The Tig

These are our two girls, taken a few months ago. Duffy, our female Black Lab is 6 years old. Sunny, our female Yellow will be 1 year old tomorrow.

Worship me, humans.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Gunner likes donuts. We have a local donut shop that makes doggie donuts which are a basic cake donut drizzled with peanut butter and topped with a Milk Bone.

Yeah, it was a generalized statement that he suddenly realized was actually shit hitting the fan. I was more focused on keeping her from exploding and kicking his ass (she grew up in South Jersey in a racially mixed neighborhood during the civil rights riots and can still handle herself). The family did what it took to moderate the situation instead of escalate it. Each family has it's fucked up chemistry and mine is no different. Fast forward... I no longer spend much time with them for several similar reasons.

Yikes!

- - - Updated - - -
I remember talking about tattoos 15 years ago at my Dad's house. He has an old one on his shoulder from the navy, circa 1954. My wife just got a small traditional rose (her deceased mother's name was "Rose") and I already had two. My conservative brother then blurts out, "Only bikers and whores have tattoos."
You could hear a pin drop.
My wife was about to jump his shit when I jump in and say, "Well, it looks like we'll need to buy you a Harley since you sure aren't a whore." I gave him the stink eye. My sister even came to her rescue saying, "I have eye liner tattooed to my eyelids and I'm no whore." My brother backed down and stayed that way. Dick move was called out.

First session on this ROA tattoo done by Grez at King's Ave in NYC, still red and swollen. More pics next month after it's finished.
 

Sorry it's been a while since I've been here. Looking at other people's tattoos makes me want more, and my wallet can't afford it.
I recently changed jobs, and to celebrate I got this. This was done by the same tattooer that did my other pieces (Papa Joe in Boise, ID). My back is nearly complete. This is a pic of the fresh tattoo.
 

I got this on Saturday by JF Bourbon (Bait and Schlang in Montreal) at the Vancouver convention. Sorry for the shitty photo..

Just got to the hotel from the studio. Planning to add to sleeve out the calf. Looking for ideas.
Shane O'Neill at Infamous Tattoo.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

"What's one more?" is something Mrs. T says when it comes to taking care of another kid or rescue animal, so we'll test that out with our new adoption, "Finn". He was rescued 10 weeks ago from being euthanized by a new group called Houston Pets Alive. Most dogs get adopted pretty quick, but not this one. He's not exactly the most handsome little guy, but he is super sweet and we knew no one else was likely to give him a forever home.
We think he looks pretty cool. He has warmed up and loves his new dog and people family. It is obvious to us that he was abused in the past, but we will be patient in returning him to a more secure and happy dog.
Mowhawk? Check
1920's raccoon coat for the full Wayne Coyne effect? Check


Finn was warmly welcomed to the pack by Andy (right).

"What's one more?" is something Mrs. T says when it comes to taking care of another kid or rescue animal, so we'll test that out with our new adoption, "Finn". He was rescued 10 weeks ago from being euthanized by a new group called Houston Pets Alive. Most dogs get adopted pretty quick, but not this one. He's not exactly the most handsome little guy, but he is super sweet and we knew no one else was likely to give him a forever home.
We think he looks pretty cool. He has warmed up and loves his new dog and people family. It is obvious to us that he was abused in the past, but we will be patient in returning him to a more secure and happy dog.
Mowhawk? Check
1920's raccoon coat for the full Wayne Coyne effect? Check


Finn was warmly welcomed to the pack by Andy (right).

He's been tattooing a very long time, but he used to be down in Texas. He taught Oliver Peck how to tattoo, and he has appeared on a couple of Ink Master episodes.

Nice work!!!!!
 
I like the new digs. Looks like you pulled over the old user accounts and posts. 
 
Great job. Go give yourselves a big pat on the back. 
 
 

Sounds cool! I used to live about 4 blocks from where Richard Stell's place is. His name sounds familiar, but I doubt he was tattooing 33 years ago when I was there.
Maybe he used to watch the hard core and punk bands (N.O.T.A., Husker Du) play at the original Crystal Pistol?

