KBeee

When my best friends husband died unexpectedly she asked if I would get a matching tattoo with her to honor him. I said, "Absolutely!" It was supposed to be a grasshopper on our right foot. We searched for hours until she found the image she wanted. About a half an hour before we were to go to the shop she pulled a T-Shirt out of the drawer, paused, held it to her chest and starting crying. She looked over at me, held up the shirt and said, "I changed my mind. I want to do this instead." It was his phrase, he said it all the time 'It's all good'. I never wanted any writing or anything like this but now it is on my foot and I don't regret it for a moment. Truth be told, at the time, I would have had 'Live, Love, Laugh' tattooed on my forehead if it meant relieving her grief for one second. That same friend was diagnosed with cancer in May. When she told me about it I took a sharpie and drew a line through 'It's all good' and wrote 'Fuck cancer' snapped a pic and text it to her. She responded, "Tee hee. No no mama put it on the other foot. I don't have time to die." She had her last radiation and chemo treatments yesterday and the tumors have already shrunk over 90%. The moral of this long post, sometimes tattoos are just tattoos and sometimes they connect us to those who help us walk through the darkest shit in life. Sometimes a bad tattoo can turn out to be your favorite. Lest we not judge what we don't know.

Marius Meyer was kind enough to let me shoot some video while he put the finishing touches on my friend @Wilhell's back piece. Hope you enjoy it! (Sorry German LSTers! This unfortunately won't play in your country due to the licensing restrictions of the soundtrack)

When I think of "So it goes" the first thing I think of is Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse Five and how he uses that short phrase to mark somebody dying throughout the book. So I'd say get a reaper.

The real trick is to just get tattooed a lot. You'll figure out eventually what works for you.

I sort of enjoy reading during a tattoo. It's hard enough to concentrate that just directing your energy towards making sense of text is a good distraction. Obviously this won't help you if your arm's being tattooed. I've never tried listening to an audiobook, but I bet that would work well, too. I generally stare into space and just go with my weird thoughts. It helps if there's a lot of cool stuff to look at on the walls.
One thing I do when I can't sleep is to try to tense my body and relax it down gradually, trying to stay as in-control as possible. This could work as long as you avoid moving the area being tattooed.
Or get tattooed by Chad Koeplinger because he's so funny and personable that you won't really care that he's hurting you.

I found this place, loved it and then life started kicking my ass. But I have now found my way back.
On the uncool side I was diagnosed with diabetes and way fucked up cholesterol. been working on that so at least my sugar is coming under control.
On the awesome side I started looking for a new job and we all decided we could line without winter so I started looking in the southern areas, FL and such. The really awesome thing is that I now have an upcoming interview for a job on St. Kitts that I am well qualified for. No chance of touching a snow shovel down there. I'm about to jump out of my skin at the thought. I'm actually getting nervous about the interview (I haven't been on that side of the table for almost 8 years).
If it all works out I will have to figure out what my leaving town tattoo will be.

Myself, I go to whichever tattooers I'm familiar with and whichever tattooers who's quality of work I think is good. I've been tattooed by 16 different guys with 160hrs (and counting) over ten years. Tattooers with different style/vibe, different equipment, different processes, different touch. Hammer hands and gentle-gentleman. I've gone to most of my tattooers for more than one piece. This has really expanded my experiences and journey becoming an illustrated man. By going to different tattooers I've had the opportunities to be tattooed in new shops, old established shops, local shops, travels, private home studios, different shop setups and so now I know what I like, who I like and where I like to go to receive a tattoo. I've been tattooed by apprentices and I've been tattooed by some legit people that have been doing it for decades. Having Some tattooers are great to just slap on a banger and have some fun. Some I know will squeeze me in at the end of a day and sharpie one of my ridiculous ideas on. Some I know give that little bit extra in terms of refining a design/idea and being very particular about placement. I am lucky to say I have had nothing but positive experiences and NO REGRETS which is an important thing I attach to being a tattooed person.
If you have one tattooer you trust, that's great and enjoy it. I like to think that variety can lend itself to a wider range of opportunity and experiences.

Personally, I'm currently going to 1 artist.From LA, I fly up to SF and drive over to SJ for each of my sessions these days. Jill Bonny at State Of Grace has done both of my sleeves, my lower right leg, and is currently working on my backpiece. I dig her work and my tattoos are all traditional Japanese so it makes sense to have been tattooed by 1 person so far. I'm lucky though. The shop in general has an amazing group. If I chose to get Japanese stuff from others, Taki, Horiken, Colin, and Horitomo are all there. Even if I switched to traditional western style, Dan Wysup is there too. And recently a few more artists have joined the shop. All are solid. It'd be hard for me to go to another shop. That said I really like Grez's work. And Darkhorse Tattoo is a 5 minute drive from me too, so sometimes, I'm tempted.
It's an individuals choice to go with one or many. Some want work by varied specific individuals known for a specific style or "their" style or take on a style, while others enjoy the comfort level and personal interaction they have with an artist they know. Mad props to both choices.

