EFF YEA!!!! Mopeds mopeds mopeds.

Tonite was a good night. I woke up with moped on the brain, so when I got home tonite, I immediately pulled out the Sebrings and let the wrenching commence. I had been meaning to pull the forks from #2 and put them on #1. #1 has been in pieces for much too long. I was able to finagle the forks into place, secured my hardware, reattatch the exhaust, headlight, carburetor, and handlbars. It took a little bit of coaxing to get gas into the carb, but when the float bowl filled up...LOOK OUT! That little bugger fired right the eff up. I was soooooo happy to hear it run again. I have a few bugs to work out, mainly figuring out why the effing thing won't idle properly and why my headlight and tailight won't work when my breaklights will. Before it wouldn't idle, it would just die. Now it idles REALLLLLLY high. I'm thinking there is an airleak somewhere, or that big ol' 68 jet is a smidge too big. I took it up the alley for all of 2 minutes just to let the Red Rocket get out it's pent-up self. I was sooo giddy when I heard it run! Ahhhh simple things, simple things. Now all my mopeds are in working order. I have to re-tap the forks for #2, and get those bad boys back on. #2 has the most work cut out for it, but goh-damn, it's goona be worth it.
I suppose I owe my sudden moped fever to the fact that received a new carburetor for Xmas. Unfortunately, the carburetor was damaged in shipping and will have to go back. The good news is that they have a replacement, and I also have an exhaust which had been backordered since before Xmas. All I need is the right kit, and things will get crazy. Now I just have to pick the lucky moped who will receive the carburetor and kit. The Snark has been loyal through thick and thin, but the Red Rocket has seniority and stability. Technically the R.R is the closest moped to completion, so maybe...just maybe. All I need for the R.R is a new paint job, speedometer, speedometer drive, and speedometer cable. If I really feel like pampering #1, I may even get a new seat or reupholster the one I have. That bike is going to be NASTY.

Xmas was good, I spent most of the day in the kitchen helping to prepare dinner for everyone. I got to relax, and had a few friends over later in the evening. They finally got to see my parent's new house, and we got to christen the bar (not really, but that's probably been the most action that bar has seen in 10 years). We watched the Kentucky Fired Movie, which has to be one of my favorite comedies of all time. I was also able to watch some football before everyone got there, which made me happy.

Tonite was the night that my 'sister' had her baby...that's right, I'm officially an aunt. He was born 7 lbs, 2 oz., and I can't wait to corrupt errr, I mean, meet my new nephew. I believe his name is going to be Gabriel Ian Greason, which isn't too bad at all. I'm glad my sister made it through the delivery without any hitches. I'm sure she's happy to be back to her normal bodied self.

welp, that's all I wish to report tonite. Right now I need some sleep so I can dream about riding by green fields and flawless pavement on the Red Rocket. I have to mention this one time Dustin and I were riding throught the battlefield by the Liberty torch, when we happened to look over and notice the sun was setting. We pulled over, shut down the peds, and watched the sun go down behind the mountains. No, it wasn't romantic, it was incredible. That is just one reason of many why I love mopedding. The End.

"Wisdom of ages, rush over me..."

*YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN*

Yep. Just got finished wrapping gifts not too long ago. Figured I'd check my email, and cruise the net before I hit the hay.
Tonite our 'old' neighbors came over to the new house. My one neighbor had back surgery, and it was good that he got out of the house for a bit. Their daughter brought her boyfriend and their son over, and I must say, he's ahhhh-dorable. I then realized my sister's due date is coming up soon, and I think I'm as excited as she is. I realized I like small children, like 4 years and under. Older children tend to be more amused by the tv then by the world around them. Anyways, this little boy was nuts. He will be 9 months tomorrow, and he is non-stop. He hasn't learned to walk yet, but he will pull himself upright and hang on to whatever while he stands. If you try to help him stand, he'll push up off the floor to bounce. We nicknamed him 'Tigger' because that's all he did all night was bounce. He was nothing but smiles, and I like seeing that in children.
Our neighbors also brought over their stepdaughter's child, Mina, and she's cute, but definetly didn't have as much personality as Matthew. Maybe because she's so young yet. It was a good night. They didn't leave till about 12, and once they left, Mom and I started on the rest of the wrapping.
The other days was a blast, too. I woke up early and drove to Harrisburg where Brian took us out to breakfast at Cracker Barrel. I got blueberry pancakes, and now I'm in love. We exchanged gifts, had a good time, then went back to the studio. Ryan, Beth and I had off, so we split shortly after and did our own thing. Ryan had to get ready for his Xmas party, and I had to head back to the 'Burg to pack. I loaded up my car with all things Christmas, and headed back up to Ryan's. I stayed only for a few hours, had fun building a gingerbread house complete with 3-eyed gingerbread man and transexual gingerbread woman, and just goofed off for a bit. I split and headed down to B-more where Sarah had managed to arrange 'the Gang' at Friday's. I got there late, but was greeted with an uproar of cheer and ovation. You guys are the best! We talked about the past, present, and future, had some drinks, and otherwise just had a fantastic time. Thanks to Sarah for your effort in arranging the craziness!

Tomorrow/tonite I will be hosting a little shindig of my own. I bought a little bit of booze, there will be plenty of food and high spirits here. The silliness goes down at 7, be there or be [].

I'm not really looking forward to opening gifts tomorrow...yea, I know that sounds backwards. Don't get me wrong, I'm looking forward to xmas, but I think I'm just exhausted from all the preparation. I want to savor the time instead of ripping through gifts and being done. It's going to be a weird Xmas because my one brother will be leaving early to go to his g/f's family's house. The rest of the family will be here, though, so I'm looking forward to seeing them.
I have a few days off before I head back up to H-burg. It's kinda nice to be able to go back to work right away after xmas. I know it will be busy, and it beats pacing the house or travelling with all my equipment to do a 3-day guest spot. I have 2 sleeve drawings to work on, so the time off will be nicce to sit down and create some Angel-original custom work.
I think that's all I have to type about for right now. I'm sure tomorrow will bring about another boring entry for y'allzen to view. If I haven't already done so, I wish everyone a safe and happy holiday! Don't do anything that I would!! tee hee!!
Gnite!

NUMBAH 20!

Ahhh, cold rainy nights. It feels good when it manages to finagle its way down your shirt. Nothing like the fangs of a cold rain drop to send shivers up your back. I think I'm actually doing better with the coldness lately. I have been ok wearing only 4 layers of clothing. I know, I know, what is the world coming to, right?? The funny thing is that the thermostat in my car is stuck on 90, so it's like Aruba in there when I'm driving...and I do a LOT of driving.
Today was busy. There's this fire-fighter guy that has been dicking me around somewhat, and today he was scheduled to have a consultation. Well, no show. It's ok because I had some other appointments that filled the gap. I know this dude means well, he's just a little....squirrely. I'm not worried about it. If he wants it bad enough, we may just correspond via internet.

I tattooed Ryan today. He made me aware that he has not been tattooed for a year. He said he actually missed being tattooed, which is kinda funny because he hates getting tattooed. I want to get back on my oni sometime. I keep looking at it, and he is lonely. I mentioned to Ryan about working on a design for me, but he hates when I watch him, so I'm sure he'll have a meltdown when he actually tattoos me.
Tomorrow is the Atom Age staff Xmas Breakfast. Brian is taking us out and treating us. I have to wrap everyone's gifts and sneak them into my car without them getting too wet. Ryan and Morgan are having a party tomorrow as well, and I am heading down to MD to hang with 'the gang' at Friday's. I was invited to the BTM party as well, but unfortunately, I won't be able to make it this year. I went last year, and it was nothing but elbows throughout the room. Sneezing would have displaced about a dozen people.
My brother's are having parties as well, so if there is a bit of extra time, I might stop by. I will admit, that is highly unlikely, and it's not like I won't see them on Xmas. Kurt and Nat are going to have a New Year's Eve shindig, so I'll prolly devote my night there. I intend on doing some heavy drinking sometime. Going out to the bar every friday/every other friday has raised my tolerance to 4 drinks, as opposed to 2. It's fun to be a lightweight sometimes, but I usually get drunk too fast and everyone thinks I'm crazy when I'm stumbling around and laughing my ass off after 1 drink. No, I'm not a rampaging drunk, I'm actually very benevolent. I usually end up sitting around laughing at stupid things and decorating myself with random objects. Mario Kart, Tetris, and/or Bean Game are also involved in the right environment.

