I shook hands with the president once when I was a teenager.  I also auditioned and attended a magnet school for their music and fine arts program (two separate auditions).  I participated in the Cheyenne drum line and took first place.  I also took first, second, and best of show in the Davis Monthan Art contest.  I've been published in 4 tattoo magazines and won an award for my work in the tattoo industry.  I boxed and shipped all the records from Prince Sultan Air base in Saudi Arabia, which helped lead to the permenant shut down  of the facility 3 months ahead of schedule.  My six years in the service ended honorably.  

"A wise man gets more use from his enemies than a fool from his friends."

Competition between tattoo shops on fourth avenue is getting fierce.  Used to be people would come into our shop every other day complaining about how rude the shop around the corner had treated them.  Somebody let them know with a negative post on the internet and they responded by first attacking me for writing it and then replacing it with 14 positive reviews from their clientele.  Sure, their feelings were a little hurt but in the end they've stepped up their game and look better for it. 

Our shop was recently robbed by a deusche who is currently opening a shop across the street from us.  It was a shitty thing for him to do, bringing in his thugs to take all our stuff during business hours, berating our customers and breaking glass.  When I took their pictures they yeld and threatened me.  One did so with a drill.  We got  in a scuff that ended just as soon as it started with me biting his face.  Not my proudest moment, but his mother raised him better than to volunteer for thug duty.  Long story short, the whole event lit a fire under our ass to tighten our act.  The shop is now being remodeled and our ad campaign is running in higher gear. 

The shop down the street hired that deusche bag's cash cow artist triggering a chain reaction of people quitting or getting fired so he is now only pulling income from one artist and one piercer. 

Most everyone took a shove and responded by fine tuning their own shops.  Save the deuche bag Johnny Ray who was arrested last night for stealing/withholding the property of the piercer's who quit.  He made bail, and God willing he'll take it to court and fight the charges.  His arrogance won't allow him to fold but the evidence obtained with the aid of a search warrant won't allow him to plead "not guilty" without losing.

When you experience success even your competitors expect you to act dignified. 

Cropped Rose by *johnnyjinx on deviantART


She may not be a raging alcoholic party girl, but I still love her with all my heart. 

Means nothing to me.

Reading the news it seems the gold metalist Semenya will be stripped of her award due to suspicions she may be a hermaphrodite.  If its true, she won't be allowed to run again unless she gets "treated for her condition".  This makes me upset.  I don't think she should have to alter her God given body so people can neatly place her in one of two categories.  Granted, being a hermaphrodite grants her some advantages over her female competitors, such as more testosterone, still hermaphodites happen and we should re-think rules and laws to consider that fact without forcing them to change.

What is so special about a consumer based culture built on debt?  What is so special about capitalism if it means profiteering from the sick and dying?  I see a system failing on a foundation corrupted by greed.  I see a disease that will make governments and class irrelevant.  I know I'm not the only one who see's it either. 

I want children.

I want to work more on my gray wash tattooing and free hand.  It'd be nice to do large outrageous tattoos in a short amount of time. 

Dorine saw me on the street and stopped her car to say "hi" to me".  She wants to get a matching tattoo for her late daughter who passed away two months ago.  I told her I'd do it for free.  I feel a connection with her. 

From a satellite's  perspective she only sells me hot dogs.

I believe debt protects fools from themselves. 

It took 5 years but I finally quashed my warrants, got my driver's license, and got a car. 

bothers me.

There are patterns in primes.  I believe as our perspective evolves we will be able to recognize more patterns.

If mankind were born with 8 fingers instead of 10 we'd count in 8s like 16, 24, 32, 40 instead of 10s like 10, 20, 30, 40.

Last night I was on a drawing streak so I slept at work afraid that if I went home I'd re-enter my routine and lose some of my new found creativity.

What I'm becoming


What I'd much rather be

Bought an Elliot Smith CD a week ago and I can't stop listening to it.  Its really mellow and nice.  When I'm working on customers I think its way more soothing to listen to than rock (like we usually do).  

Growing my hair out while simultaniously going bald.  A customers from over two years ago didn't recognize me yesterday.  Said she got work done by an artist who had the same exact tattoos that I did but it wasn't me "was it?"

Folks say I've gained weight.  The scale says I've lost weight since Denver so maybe its just my head that got fatter. 

My girlfriend makes fun of me for taking small steps like an old man and counting out change when others would rather have their dollar broken.  We made a deposit on a small house.  We move in this September.  I'm buying her car.  Hopefully I'll have a license by then.

Only bartenders and barbers should wear bow ties to work.  

Euphoric recall: a process secondary to denial in which the user remembers only the good or pleasant aspects.

As exciting as runny noses, waking nightmares, forgetting how to talk, suicidal mood swings, violent heart palpitations,  throwing up, hooking up with strangers, drinking Nyquil so I can sleep, and generally looking like an ass in public may be I think its probably better if I just maintain my sobriety... however boring it may be.

Me: Can we stop into that Circle K?

Her:  I was just about to pull into there.  What were you getting?  A money order for supplies

Me: Yeah.

Her:  Could you get me a vitamin water?

Me:  Wouldn't you rather have a Naked Juice?

Her: Oh yeah!  If they have it.
_____________________________________

Her: We should go to a strip club!

Me: I don't think so.  I work too hard for my money to just give it to a stripper. Besides-

Her: Hold on I love the intro to this song!  [turns up the stereo]

Me: [waits till the intro is over so I can talk again]

Intro is over

Her: Wasn't that awesome?  I love these guys so much!  I'm sorry.  Were you about to tell me that taking me to a strip club was like 'taking a sports car to a used car lot?' or how its like drinking a knock off brand soda or something?

Me:... yeah.... the used car one.

Her:  Cool.  I don't feel so bad for interrupting you.