A fakie is more then just a skateboard term

Herman was teasing me a while back about when I was a young teen. I had a really cool room with knotty pine on all walls, big throw pillows on the floor to sit on, incense holders, and a plethora of surfing mags laying around. I didn't exactly bring boys to my bedroom but as I sat there reading these mags I felt cool. I felt like a true surfer chick. Did I surf? Heck no. Was I a beach bum? Maybe for one summer. So why did I pull that "fakie" in my younger days? Not sure who I was trying to impress but I thought if I acted the part I would become the part. I'm not sure why Herman was teasing me about that but I know it coincided with my new found love-skating. It's been a few months now since I started skating. At times I get so discouraged because I'm still too chicken to drop-in on the 2 inch level, yes I said 2 inch. And I've yet to be able to kick turn on the ramp, though I can tick tack pretty good. I can carve on my old school board but not on my creation board, the trucks are still too tight. I learned how to replace the bushings on my Powell and had the experience of putting together a whole board from deck to bearings. My dad got me a two year subscription to TW Skateboarding and I was lucky enough to catch the X-games as a skater free fell 40 feet after completing a 720.
I skate in my Etnies and still head to the skate park nearly daily with the kids, but before skating I sweep the dirt and use my industrial squidgy to dry out the puddles.
So the difference between then and now. I actually know what I'm talking about and what others are talking about. I get excited when my skater buddies (Becket and his friends) nail a new trick. I know the lingo and can keep up somewhat with the more experienced skaters. I actually do read the skating mags and ooh and ahh at the tricks. I get bummed though when I see the 11 year old who's been skating for 4 months keeping up with the big boys. And the 7 year old who's been skating for a month attack the 5 foot ramp and drop in with no fear. I stay away from the skate park when it's crowded with teenagers, they still intimidate me. But then I get out there in the early morning when the rabbits are hoping around and the birds are looking for worms. The sun shines so bright and the air is cool. I put on my helmet (though I feel like a dork) and I start on the top of the park where it glides oh so gently down and turns bringing me into the skating area at what feels like "warp speed" to a 43 year old mom. A couple of pushes and I head toward the 6 foot ramp and guiding my board up with ease, across a bit, then down with the same ease. From there I push twice and make it up the "table top" ramp and down the other side without falling. I do it again and again and again..... I feel good and remember how fun it is to skate. It's not about keeping up with the big boys, or having a dead line to nail a trick. It's about feeling like I'm flying and surfing all at the same time. It's about my kids yelling out to me as they skate by, "good job mom!". It's about their friends that go with us clamoring for my attention to watch them. It's about feeling empowered and encouraging others, especially girls and women, to get out there and go for it as well. Tonight my son has 2 brothers staying the night. At 8:00pm they begged me to go with them to the church down the street to skate. "I'm too tired" I say, "It's getting dark already" I add. But then as Becket says, "but it's more fun when you come" I'm putting my socks and etnies back on to lead the troop down the street. We headed to the church to find out they were having a service so I told the boys we can't skate there tonight. But on the way back we find a dead end with new tar and head down it. The 4 of us skating with all our might, down this quiet street. Having fun and encouraging one another and just enjoying the evening as the wind cools us and the older street surface invigorates our feet leaving them feeling well massaged once we arrive back home. This took all of 20 min. So I have to admit I'm not a good skater, I haven't advanced very much. But what's more important is I CAN say that I'm a good Skater Mom.