While Liz read to the kids I skated Rampy.  Tried to do like 20 tricks in 20 minutes.  I did.  Fakie pivot fakie and front disaster were the hardest.  Still can’t get hurricanes.

Travis showed up first, then Lazer, Carleigh, Jake, Jason, Ric and Nate. 8 people on little Rampy! Rad.Jason is surprisingly photogenic.  Pivot fakie just for the camera.Jason owns long grinds and somehow he even does it on Rampy.  He had a good night.  Tons of tricks done perfect edge to edge on the ramp.  Here’s a back tail.Lazer kind of owns Rampy.  He can do every trick first try even tricks he just learned.  So now that he learned front disaster reverts (the hard way) I expect him to land them every time now.  Front smith.This photo is a little late on the big snaps on the tiny tranny.LBR showed up!  So sick!  And he even padded up!  He ripped it of course.  Fakie rock one foot thing.Nate wins the ‘sketchy tricks out of nowhere’ award everytime.  Here’s a front d, but who knows how many weird combos he did on accident.  Nate also owns the ‘goofiest walk offs’ when he bails a trick.  He ripped it though and learned front 5-0 reverts.Caleigh has feebles to fakie everytime on Rampy, but has gone like 3 sessions and been denied on front ds.  I guess we just had to take the camera out for her to land it.  She also has kickflip rock fakies out of nowhere too.Jake learns new tricks everytime he skates Rampy.  I’m not sure what it was this time because he landed a ton of tricks.Unfortunately I apparently missed getting a trick of Travis landing a trick.  I only spent a couple minutes taking photos so it’s not as if these are even people’s best tricks or anything.  Travis ripped it though.  Lots of unique and cool tricks.  I myself didn’t skate too well.  I came even closer to getting a hurricane grind and tried a few front d back reverts (not close).  Fun night though.  Everyone was having a good time.

Saw this photo on Jack’s blog and it made me laugh.

First off, I want to say that this was one of the best years for music since the 90s.  Granted, almost all the music I purchased this year is either a band that was around in the early 90s or has members from that era.  Still, an awesome year for music.BEST ALBUMS OF 2009

	1. Dinosaur Jr – Farm. It’s no mystery that I love Dinosaur Jr more than any other band out there. It’s also no secret that they could put out a mediocre album (by their standards) and it will still be my favorite album of the year. But imagine this year when they released Farm and it’s one of their finest albums ever. Farm is so far beyond (no pun intended) anything else that came out this year. I’d even say it’s leagues above anything that has come out this decade. Okay, I’ll go even further, Farm is the best album released since You’re Living All Over Me in 1987. There you go. Totally epic. Best band ever.
	2. Pissed Jeans – King Of Jeans. This album totally benefits from Dinosaur Jr putting out such a good album. Dinosaur Jr pretty much satisfies my cravings for indie rock, metal, pop, garage, noise, etc except Dinosaur Jr doesn’t do trashy gutter punk. And oh boy did Pissed Jeans fill that void this year and then some. I absolutely love this album and the simple lyrics. It reminds me of early 90s grunge/punk masters like Jesus Lizard, Nirvana, Tad. Love it.
	3. Boston Spaceships – Planets Are Blasted. They put out two albums this year. That’s common for Robert Pollard, but it still amazes me. This one edges out Zero to 99, but really, both albums are awesome. Boston Spaceships really know how to deliver the hooks. They do awesome lo fi indie rock to perfection. This is another album that reminds me of how music was made in the early 90s. The song Keep Me Down was runner up for me to skate to in Off The Couch if for some reason I was banned from using Dinosaur Jr.
	4. The Thermals – Now We Can See. This is the first Thermals album I’m not completely in love with. There are three songs I could totally do without; When I Died, We Were Sick and Liquid In, Liquid Out. Those songs lack the energy I want in the Thermals. Not only are those songs weak, but When I Died and We Were Sick start the album off. With that being said though, the rest still makes me happy in the way that only the Thermals can do. I think the songs When We Were Alive and I Called Out Your Name are up to par with any great Thermals songs.
	5. Polvo – In Prism. Good ol’ weird indie rock. I’d probably like it more if it wasn’t a double LP with only two songs on each side so you have to flip the record over so much. I mean did you really have to do that Merge? You have to play it at 45rpm too. Why not just put 4 songs on each side and play it at 33?

