Tag Archives: Protest

Hippie Mike Life and Death - And all the Emotions that come in between Motivational and Inspirational Blogs Motivational Mondays

Shoe Size Does Matter

Mike at the River

With all the changes to my body over the past few years I deal with a lot of pain and discomfort on a regular day so I’m used to just ignoring it, but recently I made a change that helped my whole body overall. I switched shoe sizes to a half size bigger after about 25 years, and Wow what a difference! I’ve been getting Free shoes since around 2003 so I never even try shoes on anymore, they just got sent to me whenever I needed some, same size as always. But my feet had been hurting a lot lately and I wanted to try something new. The second I slid my feet into those 9.5’s I knew it would alleviate some of my daily pain, but how would it affect my skating? It’s been about 6 weeks now in bigger shoes and it’s actually helped my skating too. I feel more relaxed and less tense. Now when I finish for the day and take my shoes off my feet don’t feel so crushed, they just feel normal. And everyone knows if your feet are in pain so is the rest of your body, so without that pain my mind feels better too.
The point is when you’re suffering, try something new. If it doesn’t work out you can always go back to what you’re used to, but if it does work out it could be a positive change for your whole body, mind and soul.

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Carrie Williams Grip Tape Art Hippie Mike Protest Skateboards Skateboarding

Grip Tape Art 4 – The Landscape

Since lots of people like my Grip Tape Art videos I thought I’d make one that’s a bit more technical, and definitely more artsy. No pencils or sketches, just straight from my inner vision to the knife on the tape, This one was for my wife Carrie who loves to draw scenic mountain landscapes, hope she likes it

Music by Ryan “Tweak” Clark
Song: The Beauty of Ascension
Artist: Pur Pale
Composer: Ryan “Tweak” Clark
Album: From Shadows To Silhouettes (Volume 2 – Instrumentals)
Year of Release: 2017

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Allen Handley Carrie Williams Cisco Gooding Eve Feaver Hippie Mike Jay Mykyte Kaelen Faux Political Movements Protest Skateboards Skateboarding

Protest Skateboards Reissue Decks – Fight the System Series Part 1

Bob and Malcolm decks

Protest Skateboards have remade a limited number of Bob Marley and Malcolm X decks from our 2015 Protest “Fight the System” Series. With what is happening in the world today we thought these graphics had real meaning that needed to be shared once again. They’re selling fast so jump on it if you want one, Click the link below to purchase
http://protest-movement.org/product-category/skateboard-decks/

Part 2 of the series will are being remade as we speak and will be available in September

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Create It and Skate It with Hippie Mike Grip Tape Art Hippie Mike Kaelen Faux Protest Skateboards

Grip Tape Art 3 – The King’s Diamond

Grip Tape Art #3 with Hippie Mike, “The King’s Diamond”. This one was designed by 10 year old Kaelen Faux, aka Big Rip Kaelen, and was put onto my last collab Protest Movement/Coastal Riders Join the Movement deck for him to ride. Go Rip it Up Kaelen!!

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AJ Zabell Andy Anderson Hippie Mike Kaelen Faux Life and Death - And all the Emotions that come in between Motivational and Inspirational Blogs Motivational Mondays Skateboarding

