Pre new years

It's only 11:15 here, but back home I know my friends are already starting to go out. Im expecting a bunch of drunk phone calls around 7:00. And when it hits new years here and it's five in the morning in virginia, im going to return the favor!
I got another job yesterday! Its at a new resturant in the heart of Waikiki at the base of a very popular hotel. In Virgina servers only make 2.13/hour pluss tips, and food is cheep for the most part, I still managed to make a shit tone of money though. Here in Hawaii, servers start at 7.00/hour pluss tips and the food is expensive, so I can olny immagine the money Im going to be making at this place. Training starts mid-january and the resturant opens the firts week of February. Im suppose to work at Abercrombie till the 15th but I really hate it. I was not ment for retail, or working overnight.
I gotta make this short cause Im about to go to town to meet up with cylur to ride some street and drinkk some beers after. Any ways, HAPPY NEW YEASRS!!!!

This is why I love living here

Every bike rider wants to ride two things, empty pools, and full pipes. Bother are usually associated with being in places that you should no go. A pool is nothing more then akward transition and uaually comes at a price if you dare to ride one. Full pipes are nothing more then a halfpipe slamed together with no flatbottom and a roof that prevents you from airing out, and if found, they are uaually located in the middle of nowhere, or at some indutrial business surrounded by barbed wire fences. Then why do we all have the urge to ride these things? Because the chance to do so is rare. I estimate that 1 our of 6 bike riders will ever ride an empty pool, and 1 out of 10 will have the chance to ride a fullpipe.


To give you an idea of how big these guys were, look at the bottom of the middle one, thats my bike!
This is the random ditch that i found and followed about a mile in hopes to find something cool. Most of it was wet but some parts were plenty dry and made for a good time


I came here with little knowledge about the island and what there was to ride. I didnt even know they had skateparks. Little did I know that Hawaii is like BMX mecca. Ive seen a lot already but Ive only seen a small percentage of what this place has to offer. So far every new spot I find is better then the last. I can only immagine what is going to be next.

-JOEY

It's sad to see how people treat eachother

There is an epidemic in all cities world wide, homelessness. Not just drug addicts and the mentally ill are driven to the streets, hard working families make up a large percentage of the homeless. The Hawaiian islands are no exception. Here is an article I came across when I was doing a little research earlier today, http://articles.latimes.com/2006/sep/24/news/adna-oahu24. It's no secret that crystal meth is a big problem here in Honolulu, and that is one of the largest contributors to the homeless epidemic here. But there is one thing that most people in the mainlands don't know, and it's that cities all over the United states are actually buying some of their homeless people one-way tickets to Hawaii. Instead of dealing with it, they ship them off to a place where they can sleep almost anywhere year-round. They literally DUMP these people, citizens of their own cities, here in Hawaii.



I spend most of my time in downtown. I work there, it's where I go to meet up with people to ride bikes, and it's just where all the fun stuff is. So throughout my day I see a lot of street people. They are sleeping in shady patches of grass and on benches, or bumming change from tourists. On occasion, I talk to some of the bums at the bus stops to pass time. I know it probably scares my family to hear that, but I have a sense for danger and I know when it is safe to talk so someone, or when it is time to get the fuck out of there. They are people just like you and I who were just were put in a bad situation either by choices they made or it was something that they could not have controlled. The lady in the picture was at my bus stop today. I was waiting for the Express when she walked up the trash can I was sitting by and started rummaging through it. I'm kind of use to seeing that by now, but she wasn't pulling out old food or cigarette butts, only aluminum cans. She looked at me and smiled, so I asked her what she was doing. She said, "I can cash these in and get a little bit of money to buy some food, I also like to help out because I know most people don't recycle." Amazing! There are so many ways homeless people can make money, but she chose a less lucrative approach, knowing that in doing so, she would be helping out the environment. It gets better........ she sat down and pulled out a small package of Cheetos, and started to feed the birds. For all I know that was the last bit of food she had, but she chose to give the entire bag to the birds.