My artist had a trick to help with the plasma. He placed a clean sterile towel over my piece (but he said you could use a paper towel), soaked it in witch hazel, wrapped it tightly with a self adherent wrap, and left it on for 10 to 15 minutes. Some people feel nothing while others will feel it get warm (he said it's normal). It felt soothing to me. After that, he unwrapped it and you could see plasma on it. He said it helps draw some of the plasma out. He wiped and dried it well. Then he added Tegaderm with about an inch or better space all the way around. The plasma I'm getting is no worse than people who waited 10 or so hours to apply and my ink is pure black put on with liners only (so lots of trauma). I'm not having any redness, swelling, or anything close to pain with it. I put a cool pack on it after my shower and at the end of the day and that's it.
Perhaps if you wait the 10 recommended hours and then do what my artist did, you won't have as many problems with plasma. Just make sure to leave a good space of uninked skin around it to give it space to pool and run if need be. If it starts running and gets close to the edge, you can always add a piece to where it's headed before it pops open the seal.

I made a new friend for a few minutes Sunday, a 35" black drum on 15 pound test (fish on!)

Shimano 4000 series isn't exactly heavy tackle. Big drums are not to be eaten so we released her immediately.

"What's one more?" is something Mrs. T says when it comes to taking care of another kid or rescue animal, so we'll test that out with our new adoption, "Finn". He was rescued 10 weeks ago from being euthanized by a new group called Houston Pets Alive. Most dogs get adopted pretty quick, but not this one. He's not exactly the most handsome little guy, but he is super sweet and we knew no one else was likely to give him a forever home.
We think he looks pretty cool. He has warmed up and loves his new dog and people family. It is obvious to us that he was abused in the past, but we will be patient in returning him to a more secure and happy dog.
Mowhawk? Check
1920's raccoon coat for the full Wayne Coyne effect? Check


Finn was warmly welcomed to the pack by Andy (right).

LOL awesome ! what a great blend ! love his look.

"What's one more?" is something Mrs. T says when it comes to taking care of another kid or rescue animal, so we'll test that out with our new adoption, "Finn". He was rescued 10 weeks ago from being euthanized by a new group called Houston Pets Alive. Most dogs get adopted pretty quick, but not this one. He's not exactly the most handsome little guy, but he is super sweet and we knew no one else was likely to give him a forever home.
We think he looks pretty cool. He has warmed up and loves his new dog and people family. It is obvious to us that he was abused in the past, but we will be patient in returning him to a more secure and happy dog.
Mowhawk? Check
1920's raccoon coat for the full Wayne Coyne effect? Check


Finn was warmly welcomed to the pack by Andy (right).

Looking forward to doing this for a few days!

We head down to the mountains of North Carolina - love to pound my Z3 through the twisty mountain roads. Here is my Z3 - a first-year model 1996. 20 years old this year and going strong.

This was taken about 10 years ago as we were making a run through The Tail of the Dragon - 318 significant curves in an 11 mile stretch. Heaven!

Tons of fly fishin'. I hate being stuck in an office for 50-60 hours a week, so getting out every weekend is pretty much mandatory at this point in order for me to not lose it on the daily.
I recently got out with Mr. Chuck Ragan from HWM a couple times. I felt like a total fan boy/nerd.
also joined a great gym and getting back in shape since I'm getting married this year.

I recently started mountain biking. It gets pretty sketchy on the extreme trails!

My wife and I started crewing for a Hot Air Balloon company about a year and a half ago. Great exercise - set up and inflate the balloon, chase it, pack it back up and then have champagne and crackers - and, best of all, sometimes we get to fly. You can see the shadow of the balloon to my right in this picture.

