Action Now: Daily Fun

WORDS Marcus Bandy

So this is my new monthly column and it focuses on what I’m into and fired-up on today and in the present moment—there is a strong sense of doing rad stuff in this new column and of active participation in skateboarding, right now. Thus the chosen title: “Action Now”. This new series replaces my “What’s Next” column, which I’ve been doing for just under four years. Well, I’m getting bored with looking too far ahead—I feel like much of the time doing so creates unneeded anxiety and stress. And plus, nobody ever really knows what the future holds till it’s right smack dab in the present anyway, so to hell with it! In short, I’m giving up on the future and placing my energy on doing, and creating, today!

So what’s got me strokin’ the Stoke Donkey right now? Well, making sure to have fun in the moment is paramount. My current mindset is in keeping skateboarding exciting and fresh for me and for all of the people I and Wheelbase come in contact with, and on a daily basis. Thus, I’ve set myself this newly revised mantra to help in the task: Raise awareness, build participation, and grow retention in all of skateboarding. That’s what’s up right now. The time is here and action is critical. Yeah, so the plan of attack is pretty simple: reinvent skateboarding daily and in a fun, creative manner. Recently, I’ve been seeking out a broader range of equipment, terrain, and skaters to share this daily path of exploration. Ain’t nobody got time for boring shit, played-out spots, or unmotivated humans—especially an old weathered dirt-dog such as myself. I’ve recently shifted my focus to seeking out crusty DIY spots, new downhill runs, making rad videos with my brody-bros, expanding my photo game, and building inspirational stories for this website as well as for the upcoming Wheelbase Print Edition: Issue Three. What, what!

Raise awareness, build participation, and grow retention in all of skateboarding.

I guess what I’m getting at is that I love stepping on my board just as much—if not more—than when I started doing it 30 years ago. Business can definitely change people and their motivations—the pressure is real! This truth is so prevalent that it has become a cliché and corny to even say out loud. But as far as I’m concerned, ain’t a damn thing changed. This year it’s all about doing what it takes to enjoy each and every present opportunity to ride, explore, learn, and share the adventures of rad skaters the world over. If you love riding longboards, stay ridin’ dem shits! If you love ripping down the boardwalk, get to it! If you love switch tres for days, stay flipin’. If you love snapping shutters and making dope videos of your crew, stay creatin’. That said, if you are here for something besides raising the tide of all skateboarders, then please save us all some time and do like Atmosphere said and: “Go play volleyball!”

Skateboarding to me is all about having fun, daily. I’m committed. Let’s ride!

Side note, here’s a pic of the Vol 7, No. 6 cover of Skateboarder’s off-shoot (Bike/board/surf/snow/cars/whatever) magazine that ran from 1980 to 1982, and was called Action Now. The dude gracing this cover is the one and only OG downhiller John Hutson (Photo Cred: Unknown):