Homeless people have always caught my attention. When I was around 6 or 7, I went to Philadelphia with my family. One of my only memories of being there was at and ice cream shop. I remember coming out of the place with a milk shake the size of my body. We all had something, my mom probably spent 40 bucks at that place on ice cream for the family. We were sitting out front enjoying our treats when a some guy walked up to a trash can and started going through it. I never saw anything like it, I had no idea why he would be digging through the trash. Did he lose something? Then he pulled out the ass end of an ice cream cone and started eating it. Then did it hit me, "Ooh, hes hungry!". I looked down at my monster of a milk shake and without even a second thought, I walked over to the guy and said this word for word,"Here! You can have this! Its really good!" I handed him the shake and he replied with a quiet "thank you" and walked away. It was the act of a naive child with the basic human instinct to take care of one another. I didn't even do it to be nice or impress anyone, I just did it because i knew it was the right ting to do.

Everyone is born with the instinct to take care of one another, but over time it fades away and it turns into a big self-centered, every man for himself, winner takes all competition. I hope that one day we can live in a world where it's not like that, and everyone is treated fairly regardless of their economic situation or where they stand socially.


And that's how I feel about that-Joey

The great Honolulu blackout 2008

Yesterday was crazy. I met up with KJ and a bunch of other guys and we rode Waikiki. I like riding bikes with those guys because they just mess around the whole time, nothing compedative, nothing serrious, just lots of goofing off. When we were done riding Waikiki skatepark, we decided to go cruise by the mall because it was friday and I guess theres a lot going on there. The bese part of the mall was when it was like eight of us walking through the packed corridors with our bikes. People were getting pissed but what could they do? After all the mayhem in the mall, went out into the parking lot to chill. Out of nowhere the power went out, not just in the parking lot, not just the mall, the entire island lost power at the same time. And the best part was the sun just set and it was cloudy so you couldnt see your hand infront of your face. So a few minutes later I was riding back to downtown to grab a bus back to Ewa, thats where all hell was breaking loose. People were breaking into cars, and businesses. Homless people everywhere were running a muck. Cars were crashing into eachother due to lack of traffic lights. And I was lost and had no idea where I was going or where I was. After about thirty minutes of wondering around in the dark I found my bus stop. When I got there I saw that there were already two other guys with bikes who were could have been waiting for the same bus as me. (The busses here only have bike racks for 2 bikes) Earlier this week I almost got stranded downtown because the bus bike rack was already full. I had to sprint a good ten blocks to catch the last bus going to Ewa. The two guys were in the exact spot for where you need to be to put your bike on the rack first. By being the tricky little trickster I am, i came up with a plan. A few minutes later the bus came around the corner, alreay with on bike one it, so I knew I had to act fast to make sure mine was going to be the other. So when the bus was about twenty feet from the two other guys with the bikes, I jumped out into the street about halfway between, ten feet from the moving bus and ten feet from homeless bikers who were possible armed and dangerous. Ive seen these busses have to come to complete stops from like fifty miles per hour so I had much faith in their breaks. And it worked, the bus stoped where I was and the homless guys didnt even notice what was going on at first. I threw my bike and got in line to get on the packed bus. One of the homless guys looked at me with this "what the fuck man!" face, but he knew I was just to fast and smart for him to try anything. The bus ride back took foooooooreeeeeeeeveeerrr. I made It home and everybody was hanging out outside in the dark drinking. The blackout had no effect on their everyday pastimes. They even had dinner cooked! Finially around 3am, the power came back on. The radio said the backout was due to lightning hitting the main power generator. ....................... So right now Its 845am and Im waiting for Gary to pick me up because we going to some kind of lake with a rope swing/mud slide/ clif to jump off. So come back tomoorrow for more crazy stories, and leave comments!!! -Joey

Mele Kalikimaka!!

Christmas was great. Last night my host threw a party for everyone in the family.(first picture is uncle Vic, i wish i had video of me and him singing kareoke for everyone last night, good times) There were kids everywhere, lots of food and lots of drinks. I bought Auntie Felie a baby koi fish because she told me that she had one for 15 years and it died. Special thanks to Makoa, Jc and Auntie Felie for the shirts and thanks to Uncle June for the calogne! And thanks Uncle Boogie, for the hangover! Today I woke up and took the bus into town to meet up with my friend Mike. Hes is from switzerland and is currently living in Hawaii for a couple months. Dont mistake him for sweedish though, he hates the sweeds for some reason. We rode Ala park for a bit (first picture down below). Then, Mike and I took the bus to the pear city skatepark and lucky for us, noone was there. I got a video of my warmup line below. I love that park, and to have it all to myself was a treat. Today was another amazing day. Im missing my family and freinds on christmas, but i talked to everyone and they are all having a great time too so Im happy.