I sit here, sore, swollen, in a daze... but I have to share my story. I am an apprentice tattooer and have been in my apprenticeship since September of 2014. I have always had a deep respect for tattooing, but it has now been solidified even deeper. Last year at the Lady Luck Tattoo Convention, my teacher was asked to receive a traditional Samoan tatau by Sulu'ape Si'i Liufau of A-Town Tattoo. My teacher has known Si'i for about 10 years through the convention circle. We were sharing a booth with A-Town, so I was preparing for a pretty close view of the event. As they were preparing, Si'i came to me and told me that he only had his apprentice, Genesis, available to stretch skin for the tatau and they would need my help. I have a previous post describing the experience, so I won't elaborate further on it here, but it became one of the biggest honors of my life to be involved in that tatau on my teacher.
Fast forward to this past weekend: We were working the Lady Luck Convention again and had a pretty slow schedule of clients. My teacher intentionally did so, because he wanted to hopefully help stretch on a tatau. It is a huge honor to receive a tatau, but it is an equal honor to assist in one. Saturday night, we are all in the bar, relaxing and having a good time. It was a group of about 20 tattooers from all over the country. Talk of the process of tatau began and I took the opportunity to interject and publicly thank Si'i for asking me to assist on my teacher's tatau. I told him it was one of the biggest honors of my life and I would never forget it. He nodded to me and said, "What are you doing tomorrow?" I said, "No tattoos, just working our booth." He said, "I should give you tatau tomorrow." Without hesitation, I stuck my hand out and said yes. We shook on it and he went over to discuss it with his apprentice. They were making gestures around the lower thigh area and kinda laughing a little. I jokingly said, "You guys are laughing too much! You gonna fuck me up tomorrow?!" Si'i responded, "We're gonna try something new on you, Nate. You're not gonna like it... but you're gonna like it."
The next morning, I went over to the A-Town booth and Si'i had me remove my shoes and put on a sarong. Without discussion, he started shaving my knee area, all the way around. He drew on a couple reference lines, where he then called over my teacher and told him he would be assisting his apprentice with stretching of the skin. I've already written a lot, so I will skip along. It took 3 hours of, by far, hands down, the most painful tattooing I've ever received. Almost my entire knee, and all the way around back, through the ditch. At the end, I was congratulated. I didn't move. I didn't squirm. I made no sounds. Inside my head, it felt as though they were cutting my leg off, but I knew I had to show my respect and gratitude by being silent. It was incredible. To be a part of my teacher's tatau and for him to be a part of mine has bonded us even closer. We are both so humbled and blown away by it all. As he did a final cleaning of my leg, I asked Sulu'ape Si'i what I needed to pay him for this (I was actually kind of worried, because I'm a broke apprentice). He said, "Meaalofa. It's a gift for you. You earned my respect when you sat for hours and stretched for your teacher last year." He also said, "Now Nate, this tatau has the ending placement of a traditional Pe'a, so when a Samoan sees it coming out of your shorts, they are going to question you. When they do, you tell them it was a gift from Sulu'ape and if they have any more questions, they can come talk to me." I'm still in awe. I look at my leg now and it is so much more than a tattoo. It is history. It is honor. It is respect. I just wanted to share my story. Thanks to all that read it. Here are some pictures of the whole thing.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

Female college student. Among other girls the "pinterest" tattoos are very popular- small white ink, small symbols in B&G, etc. Yesterday there was a girl in the gym in front of me that had some weird black shape. Once she stopped running I realized they were tiny elephants. Guys are very into the tribal and the black out style pieces.
That being said, I do see many people with larger, bolder tattoos. A girl who sits next to me in Chemistry has an octopus that covers her entire chest. Another girl I've seen on campus has two large Alice in Wonderland images done on her thighs. There's also a lot of nerdy tattoos: Harry Potter, Supernatural, gamers, LOTR, etc. I truly think that's a generation thing, because many of these things have come to define our generation.
Good tattoos aren't a rarity, but they get overshadowed by the lower quality ones. I think a lot of it, especially with the women my age, are still associating feminine with small and dainty, and that tattoos are still in the stages of becoming widely accepted