You Never Know What Tomorrow Brings

Aug 10,2020 / By Hippie Mike / No Comment

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You can make plans or you can live on a whim, you never really know what will happen tomorrow. Tomorrow could be the best day of your life, the worst day of your life, or just another day to remember or forget. You could win a lottery, or someone close to you could pass away; You could decide to head out on a dream vacation, or you could find out your not allowed to go outside because of a world pandemic lockdown; You really never know…
The other day was great because I went out to skate with just Kaelen and myself and didn’t make plans with anybody. We went to Queensborough where my friend Jamie Madill had some wheels for me and we skated there for a bit together which was super fun.

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We knew we were heading to Richmond to skate a special street spot but hadn’t told anyone we were going there. After we went to the spot I took Kaelen to the old River Road Skate Park because he had never been there and it was literally around the corner from where we were. We had a great time there and met a bunch of really cool teenage kids that had no idea who I was. I always love that because it usually means they are pretty new to skateboarding and weren’t part of all the things I’ve done over the years. We skated with them and had a great time, we even got asked to be filmed to be in a video they are making, I love that.

Train Video – Richmond Skate Park

While we were there I texted Andy Anderson to see where he was skating that day, usually if we are going to skate together we make plans much earlier in the week so I didn’t actually expect for us to hook up but nice to know where everyone is at. So just by fluke him, Shawn Beaupre, Travis Waller, and Ty Williamson were on there way to Brighouse, right around the corner from where we were. Just to paint a bigger picture for those who don’t know but I live in Sunshine Valley and it’s about a 2 hour drive to Richmond, so you can imagine I’m not there very often. The fact that these guys happened to be skating right where we were skating that day was obviously fate that we needed to hang out together.
So we met up about a half hour later and it was great. Andy was trying to make history with a couple NBD tricks for an upcoming Powell Peralta video part and since I was there I jumped in for the 2nd camera angle. History was definitely made, and so were the memories. Everyone in that group has been through some awesome times together over the years and it was great to all be in one spot at the same time again. If you had asked me the day before who I was going to be hanging out with the next day I would’ve just answered Kaelen. But instead I hung out with 5 generations of amazing people that all just had fun skateboarding together.
You never know what Tomorrow brings….

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Mid-Summer Vibes

Aug 3,2020 / By Hippie Mike / No Comment

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It’s the middle of Summer and there’s definitely still a confused mentality in the air, some people still think everyone around should be in quarantined lockdown inside their houses while others are doing anything possible they can do to be out and about and not stuck in their condos. The main thing is that the kids are active and learning whether inside or out.
It’s been a different year for everyone, not fully understanding what’s happening in the world right now or even why it’s happening, and not knowing what the future will hold. But kids are just kids that need to out there having fun and learning through experience. We can still participate in group activities and hang out in public parks as long as it’s done properly. I love to teach kids things for the main reason of how awesome it is to watch people learn and expand their minds. And with young kids you know every reaction is real. When they’re scared or nervous you can see it all over their face, and when they’re super excited it’s obvious as they jump up and down and run around in circles while screaming at the top of their lungs. It always makes me wonder what it would take to actually get me that excited at this age haha.

This year is about finding yourself and learning more about who You are and how You react to different situations. Are you responsible, are you rebellious, are you ignorant, are you respectful? Where do your priorities lie, and what are they?
Mine are raising happy, healthy children that respect themselves and the others around them wherever they go, and to help them learn all kinds of new things and find their true passions in life.
I coach physically and mentally, and adapt to each child differently.
I focus on the positives and help utilize those moments to make the next ones even better.
I talk about the negatives and suggest ways to prevent them from reoccurring.
And I take the time to listen to each child when they have something to share and then build on those conversations.
We need to remember that we were once in their shoes, and we were influenced by many different people as we grew up. Certain experiences that happen when you’re young can direct you on which paths you choose later in life to end up who you become. I still have tons of people come up to me in random places to let me know I taught them how to skateboard 15-20 years ago, or they participated in my skateboard contests every year, or I coached them in baseball or did a presentation at their elementary school, and that it’s one of their best memories that they still think about. It’s not just who you are to yourself, it’s who you are to others that matters, who will remember you if you disappeared tomorrow, and what will they remember you for.
I want to be remembered as someone who created opportunities for the next generation to learn positivity from, someone who fought for everyone’s freedom to just be themselves, someone who shared their knowledge to help others grow up safer and stronger, and someone who had a lots of friends that he could call family…

Now go have some fun.