Honorable mentions: Sonic Youth – The Eternal (If there show would have been good I’d like it more), Boston Spaceships – Zero to 99 (Two albums in one year awesome)Decent, but disappointing:Obits – I Blame You.  Just not heavy or interesting enough.Conor Oberst & The Mystic Valley Band – Outer South.  I’m glad you’re having fun Conor, but we just want to hear you.Please stop existing as a band: BUILT TO SPILL.  Seriously, call it quits while I still have some respect for you.  Your shows are horrible and uninspired and the new music is beyond boring.Songs of the Year:Best Dinosaur Jr song – I Don’t Wanna Go There.  4 minutes of meat and potatoes Dinosaur Jr.  5 minutes of solo.  EPIC.Best non-Dinosaur Jr hype me up song: Pissed Jeans – False Jesii Part II.  Runner up The Thermals – When We Were Alive.Best pop song: Boston Spaceships – Let It Rest For A Little WhileBest Video: Dinosaur Jr – Over It.Concerts Of The Year:1. Dinosaur Jr – Aggie Theater in Fort Collins, CO.  Totally epic setlist played perfect.2. Jesus Lizard – Capitol Hill Block Party Seattle, WA.  The Mighty Jesus Lizard delivered!3. Dinosaur Jr – Boulder Theater, Boulder, CO. Something a bit lacking about this show, but still loud and awesome.4. The Thermals – Marquis Theater, Denver, CO.  Such a fun time.5. Conor Oberst – Waiting Room, Omaha, NE. Christmas show party. Awesome. Some of the old Bright Eyes songs were so good.Worst concert of the Year: Sonic Youth at the Ogden.   Play a hit you elitist assholes.Looking forward to in 2010: Haven’t heard of much yet other than a new Thermals album.  Hope to see more Dinosaur Jr obviously and hopefully Pissed Jeans tour.

After a “game night” at some friends and a few drinks I had to keep the streak alive and wanted to skate.  It was pretty warm so I was pushing for Red Curbs, but ended up being lazy and did a solo Rampy session.  Turned out the drinks were hitting more then I thought and skating was not so easy.  For some reason I had it in my head to try switch front rocks.  After a few runs of the basics I settled on a line of axle stall, front axle stall, rock fakie, tail stall, rock fakie, switch front rock attempt.  I fell a lot sliding out.  It was kinda fun.  I ended up getting a few bad ones.  Oh well, it’s a fun new one.

Met John and Nate at the Circuit City garage.  John and I started things off by slamming our car doors really loud because it makes a cool echo.  Then we noticed we woke up some bums in the corner.  Doh.  We took Ledgey out of the car and skated anyways.  We were in the warm up stages when they came over to watch us.  They weren’t bummed (ha).  Instead they were hyped on us and kept cheering for us and putting cans and bottles in our path for us to ollie over.  I was hyped they weren’t jerks, but it definitely took away from the session.John was skating for the first time in awhile after hurting his ankle on Thanksgiving Day.  That didn’t stop him from getting on some quick front 50s, no comply 270 back tail, learning boardslides on the ledge (he’s one of those dudes that can only boardslide 20 stair rails) etc.  Nate was Nate and did like 10 tricks right away.  Nosegrinds, smith grinds, 5-0s, etc.  Piece of cake for him.  I finally got a front smith on Ledgy.  I got a few more basics before hucking some new tricks.  Switch front 180 to 5-0 and halfcab back crooks.  I got kinda close to both, but slammed really hard on a sw 180 5-0. Kinda drained me and with the bums there and Liz wanting me back early that kinda ended it for me.Of course a game of SKATE had to go down first.   Nate was out in four tricks.  Kickflip, fakie flip, fakie front shove and fakie back shove.  He double or nothing’d the fakie flip.  So funny.  Nate can do nollie tres and nollie back big heels everytime and he was out on four total basic tricks.  Ha.  John and I went on for awhile and I ended up winning.  I got letters on fakie bigspins both ways and a treflip.  I’m not sure what all John got letters on, but I know the last two were fakie varial flip and heelflip.  Ha.