I'm trying to decide if I want to take my moped home or not over the break. I'm a little more afraid of mopedding in Bel Air because of all the wild drivers. There's a few backroads by my parent's new house that I would love to explore. I will be looking forward to summer because they don't live too far from Walter's Mill. I remember tubing down that creek when I was younger, and that is a fun-ass float-trip. I'm sure all of you in the gang remember the time we went tubing down Gunpowder falls...Oh man, that was painful. That water was frigid!!! It was a beautiful trip, none-the-less, and we had a good time grillin' afterward. Kinda makes me wanna go watch the infamous 'Hatteras' tapes MUAHAHAH!!

So ja, lot's of stuff going on, lot's of stuff planned for January. I have one trip planned for January, and two for February. I'll be doing my annual spot out in Pittsburgh, and hanging out in Philly for a few days. March is going to be nuts, and sometime in the spring I'll be shooting up to Canada. Eventually I'm going to take one of the numerous offers to California and do a spot or six out there. Once I can get comfortable with the travelling thing here in the states, I'll venture out to the other side of the planet. All in due time, baby steps first.

Yep, well, I need to wrap some gifts and get to sleep. Hopefully this blogger wasn't tooooooooo boring. Until next time!

Ba-Dahhh!!!

This is going to be a post about...I dunno! About 99% of my Xmas shopping is done, I just have to wrap the sonsabitches. I like wrapping gifts! I especially enjoy wrapping gifts in evil, maniacal ways. I recall this one year, I had acquired a pantyhose 'egg,' put money in it, and filled it with water. I then placed it in the freezer overnight, and it was rock solid the next morning. Mind you, those things aren't small like the little easter eggs, and would certainly cause a critical head injury if it were to be hurled at someone. I wrapped my frozen gift in aluminum foil, placed it in a box, and wrapped it neatly. I think my only mistake was that my receiver's birthday fell in a summer month, so my evil intentions were spoiled when my gift was tossed into the sun-warmed pool to melt.
One year, I received the gift of money, except it was buried deep inside a metal tin filled with baked beans. I think I enjoyed fishing the money out more than I enjoyed getting money. It's nice to know my friends would go to great lengths in order for me to 'work' for my gift, hee hee!!

So yea, seriously, there isn't much going on. I tattooed some chickens today, which made me sport a big stupid, crooked face all day today. This client was a repeat client who braved the traffic to get tattooed. Mucho propos. I had another repeat client come in for a consutlation, and we are starting a new sleeve on his other arm. His other sleeve is nearly complete, which would explain his eagerness to get started on the other side. He's a very fun person and the room tends to fill up with a thick cloud of silliness whenever we're in there for more than 2 minutes. It will be good times.
Hmm, Vat-else...Tattooing Ryan tomorrow, which will be fun. Hopefully he'll have a few good days off to chill and let his tatties heal for a spell. Landon is up next, whenever he decides on his day of doooooom.

Tonite was my Dad's company Christmas party, in which we have officially been turned into legends. My parents have this little shindig at the Williamsburg Inn in B-more, and this place is a really big-to-do kinda place. Leave it to the Sanders' kids to liven up the decrepit, listless graveyard of a restaurant. Last year ended up in a butter battle, dinner-roll rumble, fork-flinging contest. What started off as a recreational sibling squabble ended up with about 25 people engaging in an eventful food-war. Immaturity at its best. I don't know how it happened, well, I take that back...an open bar happened, and that's how you get 25 people who are ages 22-60(mostly people 30+) years old involved in such ridculous grade-school feats. EVERYONE had thrown at least one thing at another person during the party. It was truly a sight to behold.

This year was a little more toned down, only a few butters made their destined flight across the room. My mom was a little more conservative this year, with mostly my brother, my dad's employee Don, my brother's girlfriend, my dad, myself and my oldest brother engaging in the silliness. Our waitress had made mention that her peers fore-warned her about possible food-fight festivites, and I guess she was kinda disappointed with the outcome this year. None-the-less, it was a great time with good people. You know a party is good when people have to forewarn the outsiders.

In other news, I finished my sketch, posted it up for critque, and I'm ready to send this bad boy to the press. I'd like to do a series of related sketches, and possibly explore the margin barrier. I have another painting in the works, in conjunction with all the custom drawings I have been working on. I've forgotten how good it feels to be an art junky. There have been times where I couldn't stop thinking about a project I was working on. I know that's the best thing I got out of MICA. I'm sooooo sensitive to the energies around me, especially being at MICA, and I could not wait to get started on a painting or collage. I did some of my best work in that environment, despite being so overwhelmed. The worst was when I'd come home dismayed by my elusive roommate. When I did see her, she was a total wreck. I'd try to talk to her, and she would be hysterical about this boy she was dating, or she would be completely avoidant/antisocial (in a bad way) because of that boy. I felt terrible for her in those times, but I was cranky about the whole situation as well. She had an emotional breakdown and disappeared. I hope that she is doing well now. She left MICA after that, and I don't think she went back.

I've forgotten a lot of minor details and annoyances about living in Baltimore, but I do miss my creepy-ass apartment (what it was rather than actually living there), the walk to and from school, the silly homeless guy, the REALLLY silly homeless guy, and being able to walk to Utrecht and Rite-Aid at 3am. I also miss having friends that lived right around the corner, and the Paper Moon Diner. Oh, and how could I forget that jelly donut smell that lingered on the corner of 30th and Barclay. Mmmm, jelly donut.

Welp, I guess that's enough ramblings for tonite. There was a quote I thought about while I was driving the other day, and it has momentarily slipped my mind. I guess it was destined for another day. That's all! G'nite!

Jimmies and Sprinkles are two different things.

YEY COOKIES!!
Mom's 'cookie fest' was today, and I'm happy to have helped. It's nice having everybody spread out in the kitchen, and it's sooopa nice being able to work in a large kitchen with other people. Usually it's just Mom and I doing the baking thing on the holidays, and it's usually a pain in the ass. The two of us trying to roll out sugar cookie dough, cut the dough, decorate it, and watch what's going on in the oven gets a little nutty. In the past years, my brothers were around to at least help with decorating, but during the later years, it was up to us women-types to do it all.
This year my aunt, my brother and his wife, Amanda (my other brother's girlfriend),my Mom, and surprisingly my Dad were all scurrying about in the kitchen today. My Dad usually takes over baking the chocolate chip cookies, which is no problem for a single person. My aunt brought over butter horn dough she made, and my brother and I pitched in rolling them and shaping them. Those got done quick. The real fun are the sugar cookies.
The dough has to be kept cold, and mustn't be overworked. Oh yea, and the dough must be rolled as thin as possibly. I mixed the dough together and rolled it, while Amanda and myself cut it. Sharon (my brother's wife), my Mom, my aunt, and my brother helped decorate. All in all, it was a good day, considering we got done by 5ish. I think we may have started around 2 or 2:30, so we definetely made excellent time. I think I ate too much cookie dough, though.

My Xmas shopping is almost done, and I am ready for the holidays. I got a call from a friend from High School, and he wants to get tattooed by me. He and I were the voted 'most artistic' by our class, and we've kept in touch over the few years. It will be an honor to tattoo someone so talented as he is.