No homo- Abercrombie and Rainbows

Im not gay but I like rainbows. This pictuture cant even compare to what I was seeing. OH, today I got a job. Where? Funny you asked, Abercrombie and Fitch, in the womens only store. What the heck am I doing there? Over night stocking. Hey it pays. And ill be working with a friend of mine so its all good baby baby. And today I learned toothpicks on quarters, and hop barspins into banks. Yeah it was another amazing day. Tomorrow im not relally going to venture out cause its Christmas eve and shit. I might go into town and drink with the bike factory guys. Its christmas, I miss my friends and family, but Im having a good time and Im sure thats what they want for me.

-Joey

This is how im getting down nowadays

Riding bikes has always brought me to amazing places, but never have I rode wood trails on the side of a mountain in hawaii. Today was amazing. the first picture is the 10 foot drop off that helps you get the speed for the other jumps in the pictures.

This spot is one in a million, theres more to this place but this website only lets me put a few pictures up per poast. After riding here for hours on end, we wemt to a skatepark up the street.

Weekend

My phone was dead all day yesterday so I couldnt take any pictures. This is from the jam saturday




I've came to terms with the fact that I'm not going to be able to journal every single thing that I do here. I could write a book on all the stuff that happened this weekend alone. Some stuff I'm just going to have to save for stories when I get back home. Here are some of the highlights..... Saturday we went to pearl ridge mall. Then we went to the masonic lodge initiation thing (boring). After I got a ride into town to go to the S&M video premier/ Grindbox jam. I won the new nike dvd (stoked). Afterwards Chris's sisters took me out (the bars here close at 4am!). The next day I took the bus to town to fix my bike. Left there to go to pear city skatepark. On my way to the bus stop saw two guys on bikes so i flaged them down. They are from the big island and were actually trying to find the bus to take to the same park I was going to. So all three of us cought the bus. Got to the park (amazing). Rode till sunset then cought the bus back to ewa. On the way back i was sitting with these younger skaters and it turns out that one of them has a connection at the nike store in the mall (50% off) so Im meeting up with him today to get some fresh kicks. When I got to the house they were having a little party, so we cooked out and drank. Theres soo much more but I just dont have the patcients to sit here all day and write. But I am having the time of my life and i wish all of you could be here with me.

Exploring Downtown

I think today was the best day yet. I woke up early and went to the beach. When I got home, I decided I was going to take the bus downtown. It took about an hour but it was well worth it. The place is amazing. It has that very urban look to it, yet, even in the city, theres palm trees and exotic plants and birds everywhere. Ive never seen anything like it. (above)

.......... So i get off the bus and Im just mesmerized by everything. I spent about an hour skating around and taking pictures untill I found a bikeshop. I went in and started talking to one of the workers. It turns out that he was born in VA but doesnt really remember sence he moved when he was five. He told me saturday they are premiering the knew S&M video (I didnt even know they were filming one). And afterwards they are having a cookout and a grindbox jam. Its going to give me a chance to meet some of locals and get a feel of what the scene is like here. I bought some animal pegs (thanks for the discount btw) and I was on my way. .............................. If you ride bikes, then you must come here at some point in your life. This place has everything, 10 skatparks(that I know of) drainage ditches everywhere (big ones!), trails, and some of the most amazing street you will ever find. These two spots below ive seen in videos, and they look sooo fun. I was going through totall withdrawl today, I havent rode my bike in weeks and Im around all this stuff and all I can do is look and admire.

