Designer’s Block, it happens in web design too.

Shake up your web design, grab a skateboard

Yeah, you’re irked. Your client has a great idea for an internet business, has spend hours working though the details, you sit down to start a layout, and nothing! You’re stuck. The ever-present deadline looms and you need to be productive tonight or your schedule is shot. What do you do?

For years my favorite cure for for writer’s block, designer’s block or boredom of any sort has involved a skateboard. My house is located near Little Cottonwood Canyon for two reasons. The world-class winter conditions a few minutes away at Snowbird and the many canyon hills surrounding my house.

My freelance work is usually late at night, and many moonlit nights have found me bombing my steep little Alta Canyon Road under the 1 AM streetlights. A few exhilarating trips down the hill and my heart is pounding, my brain is alert, and I’ve had the necessary diversion to once again be productive.

On our annual beach trip to Balboa Peninsula, my eight year old daughter, Ellie, took a giant interest in skateboarding. In fact she spent so much time on my Sector 9 Cosmic 1 deck that I went out and bought a new Sunset Bamboo Series Sector 9. I know it’s a concave rip off of a Loaded deck, but it sure carves nice.

So last Friday I had the day off of work. The 24th of July is a state holiday in Utah. It’s basically a second 4th of July disguised with the title “Pioneer Day”. Who am I to complain about a day off. Lately, I’ve been interested in building an old-school deck. In fact, I’ve even been scouring eBay for my first real early 70’s skateboard, an aluminum with big Road Rider wheels. I loved that deck like no other.

Mine was blue

So on Friday morning I took Landon and Ellie to my old shop, Salty Peaks, to build an old-school deck for Ellie that I might ride a little when she wasn’t looking 🙂 Of course she was more interested in every flavor of pink instead of how closely dad could recreate is old 70’s friend. But I must say we ended up with a fun little Real custom old-school deck.

After a few minutes of assembling and padding up Ellie in her safety gear, we were off to have mexican food and practice in a parking lot near our house. We took several runs and Ellie was doing so well. Then it happened, a teenage in a white sub-compact car came speeding directly at us. I don’t know what he was watching but we were the only ones in a giant parking lot and he was about to run us down. I grabbed Landon, turned around to yell “Stop” to Ellie and the next thing I knew, Landon and I were down. I broke Landon’s fall except the poor guy bumped his cheek a little, and fortunately the kid in the car was nice enough to slow down and swerve around us as I picked up my 3 year old boy.

I sat him on my skateboard and realized my right shoulder wasn’t exactly where is was supposed to be. I few doctor visits later and I’m supposedly good as new, but it sure does hurt.

My new and improved bionic shoulder

So apparently I did an extra good job of diverting myself from designer’s block this time. Hopefully when all of this loritab wears off, I’ll be able to focus, because no one in my family will let me skateboard in the near future.