gougetheeyes

Mel, who is tattooing you?

Well, I know you have at least one bird tattoo..

Nice work! Seems that the more versatile you are, the more successful you'll be in the long run. Good stuff.

Hang in there Robin. I'd like to think we have more perspective as so-called adults but who knows how I would've turned out if my parents hadn't split right after I got born. Never had the chance to examine it with the perspective of time, it was just always something that was, so hopefully the distance and maturity of adulthood will help you wrap your head around everything.

Best to your grandma.

Well said. There are probably a hundred reasons for treating tattoos like a fashion accessory, but I think a lot of it comes back to the types of people getting tattooed. Because it's much more accessible/acceptable, it seems a lot of folks -- "kids" included -- are making a very conscious decision, "Yes, I will get a tattoo now." Because the culture of tattooing gets thrown around from TV to t-shirts to laptop covers to cell phones to cell phone games, most view it as just another "thing" to be into.

I don't know if it makes sense, but personally, it never felt like a decision I made for myself. I always just assumed I would be tattooed from as far back as I can remember. I covered my hands and arms with marker as a kid and just always thought of myself that way. It's never been as simple as an interest or a hobby, it just feels part of me. And I'd be willing to bet my sad little savings account that the ones getting their tattoos removed before they even turn 21 would have no idea what I'm talking about.

If I won the lottery, I'd be covered. If people lasering off half-sleeves won the lottery, they'd buy more shoes and more expensive clothes so they wouldn't feel like they had to get tattooed. My two cents.

Perez -- Now you know why!

Jennifer -- Thank you again, I'm glad my rambling made a little sense. Also nice to know others feel or have felt the same way -- especially when they happen to be Seth Ciferri!

Well that's not helping me take it slow at all. But thank you for the kind words!

And in a weird (and awful) twist of fate, I've been trying to cut my coffee consumption to just one cup a day in the afternoons which I don't think I've done since...before I drank coffee. So 15 years? It sucks but it's proved pretty successful.

Also, I've been meaning to post a photo of my coffee cup tattoo but keep forgetting! Will try to remember soon.

These are awesome -- Irezumi the Tattoo Spirit looks brutal, has no idea that existed. Dr. Lakra stuff is fun.

Out of interest how much do you usually pay for a cup of coffee in the USA ?

A small cup of coffee is anywhere from 50 cents (half a dollar) to who knows.. Although my only 50 cent spot is now 75, and the standard seems to be about a buck. If I was smarter, I'd make myself a thermos in the morning.

First world problems.

The other problem, is the new old deli is closer to the Union Square stop but I get off at 6th ave now because I'm a borderline agoraphobic and can't handle the people on the platform, and barely the train. I've apparently made my choice by going to the cart guy in the morning, but usually I get a small there, so I can duck out around 11 and get a second at the deli, before lunch. When I go back for my lunch coffee.

Now you're not missing New York are ya?

He did a great eagle on Perez's chest -- maybe you can get him to post a picture.

Bailey tattooed me in 2007 or 2008 when he was over at Hold Fast. He did a small ship in a bottle on my arm near the elbow and by all rights coulda told me to fuck off since it was kind of a weird/tiny spot. He was nice though and I've been itching to get back for something about 20x bigger! Hopefully this summer.

This ruled! I went to the gun store while in Vegas the first time and shot up an A.C. Slater-looking target with a 9mm.

Said before, I'll say it again, love this.

Loch, hilarious! I live literally a block from the BQE. This past Rumblers show was pretty awesome and would be even better if I knew shit about cars. Let me know if you're comin up this way again!

Thanks for doing these, Scott, really great.

So great! Lookin forward to part 2.

Kyle where'd you take these? Bird whisperer?

..and if I'm ever in a shady shop, I might sit down to take a leak just in case..

Great stories Shane! Thanks so much for sharing on here!

So heavy for a Sunday morning. I fail at this all the time, but for me, at a really basic level, comes back to treating other people with how you want to be treated. Call it the Golden Rule that's so often associated with Christianity but it's an idea that has pervaded almost every religion, past and present.. Buddhism, Hinduism..

It applies to almost anything you can think of: holding back some negative comment, giving a homeless dude a cup of coffee and a bagel, working an extra few minutes to get a job done, not trying to swindle anyone. And I've found those days I really make an effort and try to stay positive it makes a huge difference in my own quality of life.

The joke about me between my friends and girlfriend is that I'm an angry, grumpy old man stuck in a 27 year olds body. But so much of the time I'm angry or grumpy because of something I perceive as not treating others (or myself) right. Cable companies trying to bilk the last dollar out of everybody, advertising trying to sell poison to the public, even someone just being blatantly rude or offensive.

I can't think of how to boil it down, really. I do have "Faith, Hope, Love" tattooed on me..maybe that's it.

I'm surprised I replied to this post -- thanks Jake for making my brain work on a cloudy Sunday morning.

As I had no idea who Larry Sultan was, I found the times obit. Obviously a very big loss for the world of photography.. Link in case anyone wants to read up: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/14/arts/14sultan.html

Update: Wolf head with “No Order” by the good Mr. John Poverty, working out of Goose Tattoo with Nalla Smith.

From an excerpt from The Crossing by Cormac McCarthy. Here’s the full quote: ”He said that the wolf is a being of great order and that it knows what men do not: that there is no order in the world save that which death has put there.”

Good stuff.