Hello and welcome @guacamole!
An eagle is a solid choice for a first tattoo. Your tattooer should have some good recommendations for the placement of whatever design he comes up with. Upper arms are always a good place to start. It's pretty easy to heal, not a super painful place to get tattooed, won't destroy any future employment options and you get to look at it.
My first one was on my back. While I wouldn't trade it for anything:
1) It made it complicated to design a full backpiece which is something I am now interested in pursuing
2) I NEVER get to see it. When I got my second one (on my arm years after) it was like having a tattoo for the first time. It sounds silly but I highly recommend getting your first one someplace you can see it. It's just more fun to see it and obsess on how freaking cool it is! :D
Also, for the sake of detail and having an impactful tattoo, don't be afraid to go a little larger than you think, maybe.
Be sure to post some pics! Good luck, have fun and again, welcome!

just to throw this out there. i was talking to my daughter yesterday while she was drawing. and she told me that what she was drawing was a tattoo. so i said cool i didnt realize it was a tattoo and her was response was "of course daddy, it has black in it" i never told her that it was her own observation, needless to say i was extremely proud of her. so after all that could be said about what lasts or not i can say this. if a 5 year old can come to that conclusion on her own that its only makes sense to have black in tattoos then i conclude whether things stay or not it belongs there.

Thanks!
That dress cost $23 on eBay.
My swell 'Devil and Daniel Webster' sportscoat was $80.
We do it up right.

There was that time in November where we decided to say screw it and get married a year early, in a public park, with 9 guests.

Welcome! Long Island immediately makes me think of King's Avenue, where I'm sure plenty of folks think tattoos are cool AND get 'em themselves!

Here's it is fresh. I'll post more after it heals up. I had a great time and came away with a bunch of new music to check out too. Can't imagine having a better first experience.

I prefer the traditional stuff on myself, but I really like that realistic Japanese style. Looks great @draven888

There's the occasional joke or reference on here to your "happy place" and that you need to go there to forget the pain. I don't know how serious others are about it, but I do actually have a happy place that I visualize in tough times getting tattooed.
Its a beautiful stretch of coastline, sand beach with a rocky point that the surf crashes on in South Africa (traveled a bit after high school).
When I need to distract myself I picture that place; as the surf comes in I breathe in, as the surf goes out i breath out. It keeps my breathing regular, and relaxes me. Sorry if that sounds rediculous or doesn't make sense, but that's how I het through the really bad parts.

My only complaint about the Tattoo Age stuff is that there isn't a new one every week. I love them!

I just try to talk to my tattooer. Or tattooers that are working next to my tattooer. Or that tattooer's customers. If not, I just keep to my self and look tough. Keyword: look.
Still have not gone the route of headphones, and I don't think I will.
No painkillers, au natural!

My strategy is to play dead, like I'm being mauled by a tiny bear. So far it's working.

just getting around to watching these vids - so good

These videos changed my life. After I saw the Santoro episodes, I booked a plane ticket to Brooklyn. And this was before I saw the Freddy episodes. Had I seen the Freddy episodes first, I would have saved money on a plane ticket, haha.
I hope to see more in the future. I cannot thank Chris Grosso and his crew enough.

Hello and welcome @guacamole!
An eagle is a solid choice for a first tattoo. Your tattooer should have some good recommendations for the placement of whatever design he comes up with. Upper arms are always a good place to start. It's pretty easy to heal, not a super painful place to get tattooed, won't destroy any future employment options and you get to look at it.
My first one was on my back. While I wouldn't trade it for anything:
1) It made it complicated to design a full backpiece which is something I am now interested in pursuing
2) I NEVER get to see it. When I got my second one (on my arm years after) it was like having a tattoo for the first time. It sounds silly but I highly recommend getting your first one someplace you can see it. It's just more fun to see it and obsess on how freaking cool it is! :D
Also, for the sake of detail and having an impactful tattoo, don't be afraid to go a little larger than you think, maybe.
Be sure to post some pics! Good luck, have fun and again, welcome!

Any LSTers have this awesome Stewart Robson backpiece I am obsessing on (circa 2011)? I really need to see the finished pics. He's like crack. I can't give him up. I don't want to travel for work anymore buuuuut....

@ironchef
I. Can't. Even. It hurts my feelings its so good.

Some of those bad tattoos are so childlike and so bad they are almost good in a way.