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Escape the Norm

Jul 27,2020 / By Hippie Mike / No Comment

Kaelen pushing the trail - Hwy3

When the “Normal” isn’t satisfying you, what do you do? I always live by a saying from Bob Marley – “If you’re not living good, travel wide”. Traveling wide doesn’t necessarily mean relocating where you live, it can simply relate to traveling far from your own comfort zone and trying new things. Diving into the forest away from the social world and just being one with nature for a change. We all have dreams and aspirations, and a lot of people just keep those thoughts as dreams, but what if you want to make them come to life?
What if you said today that it’s time to make a change?
What are you really afraid of?
Time by yourself is when you get things done, use that time wisely to plan out your future. Then actually act on your plans.
And if your plan is loose and you don’t really know how it’s going to work, try it anyway and let it figure itself out. Usually a plan has to be adjusted in the middle anyway so maybe being a little loose is a good thing. This leaves it open for other opportunities to come together and create something amazing as one.
Hang out in new crowds, work in different industries, try new activities.
If the Norm is to sit back and take what life you’re given, then escaping that norm would give you the Freedom to find your true self.
Only then can you know which life is better

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Shoe Size Does Matter

Jul 20,2020 / By Hippie Mike / No Comment

Mike at the River

With all the changes to my body over the past few years I deal with a lot of pain and discomfort on a regular day so I’m used to just ignoring it, but recently I made a change that helped my whole body overall. I switched shoe sizes to a half size bigger after about 25 years, and Wow what a difference! I’ve been getting Free shoes since around 2003 so I never even try shoes on anymore, they just got sent to me whenever I needed some, same size as always. But my feet had been hurting a lot lately and I wanted to try something new. The second I slid my feet into those 9.5’s I knew it would alleviate some of my daily pain, but how would it affect my skating? It’s been about 6 weeks now in bigger shoes and it’s actually helped my skating too. I feel more relaxed and less tense. Now when I finish for the day and take my shoes off my feet don’t feel so crushed, they just feel normal. And everyone knows if your feet are in pain so is the rest of your body, so without that pain my mind feels better too.
The point is when you’re suffering, try something new. If it doesn’t work out you can always go back to what you’re used to, but if it does work out it could be a positive change for your whole body, mind and soul.

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Don’t Mess with the Bull

Jul 13,2020 / By Hippie Mike / No Comment

Don't Mess with the Bull

Determination is everything; Set your goals high but low enough to guarantee reaching them; Take your time and don’t rush beyond your own capabilities; Know what you want and focus all energy towards getting it…

When you wake up in the morning what is your brain thinking about? I know mine starts running through a list of things I Need to get done that day in order to survive the year, but also likes to wander into thinking of what things I Want to get done in the near future to make my life even better. A lot of the time these two mind frames collide and get in each other’s way, but it’s important to always have dreams and aspirations and not let the everyday necessities take over your life. Obviously top priorities include making sure you and your kids are fed, dressed, and semi-clean, but beyond that there are certain things that can just wait. Family time is always important so make sure you make time for that every day, and include your family in your dreams of the future so that they get to grow with you. Travel and learn about new things together, and make memories that each of you will remember forever. Surround yourself with positive people and push the negativities out of your life. Take time every day to just breathe the fresh air and enjoy the scenery. Remember where you came from and know why you are who you are.
And just be yourself – Always

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Never Give Up

Jul 6,2020 / By Hippie Mike / No Comment

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When Life throws you curveballs, just throw one right back. If you grow up thinking everything will always work out the way you plan it to, you are either living in a dreamworld or have too much wealth to ever experience Real Life. One thing I have experienced the most in the past 5-10 years is constant change and adjustment, I’ve had to change my relationships with some friends due to unfortunate circumstances that occurred, and I had to wipe 2 years worth of work off my plate completely in order to save a couple friendships that meant so much to me. When you wake up in the morning you usually have a plan of how the day will start and how it will end, but what happens in the middle can always be unpredictable, try to never be surprised when things go wrong, and then just figure out the best way to make them right again…

The Motivation for today is not only to Never Give Up, but also to look at the positive aspects of every negative situation and feed off that instead of just dwelling on the negative. It’s like when you’re car breaks down on you, the first thing I look at in that situation is where I was at the time, what time of day it is, and whether or not myself and everyone with me are safe. If nobody got hurt and you were able to deal with the situation fairly simply then what’s so bad about it, it’s not the end of the world, Repair the issues and move onward…

There’s never a better time than Now to make something positive happen. Utilize every day to work towards Your goals, no matter what they are. Don’t let others influence your decisions when their opinions don’t match yours. Never Give Up on your dreams, and always spread the Joy around by fulfilling them.

Happy Monday!