Let's see, what else...OH YEA! Here's a fun little summary of work the other day...
So Ryan, Brian, and myself were hanging out the other day in between appointments. Ryan was reorganizing his art portfolio when we heard him yell something about the blank spots in his book (Ryan keeps it out so potential clients can view some of his custom work and maybe spark some ideas of their own). So Ryan starts asking where 2 specific pieces of art went, and shows us the blank spots. Immediate we realize that his work got thiefed. Brian starts thinking back to the last person to go through the book, and he realizes that 2 couples came in and got tattooed. Out of that group, there was a squirrely character inquiring about the sale of the 2 pieces that went missing. Well, it doesn't take a genious to put two and two together. Brain starts sifting through the paperwork because fortunately (or rather unfortunately), the girlfriends of this group both got tattooed. We located the girlfriend of the suspect. Brian calls the girl, leaving a message to have her b/f call him back. Meanwhile, he files a police report. The suspect called back a day later, and Brian tells him the artwork he was inquiring about went missing. The guy mmediately replies with "I don't have it/I didn't take it." Brian replies with "OK, I have 24-hour surveillance in my shop, so you are telling me that if I submit this take to the third party agency that I'm not going to see your face/see you taking pictures out of the book?" The guy replies with "Uhhh, uhhhh, You'll have those pieces back tomorrow/I'm going to Fed-Ex them." Brain hangs up with him, calls the police back and tells them he has a positive reply from the guilty party, and hands all the information over to the police. The police must have called the guy back informing him of the consequences, because he called back all apologetic and stuttering. Ryan is just happy to be getting his work back, and Brian is happy to have busted someone. I know that I would be pretty mad about that situation. The guy's reply to stealing the pieces was "I love art." Brian's reply was " I love art, too, but I don't steal it." Oh man, goooooood times.

Yep, well that's all the excitement of the past couple days. Saturday, I have a ton of parties to go to, and I am looking forward to them. Xmas eve I'll be helping Mom do the wrapping, as well as any last minute Xmas day preparations. I'm looking forward to that as well. I know my Mom and Dad both miss having us kids around.

Anyway, here's a quote to think about for you open-minded thinking types. Make if it what you will; It's just ramblings.

Do not expect loyalty from the rat, nor compassion from the stone. Their oaths are meaningless in the heart of the faithful, and the wise can see they both share dishonor.

Until later...

buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzZZZZzzZZzZZzz...

'...the rythymn of strength gathers tonight.'

It's a little late to be typing, so there's not going to be much to read here tonite.
Worked on some drawings today, goofed off, had a fun ass time with the guys. Brian's back was bothering him today, so he was a little grumpy. Ryan and I hung out in his room and drew. We got hungry and decided to get Neato Burrito. The silliness started after we ate. Beth came in just in time to see our chair race/obstacle course manuevering contest. Of course there weren't any clients around, so we had about 5 minutes of just cutting loose with pure, unadulterated silliness. Landon and Laura stopped in. I took a tracing of Laura's arm so I could work on a cover-up for her, although I'm totally dragging Landon into it and convincing him to do a collaboration, which will be tons of fun and something new for all of us to experience. Landon ended up working on Laura. Ryan left a little while later, followed by myself.
Tomorrow/today I have to get prints of artwork made. I also have to call Fuz. Eventually, I will have to get pictures of tattoo work to printed out and get them shipped off to Pittsburgh.
I hope it starts to get cold again. I like snow. I really miss seeing snow. Winter is my favorite season, despite me having no ability to contain my own body heat. People laugh at me when I wear 5 layers of clothing, but at least I stay plenty warm. I'll go back to taking horse chestnut again once it gets below 35 degrees during the day.
Ummm, yea. I think that's all for tonite. I have my wubbie, my 5 layers of clothing, and a lot of sheep to count. I'm going to go get dream-drunk. Goodnight, y'allzens.

"Drink from his Empty Eyes..."

It's quarter 'til eleven, and I am beat. The funny thing is that I'm thinking of starting a painting of...something. I just feel like painting.
I worked on a sleeve today of a long-time client. We are so close to finishing it, it's not even funny. I think he might have all of an hour left on it. I had to cut the session shy of completion because I had another appointment. Oh well, I'll be able to get better pictures when various bits of his arm are not covered in angry redness. It's going to be slammin'!
My 6:00 appointment was kind of interesting. I think I can attribute my want to paint to her. She had goldfish and a capricorn head tattooed in an oriental ink painting style. It was defintely not your everyday tattoo, that's for sure. I enjoyed the challenge, I think it came out well, and she was beside herself. I got pictures, but she'll be back in a few weeks for some healed ones.

I got new crank arms for my moped, and now it doesn't look so ghetto. The again, having bright shiny chrome sparkling against a rusted blue frame isn't making it look like gold, either. Meh, what the hell. The Snark may not be pretty, but it's loyal, dependable, and more fun than it looks! Yes, I did use the word 'loyal' to describe a machine. Once you ride, you will understand.

I'm sitting here reflecting on the last 2 weeks, and I feel like everything is right back where it needs to be. I am a firm believer that history repeats itself, and will continue to repeat until the lesson is both learned and appreciated. I can honestly say what I have experienced in the past year is all new to me. I can honestly say this must be a new lesson, that I have progressed. I can honestly say that for all the grey weather, I am grateful for the rain.

Hmmmm, my paints call to me. Time for some artist delight! G'nite, y'all.

BRRRRRRRRRRZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!!

There is nothing, and I mean nothing, that will seperate me from my moped...except maybe some gravel.
Yesterday was AWESOME. I woke up a little late (man it feels good to sleep in), bounced over to Hanover, did some shopping, got back in time to take a quick shower, then Dustin and I headed off on our peds. Yesterday was the perfect day to go riding. We did get started a little late, so it got chilly, quick. We ended up taking the backroads into Micheaux State Park, and then into Caledonia. We stopped in Caledonia and had ate a packed lunch (subs from Hennacles...mmmmm). It was wierd because both of us were actually failr warm, but our fingers took most of the beating. We were shivering without really being that cold. The landscape was beautiful going to and coming back from the mountains. There was one point somewhere after Arendtsville that I looked back at where we came from, and it was nothing but a wall of mountains with a little gap carved in it. Beyond the gap, was the valley from where we came. Absolutely stunning. My fingers were a little too cold to grab my camera out of my pocket, that's why I haven't a picture.
We rolled on, heading with the intent of Pine Grove Furnace. We got the split, and decided to head to Caledonia instead. Dustin has this sweet little GPS unit that includes bike (and moped) friendly routes. I had forgotten how long rt. 233 was when you are only going 25-30 mph.
The way back was incredible. We decided to cross over rt. 30 and head down old route 30 into town. The best part about that route was it was all downhill!! I swear there was a half mile stretch where I dind't even hit the throttle. It was cool to look over the side of the hill/mountain and see rt. 30 below, the other mountain behind that, and all the lights that decorated it. Those are the reasons I love mopedding so much...
So work today, and I am looking forward to it! I have a couple of drawings to work on today, which means I'm going to be busy helping customers/tattooing LOL. I have Landon's rough drawing to show him, hopefully he likes it, and then we'll ink it sometime. I have a few changes to make to Ryan's drawing (hehe just me being particuliar), and we can get started on it. I will also be doing his hands before we all go on holiday break.
So yep, that's about it. Life's good, and I'm looking forward to the holidays. Next sunday is cookie-making day with my mom, and the 21st and 23rd are reserved for some parrrrrr-tays! I still have a good bit of shopping to do, but luckily it's just for my brothers. They are pretty easy to buy for.
Well, time for the day to start! That's all folks!

BED!

