Skateboarding.

I saw a guy fall on his skateboard today, and was quickly reminded why I had to give it up.

There was a time when I was pretty OK at skateboarding. I could do some tricks and ollie up curbs and go down hills with speed. But one day while I was doing the latter I hit a rock and flew from my board. I didn't even have time to get my arms up to take some of the brunt of the fall, and my face was the first thing that hit the pavement. Biggest faceplant I've ever done in my life, and I've had my fair share of faceplants. So I scraped myself off the road and realized I was bleeding from the face. I cursed that stupid piece of wood on wheels and swore that when I got home, after scrubbing my wounds, I was going to snap that stupid thing in half. After scrubbing my wounds I got very woozy, had to lay down on the couch and never did end up stomping that fucker.

I'll admit I looked pretty badass with road rash on my face, and I didn't quit skateboarding then and there, but I was never good at skateboarding again. I never tried anymore tricks, I rarely bombed hills, and basically just used my board as transportation to get to and from work. My skateboarding career was over with one really hard fall.

It would have been different if I didn't do any damage to my face, but this is my money maker. When I get a bit older and can no longer rely on my body to work a labour job I'm going to need to turn to my good looks to get me a lavish modeling career. Nobody in their right mind is going to hire a model with road rash on their face, or big scars on their chin where little rocks used to be embedded. So because of this modeling career that I will be relying on to pay the bills (and the modeling career alone) is why I quit skateboarding. It had nothing to do with the pain of scrubbing dirt out of cuts on my face or the feeling faint while I tried to go through menial tasks, no, I simply quit because of the modeling career that I would be putting in jeopardy if I continued to ride a little board with wheels affixed to it.