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True Friends are Forever Friends

Jun 29,2020 / By Hippie Mike / No Comment

KAM crew and Andy

You ever run into someone or get a phone call from someone that you haven’t talked to for years but automatically it feels like you were just hanging out the day before. These are your True Friends.
Sometimes in life you get separated from family and friends as you travel down different paths, but you always keep certain people in your heart and thoughts each day. You think, Hey I should call so and so and get caught up, but the days get busy quickly and you just never get to it. But when it does happen it’s always awesome.
I took a few years to be by myself recently, with my family of course, but just to mentally regenerate after going through some tough times. And certain friends would come visit or call, and others wouldn’t. Or maybe they did reach out and I just didn’t answer. But either way I always knew they were there for me, and I hope they knew the same about me.
Lately I’ve been getting back into skateboarding and filming again now that I’m not as injured anymore and it’s interesting to see how people react when they see me. I love the surprised look on someone’s face who didn’t expect me to be there that day, and it’s always an exciting moment as the good times flash through your brain. My goal was to get back to my own roots of what I’ve loved to do my whole life and remind myself of why I loved it, drop all my sponsors and just skate again. It was never about fame to me, it was always about having fun with my friends and sharing that joy with others, That’s why I was always so specific about the people that rode for Protest.
I have Friends all over, some of them I haven’t talked to for 20 years or more but know that we are Forever Friends just by the way we grew up together. And I think about all the True Friends who have passed away over the years and regret the ones I didn’t get one last visit with. Time only happens once and it’s important to spend as much time as possible sharing happiness with your Friends.
I think social media plays a bit of a part in confusing people as to who their True Friends are, and who are just people that want to say they’re your Friends, but do you recognize each other out in public? Or have each other’s phone numbers? Everyone gets wrapped up in this Web of Non-Reality where anyone can be a celebrity if they have the right audience, but have you ever shut all your social media off and see who actually calls you?
It’s a weird world we live in, I sure am glad we didn’t have cell phones, facebook, Instagram, etc. when I was growing up. Back then if you had Friends, you knew them personally, and those Friends last Forever.
I think it’s a great day for everyone to think back to who their True Friends are and recognize them for that. Give them a call, or a visit, and catch up on real life…

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You Can Get It if You Really Want

Jun 22,2020 / By Hippie Mike / No Comment

Mike's Wood pile

Don’t ever let anyone tell you what You are capable of, only You can determine what you Can and Can’t do in life. And one thing to also remember is that if your body was used to doing something before it got injured, then it will still be used to doing it afterwards, you just might have to adjust how you do it or do it at a different level.
I have heated my homes with nothing but Firewood for 15 years and it takes a lot of effort, all year long. As soon as winter ends it’s time to go out and start collecting new wood, bucking it down to size, and splitting it so it can dry over summer. The goal is always to have lots of extra wood, and to have it all split and piled by the end of June, but that hardly ever happens. Last year I was about 1/3 done by the end of June and then broke my ankle July 3rd. That didn’t stop me either. After resting for a few weeks I was out there standing on 1 foot chainsawing and splitting in order to get it all ready in time for winter. It’s not just what you want that creates motivation, but also what you don’t want, and I never want to pay to heat my house. Especially when you get used to wood fire heat, furnaces and electric heaters cannot produce that same type of heat and the heat they do produce doesn’t last as long. I built the house we live in so that the woodstove heats the entire house from the centre of the main floor and it works great. This year with school being closed during this Covid-19 issue I had a special helper available, my 10 year old son Kaelen. Kaelen is a very determined and self motivated person, he knew the goal and pushed hard to help me accomplish it. We’ve been out collecting firewood 2 days a week since the beginning of May and tomorrow will be our last day. The pile you are looking at behind me is only about 1/3 of the wood we got so far this year, and it’s more than enough for next winter, therefore we actually have enough wood for 3 years, that’s amazing.
I’ve been told by lots of people over my lifetime to quit doing a lot of things because of injuries I’ve been through, but what those people don’t get is that Not doing the physical things my body is used to is what actually hurts the most. Sitting in a chair not being physical is what hurts the most. I like to skateboard, snowboard, swim, play basketball and baseball, and go on walks and bike rides with my kids. No one is going to stop me from doing that stuff, and it’s what will keep me the healthiest even if it hurts. Get out there and do what makes You feel good inside, if it hurts a bit that’s life, you’ll get over it. But if you really want it, you Can get it.

