Fala

I'm sure there is symbolism in that :) Looks great!!!

Better? @MadeIndelible?

Love how your sleeves have been finished @ironchef!!!! Do the characters alternate between black and red (ie black-black-red-black-black-red...?) Re: tebori vs machine lining: http://www.needlesandsins.com/2010/03/guest-blog-machine-vs-tebori.html

Welcome! I went through restraint training at the school I used to work at, was interesting to say the least... Stay safe!

Nice!

I'm reading Dune again, it's a nice easy departure from what I've been reading for school. Read Yakuza Moon a few months ago - it was terribly written, but the story was good. Recently completed this, other poorly written, book about the "lost foods of France". Can't remember the title or author - it was that good, lol. But, I did learn where/how steak tartare originated.

I did miss it! C'est la vie. (I'm sure I'm being stubborn but...) I still think it is BS with the fear-mongering re: top-notch artists (such as the one Tesseracts went to) and them using high quality inks vs inks that will make you sick. And, I still say that the articles/blog posts are BS when most folks they are talking about are getting a handful of smaller tattoos vs being more heavily covered. I'd be more concerned about what is being consumed (eaten, drank, breathed) on a daily basis vs what is being tattooed on you on an assumable not regular basis at this point. Obviously it is a huge issue, and knowing what you are putting into your body (much like food and water) is extremely important. I'm not trying to discount the importance of this information - makes me think of the French government's step-in re: color tattoo inks recently and how there should be more of a push for full-disclosure. You can get vegan inks with, supposedly, the full ingredients list. http://www.health.govt.nz/system/files/documents/publications/survey-selected-samples-tattoo-inks-presence-of-heavy-metals-july13_0.pdf

I'm pretty sure RoryQ was joking @Matthew Thomas. There have been several "fear, fear, fear" articles/blog posts posted on the internet re: safety of tattoo inks causing all sorts of crazy disease (ie depression, adrenal fatigue, etc.) and I call BS on them. Seriously, I'm a granola-eating hippie herbalist and I call them BS. The only thing you would ever remotely have to think about is an allergic response to the ink as a "sensitive person" who has reactions to pretty much everything (ie autoimmune disease), in my opinion. AND if you are that worried, why are you getting tattooed? You went to a top-notch artist, relax! The FDA has nothing to do with tattoo inks, so the blends of ingredients are the companies' proprietary information (as mentioned) so there's no way that you are going to find out what's in them.

In all fairness, I did say "people" not "hipster" ;) I know quite a few people recently who have talked about getting a tree tattooed somewhere - I find the correlation between the subject matter and us a society spending less time in nature (and destroying it) yet demanding personal growth and upward movement to be very interesting.

I'm sitting here looking through the Fuck Yeah! Hipster Tattoos tumblr, and ask (my husband) why so many people get tattoos of trees on their arms, and also remarking that I saw a girl on the subway with "Agape" tattooed, upside down, in script, on her wrist today (it took me several minutes to figure out what word was tattooed on her wrist, it was super odd looking.) My husband comes over, looks at the computer screen, and says, "well, because they (the trees) fit the space really well. Why do you have two fish with fangs on your thigh?" Touche.

Calling a tattoo machine a tattoo gun, or a gun, is infuriating. Calling the process of getting tattooed, or being tattooed, getting inked or inked - makes me roll my eyes and cringe at the same time.

I've been watching some of the more troll-y threads (and one in particular) - I also applaud and admire the women who are standing up to said trolls. For me, I don't see the point of engaging when all it does is add fuel to the fire and give the troll more stuff to work with. Lately, I am preferring "planned ignore" when it has become obvious that a person isn't going to listen, it takes too much energy to engage.

I'm getting a monmon cat of my cat, in May, on my thigh. Just call :)

Is it a Squiddle if it goes from the top down, or from the ankle up to the knee? If it is from leg crease to knee, I'm all for Squiddle. For ankle to knee, I think Squiddle-high would be appropriate. - - - Updated - - - @MarkBee - maybe they are Squidshorts?

Tatto ink! - - - Updated - - - Tatooo party!!!

Yay! Thanks!

I keep getting site under maintenance messages :(

I wouldn't worry about it - leave it alone, do not put too much ointment on it (should seem like you are barely putting any on), do not re-wrap with plastic wrap, above all: do not freak out - what you are experiencing looks/sounds totally normal for the first couple of days.

Nice! Good to meet you yesterday too (I'm the one that asked if I could photograph you!)

Nice running into you @slayer9019!!!!

What about doing a coverup using UV ink, and either create a more desirable pattern or image?

I've always gone on Saturday, no problems getting in. I'll be there, mostly uncovered and all! We should have an LST sign ;)

My version of impulsive has been: I really want this by this artist, it doesn't fit into "the plan" but I don't care, it is totally unplanned, I haven't saved for it but when can I get it? The response: 5 months. So, my impulsive was an appointment booked 5 months out (now 2.)

Good deal HaydenRose!!!! I've been trying to schedule mine for when I am either on vacation, have a long weekend, or when my boss is away and things are bit slower.