Ahhhh good to be back in my own bed. I've been having too much fun these past couple of nights hanging out with people, going to the bar, and just engaging in general silliness.
Friday night I went to the bar with Ryan, Morgan, and Erika(sp?). On our way to the bar, Erika kept saying that she felt nauseous (we were on foot and there wasn't anything we could do). We get to the Brickhaus and Erika decides to call someone to pick her up. I waited outside with her so she wouldn't be sick and alone. She was on the phone when all of a sudden she runs over to the curb an pukes hardcore. I ran inside and got her a glass of water, informed the bouncers what was going on outside, and ran back to Erika. She hadn't even started drinking, but I'm sure all those who passed by thought she had been loaded. She said she felt better after she vomited. Shortly after her ride showed up and she went home to go chiilllllll.
I met Ryan and Morgan upstairs at the Brickhaus, and we had a few drinks and laughs. Both of them were not too fond of the drinks they served there, so we beat feet to McWrath's. It was busy and loud in there (of course-it was a friday night). To tell you the truth, though, I like the crowd at McWrath's a little more. There is an ecclectic mix of people there, and everyone is friendly! Anyway, we had plenty 'o drinks, and a few of Ryan and Morgan's friends hung out with us at our table. We were there for a good while, I can't even remember when we left. We headed back to the house, all nice and toasty, and watched Robot Chicken for a little bit. I worked/finished Ryan's tattoo, then went to bed.
Unfortunately, I had to work on saturday, so Morgan made us oatmeal and turkey bacon. I can't say that I've had turkey bacon prior to that, but it was pretty damn good! I'm not the biggest fan of anything bacon, either.
Off to work I went, it was busy. I did an AC DC logo, a flaming skull, and a small butterfly thing at the very end of the night. I was very happy witht he flaming skull! He sat like a rock and had the best skin for tattooing!
I did a dog portrait on friday, which I am very happy with, and I also worked on the skull/wings guy. I updated some pix to the studio website (www.atomagetattoo.com), and new work can be found there.

Hmm, last night was a little quieter. I got out of work and wasn't ready to go home, so I called Kurt and Nat to see if they had any plans for the evening. They did not, and they invited me over to their house. We ordered some pizza, goofed off for a bit, then Nat forced me to watch Fargo, which is her favorite movie. It was not at all what I had expected, but it was very good and creepy. I could hardly stay awake at that point, and I crashed on their couch. Kurt was up at noon, and proceeded to make all of us a ridiculously delicious breakfast. We had eggs and home fries, waffles, and baked bacon. Kurt makes a lot of food, and I do my part to make sure none of it goes to waste :P~ As a gesture for making me food, I cleaned the dishes. We chatted for a bit, and I left shortly after to get started on that shopping thing.

I think the washer is done, so that would be my queue to jump into the shower. I took tomorrow off, which will be nice to get more shopping done, and if it's nice out tomorrow, a moped ride is in order.
Be good, y'all!

"Laugh until it's right..."

I'm back in PA, and back to work at Atom Age. I didn't give myself the extra day off, simply because I had expected to fly in and out on monday instead of tuesday. I took off tuesday, but since my flights were on tuesday, I didn't have much of a repreive between my working vacation. It's probably best that way, I don't really like to go idle for more than a day. I usually start pacing the house figuring out what I want to do or what I should do. Not very healthy for us chicken-heads.

I had a busy day, surprisingly. I had an appointment today at 1:30, or so I thought. I looked in the book and my guy was at 6:30, but he was erased. Brian said he had rescheduled. I was kinda bummed because I had been looking forward to doing the piece, and because I figured his rescheduling would mean I'd be sitting around pondering (I don't have too many drawings to do, only Ryan's tattoo and a koi fish/capricorn hybrid). Luckily, a girl came in wanting some lettering, and she brought her 2 guy friends with her. Well, it ended up being a snowball effect with 'doze guys. As she was getting tattooed, her friends suddenly came down with the bug. After tattooing this girl (who is a real champ), I tattooed her one friend who was well familiar with tattoos. After he went, her second friend decided to let me take his tattoo virginity. After he got tattooed, the girl got another itch, and ended up getting tattooed AGAIN!! It was AWESOME!!! The best part is that she had set up an appointment prior to today with Ryan, and she's due in next week...talk about a fiend!! They were super swell kids who sat extremely well and had a good time gettin' 'pinned-up.'

Let's see...Let me backtrack a little, I don't think I wrote anything about my last day in Mass. It was fun to finally get to paruze Boston, despite it being not more than 35 degrees during the day. Mike and Angela picked me up at 9:30 (yikes) and we rolled into Boston. We checked out China Town, then beat feet over to Utrecht. After Utrecht, we stopped at this swank little bookstore/cafe and had some grubbage. They were a bit pricey, but I suppose being in a bookstore, it's kind of a convenience thing. Food was delish, and they had superb smoothies. Def a nice twist to the everyday Barnes and Noble.
So lunch, then we shot down to Newbury Street, which can be compared to South street in Philly. There were plenty of crazy little shops which we buzzed through at a good pace. I had to get souvenirs for mah peeps, so Canman and Angela were quite tolerant to that silliness. It was around 4:00 and we decided it might be wise to head to the airport, especially since it was rush hour time. We made it to the airport lickety split, I bid them a big thanks, and I chilled until my flight arrived. This time my flight was on-time, I was on an un-crowded plane, got a window seat in the very back, and saw the most amazing landscape I had seen in a while. There was a full moon over the ocean, and I cannot begin to explain how breathtaking it was. It's funny when you look into a mud puddle and the moon is like a pinhead in the reflection. When you're on top of the world, it looks like the size of a bus, only then you realize that a bus is not even visible at the altitude you are flying. The moon would hit the water and just illumniate everything, then hit a rough spot in the water and it would just diffuse the glow like frosted glass. It was also fantastic to see what New York City looks like 5-7 miles in the air, at night, on a clear sky...truly inspirational.
Tonite Dustin and I went out riding. Yup, it was cold as a bitch, but we managed well. I had about 6 layers on, 2 pairs of pants, legwarmers, a balaclava, and a scarf. Yep, still cold, but not as bad as I thought I'd be. Damn thin-bloodedness and such. It was still a good time, with the moon being bright and getting to moped for the first time in weeks. I missed my Snark!! Hopefully, D and I can sneak out over the weekend (weather permitting) and go do some cruising. We shall see what works out.

I believe that is everything I wish to report for the time being. Not too much going on, just living up la vida loca. Angela gave me a good quote one day when we were talking. It goes a little something like this: 'When you change the way you see, the things you see begin to change.' It's not exact word for word, but it's a similiar mantra I've kept inside me since I was young. It's all energies and frequencies of a greater broadcast. I've finally been able to tap back into it after being out in the dark for the past year and a half. It's nice when you don't have a black hole swallowing your signals.
That's it ladies and 'gents. I'm going to pilot off to dreamland. HAve fun reading this, it's long and chock full of mediocrity! G'nite!

"Layin' on the Tootskie!"