Another cold and snowy night, another fun Rampy session.  Jake and Nate came over after the kids went to sleep and we skated for close to a couple hours.  Jake had a pretty sick 10 trick + first run to kick things off.  He went on to do lots of sick tricks like nosepick, front feebs, front feeb fakie, front tail revert, back 5-0 fakie, front smith fakie, tons more, and learned back boneless.  He finished the session trying to get nosepick stale grab, but never quite put it down.  Nate was on it again.  Some crazy manuevers out of no where, fakie front smith 270 in, back feeble back board, front 5-0 rock fakie, and maybe even some basics in there somewhere.  His new trick was front boards trying to be like Jason.  He also had front board 270 in.  Sick.  I skated well, came close to getting back hurricane’s, but never rode away.  Got most of my harder/newer tricks.  Front 50 yank in, front nose bash to fakie, front nosebash to front rock, front d 180 (first try), fakie pivot fakie.  Fun times.

After a really fun day of skating we headed over to Brian’s for “game night”.  First stop was the liquor store where I picked up a few forties and Brian got some Bartles and James.Brian needed some fruity candy to offset the harsh alcohol taste of wine coolers.The Wii was the big hit for Christmas this year.  You just can’t help but smile playing this stuff.  Maria kicked my ass in boxing.Then it was time for poker and Brian explained to Rebecca how to easily take my money.Although after another five hours it was Brian and Maria winning once again.  Somebody please send some Rogaine Lazer’s way.

Had to bring some boards to SOL and it seemed like a few people were down to make a trek to Longmont to skate.  Jason, Jake and I picked up Brian and met up with Fuzz at a fun school in Longmont.  Things were going well and everyone seemed to be having fun.  The ledge there was in good shape and it was great to see Brian trying tricks on it.  He got some front 50s all good.  Jake had some front 50s and front tails.  Jason was getting back 50s, front 50s, front noseslides, back noseslides.  I got some back crooks, back noseslide, front 50s, front 50 180.  We were trying various lines where you ollie over the brick sections and stuff.  It was fun.  Fuzz showed up late, but started killing it immediately.  A while later Bernie and crew showed up.  We were all hyped, but at the same time it seemed like the old guy crew kinda mellowed out once the young kids came in and started landing lots of tricks.  Jason ended up taking some photos with my camera.Front 5-0 to no speed landing.  It also kinda looks like a switch front crooks.  Maybe that’s how they do it in Thrasher.This must not be a make considering I never landed it.Jake prior to a front tail.After a bit I accepted a challenge from Jake for the first to get two 360 flips.  Winner gets a tall can.  Awesome.  Jake is new to this trick and I totally admire his drive to get it consistent.  Doesn’t mean I’m gonna let him win though.  Ha, it took me a long time to get to two, but we had fun.  After that I threw in a nollie treflip and a bad fakie treflip to round out my treflip training for the day.  I went back to skating the ledge and banks.  I got a run where I kickflipped a puddle, front 50’d the ledge, rode up a bank, ollied onto the brick and rode down it into a manual across the sidewalk.  Super fun.  That wore me out eventually and I just skated the ledge.  I couldn’t back 50 it so save my life.  I landed a couple, but they were horrible slow and disgusting.  I managed a front 50 back 180 which felt great and ended my session by dropping into the narrower brick wall in the back and doing a front noseslide whirly bird.  Awesome session.  I stopped and took a couple photos of Bernie almost getting a crazy trick.I think he would have landed this had I not told him he should get someone to film it.  My bad.My shoes are looking beat, but they still feel great.