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I wound up taking a four month break, when life and a career change and airlines (mostly airlines) got in the way, but I am fiiiiiiiiiinally back in with Grez this Saturday!!! I think my back will be done, or within spitting distance of it anyway. I was getting pretty burned out towards the end of winter, but this break has been long enough that I've forgotten tattoos hurt and I'm excited again.

Here's the results of my first sitting for my crane and peonies back piece with Richard Pinch in Aberdeen. I'm delighted with it. It's a bit peely still (sitting was last Thursday) but seems to be healing nicely. As you can see, he made a start on the shading, and there's colour to add too, and it's going to be extended downwards over my bum in time. - - - Updated - - - Ack, that's tiny! Oh well, you get the idea. And hello, everyone, by the way!

I saw this idiocy coming......20 something year old girls trying to cover themselves with tattoos to fill the niche! They see the tattoo mags and the blossom of the digital camera age where anyone can go buy a camera and call himself a "photographer" There are guys out there who literally prey on these ladies....most of them with horrible tattoos! Mind you there are some beautiful ladies out there getting heavily tattooed and doing it proper.....BUT this show will definitely send the wrong message to ladies out there who think or are told they have what it takes to be "alternative" models! I think I threw up a little in my mouth when I read the title..... UGH!!! - - - Updated - - - I had seriously thought about adding a tattoo from Kate.......but not after her participation in this abortion of a show......

Apparently this guy.

Appointment on Monday with Anderson Luna of Saved Tattoo for his take on a mask I got in Indonesia. Very excited.

Hiro just posted this. Thumbs up.

^^Literally inspired by this post, I just booked with him for Montreal too! Super stoked, because that means I'm definitely going to get myself to the convention. Without an appointment I would have probably let something else take priority. My first convention!! Ron Henry Wells!! So much excite!!!

I haven't been getting tattooed nearly long enough to have any credibility to say this, but fuck, I hope tattoos go out of style really soon.

Apprenticeship shows? Fucking ridiculous. How about one for the front desk? Or tattoo shop hanger-outers? Why are we getting more exploited than others? Are there ice trucking/lumberjack spin-off shows strictly about dudes first week on the job? Apprenticeship biker build shows? I don't watch any of that shit so if I'm right and don't even know it that's pretty fucking sad. - - - Updated - - - Side note; if this were a show of 'tattoo models' meaning tattoos that are designed & composed well with the body itself regardless of age or body shape, that could have potential. That won't be this show I'm sure. I can't imagine it will be anything but Americas Top Model That Happens To Be Tattooed.

The Fairness in Hell Act of 2275 requires the Robot Devil to inform people that they can rescue their damned robot friends, if they can best the Robot Devil in a fiddle contest. If they win, they will receive a gold fiddle and their friend's soul. However, should they lose, they only receive a smaller, silver fiddle, and may be killed. By Rev. J.R. out of Vicious Ink in Rochester Hills Mi.

Having a tattoo that looks like a fucking tattoo.

as part of a healthy eating challenge I haven't had a drink since May 3rd.

I have no words

It's funny, when I rock into a MH unit to catch up with the NUM, I spend more time talking with the consumers! They love seeing this dude who works for the hospital rockin in with tattoos belted everywhere and talk to them like I'd talk to anyone else. I love liaising with our MH units & community teams.

I was diagnosed with autism also. I never though that would get in the way of tattoos, other than the fact that I'm more sensitive to pain and physical sensation in general than most people. I'm not entirely sure I was diagnosed correctly, but either way I'm socially awkward. Being stabbed with a needle for hours is a great excuse for any eccentricities you may have. It would be weird to be entirely normal in that situation. Also I think tattoo people are most accepting of differences than most.

So lame.

Update: Had a bit of progress and I have a consultation with Alex Reinke tomorrow, have nearly everything planned out. One quick question, has anyone had a bodysuit lined out before any shading or colour? Thank you for the support guys/ladies.

Good stuff! The convention is great, plus there will be an LST meet-up as well! When is your appointment?

So I think my dog is broken. Verzonden vanaf mijn iPhone met behulp van Tapatalk

At least you can scratch playoff hockey off the list, am I right?

A fucking tattoo... Like, shunga?

Nope....not at all....LOL.....I never would have even when I did "modeling" it was always just for fun.....just for myself.....never to gain anything from being tattooed! I did a couple of those photo sessions at the conventions and I did let Mary D'aloisio photograph me to document my "collection" ..... I allowed her to use those photos in that article in the first edition Tattoo Culture Mag. I've turned down offers to be on a show about tattoo "collectors" and about 8 months ago was asked about a show they were trying to put together about tattoo apprenticeships! Not my thing......

Basiiiic Biiitchheeeesss! <channeling oprah here> Maybe that's a bit of hyperbole, but the need to label and band together...as I write that I'm like wtf is wrong with that, hah - but anyway it just seems like another "look at me" thing and not so much about anything else. It's for the BBs, ladies, and I and most of you (or at least whoever I'm thinkin about sorry for my lack of specificity) do not qualify, which is prob why we're all like "nah".