Soo today was a long day. Not long as in bad, long as in productive, one might say.
Today I was up at about 9:45, hung out in my room for a little while, then I got picked up at 10:30. Canman, Angela, and myself headed out to Western Massachusetts to go to the seminar, and to pick up their friend, Jamie Cross, who is the owner (I believe) of Nitemare Tattoo in Ludlow. The seminar was held at Off the Map Tattoo, which, as the name implies, is in the middle of nowhere. Although they are located in the middle of nowhere, Off the Map contains a consistent array of guest artists from all over the country. I met Gabe, who was an attending artist and director of tattoonow.com, and I can honestly say, he's a cool emmeffer. I met the other artist, Tattoo Andy, who does some pretty amazing work. He showed me a piece he did on his g/f's (i think?) foot of an old master painting. It was 'wicked-pissa,' as they say up hee-aah. I also got to meet Josh Carlton, who was presenting a seminar on big mag groupings and portraiture. It was fun, I got a copy of his book, and he pretty much talked about various other 'secret tattoo stuff.' ;oP
We hung out there for a couple of hours, then we headed a little further west to Northampton. There are so many little towns in the state, and the one's I have visited were very animated and interesting. Anyway, Canman, Angela, and Jamie met up with this photographer guy, Jeremy Saffer. Let me include that Jeremy is a fucking outrageous, amazing photographer. He is in his early twenties, and he has terrifc work preceeded by great recognitions. He has photographed many bands such as GWAR, Rob Zombie, Lacuna Coil...the list goes on. I cannot reiterate how amazing his work is. PLEASE check him out at www.jeremysaffer.com
The whole point in meeting up with him is that he is compiling a book of 'Skin and Ink.' Basically he is taking some artistic and somewhat nude pictures of tattoos and their collectors. They are tastefully done, exposing the human body and its permanent art, without blatantly exposing genitalia and such. It's well planned, and he even showed C, A, and J proofs once the photoshoot was over. I hung out and took pictures of the crazy building we were in, and browsed through Jeremy's portfolio while the photoshoot was going on.
After the photoshoot, the four of us shot out to get some grub. We went to this place called Eastside Bar, and the food was incredible. It's not your ordinary burger and fry joint. I got the butternut squash ravioli with pecans, which is kind of an odd thing for me, but it was excellent. That's just an example of what they had to offer.
We finished dinner, and headed back to Jamie's house. We BS'ed for a bit, checked out a bunch of amazing tattoo artist's work, and basically spent a few hours talking shop and what-have-you. After we left, Canman and I talked art for the remainder of the trip home, which was super cool. It's nice to have that interaction where we can be artists, and not have to worry about being defensive about each other's opinions.
Tomorrow, I check out of my hotel, and the three of us are heading to Boston to check things out, then get me shipped off to home. It has been an exciting week, well-worth the trip. I intend on doing it again soon, reallllll soon...
Welp, until another day, this is where I sign off. Hope this thing wasn't to boring for all you'z out in I-net land! Later!

"Don't infect me with your poison..."

Hee Hee I woke up this morning with that song in my head. I'm not sure why, I haven't listened to it in a little chunk of time.
Last night was good times. Angela and Mike closed a little early and we decided to go check out the night life. They decided to head to the Lizard Lounge in Cambridge to scope out some bands that were playing. Usually studios don't close early just for the sake of going to catch entertainment, but all of us at the studio finished with our appointments and things got quiet enough for us to take advantage of the night, especially in the winter months. Summertime is usually the opposite with artists working late, so things even out.
So off we headed, I believe Cambridge was about 35-45 minutes away from Medford, which wasn't too bad. I tell ya though, MA drivers are insane. I didn't realize what a clusterfuck the situation was until we got into the city! SHEESH!
Anyhooo, it took us some time to get parking, but we found some 'Mint' parking across from the venue. The first band was called Fluttr Effect, and consisted of 3 girls. One was the vocalist, one was on the vibraphone, and the other was rawking the cello. It was a very strange sound of music, very somber and mesmerizing, and reminded me of The Grey Field Recordings at times. The next band was more of an Indie pop/rock/punkish sound, it reminded me too much of something I would have listened to in high school. None-the-less, those boys put on a great show. The last band we saw was a progression of the second band, with more of a profound sound. The younger crowd cleared out when this band came on board, and it was a little more mellow and rockish. Still not bad. We had a few drinks and got some sweet potato fries. Those things were baaaaaadddd-aaaasssssss. We called it an early night shortly after the third band started playing. We were all pretty beat at that point.

Tonite we are staying late again to work on art. This is my last working day, so I can kinda cut loose tonite and do some painting. I'm looking forward to it!

I woke up today and my room is about 85 degrees. It's AWESOME. It got really cold yesterday considering the rest of the week had been right around the 63 degree mark. I guess everyone else has their heaters rollin' contributing to the heat wave. Us cheeken-headed leezards like it hoooooootttt.

Yup. I've been getting a lot of email from previous clients and friends this week, which is great! I love hearing from people, and I am honored that they keep in touch. Once I get back to MD/PA, I've got some other friends to get a hold of that I haven't heard from for a while.
Well, that's about all there is that is worth reporting for now. There's some other stuff, but I'm going to hold off for a bit until I am a little more coherent :oP
Until next time!

That was wierd...

I learned a new term up here...MASSHOLES LOL!!
No I haven't run into any yet, I just thought it was a funny term! I giggle maniacally when I hear the BAH-STEN accent. It ceases to amuse me...
Today was a busy busy busy day. I did a fairy on a lower back/hip area, and I was drained when I was done. I was only able to chill 15 minutes before I had my other appointment. By the end of that one, I was smoked. I couldn't stand up straight, started to get the ol' tunnel vision, and was barely able to focus on a task as simple as reading. I didn't have much to eat prior to my day except for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. That's ok, thogh, I just came back from dinner which more than made up for my lack of sustainance.
Other than the past hour, my day was pretty textbook. Canman, Angela, and myself went to a little italian shindig down the road from the studio. Pretty tasty stuff, and we had some really fun conversations. I had some bangin' cheese and chicken tortellini...definetly a good time!
Upon my arrival back to the hotel, things were pretty ordinary. I bid Canman a good night, hopped out of the car, and walked into the hotel. I walked around the corner to the elevator, and waited patiently. As the door opened, a young man peered out from behind the doors, and at that moment, realized his predicament. He was butt-nekkid, and believed to be stoned, drunk, or both. He apparently thought he was on the floor where the vending machines were located, paying no attention to the red indicator inside the elevator which visually respresents which floor the elevator is servicing. It's moments in life like that which make me appreciate the spontaneity of spirit...and have an appreciation for male genitalia! LOL!
I'm just chilling now, gonna work on a drawing here in a bit. This week has been non-stop, and I still have 2 more working days to go. I forgot what is happening on Sunday. I think we are all going to check out Boston's night life (the studio is open on sunday, and closed on mondays and tuesdays). Monday, we are going to shuffle up to Off the Map Tattoo studio to take a tattoo seminar by one of the industry's prominent artists. I can wait for that. Either prior to or after that, we are going to check out the rest of Western Massachusetts. I believe Canman and Angela have some fun stuff planned for that day, so I'm looking forward to whatever may come of it all. This trip definetly has the wheels turning...
Tommorow, Canman is taking me to the Enchanted Fox, which is kinda like a New Age store. I'm assuming it's like The Turning Wheel in Fullerton. I like going into that place. It's such a good vibe when you walk in (an I like the people who say 'Blessed Be' when walking out).They hold all kinds of events like spell casting, stone/gem energy education, drum circles, etc. Canman said the Enchanted Fox is similiar, and he has participated in Yoga classes there. It'll be nice to check it out.
Last night we hung out at the studio after hours and 'arted'. There were some other activities that happened, but I will not go into them Hee Hee! Canman worked on a painting, I worked on some drawings (I was hoping to paint meat on my apron, but I had a few drawings that had priority). Angela and Canman's friend, Eric, goofed off and had their own fun going on. I think we were all there until 1 or 1:30. I was beat after that.
Tomorrow I have a traditional rose/stem thing going on. I'm looking forward to it, especially since it's the only thing going on tomorrow. It will be like having a breather after the silliness that was today.
Anywho, I'm going to get a jump on my day. I'll report back later! G'nite!

'IDEARS,' as they say up here!