Before the sun went down I cought the bus back to Ewa Beach. I got to the house any my bike box was there, a day early!! I riped that thing open like fat kid who just won a box of twinkies! Built it, and let my nephew (he calls me Uncle Joey, Hawaiian custom is to call your elders "Uncle") and acording to him it was "fast" and "loud" and "the seat is too small" but "still rode good", haha, that little kids a nut. Everyday when he gets off school he makes me go outfront and watch a new trick he learned on my board. (below)

Thats it for today. Tomorrow is supose to be another busy day so check back in around the same time. Leave lots of comments! Mahalo

-Joey

It still rains in paradise

Its been raining off and on sence I got here. Today was no exception. I was atually on my way out to skate up to the store to get coffee and cigeretts when It started raining out of nowhere. We should be expecting more of this tomorrow, but from thursday on it's supose to be warm sunny Hawaii weather again. Also in this picture is a book that Suzie Lawless traded me called "drugs are nice". It actually has nothing really to do with drugs (the tital came from the author's first band's name). Its a memior about a woman named Lisa Crystal Carver. She was well known in the post-punk era for her rock-operas and her many other creative artistic expressions. She talks about gg alin a lot in the book too wich is kinda cool. I would recomend it, but not to your little sister, or grandmother, or priest, or anyone who shouldnt read about grimey punks and how they lived in the late eighties.

This fun-to-climb looking tree is in the backyard here. Its actually a mango tree witch is cool because who knows, one day I just might want a mango smoothie, then I can just climb up and snatch one, fresh, yum! Obviously not mush happend today being that this whole blog is pretty much a book review and me talking about mangos. Hopefully I will have more exciting things to talk about after it stops rainging and I can take a bus downtown to explore.

-Joey

$Island Blues$

In Hawaii, 40s of Mickey's are $2.50 :(. I knew everything here was going to me a little more expensive, but this is devistating for me.

Throwin down Island style

Man these guys know how to party(notice the Johnnie Walker). The guy in the middle, Uncle Vic, will drink any of my friends under the table, and still be able to crack jokes all night. On the left is Chris's uncle and he is one of the nices people I have ever met. He even drove me today to look for work, and thanks to him I have an interview tomorrow. Not much happened today, i just hung out and recovered from last night mostly.
I did go skating around earlier, and these little kids no older then ten started chasing me down the road yelling for me to give them my skateboard. So I slowed my pace just enough to where then can kind of keep up and let them chase me for a few blocks. I just about fell because i was laughing so hard, and after about thirty secconds of pursuit I lost the tail.
Thats it for today, aloha!

Lets go explore!

They are finding humor in the fact that I eat, and enjoy every bit of food they put infront of me. I think they though , "Oh this boy was raised on hamburger and french fry, lets see if we can get him to eat goat!" And I loved the curry goat, and that tasty looking guy above was a treat too. I relally am enjoying the cuisine, even though I feel like ive gained about 10 pounds in the last 24 hours.


About a block away from where Im staying is a small skatepark, all cement and really smooth. Not the biggest spot in the world, but the convenience is a pluss.


Hawaiian bike rack




Last but not least, just blocks away from where Im staying lies this little chunk of paradice. Once again I am lost for words so Im just going to let the pictures do the talking.

To all my friends and family, I miss the shit out of you guys and i wish all of you could be here!

First Entry

The last couple days have been pretty crazy, but im finially chillin in Ewa beach. I want to go ride my skateboard so Im going to make this one quick, here are pictures from my travels so far. Above is virginia beach right before sunrise, dark and gloomy. Below is a picture I took after we broke through the clouds, just minutes after i took the first picture. Im not a poet or anything fancy like that, so ill let the picture speek for itself.

Do to complications at the airport, I was stranded in LA for the night. I met up with and old friend from (Suzzie Lawless from VB) and we had a blast. We drank tequila at here apartment and waked around her neighborhood. We even ate an orange straight from a tree that was in someones yard. The lanscapes in LA are so different from Virginia. (see below)Theres more to this story but for now im going to go ahead and keep that stuff to myself, haha.

Hawaii Atlast!

Chris's parrents are some of the nices people I have ever met. Laidback, kind, unselfish, i see where Chris gets it from. They have never met me before but they took me in as one of their own. Im forever greatfull for their hospitality. Last night we went to a christmas party at a masonic lodge, and those people know how to party. All in all i had a blast. Here is a pic of Mr. Biala tearin it up on the mic.

Thats it for now. Im going to try and do a longer post tonight so check me out later.

-Joey