I've seen it done before, and woof, that kid had more stamina than anything I've ever seen. I believe it was back, ribs, thighs, and half sleeves lined in one 10 hour day. I almost vomit thinking about it.

Fuck. I'd be done with it at that point. "Thanks! I'll see ya next when I've managed to forget what I just went through!"

it is amazing how much adult life = alcohol tough day at work = beer sunny day in the backyard = beer playoff hockey = beer family cookout = beer new tattoo = beer i'm thirsty = beer

Are you serious?

I too work health care. Was delivering restraint & seclusion training today for an Acute Mental Health Unit ;)

I am not here to sway you either way but I thought I'd drop in here to throw some of my ideas into the ring. I will as always echo a lot of what others have said. Make sure you are getting them removed because you don't like them. If you are a good person and stick to your guns on your beliefs, there isn't many that will stop you. I will also mention (as others did) that there are quite a few professionals on the forum that ponder similar questions all the time. My motto is simple when it comes to tattoos in a professional setting. If you are concerned, keep em above the cuff and below the collar. I can't think of many professions where full coverage wrist-to-collar is not required or at least very much normal. Still haven't met a doctor who greeted me in a tank top and short shorts (yet). If you want to read further into others opinions and life experiences head over to a thread I started a bit ago (http://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/general-tattoo-discussion/1244-tattoos-workplace.html), I'm sure your ideas will either be solidified or resolved. We also have an entire sub-section on this forum dedicated to coverups and laser (Tattoo Removal or Coverup | General Tattoo Forum | Last Sparrow Tattoo). Personally as a "tattooed professional", I am going the opposite route. I am booked out getting more and more tattoos.

I'm not an expert on this, so perhaps somebody else will be able to offer better insights than I can, but I think it's typical to approach a bodysuit piece by piece so that you'll start with your arms or your back and finish those before starting on other parts of your body. I can't think of ever having seen an entire suit lined before the shading is started. Congratulations on setting up the consult, I hope it goes well, and you're going to end up with something truly incredible.

Or maybe the universe is just telling you this is not the guy to do this tattoo???

So go somewhere else.

I am an ABO Ceritfied Optician (well I was, I have let it laps)......I wear a lab coat but my neck and hands are tattooed and there is no way for me to cover those! It really depends.....can't you just wear long sleeved shirts and have them hidden? I work full time and have been an Optician for over 25 years with mostly visible tattoos.....and to be honest I really enjoy the doctors who are willing to accept me for who I am..... I guess the question here is.....do you want to be who you really are in life OR do you want to hide that and bow down to what you are perceiving is people who won;t accept you because you are tattooed? If wasn't easy for me......I was actually not promoted into management at Lenscrafters because of a silly tattoo I had on my index finger I got when I was fifteen......mind you I was able to train people for management.....LMFAO! I learned this from a former manager about 7 years ago..... BUT....you know what....having to work twice as hard to get where I am now made me twice as good as my peers! ;) I have run several optical departments in hospitals and managed a few stores and private practices..... I am working full time as an Optician at a VA Hospital by day now and working full time in the evenings and weekends as a tattoo apprentice....working my ass of to learn to tattoo the right way! Let me just say this.....I hope you will be strong and brave and be one of those doctors that keeps his tattoos BUT if you don't.......please don't ever put a dollar sign over giving an Optician who has visible tattoos a chance because you may find the best employee you could ever want to have if you give them that chance!

Healed koi from last month

@BrianH Your deadlift and squat are probably going to continue to progress at different rates and remain different in terms of your PR:- Your deadlift will likely always be higher than your squat unless something has gone wrong. At a bodyweight of 210 you should be able to *eventually* deadlift 420 (x2 bodyweight) and squat 315 (x1.5 bodyweight) for singles. I reckon it's likely that you could deadlift 300 x 5 on your way to that, but squatting 300 x 5 would be tougher. 300 x 5 squat at any bodyweight would be pretty good going for someone on CF programming in my opinion. In the timeframe you outline it's hard to say. Adding 5-10lbs a week becomes harder the further you get from being a novice. A lot might also hinge on your bodyweight. If you are going to lean out more over the next while and drop down to, for example, 190 or below, then re-figure what your likely strength standards are.... 300 for 5 might be really good going then. I said this before, but for the above I'm referencing Dan John's basic benchmarks. I think Mark Rippetoe has similar standards.

Super cool spot, and pretty much right next to it is a place called Prime Meats that will give you a great hearty pre- or post-tattoo meal. Good coffee there too.

is it the one on Tattoo Age? Black Gold Records

Thanks for the responses everyone. There is one earlier flight that i didn't wanna take because it's wayyy earlier (like having to take off more work and wake up early (the horror)). But i'm just gonna suck it up and take the earlier flight to be safe.