I'm gonna make this quick because I'm beeeeaaaaaattttt!!!
First day today, and not too bad of a day, I might add. Did two tattoos, small, but fun. One was an add-on of two tear drops under a heart. The tattoo was previous done by previous Visions guest artist, Vinny Burkhart. My next appointment was a small little tribal design on a girl's hip. That was actually kinda fun! She wasn't particuliar, and loved what I drew/tattooed.
My bags arrived this morning sometime, and just as I had suspected, some damage was incurred.
I immediately opened my equipment bag, and a bottle of the bright-ass teal exploded. The bright side is that it spared its teally-evilness from my lighter colours (yellow, most of my reds, white, and most important, my jap pink). I spent my morning in the bthtub scrubbing the evilness off the other ink bottles, ink box, and myself. The hotel will NOT be receiving their towel back.
Tomorrow looks like fun. We are all staying late after we close to have a 'paint 'n party.' I am going to indulge in such the festivities (there's really no festivities, we are just staying late to paint whatever we feel like painting). I am going to paint some meat on my apron. It is going to be awesome.
Time to be physically abusive to the hay...hee hee! Until later!

Here I am!

Welp, I made it! I am officially in Massachusetts!
I expected it to be a little cooler when I got here, and it is. It was a little rain/misty when I got off the plane. The ride was great, and the view...OMFG.
It's so wierd when you fly. The take-off is soooo intense, everything goes by so fast. You are up in the air in no time, then everything starts to slow down. I have never flown at night before, and let me tell you...it was breathtaking to say the least. It's like looking at a miniature train garden, but the reality of it being your home, your society, your life below is a pretty awe-inspiring thing. Well, it is to me, at least. I doubt other people see it with such great intensity as I do.

The only sucky thing thus far is that the airline 'lost' my luggage. Well, they didn't exactly lose it, it was put on a different plane. My original flight was set to depart at 6:50, but the agant said there was an available seat for an earlier flight, and that my original flight was going to be delayed big time. I thought 'what the hell, I'll have more time to chill once I land.' Well, unbeknownst to me, the 'earlier' flight ended up being delayed because they tried to squeeze more people from the later flight onto this one, and they didn't switch my bags to the new flight. There must have been some runway traffic and ground control issues factored in as well. There were a few other people who had 'misplaced' luggage as well. This one guy had a business meeting at 11am tomorrow, and they would not have his bags to him until 10:30. Poor guy. I told him it could have been worse-the universe could have opened a vortex and the intinerary of his luggage could have completely vanished. He laughed and agreed that it's true, that there is a bright side to this mess. I will say that even with the delays, the 'baggage incident,' and lack of a better view, the flight was great. The thought that my entire week depends on whether or not my bags still exist doesn't even have me stressed. I know that there was going to be an issue, and I think the expectation takes the edge out of it actually happening. It was a simple mistake, and I trust that things will be 100% tomorrow morning when I wake.

Canman and Angela met me at the airport. They wanted me to call them when I got my bags. Well I waited around for my bags and they ended up calling me to see what was up. I told them what was going on, and they decided to just park and scoop me up at the airport. We all hit it off, and then went out to a place called Johnny Harvard's. It was a little pub looking place, with some pretty good food. We talked for a bit, then headed to the studio via the scenic route.
Visions Tattoo is impeccable. It's a super clean studio with a great art gallery atmosphere. Canman is quite an artist! I was admiring his paintings and drawings as they gave me the tour. Angela is fucking awesome as well! Our first conversation was about alpaca's! You can't go wrong when you have a 25 minute conversation about llamas and alpacas with a stranger! Hee Hee!!

MMMyup. There is high speed interenet in my room, and I plan on taking full advantage before this week is out. For now, it's time to take advantage of unlimited heat (yea 82 degrees!), and two big beds in my room. Until the sunrises, so long!

OH! PS: That whole business card thing is taken care of. In my more concious moments, I packed a shit ton of biz cards in the back of my portfolio before I sent it 2 months ago. YEY! I had a feeling the great forces had my back!!

BOUNCE BOUNCE BOUNCE!

:oD :oD :oD

I'm sitting in the 'Great Room' of my parent's new house. I am full of meaty foods, and am very content!

I got a call from Canman and he informed me that one of my appointments cancelled. I was disappointed...but only for a second. He then informed me that I picked up a few other appointments in place of that one.
I wrote them all down, but my list is in my jacket pocket. My jacket pocket resides allllllll the way across the room. I am warm, comfortable, and content, so I'm not moving. Off the top of my head, I will have a Jesus portrait with some lettering, a traditional rose, a star with music notes, a fairy, a small tribal, and some tear drops. I am expecting that there will be walk-ins, so I suppose my schedule will be plenty busy.
My brother will be dropping me off at BWI tomorrow. I am really nervous about the airport. I'm looking forward to the flight, but I'm expecting difficulties checking my luggage. I have to make up a bunch of notes for the baggage inspectors. Of all things, I am concerned that they are going to fuck with my inks. Canman called me a few weeks ago, and he gave me the skinny about the whole flying thing. He had just returned from San Fran when we spoke. He said he's had inspectors open bottles of ink and dump them all over the place, right in front of him! He also said they have bitched up some power supplies from their less-than-gentle baggage handling practices, inks splattered all over the place, locks broken off, and equipment ripped apart within his bags. Apparently, they go through your bags even after they 'check' them. Since you aren't around, they pretty much have their way with your luggage. Kind of like luggage rape. I will be making a list and checking inventory prior to and after my flight.

Let's see, what else...Did some shopping today with momz. We have fun together when we are out. Most people say they can't stand their mom or that they hate their mom. I guess we have a much better level of communication and appreciation for each other. She does live a little in the past, but other than that, she doesn't hold grudges or pass judgements in lieu of a person's appearance, lifestyle, etc. She is a very generous and compassionate person, indeed.
OH YEA! I got to see a Car-B-Q last night. It was on the 695 ramp last night, and it was kind of scary and intense. It appeared the driver lost control for whatever reason, slammed into the jersey wall (over a bridge none-the-less), and the whole front end of the car went up in flames. I am unsure whether or not the driver was still inside. There were no people around except for one man waving his arms to alert other drivers to slow down/get out of the lane. I'm not sure what kind of car it was, but it looked older. I was in the left lane, and couldn't swing very far into the right lane to get around the Car-B-Q. I had to snake a few feet past the wreck. It looked bad, very very bad, and I feel for whomever the driver and/or passangers were.
I made it through 695 traffic insanity, and hung out with Joe for about an hour or so last night. It was good to see him. He needs to bring his ass up this way next! Though I enjoy driving and visiting Baltimore, it's nice to be the host from time to time. There's a lot of fun stuff going on up in H-burg, and I plan on being able to keep my guests entertained during their stay.

For some reason, I thought about B. Marcus the other day. I still think about her every so often. The thought of her death is still upsetting for me, but not in a grieving sense. Skip's death was the same way for a while...almost as if there was a force saying "This happened so that something greater may happen, but you won't know why for a while." I look back on history, and Skip's death prompted me to be a tattoo artist. Actually, it was more of that final push that set the stone in motion. I know I will have closure one day. In the meantime, it makes me grateful to have had such encouragement from so many people, and I am especially thankful for the generousity of Fate. THANK YOU, FATE!
Hee Hee! Ok that's enough gooey mushy love stuff for a bit, I think it's time for some sleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeEEEEEeeeeeeep. Have a great night/morning e'rybody!!

"...My city's there, My city's gone..."