True Friends are Forever Friends

KAM crew and Andy

You ever run into someone or get a phone call from someone that you haven’t talked to for years but automatically it feels like you were just hanging out the day before. These are your True Friends.
Sometimes in life you get separated from family and friends as you travel down different paths, but you always keep certain people in your heart and thoughts each day. You think, Hey I should call so and so and get caught up, but the days get busy quickly and you just never get to it. But when it does happen it’s always awesome.
I took a few years to be by myself recently, with my family of course, but just to mentally regenerate after going through some tough times. And certain friends would come visit or call, and others wouldn’t. Or maybe they did reach out and I just didn’t answer. But either way I always knew they were there for me, and I hope they knew the same about me.
Lately I’ve been getting back into skateboarding and filming again now that I’m not as injured anymore and it’s interesting to see how people react when they see me. I love the surprised look on someone’s face who didn’t expect me to be there that day, and it’s always an exciting moment as the good times flash through your brain. My goal was to get back to my own roots of what I’ve loved to do my whole life and remind myself of why I loved it, drop all my sponsors and just skate again. It was never about fame to me, it was always about having fun with my friends and sharing that joy with others, That’s why I was always so specific about the people that rode for Protest.
I have Friends all over, some of them I haven’t talked to for 20 years or more but know that we are Forever Friends just by the way we grew up together. And I think about all the True Friends who have passed away over the years and regret the ones I didn’t get one last visit with. Time only happens once and it’s important to spend as much time as possible sharing happiness with your Friends.
I think social media plays a bit of a part in confusing people as to who their True Friends are, and who are just people that want to say they’re your Friends, but do you recognize each other out in public? Or have each other’s phone numbers? Everyone gets wrapped up in this Web of Non-Reality where anyone can be a celebrity if they have the right audience, but have you ever shut all your social media off and see who actually calls you?
It’s a weird world we live in, I sure am glad we didn’t have cell phones, facebook, Instagram, etc. when I was growing up. Back then if you had Friends, you knew them personally, and those Friends last Forever.
I think it’s a great day for everyone to think back to who their True Friends are and recognize them for that. Give them a call, or a visit, and catch up on real life…

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Andy Anderson Archived Videos Hippie Mike Skateboarding Video Reviews

Andy Anderson 2015 Video – Previously Unreleased

Previously Unreleased video of Andy Anderson in Vancouver Canada showcasing his All-Around Skateboarding Talent – Street, Tranny, and Freestyle, accompanied by some awesome piano playing skills.
Back in 2015 we made this video as a send off for Andy leaving the Protest Skateboards team and starting off his sponsorship with Powell Peralta but we never actually released the video. Some of the clips were used in a “Skateboard Stories” video that Stacy Peralta made in 2018 but most of it has still never been seen, especially not the way it was originally created. I filmed the video over 5 consecutive Saturdays with Andy while I was transitioning from a full leg brace to walking again after a knee surgery.

Enjoy

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Hippie Mike Hippie Mike's Messed Up Mind Motivational and Inspirational Blogs Motivational Mondays The Man I Am

You Can Get It if You Really Want

Mike's Wood pile

Don’t ever let anyone tell you what You are capable of, only You can determine what you Can and Can’t do in life. And one thing to also remember is that if your body was used to doing something before it got injured, then it will still be used to doing it afterwards, you just might have to adjust how you do it or do it at a different level.
I have heated my homes with nothing but Firewood for 15 years and it takes a lot of effort, all year long. As soon as winter ends it’s time to go out and start collecting new wood, bucking it down to size, and splitting it so it can dry over summer. The goal is always to have lots of extra wood, and to have it all split and piled by the end of June, but that hardly ever happens. Last year I was about 1/3 done by the end of June and then broke my ankle July 3rd. That didn’t stop me either. After resting for a few weeks I was out there standing on 1 foot chainsawing and splitting in order to get it all ready in time for winter. It’s not just what you want that creates motivation, but also what you don’t want, and I never want to pay to heat my house. Especially when you get used to wood fire heat, furnaces and electric heaters cannot produce that same type of heat and the heat they do produce doesn’t last as long. I built the house we live in so that the woodstove heats the entire house from the centre of the main floor and it works great. This year with school being closed during this Covid-19 issue I had a special helper available, my 10 year old son Kaelen. Kaelen is a very determined and self motivated person, he knew the goal and pushed hard to help me accomplish it. We’ve been out collecting firewood 2 days a week since the beginning of May and tomorrow will be our last day. The pile you are looking at behind me is only about 1/3 of the wood we got so far this year, and it’s more than enough for next winter, therefore we actually have enough wood for 3 years, that’s amazing.
I’ve been told by lots of people over my lifetime to quit doing a lot of things because of injuries I’ve been through, but what those people don’t get is that Not doing the physical things my body is used to is what actually hurts the most. Sitting in a chair not being physical is what hurts the most. I like to skateboard, snowboard, swim, play basketball and baseball, and go on walks and bike rides with my kids. No one is going to stop me from doing that stuff, and it’s what will keep me the healthiest even if it hurts. Get out there and do what makes You feel good inside, if it hurts a bit that’s life, you’ll get over it. But if you really want it, you Can get it.

