My dad, he always promoted hard work as a way to get what you want in life. growing up, I never had a new skateboard, bike, 20 bucks, what have you without working for it. That might have meant mowing the lawn, picking up tree limbs, or doing something simple, but he always instilled in me a work ethic.
He also said something to me once that I've been thinking about a lot lately. He said it's not the work we do that's valuable and it's not our output that's worth something. It's our time. We get paid for our time, it's something valuable, that runs out on all of us at some point. I don't get paid nearly enough for my time. I've figured that out at this point. My time should be worth more than a figure that's barely above the poverty line.
I don't mind doing somethings for free, things that take up time like skateboarding, playing guitar, enjoying a swim...(hey it's summer).
But I really don't think I get half of what I'm fucking worth at my job. But what to do in this economy? Jobs are hard to come by and for the area I live in I get paid relatively well. At least enough to pay the bills and have a little, (very little really) left over.
If you think about your measly wages when compared to some asshole that play baseball, or trades stocks all day, it's fucking sad really. Then I think about all those skaters out there that aren't making what they should be. I realize with some of the big shoe companies paying the bills, and energy drink sponsorships, lots of guys are doing really fucking well. But then I think about guys that probably don't make much more than I do for putting their bodies on the line day after day, especially as some of these dudes get older and pushed out of skating by the young guns.
That's why I was stoked as fuck on two things recently. One, this Marc Johnson interview with Jenkem. click here fucktard
It's so cool to see someone of Marc's caliber say, you know what? I'm happy where I'm at, I appreciate what I've been given and I make enough. Insight isn't something that can be bought, and apparently, neither can Marc.
The other thing ... Fucking Dan Drehobl. I didn't real grow up skating much tranny. We had some shitty mini-ramps around for a bit, and quarter pipes, but I never got very good at it. In my head, this guy is how I always imagined myself skating it. Peep this shit Cancer Dan and enjoy. Power, speed, lines, dude has it all. And I have a feeling he doesn't get paid shit compared to your Nyjah's and P-rods and what nots... Fuck those guys, here's real skating. And go buy some freedumb stuff while you're at it... http://freedumbairlines.com/