3 days...
I hope I have everything packed. Well, actually, I know I don't have everything. I walked out of work today without biz cards...fuck. I think I've got a small stock pile of them somewhere. I have 4 appointments up there already, but I'm not sure what to expect as far as walk-ins. I'm sure I'll be a-ok.
Tonite was rather...wierd. Today was busy with lookers and walk-in traffic. I had a guy come in who was pumped about a firefighter patch tattoo. He was all but zipping around my room about it. He lost his nerve somewhere after the outline, and decided to come back for the rest of the shading. It was a huuuuuuuuge tattoo that took up his entire forearm, so I guess I don't blame him. Everything was quiet for a little while. I decided to start packing my stuff, and in doing so, unintentionally attracted some rather shady characters. I'm not sure if it was a family or just a whole hoard of friends, or both, but there were about 10 of them. They were just non-stop running back and forth, getting into everything. We kept telling them that no one is allowed back with the person getting tattooed, and they would ignore us. They even made up excuses like "Can I use your bathroom," then stood in the hallway and started talking to the client getting tattooed in the room (you have to pass Landon and Ryan's room to get to the bathroom). Aleesha and I had to keep all our eyes on them. They kept taking magazines out, and I didn't see them put them back. I think they knew we were watching them. They got all shifty-eyed when we looked in there direction.
Brian eventually got the shits of their frequent movement and blatant disrespect for studio policies, so he locked them out of the studio once the 'friends' walked out for a moment. We were close to closing time anyways.
We've had some wierd ones these past couple of days. The other day, a dude walks in wanting to look at tribal. I direct him to the flash and he starts looking. I don't like to stand over people while they are looking, so I walked back behind the counter. Next thing I know, Brian jets over to the dude and starts yelling. This guy was taking pix of the flash with his cell phone. Brian makes him delete the pictures and gives him a verbal warning. The guy leaves shorty after. A little while later, Brian gets a call from another tattoo studio. The other studio says they have a dude there that was caught taking pix on his phone, and that he still had pix from our studio, and that they had deleted EVERYTHING from his camera. That was pretty cool of them.
The next day, it was just Brian and I, and both of us were tattooing. I heard the door ring, and waited for whomever to walk around the corner. No one did. Next thing I know, Brian jets out of his room and screams "HEY, what do you think you are doing?"
I asked him what happened, and he said some chick came in and made a bee-line behind the counter to the phone and starts dialing. WTF! To top it off, our 'photographer' from the day before came in AGAIN! Some people are UNBELIEVABLE!!
That was way too much ridiculousness packed into 3 days. I hope MA is a little more chill and private. I'm actually looking forward to sight-seeing up there. My hosts have agreed to show me around up there. I hope I can find some sweet souvenirs to bring back for people.

I tell ya, this life style sure is strange. I love what I do, I love the flexibility, I love being an artist, but sometimes it makes you want to become a hermit. I've been having more frequent aspirations to become a pilot. I've always had re-ocurring night-time dreams and daydreams of flight since I was a kid, and they are starting to become a little more persuasive. I think it's because I have an 80 minute drive to think about it everyday. I also have aspirations to learn a few more languages. Yes, more than one. I have no interest in American culture. The only way to submerse myself in something other than my own heritage is to adapt another language so that I can partake of another's culture. It should be fun, especially since it involves travelling!
Once I consider myself established, I'm going to drop back to 4 days a week. I might actually accomplish one or more of my aforementioned goals!
Welp, this is tooo long already, so until tomorrow...Adios!

LIIiIiIIIiiiiiIIIiIIIIIIIIIIMA BEANS!

I hope everyone's 'Tanksgivin' was awesome!!!
We have Thanksgiving at my aunt's house. It is usually pure chaos when we get there and start helping her in the kitchen. The food always turns out terrific, but my aunt gets frazzled by her husband easily. They constantly bicker, even when it's not Thanksgiving. Sometimes it's amusing, sometimes I just wanna smack 'em both upside the head.
There was soooooooo much food to be had! I am still full from yesterday. I don't really go for the turkey...of all things, I go for the Lima beans. I fuggin lOoOOOoOOoOOOOOoooOoOOve lima beans. I also had a huge attraction to my mom's sweet potato souffle. My aunt also made some kind of broccoli casserole that was absolutely delicious. Last but not least, stuffing. I loves me some stuffing!
Then there's that whole family interaction thing. The only person who really annoys me is my squirrely aunt. She does mean well, but sometimes....sometimes. You'll be carrying a shit ton of boxes and food and what-not, and she'll run over to you and try to give you a huge hug while you're still carrying shit. Then she'll ask you a question, and right in the middle of your answer, she'll ask you another 10 questions. She is sooo nutty. I actually look forward to seeing my family, though. My other aunt and her husband are so intrigued with the tattoo thing, so we have some great conversations. It's really funny to hear my aunt say the 'f' word, too! She's pretty cool, even though she is the sister of my squirrely aunt. I usually enjoy seeing my brothers the most. We have a lot of fun together. Usually it's just taunting and teasing, then sometimes it gets physical (in a joking way). Yesterday it ended in a submission tickle brawl, and of course, I lost.

Ahhh, well...today I get to do a big 'ol dagger/rose piece. It's going to be awesome! I can't wait to start it. It's going on a previous client as part of a 'love-lost' gauntlet/cover-up sleeve. I want to discuss some ideas about the filler and the cover-up he will have on his forearm. Unlike his other sleeve, he wanted to piece this one together because he really didn't know which direction he wanted to go with this one. After talking about some ideas, he looked around and came up with a theme. He gave me a vague description of what he wanted for his cover-up, and voila!
He's a good guy who sits well. We have some great conversations as well. I am looking forward to the start of my day!
Let's see...I guess there's really nothing much to report. I have a ton of stuff to do before my flight leaves on tuesday. I'm a little nervous at what to expect from the airport, but I've had a few good pointers from tattoo artists that have flown in the past month. Hopefully the airlines won't fuck with my stuff that much. At least the flight is short. C ompared to taking the train, the flight is only an hour and a half. The train ride would have taken me 6.5 hours....OUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not only that, but flying was waaaaaaaaaayyyyyyy cheaper! I got roundtrip tix for what a one way would have cost me. :oX
Welp, gotta go get ready. Sorry if this journal seems boring and mindless. There's nothing dramatic going on right now, and to tell you the truth, I like it that way ;o)
Catch ya's on the flip side!

mmmmYummmmmm...

So today I have the beginning of a 3/4 sleeve. This guy brought me the infamous 'Dawn 'Till Dusk' tribal, but he let me play around with it. It's going to look much cooler than the original.
I don't mind big tribal. In fact, if done right, I think it looks pretty cool. My plan for this guy's tribal is to not make it all black. I'm going to do some shading and blending, so hopefully it will look pretty sweet. Crosses fingers :oP
I have a client coming in to look at a drawing. I made a couple colour samples and we are going to discuss them. I am trying to help him come up with a cover-up design on his forearm. I think the idea I have might work, I just want to run it by him first. He has a gauntlet sleeve doen by me on the other arm, and he has specific instructions for the other arm. I already did a cover-up on the top of the same forearm. He has a very personal and deep theme for the new sleeve. It's a little tougher to piece together, though.
Hmmm, going to MD for Turkey Day. Tonite I have to head down there and help with the baking. I have to make pie crust shells, and anything else my Mom wishes me to do. I don't mind it, but I know the drive home is going to make me grumpy. Their new place takes longer to get to from Gettysburg than the old place. They are very happy with the new house, so I'm happy for them.
On a side note, I am very sore today. It's either from my session the other day (Jules said my shoulders we going to be very sore, especially) or it's from wrestlin' with Brocious the other night. It could be both :oP
A nice hot shower will empower me! Off I go to acheive that goal!! I'll see you kids a little later!

"...see the shadows grow, see an ominous display..."

Ahhhhhhh...It feels good to be in my own bed. I've been spending more time on other people's couches and floors. It's kinda fun, but it's also nice to be with my wubbie!

Got Reiki'd yesterday...it was grand. I really don't know what to say about it (only good things). Jules is fuckin' awesome and she's got a great sense of the other world. She made me some bitchin' herbal tea, which I needed after trying to find her house! We talked for a bit, then guided me through the meditation process. She was very patient. I kept going out of body and losing my rhythmn. I walked in not knowing what to expect, and walked out of there feeling like I was high. I kept seeing swirly spirals in front of my eyes. Supposedly, those are my chakras being all happy. It was a great experience. I think now I might be ready for a massage!

Work was fun today. I got there a little late (had plenty of time before we opened). We were up late last night playing some dvd game on the telly. Of course it was about movie stuff, but I managed pretty well. Our team got hosed anyway. We think the other team cheated.

