Name:
Fat Tony
Where do you work and what do you do?
I work for Transworld RideBMX Magazine. I’m the Associate Online Editor. I shoot photos, film and edit videos, do interviews, write stories, and post content to our site, RideBMX.com. I also do freelance photography, graphic design, and writing whenever opportunities arise. With that said, send more work my way! (www.thafat1.com)
When got the job at RideBMX, how hard was it to move across the country and leave everything behind?
I was ready, man. I waited for that moment for so long, and I couldn’t have been more stoked. The only thing that was difficult was the situation with my girlfriend at the time. The long distance relationship was a rough deal for about eight months; then we broke up. Now I’m single and things are the way they should be. I’m learning and growing as a person every day and couldn’t be happier.
Leaving behind family and friends was a big deal, but by the time the move actually happened, I was mentally prepared. Once I got out here, Jeff Zielinski helped me out a lot. He played a huge part in keeping me sane while not knowing many people in the area. I can’t thank him enough for being the great friend he has been.
Since you’re in California, how does your website,www.LouisianaBMX.com stay updated?
I launched the original design of that site nearly five years ago on my birthday. And since I’m a sucker for tradition and schedules, I redesigned it every year and launched the new versions on my birthday. Last December, after living in California for a few months, I redesigned the site once and for all, turning it into a simple blog. I gave access to the blog to several riders around Louisiana to keep it alive. I post on there every once in a while with random stuff, but I don’t plan on doing anything more with it at this point besides maybe give more people access to update it. The site was “my baby” for a long time, and I’m really stoked on how it worked out for so many years.
How does a typical day go for you?
Overall, thee are no “typical” days. If the days become “typical” for more than a week, I start to get real antsy and freak out mentally. Luckily I have the freedom to change up my days so I don’t fall into a strict routine and lose interest in what I’m doing. With that said…
Office day: Wake up at 8, leave the house at 9, be in the office at 9:30. Check emails, post news/press releases on the site, then look at my “to do” list. Some days I may edit videos all day, other days I look at all the photos in my folders and figure out who I want to do interviews or features with. Then I write up all the questions or whatever and send out a bunch of emails. And of course, build stuff for the site. Office days are typically boring, but at least it is still BMX. I try to leave the office at 4:30 or 5 and hope to beat traffic.
Work from home day: Wake up at 8, start working at the computer by 8:30. Most of the time when I work at home it is because I know I’ll be editing videos all day or building articles—the tedious stuff I have to concentrate on to get done without distractions. When I say, “build articles,” I’m talking about taking the photos and interviews or stories and putting them into our site system. I try to build plenty of stuff in advance so my iCal is full of stuff for the upcoming week. This ensures we have something new on the site every day. When I’m at home, I usually work until 6 or 7, sometimes later. Today I worked at home all day without shoes or a shirt on. Pretty sweet.
Out of the office day: This may be covering a contest, on a road trip, or shooting/filming with people within driving distance. These are the days I’m most stoked on, even though they usually involve the most hours and work. These days are generally non-stop with shooting photos and video, and/or rushing to the computer to post something as soon as it happens, like at the Dew Tour or on Road Fools.
Is working for the “industry” all it is cracked up to be?
I’m not sure what others have “cracked it up to be,” but for me, it is great. I feel like I’m a part of something that I have always loved, and I really enjoy hearing what other “industry guys” have to say about things. When I’m around people like Keith Mulligan, Robbie Morales, Ian Morris, Ron Bonner, etc, I listen to everything they say, trying to soak up as much knowledge as possible. I’m definitely still new to the industry, but so far, so good. I’ve definitely become jaded, where certain things aren’t as cool or special as they used to be, but that is to be expected. Overall, I think any time you work where your passion is, it is a great thing.
Where are some of your favorite places to ride?
The most fun I’ve had in the past few years on my bike was Ray’s MTB Park on Road Fools a few months ago. I hardly picked up my camera that day because I was too busy cruising around the wooden rhythm section with a huge smile on my face!
Also, I will always consider the Louisville cement park to be a place that changed the way I look at riding. The first time I went there was my first “big” road trip; it was such an eye-opening experience. Other than that, I really love pulling up to a city I’ve never been to, taking the bike off the rack, and just cruising. That since of excitement of the new and unknown is always amazing.
Are there any new and exciting things going on around the Ride office or in general you can tell us about?
Oh man…wait ’till you see the next issue! I can’t say anything specific about it, but I’m really pumped on it. It’s a whole new layout and design, and I think people are really going to like it. It’s going to have a lot more lifestyle and culture in it, too.
With the site, we are waiting for a redesign, but I’m not sure when that will be launched. Hopefully sooner than later…We all know it is long overdue. Before the full redesign comes, there will be a new section added where people can upload their own photos and videos.
Other than that, I’m excited about something I’m working on for the magazine with Johnny Devlin. That guy is absolutely amazing and one of my new favorite riders. Hopefully the idea we are working on will surface within the next few issues.
What is your favorite part about living in California compared to Louisiana, or the other way around?
The best part of Louisiana was the friends, family, and food. I definitely miss a good fried seafood platter! The best part of California is the weather and endless possibilities and opportunities. There is so much going on here compared to back home, especially in our world of BMX.
Favorite websites?
I’m over them… After updating the Ride site all the time, I don’t really surf the web anymore. However, I still spend some time on MySpace and looking at other BMX sites. Of course I do the normal online stuff too like credit cards, bank accounts, airlines, etc. And when I’m not reading books about it, I sometimes research stuff about money, investing, or whatever else I’m trying to learn about at the time.
If there was one thing in this world you haven’t or can’t do, what would it be and why?
If theres something I want to do, I eventually do it. I truly believe you can do anything. Whenever I think of something new I want to do, I immediately start figuring out a way to make it happen. I have a huge, ongoing “to do” list including short-term and long-term things. Some of those are: go to Hawaii, scuba dive, paraglide (which will be checked off next month), go to France, Germany, Japan, Costa Rica, and Amsterdam (those should be checked off in ’08), become a millionaire by the time I’m 30, and be financially free by the age of 40 so I never have to work again unless I want to.
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