Never Give Up

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Kids Make the World Go Round

Jun 15,2020 / By Hippie Mike / No Comment

Caileigh and Kaelen Skitchin

If you have Kids you will quickly relate to this, and even if you don’t have kids of your own but hang out with other people’s children you will also know what I’m talking about.
Kids can drive you crazy at times, they are needy and stubborn, but it’s not their fault. It is our job to feed them, bath them, clothe them, and love them, and in return they show you a love that no one else can. When a young child looks into your eyes or holds you by the hand and expresses themself they are giving you the full Truth of how they feel, they don’t know anything else. When they are really young everything they do is a new experience and is either fun, scary, or super cool. Then as they grow older a confidence builds inside them that allows them to become more independent and start to take care of themselves, and find their own true passions. It’s hard to remember that we were all once little babies, infants, toddlers, children, teenagers, young adults, etc… We all went through the same things to grow up, and each of us have different stories to tell.
The one thing that motivates me to always be a caring father is when I see my kids enjoying themselves with a smile that cannot be faked. The excitement that comes to life is so real at times that just being there with them pumps you up and makes you happy. I’m very lucky to have a child that loves to skateboard, and not just wanting to be good at it, but actually just enjoys skateboarding for what it is – a time to challenge your mind and body to learn and remember new things, a way to feel free from everything as you roll and flow across the concrete, and a connection to so many people you can call your friends for life. When we go out together it’s a special time between us, one that both of us will remember differently, but the same.
I try to do as much as possible with both my kids, and so does their Mom. Every minute of every day only happens once, we must make the most of it. One day you will look down at your kids and realize they are taller than you, they own their own cars and homes, and have kids of their own. Today is a day like any other day, hug your children and let them know that you love them, it’s important for both of you

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Where is the Justice?

Jun 1,2020 / By Hippie Mike / No Comment

1-99 weigh scale

In the past 2 and a half months, the world has been on lockdown due to this Covid-19 issue. We have been told what we can and cannot do, who we can associate with, what is “essential” for our living, and when and where we are allowed to go. For people who live in condensed and over populated parts of their cities, this has definitely been a test of strength. It is common sense that anyone being told not to behave a certain way that they are used to will eventually act out in some manner. All in all I think most of the people in this world have been very compliant and patient with the situation, but unfortunately one of things I have noticed during this pandemic is the change of attitude in the “Enforcers” , aka the Police, Security Guards, and Lawmakers. From the time we were told to stop travel and stay home, even in our small town of 7000 people, I immediately noticed an increase to the number of police cars around. All of a sudden they have more rights to pull people over and question what they are doing. Unfortunately the Mob Mentality can be contagious and spread quickly, it can happen in any group. When Police and Security Guards are told to step up their enforcement, what does that really mean? And how much description is involved when these instructions go out? What boundaries are set?
See as far as I know the Police are there to “Serve and Protect” the community, when they are called upon. But as crime grows over the years so does the number of officers that now need to stay busy and employed all the time which results in them trying to hunt out crime instead of waiting to be called upon. If crime rates go down, shouldn’t the number of officers diminish with it? In most cases where we live the Police are usually pretty fair, but all it takes is one bad seed to change the world. With the incident that just occurred in Minnesota, the news is now filled with a repetitive topic – Racism. George Floyd was treated unfairly and ignored in his pleas for assistance, not just by the officer kneeling on his neck, but also by the other officers on the scene. Would he have been treated differently if he was not Black? We don’t know that, but we do not this is not justice. This is abuse of authority.
Now the streets are flooded with angry individuals, who were already frustrated in life before this happened, and the Mob Mentality comes from another side now, facing against the side that it originated from. Isn’t it ironic that in over 10 weeks of people being locked indoors, and literally budgeted as to what supplies are available for them to purchase as well as what stores they are allowed to visit and when, there was never any huge protests or riots. People accepted the facts that they are not to associate in public places or with anyone they are not directly related to, and they did not fight back. But 1 completely unjustified act of violence from an ignorant authority figure has sparked the anger inside so many to now act out in the wrong ways. Protests are one thing, expressing opinion in words, freedom of speech, showing the power of numbers and trying to change the world for the better. But when people start to riot and vandalize and loot, this will not end well. This will only cause more violence.
George Floyd was a man, black, white, or brown. His life did matter, and so does everyone else’s, where were his rights in this situation and why was he treated this way? We need to stop acts of racism, prejudism, sexism, and most of all Abuse of Authority. People are people and we all deserve to be treated equally, no matter what you look like, the color of your skin, hair and eyes, male or female, short or tall, able to walk or not, etc. I am tired of seeing and hearing about incidents where Lawmakers, Law Enforcers, Judges, and other Authority Figures work in amongst themselves to do, and get away with, whatever they want. The punishments must fit the crimes, and there should be no lenience in this case, especially with video proof.
The timing of this incident should be a wake up call around the globe, the bullying is happening everywhere. We are all being held down without choices, the more populated of an area you live in, the more trapped you are right now.
What is happening behind the scenes, who is really in charge of our lives, why are we forced to listen to the lies, and what are we going to do about it….

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