Having trouble at school, with girls, skating or your family life? Well, my friend, you've come to the right place! Everybody knows that Mike Carroll has all the answers, so we've given him his own column. Check out the advice given below and if you still have questions go ahead and ASK MIKEY!

"kay Mike i got a problem,
i live in a small iowa town where skating is pretty popular, but it seems that people think of me the best, and the most stylist, and alot of my friends try and try at stuff i land first try, and they just say, "damn you, i'm quitting", and that makes me feel bad, and one of my friends did quit, its just cause we all started about the same time, and i'm kickflipping 5 stairs everytime,a nd they can't kickflip a curb in 2 tries, what should i do? not skate with them to make them feel better, or just say one day i can't land anytihng and continue that? what?
-Eric E


You know, I was having the same problem lately. I mean dude I've been rippin' so hard lately that the dudes that I skate with get all bummed out. Until I started getting hurt a lot lately... nothing major but a lot of little ones. So it's been effecting my filming for the new video. Well, now Rick's been saying that this might effect my spot on Girl in the future. He pretty much said the same thing to me around the time I came down with mono. Man did that suck! It started pretty much in the beginning of the summer of... I'm not sure what year it was but it was when they had the first X Games. Rick and Eric went. Fuck man, I wanted to go even though that shit is corny as hell now. Anyway my ears felt like they had to pop for like three weeks, my eyes hurt for a couple of months especially in the mornings and I hallucinated a car driving head on with us. It even hurt my body to shower. I was in so much agony that I wondered if I had a gun in my possession if I would kill myself, but then I realized Megan wouldn't have any one to pick on anymore. The doctors said I shouldn't skate even when I started to feel better cuz I could over exert myself and have a relapse. I started skating in about mid September. I don't know what's going to happen. But maybe you can fake having mono and not skate for a couple of months so they can catch up. But if Rick even tries to kick me off girl I'll kick him off Lakai.

Hey Mike!
Have you found the perfect T shirt neck yet?  And if so, what shirt is it  (brand, size, color, textile company if possible).  I too am on the quest to find the perfect neck hole.
Thanks!!
Sincerely,
Blake Reigle

Nope!


Which skating phrase do you like best: Skate or Die, Skate and Destroy or Skate to Create?
David Diaz

I like the knew Dogtown phrase:
"Punk before you".


dear Mike,
mike you are the man as far as sk8ing is concerned, but i need some advice. i am going to have wisdom teeth surgery soon, and this is the first time i have had anything done to me as far as surgery type stuff is concerned. should i be nervous, because i am, you seem like an easy going guy, how would you feel?
-kirky werky

How would I feel? Well the last time I got surgery was when I got this thing called a keliod removed from the back of my ear when I was about 12 years old. And when they removed the stitches I started freaking out. My whole world started spinning I couldn't breathe and they said my face went green. So the thought of 18 stitches in my mouth excites me. Since Megan went in and got her crown lengthening surgery first before me, she called me right after and said she's been traumatized for life. I still haven't made my appointment, but when I do I'll ask about nitrous or valiums or as Rick would call them "volumes".

My pet turtle named Harold died! Should I flush him or bury him?
-Fiveboy  

Fiveboy,
Don't flush him, bury him. You don't want a huge plumbing bill to be the only memory of the little guy. gather some friend and have a small service when you bury him. And let me know if you need help with the eulogy, I've been writing a lot of poetry lately and have another column that will be up on Crail soon called
"HAIKU IS KU".


Mike,
I tried to dye my hair black but it came out really purple, what should I do?
- kevin

Back in the day I dyed my hair black then dyed it purple. Those were the days, back before I had anything to worry about except zits and being home to get a package of boards. But now as I'm answering these questions in this room full of shoes that I thought I liked at the time and lugged them all the way home from Japan, Germany, England, etc. I feel claustrophobic and want to get rid of them. Mrs. Meza wants to help me get rid of them but I keep procrastinating.

Dear, mike

carroll,


long time fan, first time writer.
i'm getting too old. all my freinds have moved away from our economically challenged state. my question is; how do i fill the void in my life that skating with the homies used to occupy? should i buy a small dog?
- david newbrough

You're getting too old? I woke up the other morning and my wrist was in pain. I might as well have slammed on it the night before, but I hadn't skated in a couple of days. What did I do, break it in my sleep? That'd be weird but not out of the question since I was bed ridden for two days once before from stretching and I blew my back out. Or the one time I was in Vancouver for a comp and I got out of the hot tub and my knee felt a little weird. A couple hours later my knee was all swollen so... oh yeah I almost forgot about my foot. Every time I walk or push when I'm skating it hurts like a motherfucker. I'm no doctor but pretty soon I won't be able to walk. I wonder how I'll fill that void. I think for now I should go get those things x-rayed.

What is considered the small stuff when you decide what not to sweat?
-Keith


It's all small stuff! Or at least I wish I could believe that. Cuz it always seems to be a little bigger than small.


Mike,
Who's a better skater, you or Rick? Who can win in a fist fight? Who dresses cooler?
-Jimmy

Rick and I have been friend for a long time and although you have probably heard the stories of Rick's competitive nature, I just don't compare myself to Rick. Rick's a great skater, a gnarly fighter, a bitchin' dresser and is a very sore loser.

Dearest Mike Carroll,
I wear black sweatpants while skating.  They aren't excessively baggy, but they're loose and dont need a belt and I find I can move more freely in them, but it seems like skateboarders dislike them for some reason.  So, should I choose fashion over function, or vice versa?
Iria

PS- The feeble grind you did in Las Neuve Vidas De Paco down Hubba Hideout was smooth.

First off, cool name. I think you have brought up something we can all learn from. You have to be you. You can't wear other pants to skate in just because sweatpants are perverted looking and usually have stains in weird places. You need to be comfortable. Rick is very fond of sweatpants and although he has tried season after season to get people to latch on to the trend and failed, he still isn't afraid to hang out in some heather grey oldies but goodies.
Blaze a trail, Iria, Fleece is the word!

 

Hey Mike,
Well I am truly in love with this girl.  I want to be with her.  We went out for 9 months until her parents intervened.  She is now seeing someone else. She tells me that from now on she wants to date people for fun and to make friends.  I would do anything just to be with her again.  What should I do? Should I just wait it out or should I continue to tell her how I feel about her?  Thanks a lot man!!!!  Nice part in Modus!!
Later,
Chris Ramsey

She wants to date people for fun? Well I guess it sounds  like you need to get a prescription for longitude capsules.


(BONUS QUESTION WITH BRANDON BIEBEL)
Dear Mikey,
There's this girl that I really like.  I've known her for a while and everything, she's a great girl.  I also have no idea if she would want to be more than friends.  I don't want to ruin our friendship but I just cannot stop thinking about her.  What should I do Mikey?
Sincerely,
Your pal Smithers

Alright smithers this is Biebel. I see that you had a little bit of an issue with a girl or whatever an you went to Carroll for help. But let me tell you he's a bad source to go to on this type a shit, so I am going to make sure that you get a piece a that ass so first step. Holla at her, make sure she knows who she's fucking with. Give her that impression that is gonna make her feel special that she's kicken' it with you. Don't be over jocking her you can jock her but don't make it to craZe an then if you get a good vibe an be getting signals bust the move dog with like some mellow shit and if she bites on it get your smash on an if she ain't feelin' it no biggie... I guess you'll just be friends.