My optometrist wears a lab coat/ drs coat. Most others wear a shirt and tie and slacks of some sort. Considering this how much are your face hands and neck tattooed?

If you don't want to live with tattoos then get them removed. If you like having your tattoos or are worried about what other people think then wear a long sleeve shirt. You don't need a doctorate to figure that out.

"The last thing I want is a patient to come in, see my tattoos, think I am uneducated and irresponsible..." I don't have much interest in perpetuating stereotypes. The best way to attract clients would be to be very a very good doctor. Until you grow a reliable, stable, practice, wear long sleeves.

I can tell you I've been accidentally double-booked, dates forgotten, etc, in the past. I also generally always get tattooed after hours, some tattooers just like that for whatever reason. I actually like it because the shop is different after hours.

Just booked with R.H. Wells at the Montreal convention in September.

Yes I have..........and it's a group that is totally unnecessary!!! I have been a tattooed woman (I prefer to say "person" though) for 30 years now and the one thing I have learned is that if you want people to accept you then just be yourself and do the same things you would do if you weren't tattooed! If you want to be treated the same as everyone else then why would you walk around with a banner saying that you aren't like everyone else??? And then on top of it discriminate against people who are like you by putting a limit on the number of mods they need to have??? All these groups popped up right about the time the tattoo shows hit the air! Some to try to capitalize financially off of the "new tattoo craze"......some just so people could stroke their own egos in the name of "doing good" for animals, etc! The best way to show the world that you are no different is to go out in the world and live a day to day boring existence of a life and show the world that you didn't get tattooed to try to be different and draw attention to you! I am not saying that some good may not be getting done by these groups BUT in my opinion it does as much harm to the mod community by sectioning yourselves off and claiming you are different....and it cancels out any good that is being done!

So many awesome tattoos here lately, wish my tapatalk likes would show up! I got double teamed on my feet today, Jason Walstrom did the pig while Mimi Wunsch did the rooster. Pics stolen from their IG's. Wasnt as bad as I'd thought it might be beforehand, but definately stung more in a few places than most other spots so far, a bit worse than collarbone, nowhere near as bad the rib cliff. It's gonna be a fun few healing days coming up I'm sure!

Instagram Bryce Dallas

Well, Since today I am an official member of the Back piece squad :) We had a (pretty brutal) 5+ hour start of my backpiece, we managed to finish all the lining (except for the big flowers that need to go on my upper legs). Next session will be for lining the flowers and the rest of the leg part, and to start shading... I can't wait ;-)

Sixth session, almost done! By Grez. Said goodbye to my old and very odd lower back tattoo yesterday, too.

Friday the 13th tattooing at Kings Avenue!!! Sorta... Short 4 hour session today with Mike Rubendall at Kings Ave in Long Island. It's been freezing cold in NYC and I braved the train ride out to Long Island to continue work on my back piece. Added more color to the dragon. Here's the report. Enjoy! Alpha Omega original hanging in Rubendall's room. Details and colors are AMAZING!!! Straddling the chair and about to throwdown: And the results from today's work: Really digging the vivid colors: Slowly coming together: And of course I couldn't go home without grabbing these. I have a copy of the Fingerwave Book which these prints were made for. Saw the original hanging in the shop. LOVE the waves and happy that I own some Rubendall waves on my backside, hahaha

I get treated all kinds of funny, but a tattoo shop is about the only public place I feel OK- probably doesnt hurt that its one of my special interests and ive been doing it for about 20 years now. I have fairly severe aspergers/HFA- i can go days without speaking, I dont look at people, I talk way too loud when I do and ramble when I get going. I also tap patterns with my fingers (yngwie Malmsteen arpeggios) and feet and sway, but only when Im standing. I find that I need a "script" to deal with social interactions and when I dont have one and something unexpected happens I shut down completely. I've got a pretty good script for tattoo shops- I have alot of them, I have read just about every book out there and am pretty steeped in the history, plus at this point I know alot of people in the business and tend to just get tattooed by people I know or friends of friends so to speak... I'm also pretty upfront about the difference and people in shops are usually interested rather than put off. I find that I am able to sit like a rock because i can focus my mind down to one thing (sitting still) very easily. Unfortunately I do tend to get bad hives from anxiety which can be a serious problem but I manage it with medication, sometimes successfully. Case in point last month I was up in DC with @CultExciter and friends, got the worst hives I ever had, took a ton of Ativan, got tattooed anyway then went and passed out in the car on the streets of Adams Morgan for a few hours haha. See, rambling^^ In short, I would say think about medicating your stimming, even with something like a little benedryl. Make sure you go to the best artist you can get to, trust their judgement on your ideas, but get the tattoo you want. Explain your condition simply at the consult, and most importantly have a good time and don't panic- its a big deal to you but its everyday life to the artist, and you will do just fine. PS. Im not sure how I come off to other people, but I know @CultExciter and have met @ShawnPorter so maybe they could chime in- Ive been told I have dead eyes or look mad all the time lol