BLHB: August 2010

I've never moved house in my life. Since November 1988 I've lived at number 4 in a little road hidden from everyone, including Jehovah's Witnesses and taxi drivers, but I've reached a point in my life where I've no commitments, and home just doesn't hold anything for me anymore. So I'm moving to London.

Now the more cynical amongst my friends reacted with "Why? What's in London? Stay in Wallasey." Yeah sure, I'll stay, drink flat pints in the same pub every weekend before going home to my bored wife and having meaningless sex in the dark before crashing asleep, only to wake up at 6am to go work in a job that I hate. I want to MAKE something of myself, apply myself to what I enjoy, struggle, potentially fail, only to learn from every single decision I make along the way. I want to make money, blow it on toys, sneakers and bits of useless shit, I want to hang around in pretentious bars listening to warped barely-listenable glitch music, I want to wake up in the morning not knowing what is going to happen, bound out of bed and grab the day by the proverbials. I want change and unfortunately I'm not going to find it in my little town by the sea.

So here's to the next stage of my life. Here's to the triumphs and tribulations. Here's to stress, hardship, but ultimately reward.

Before I move, I wanted one last purchase to bolster my wardrobe before months of uncertainty and the possibility of only being able to eat cardboard for breakfast, lunch and dinner. For the previous week I have been torturing myself with the help of Size?, BAPE EU, Pondon and Kixclusive, unable to commit to any purchases, no matter how much they'd improve my life (dramatic lie).

Nike Dunk 'Ueno Panda' - Rarer than teeth on a chicken

I went down the usual routes; Nike Dunk 'Ueno Panda', Nike Dunk SB 'MF DOOM' (almost purchased, once upon a time), Air Jordan 1 (in all shapes and sizes). However I also perused a seldom used alleyway - I decided to see what AirMax had in store for me. Now I never used to rate the AirMax at all, I found them garish, cheap, and ridiculous. However as my tastes have became less 'suburban' and more liberal, I've taken a shine to the air-cushioned bastards.

Nike Dunk 'MF DOOM' - They will be mine...

Now by definition I'm a Dunk-Hi guy, you'll rarely find anything else on my feet, save for either AF1's or BapeSta's. At this point in time I only have five pairs, which, to sneaker-freakers is simply pathetic. But seeing as I only have a part time job and have been in uni for the last three years, I think it serves as an adequate start to what will surely blossom into a 'huge fuck-off collection'. At the moment though I've had enough of Dunks. I can't afford any limited releases, my knowledge of sourcing said limited’s is amateur, and what Dunks I CAN get are mass produced and rank.

Nike AirMax 90 'Livestrong' - Charitable

One of my boys however, is a certified sneaker-freaker, and has both the privilege of working in a sneaker emporium and being surrounded by people who truly know their shit. He also rocks a pair of AirMax 90 'Livestrong' a pair of sneakers that I could not afford unless I sold a kidney. Instead I opted for a pair of AirMax 1 from Size? Liverpool, taking full advantage of my mate's staff discount in the process. Result. I mean they are (in my eyes) a 'homage' to the Livestrongs, and face it, they're bloody sweet. I am now learned in the ways of the Airmax and wish to continue my training, but with uncertainty about money, and flinging myself into the proverbial deep-end, God knows when I'll next pick-up a pair.

If the worst comes to the worst I'll have to do one of the following; suck-off a business man for cash, get a good job and work my arse off, beg the 'rents. I'm hoping for the second option, but always know that option one is there if I need it. I'd be like a Victorian scamp.