AA was quite a contrast since yesterday. I walked in yesterday and the place was bombin'. There were people EVERYWHERE! Brian said it was like a snowball effect...One person came in to get tattooed, then their 'support' friend decided to get tattooed as well, so on and so forth. Today, there wasn't much going on. I guess everyone is preparing for the holidays.
I got a few drawings done today, and had a visit from a previous client. We decided to do a tiny touch-up on his tattoo. I gave him the tour and we talked for a bit prior to sitting him down. He's a great guy who I am grateful to have met. I am meeting so many cool people up there. It seems there is a better sense of art, as well as more imagination. Sure, tribals, butterflies, and lettering are everywhere, but I'm more and more excited to talk to people. Not that I didn't enjoy it before, I love intereacting with people despite my shyness. I just found myself getting more and more disappointed when I would talk to a client who I considered a little out of the ordinary, and they would bring me the same tribal/armband/kid's's's's's's's's names' Harley shield/rose cover-up. There seems to be much more variety amongst clients up there. Variety = GoOOoOoOooooooood.
Hmmm, what else...still working on an oni drawing. We are collaborating on a body suit project as well. It's still in the brainstorming process, so it's not off the ground just yet. I find the four of us at AA really bounce off of each other. The exchange of ideas, jokes, and advice is soooooo good. Brian kinda does his own thing, but still is an active part of our conversations. I don't see too much of Ryan, but he is definetely grown since going back to school. I never really hung out with Landon prior, but I hope is more comfortable with my presence. I enjoy working with him, and it seems he's lightened up a lot since I started full-time. The counter girls are great, they are always on top of things and know how to light up the party!
Don't get me wrong, there was a lot of shit at CG, but I took advantage of the good times. I just don't think anyone ever realized I was smiling my face off during the good moments. I don't feel frustrated or excluded at all with the new digs. I don't feel like I have to walk on egg shells or be weary when people are just having a 'quiet' day. My nerves have finally found relief, and I feel like me again.

Insomnia, what?

Soooo, it's 4:10 am. I can't seem to find dreamland, so I've been working on sketches. Cleo is at my side being adorable. She almost always sleeps with me at my feet, knees, or chest. Her whiskers wake me in the morning. Cali usually comes in and starts kneading and purring loudly on me. I move too much for her to actually sleep on me, so she will usually take the knee spot if Cleo hasn't claimed it. Cali is a very loyal cat with a heart that longs for the outside world. I'm not sure how she is going to react once I move. I almost feel like I will need to adopt another cat to keep her company while I'm away at work. I will not be able to give her up. I think we will both miss the company of Cleo and Jericho very much.
I hate house hunting. I don't have a lot to move (other than the mopeds), so at least that will be easy. The drive to and from Mechanicsburg everyday is not as mundane as I thought it would be. I guess all my years of driving ridiculous distances to get places has left me with mutual respect for the road. I'm just a little concerned for the health of my car. Moped parts are much cheaper and easier to replace myself.
The Carlisle Pike is much like Route 1 in Baltimore. A stretch of pavement providing its travellers with a plethora of business exploitation and distal distractions. There isn't much as far as dwellings go, just your average run of the mill apartment complexes. The good news is that the cost of living is ridiculously cheaper than Gettysburg (or B-more/Bel Air for that matter). I'm not ready to buy property, but I'm tired of renting. I should sink my red cents into a new vehicle, and live out of it while travelling the country. Yea, I've thought about it. Not the safest or smartest idea, but it might be fun. Thorsett would be proud.

After mentioning my LJ in the below post, I went back and started to read through some of the old entries. For those of you who have been perplexed by my seemingly hopeless and melancholy themes, don't be fooled. Most of those entries are just snapshots of my mixed up dreams. Some were daydreams, and some were just, well, whatever came to mind. A few reflected actual events, just translated to a mood rather than literally. I know, I know, I'm not exactly Shakespeare, so most of that stuff seems corny for sure. There are a few of those entries that still give me goosebumps when I read them.
I've forgotten how intense my dreams were at that point. The beginning of this year was the worst. I almost felt like my dreams started invading reality. Then I realised it was just the greater spirits being unhappy with my curiousity. I do not regret where or who I am, but sometimes I regret compassion. Everyone has flaws, it seems mine is my sensitivity in certain situations. I guess I would not be much of an artist without it. One of my greatest drives is finding the good in the things people miss. I enjoy the spontaneity of it all.

Unfortunately, I'm not a very quick person, at least not in cognitive thought. I think my heart tends to react to a situation first, and my brain has to justify it. This process can take a few moments. I think I like it that way. I know that if I am happy initially, then I am truly happy. If I am upset initially, then I am truly upset. My brain just has to figure out what to do with that emotional concoction. Somtimes I want to take action, but my heart seems to know the outcome before anything is done. I usually end up frustrated when my brain sets out to prove my heart wrong, and I end up right where my heart said I would. Now I've got the initial stimulii, and then it's topped off with bonus frustration. How annoying.

Then sometimes I think I was created for the wrong universe. I can't seem to find much similiarity with my thought processes and modern society. I've always felt an odd fluctuating frequency around me, and that contributes to the frequent confusion. Perhaps its a time warp, or maybe it's the conscience of loneliness, often revisted without much repreive. At least I know I'm sane. I'm just always locked in a birdcage. One can always adapt to a sufficient captive environment, but the heart will always feel deprived of spiritual sustinence.

Hmmm, I think that may have paid the Sandman. Sleep is welcomed here, finally. I'll report back here with more ramblings tomorrow...er, today. G'Morning!

Here's a Blogger...

So here's a new blog for all you cats to read. I'll try to keep this one a little more coherent than my LJ.
For my first post I would like to thank Comcast for being an evil monopoly. Thanks, Comcast!
Second, I would like to say...well, I really don't have much to say at this very moment, so I'll give you an update on what's going on...
Let's see...Moved into a new shop, for all those people who may not know what's going on. If you are reading this, and you don't know what I'm talking about, then you are not my friend, but you can be! All you have to do is eat 3 cheeseburgers and a burrito while on a pogo stick. Well, that might not be such a good idea. Just sit back and enjoy my ramblings, and you can be my friend.

So, onward! Things are going swell. A couple of people have already sought me out from the other studio, which makes me feel appreciated. I have my own room to myself, and I can decorate how I please. It's not too shabby, if I do say so.
I worked on the winged skull upper backpiece yesterday. This guy came in with the idea and he's very, VERY Irish. Not like "Oh, my Grandma's cousin's sister's dog's uncle's brother's mother's goldfish is Irish," but like straight up from Ireland...and he has theeeeee THICKEST accent to boot. I can hardly understand him some of the time, but he's a fuggin' nice guy who can sit through some serious tattoo torture.

Last night I went bowling with everyone. James flew into town for a visit with Nat and Kurt, so naturally, all those who haven't seem James wanted to hang (myself included). I arranged beer and bowl, and it was great, as usual. I have been Shannon's correographer so she could come up and hang with us, too, which was fantastic. She brought her friend Jared, and he is a gentleman. WAY TO GO SHANNON! Issac and Liz made an appearance, as did Ryan and Morgan. Good times had by all.
We were up 'till almost 5 am playing catchphrase, a Kurt and Nat tradition. Everyone had a good time. I'm glad to have met so many good people who aren't afraid of differences. That goes to all you guys in the 'gang,' as well. Last night just made me happy that I have friends who allow me to be me.
On a concluding note,I get Reiki'd tomorrow! I had a client come in and she got a Dharma wheel tattooed. We started talking about it and other things related, and she is a massage therapist/energy healer. I figured that might be fun to try, so I made an appointment and we are going to see how things go. For those of you unfamiliar with Reiki, it's a method of self healing and meditation.
Hmmm, this seems like this could go on to be a novel, so I'll put it to rest here. So long, Ya'll!