I Pierced My Nose

Welcome back. The 17-year-old skate kids who read this column regularly might have noticed that I dipped out the past two weeks. Sorry about that. Two weeks ago I was planning to write about an adidas/Roger shoe release party at No-Comply skate shop here in Austin.

I thought I could write about all the cool kids (and grownup men) that showed up.

Maybe write something about Shortbus? Dude's always entertaining.

Talk about my dad friends.

And I was really excited to take pictures of my buddy Mike Aho's band ((SOUNDER)) playing. I just got a new camera and I was anxious to try it out during a real, live rock and roll action moment. (This photo is in black and white because I think band photos are supposed to be in black and white.) But right after we premiered the adidas/Roger film ([commercial](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AaHc2kV0NQk )) the police showed up and told us to knock it off. Apparently we were making too much noise in downtown Austin on a Saturday evening at 6 PM. Live music capital of the world? Yeah right. Keep Austin Weird? As long as weird means being quiet and not disturbing the Californians who recently moved to downtown Austin, then go ahead and keep it as weird as you want.

Regardless, I think the kids still had a pretty good time. And there was free pizza. And basically I just didn't have enough photos to write a whole column about the event. Then last Monday was Martin Luther King, Jr. day and I just assumed that VICE wouldn't be posting stuff since it was a holiday. But it turns out they were posting stuff. So that's my bad. And that brings us up to today, I guess.

This week I had planned on interviewing my buddy Mike Aho, who's in ((SOUNDER)), which you've probably heard of if you've been reading this article. But shit happened and we weren't able to finish the interview in time. So then I was like, "Well shoot, what else did I do this week?" My wife and I took our little dude to this thing called Architects of Air. While we were there my wife suggested that I take some photos for this column. And my gut reaction was to not do it. Something about growing up as a skateboarder in the 80s (and early 90s too, I suppose) has instilled in me this unfounded hatred for anything that the public likes. If it's a popular movie, for some reason I think that it has to be shitty. That type of thing. Which is kind of a ridiculous attitude to have as a grown man. Those formative years really have a lasting impact.

Nevertheless, I begrudgingly took out my camera and started taking some photos.

And I was actually really stoked on the experience, despite my cynical pseudo-punk rock ridiculous immature ethos.

It was really visually calming inside the inflated structure.

Sort of like being inside a science-fiction movie, but without anybody shooting lasers at you.

The ceilings were pretty hypnotic.They made me grow three dreadlocks.

They seemed to buzz with color and light. I pierced my nose.

And I left with a beard and had somehow joined a drum circle and a vegan dreamcatcher appreciation group. Strange times. But all jokes aside, it was kind of awesome and I'm glad I was able to stop acting like a 12-year-old kid for a few minutes and enjoy it.

I also did one other thing this week. I went to an art show at my friend's art space/studios, the Common House.

Here's some background info. My buddy Josh Row set up a design challenge for himself in 2011: Design one skateboard graphic a day for the entire year. So was born the Daily Deck.

The show featured images of all 365 graphics hung in front of people getting in my way with their beer drinking and general fun-having. Darn fun-havers.

Josh puts most skateboard companies to shame, excluding Roger. Nah, just kidding. We're lucky to make 20 new graphics a year. We lazy.

Two of my favorites. True, true.

Josh was also showing a few recent screen prints. This one turned into a mural.

I thought it was the other way around. But still nice.

Five years, bro. I raise my glass to ten more.

I love this print. It comes inside a plastic sleeve much like a pack of cigarettes inside its cellophane. Smart. Nice work, Josh. But as an illustrator/designer I hope you know your job is to constantly outdo yourself. So I'm looking forward to 2012's: The Daily Double Deck. Don't let us down.

Movie Review: Real Genius

Did you know Stacy Peralta was in Real Genius?

Me neither.

http://www.msieben.com/

Previously - Star Trek or Mexico