I'm approaching 30 faster than I would like to admit, but I bought a skateboard a few months ago because "why have a 10 minute walk to work when it can be a few minute skate! downhill!" Turns out even little hills produce a lot of speed quickly, and skating up hill isn't very fun. I have only skated to work a handful of time because of that.

However, it has been a fun experience to learn and I'm glad I gave it a try. I was never terribly interested when I was younger, always busy with other things and didn't feel like I fit in with the "skater" crowd which seemed more concerned with drugs and the image being a skater projected.

It is immensely humbling and freeing at the same time. It took me hours to feel comfortable just rolling around on a flat surface. I'm only able to make the time every other week or so, so I don't make much progress, but just pushing around an empty parking lot is almost meditative. I have to be paying enough attention to not let my form fall apart or get tripped up on a rock, but after a while my mind can drift and I enter the flow.

I wear a helmet and accept that kids over half my age can skate circles around me and do flips over me. I haven't even tried to ollie yet, but I'd like to. What really make me nervous are all the hills where I live.