedrawing and Texas Is The Reason band, New End Original last night at Bottom of the Hill. I'm sure it was damn good. I was just too drained from painting. I find it harder and harder to motivate myself to go to shows. I try to buy the tickets in advance, that way since I've already spent the money...I have to go.

I did have enough energy to watch TV. The Simpsons is really going downhill. Last night's was not good...not good at all. I hate to admit it, but MTV is producing some great shows(see WHAT I'M WATCHING).

Also, Fecal Face has decided to do the whole "blog" deal and update everyday...and sometimes twice a day! To have the wild experience of seeing life through John's eyes, go check it out.

Saturday. March 3, 2001 - 4:11pm

For the past two days I've been working on the new threatmedia* office on Fifth and Bryant in SF. Sanding, stripping, pulling up tile, painting...it's coming along.

Thursday. March 1, 2001 - 1:18pm

The new iGeneration website has launched.
I did all the visual design on this site and MentalShock did the backend work. It was a Hardcloud reunion of sorts...just no action sports, or commerce, or...anyway, it's live. Check it out.

Thursday. March 1, 2001 - 12:00am (eastern time)

It's a new month...so here's a new design.
The old design, as well as all the February archived entries are located at the archive link on the lower left. I hope to do a new design every month...hopefully a bit more complex and different as time allows. Anyway, enjoy.

Lost At Sea has a story about the end of the band Frodus. These guys were formed in Fairfax, VA, close to where I went to High School. Shelby the lead singer of Frodus, worked at the only good punk record store in the area. I thought they sucked ass from day one.

I bought their first demo tape and quickly threw it away. I also saw them open for Avail at the Black Cat in DC. They all wore silly plastic space helmets and the crowd's booing was louder than their music. Us Against Them praise them, and everyone I meet now say they were amazing.

My favorite Frodus memory was at that same Black Cat show. Beau Beau from Avail stopped playing pool at the back of the club and shouted, "You suck...get off the stage!" A sold out crowd booed and hissed. It was a tear jerking moment.

Frodus will be missed...but not by me.