Never Give Up

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Cisco Gooding Hippie Mike Kaelen Faux Protest Skateboards Skateboarding SkatePark Styles Video Reviews

SkatePark Styles – Episode 3 – Bonsor Skate Park with Travis Emerson and Ryan Prasad

In Memory of a good friend Ryan McKellar we spent a Saturday afternoon at Bonsor Skate Park in Metrotown (Burnaby BC) with a couple local legends Travis Emerson and Ryan Prasad. Watch as the remind the street section of Bonsor who’s boss… Also starring: Cisco Gooding, Big Rip Kaelen Faux, Allen Handley, Justin Parenteau, AJ Zabell, Oli Ward, and myself Hippie Mike

Music Credit:
Song: Bright Eyez’Em
Artist: L.S. (Featuring Bin Nyce)
Album: In This Life
Released: 2008

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Hippie Mike Kaelen Faux Nathan Lintunen Protest Skateboards Skateboarding SkatePark Styles Video Reviews

SkatePark Styles Episode 2 – Winfield Skate Park with Nathan Lintunen

We headed up to Lake Country BC on the weekend to go visit our good friends and see their new baby. There happens to be a Skate Park not far from their house so we headed down for a rip. Nathan Lintunen (one of the 2nd generation of Protest Skateboards Team Riders) doesn’t skate very often anymore, but he’s still got the skills, the tricks and of course the styles, and he proves it here in Episode 2 of SkatePark Styles at the Winfield Skate Park. This is probably the first time Nathan has been filmed on his skateboard in over 10 years, a true skateboarder not out there for the fame, but just loves to skate and have fun…

Starring: Nathan Lintunen and Big Rip Kaelen Faux
Song: Acoustic jam played by Nathan Lintunen

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Hippie Mike Motivational and Inspirational Blogs Motivational Mondays Political Movements Protest Skateboards The Bob Marley Quote of the Month

Get Up, Stand Up

Get up Stand up

“Get Up, Stand Up, Stand Up for your Rights; Get Up, Stand Up, Don’t give up the Fight” – A saying that will always live true all over the world.
One of the most influential songs ever written, “Get Up, Stand Up” was the last song Bob Marley ever performed Live, Bob and Peter Tosh put this song together to promote people to take actions against oppression and fight for their freedom to be who they are naturally, without judgement. Similar to what is happening right now within the United States, When you oppress someone, you use your authority to keep them down. If you oppress people long enough, they might decide to fight back and then decide to oppress YOU. There is a saying that “power corrupts,” meaning that once someone gains power, they tend to misuse it in self-serving or brutal ways. Eventually the people being abused are going to fight back.
We live in a world where we can usually travel the globe freely, immigrate into other countries as our new homeland, and ship whatever wherever in the matter of days. So why are we still fighting to put and end to prejudism and racism, and promote equal rights around the globe? Money is obviously the issue. It controls the world, and the people in it, even when you try to live without it.
As time goes on, the governments of all countries will be less and less trustworthy. An action is never taken for the benefit of the people, only for the people at the top. And as the world leaders start to collaborate together more and more (like we are seeing right now during the “Covid-19 Pandemic”) we will have less and less control of our own lives. This needs to be stopped, or at least slowed down so enough people can see what is really happening and stand up for themselves before it’s too late.
The saying above “Get Up, Stand Up, Stand Up for your Rights” has meaning in every situation. If you believe you are being treated unfairly then say so. If the people you express this to do not care, or brush off your feelings as no big deal, then you move on to the second part of the quote: “Get Up, Stand Up, Don’t give up the Fight”. The actions you take at this point will be stronger and possibly physical instead of just verbal. Believe in yourselves that you can and will be heard. If you have a valid argument, then more people will relate to it and join in your fight with you. Unfortunately the powers that be will try anything to keep your group from growing, as the Power of Numbers is true strength. But you must continue on and not give up until the battle is won.
People are abused everywhere, at home, at school, at work, on the streets, everywhere. It is time for us to take a stand and stop being held down. What do you have to stand up and fight for?

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