AverageJer

I don't have my knees covered but my wife does (one of them anyway) and I will never forget the day. We went to Great Lakes in Chicago and she got a sweet squid on her knee by Nick Colella. Afterwards we celebrated buy walking around eating and drinking - as is our custom. At the end of the night we caught a bus to our hotel and as she stepped off the bus her freshly tattooed knee that had been walking around for hours just waved the white flag and gave up and wife spilled out onto the sidewalk like a sack of potatoes. I guess what I'm trying to say here is have fun but be careful getting off the bus. 

I don't have my knees covered but my wife does (one of them anyway) and I will never forget the day. We went to Great Lakes in Chicago and she got a sweet squid on her knee by Nick Colella. Afterwards we celebrated buy walking around eating and drinking - as is our custom. At the end of the night we caught a bus to our hotel and as she stepped off the bus her freshly tattooed knee that had been walking around for hours just waved the white flag and gave up and wife spilled out onto the sidewalk like a sack of potatoes. I guess what I'm trying to say here is have fun but be careful getting off the bus. 

This is true of me but only because it usually takes me like an hour to find clean socks that match. 

It is funny to me the amount of concern new-to-tattoos people have about the pain of getting tattooed, when what they should really be worried about is the INTOLERABLE ITCHING. 😫

Ok all here is the final tattoo. Just got it complete today . so much better than what it was . here is before and after photos . you guys have been awesome too.

Well, I got a little excited at the end and didn't get a "done" photo of the tattoo but you get the idea. 🙂 
The Garver pottery...OMG, I cannot believe that I own a couple of pieces. As far as I know, this was his first sale of his pottery. The shop, Ninth Wave, is owned by Dave Shoemaker and his wife. Very cool shop and super nice folks. It was an "Adorned" weekend. Side note: Bryan ended up with most of Adorned's flash and library. Pretty rad. 

This past weekend, I took a little road trip to Asbury Park. It wasn't planned but I had a great time. Ended up being Bryan Kienlen's first tattoo in his new shop on Grand Opening day, had a consult with Robert Ryan then hit the Paper and Clay show at Ninth Wave Tattoo where I bought a couple of pieces of Garver's pottery. 

It's too soon to tell. Here is a cool song to help reenforce this message...
 

no doesn't look like anything went wrong,
it's called "healing"

Thanks for the song

It's too soon to tell. Here is a cool song to help reenforce this message...
 

It's too soon to tell. Here is a cool song to help reenforce this message...
 

(I still like them. But I don't know if I have room for the whole band anywhere. Would also like to get a GD tattoo.)

When I got into tattoos in my late 30's I got a Grateful Dead tattoo in Las Vegas as a way to pay respect to the tattoo I would have gotten if I'd had gotten a tattoo when I was 18. I guess what I'm trying to say here is that you should probably get a really damn great Duran Duran tattoo. 

When I got into tattoos in my late 30's I got a Grateful Dead tattoo in Las Vegas as a way to pay respect to the tattoo I would have gotten if I'd had gotten a tattoo when I was 18. I guess what I'm trying to say here is that you should probably get a really damn great Duran Duran tattoo. 

When I got into tattoos in my late 30's I got a Grateful Dead tattoo in Las Vegas as a way to pay respect to the tattoo I would have gotten if I'd had gotten a tattoo when I was 18. I guess what I'm trying to say here is that you should probably get a really damn great Duran Duran tattoo. 

When I got into tattoos in my late 30's I got a Grateful Dead tattoo in Las Vegas as a way to pay respect to the tattoo I would have gotten if I'd had gotten a tattoo when I was 18. I guess what I'm trying to say here is that you should probably get a really damn great Duran Duran tattoo. 

I'm with you. This is like the world's worst idea. I'd have an effing tattoo of Duran Duran on me if I went at 14. My parents wouldn't have allowed this in a billion years. Thank the lord. 😂

Went to the Ren Fest today with my daughter dressed in a wife made chainmail and Viking hat. Nine years old and she already kicks more ass than I ever have. 

Went to the Ren Fest today with my daughter dressed in a wife made chainmail and Viking hat. Nine years old and she already kicks more ass than I ever have. 

Went to the Ren Fest today with my daughter dressed in a wife made chainmail and Viking hat. Nine years old and she already kicks more ass than I ever have. 

Went to the Ren Fest today with my daughter dressed in a wife made chainmail and Viking hat. Nine years old and she already kicks more ass than I ever have. 

maybe I'll get a little $100 banger ! 

All comments above have helped me get a different perspective and I thank you all. I have now come to see it not as I had envisioned but as it is and this is helping quite a bit.  As with each tattoo I have gotten, I need a break in and adjustment phase. Right around the time it has healed and doesn’t look shiny, plastic, I start getting a perspective that most closely resembles how I will feel going forward.  I guess no different than most things in life, it’s better than a lot of other possibilities, not what I expected, and if I focus on the things I like about it, I will feel good about it.  
 
Thanks!

My two cents...I can certainly empathize with not getting exactly what you wanted. That being said, it appears from your photos that you are not a tattoo rookie. Don't overthink why they pulled the video down. It's certainly a very good tattoo. Breathe. Get out of yer head. Give it time. 🙂