Mark Bee

@ShawnPorter @Graeme Ok - I'll give it a try! Thanks for the feedback.

Does the original hold up? I've never seen it, but I notice its on Netflix now.

You should! It sounds like we've got similar taste. I've got a few Higgs tattoos (not by Higgs himself, though), and I love the work of all the artists you've listed.

In relation to your second point, you could check out Chad Koeplinger (Rock of Ages, TX), or Robert Ryan at Electric Tattoo in NJ.

I generally use podcasts. Instacast lets you download and store them for later viewing/listening.

November is shaping up to be quite a month.

Dude is fast, assuming this is legit: Fastest gunman on planet. [VIDEO]

Congratulations!

Thanks @KBeee! I've had a blast working on them. And I dunno, but you're right - smoking reapers are awesome!

Nice.

@Graeme Thanks very much. I appreciate it. It was a fun and also agonizing process, but in the end I am very happy with the way my arms turned out. I'm having a load of fun working on the legs right now. Soon.......so0oon...I'll get back to the back!

I currently show 1,711 likes. I must be very popular!

@DJDeepFried Its an interesting practice, and you are right. It is not easy. I took to it pretty quickly and went to a daily lunch time meditation. I made it a part of my daily routine, and it made a significant improvement in my quality of life. I like your description of it as a "kind of bio-hacking." That's just about exactly how I would describe it. I'm glad to hear its made such a positive difference in your life!

@DJDeepFired @Puglist Meditation was what got me through my MA a few years back. I loved the practice, but have got away from it in recent years. I really should get back to it. Thanks for the prompt!

Heh, You'll figure it out. One of the Rites of Passage at LST seems to be learning how to post pics. I still manage to post about half of mine sideways or upside down!

Welcome to LST! Nice introduction. What was your first tattoo?

@mmikaoj Looks great! I also really like the one with the guy holding the hammer. Rad.

I agree. It doesn't look Nazi-like. I'm not an expert, but I think that probably won't be a problem.

I'm powerless. I'm a book junkie!

If that's the case, then I am a fine looking specimen! Happy days!

I have a laughably small collection, but I'm working on it. I need to make more $$$.

I think for ease, I'll divide this into sections: 1. History I've learned 2. New art forms I've discovered 3. Cool people I've met. 4. LST Although I got my first tattoo back in the very early 90s, it wasn't until about 4 years ago that I started seriously looking into the history of tattooing. Since then, I've discovered a rich and deep worldwide artistic practice. From Japan, to the American carnival, to Scandinavian sailors, I have learned a great deal about how different cultures have appreciated (or denigrated) the art of tattooing.I've seen WWI records of soldiers inductions, complete with detailed descriptions of their tattoos. Fascinating! A trip to Great Lakes in Chicago led me down the rabbit hole of tracking the post-war era of American tattooing, (Tatts Thomas, etc), which I quickly fell in love with. It must be the historian in me. 2. Originally I thought of tattoos as simply a mark on the skin. As I've become more and more involved in the tattoo scene, for lack of a better term, I started looking into how different cultures' styles developed and spread across the world. It also opened up a new way for me to understand complex cultural markers and how we relate to them and respect them. Tattooing has opened my mind to being ever more interested in how other cultures mark themselves and express themselves through art. 3. All the cool people. This cannot be overstated. I have met interesting, talented, funny, smart, people from all walks of life by spending as much time as I do in the shops and in the surrounding areas. I've met tattooers with amazing stories of travel and adventure, and tattooed people who share the same passion and fascination. This has had the benefit of getting me traveling more than I had been over the last decade. Montreal, Chicago, and beyond! 4. The LST community. 'Nuff said. You are good people.

/grabs popcorn

LOL! Fantastic!