El Dolmago

They seems to be doing their level best to make out lives difficult - no Montreal con, no Ron Wells and bonus no Fan Expo this weekend - feeling very disappointed that I won't get the chance to meet everyone and visit with @Pugilist and @Graeme again.

I have questions, many questions, if anyone can help. One tattoo is going to be upper back/shoulder. Will I be asked to lie down, or sit up? I feel vulnerable lying on my front for some reason, and will make sure I'm wearing jeans and boots if so. Clothing-wise, I have a nursing vest that sits under your bra, so was planning on wearing that with a shirt that I can put on backwards during the session. Does that sound OK? Finally, when you're healing, is it plausible to just tuck one bra strap under your armpit if you have big boobs, or should I go and find a bra with very soft straps/a halterneck?

As for the sitting/laying down, I've been asked both - but mostly to lie down when they are working on the shoulder. If it's too uncomfortable let them know.

As for bra - again do what works I'm unable to go braless so I went with the soft tank/ vest under the bra - that and I wore a bra with removable straps so i had one strap on and no strap on the healing side. It takes a bit of trial and error. Good luck!

Yeah, seriously! He wasn't hostile, was more like pleading with me, but I snapped at him "because I like it!" I was hot and on a mission to find water.

I'm about 2 mins away from getting tattooed by him. Excited!

Saw the Instagram - very nice!

Some rando on Bathurst St just said to me in passing, "why? Why did you do that to yourself?."

Has the dude taken a look around the denizens of Bathurst? Seriously. There are no shortages of tattooed folks in TO.

I'd maybe suggest Saturday pre-convention brunch because if everybody is getting tattooed Friday, and I believe @BrianH said that his appointment is then as well, it might be hard to coordinate in terms of time because I'm assuming that at least Brian's tattoo is going to go late, plus it's a convention and everything tends to run a bit behind anyway, etc. However, I'm sure we'll all see each other on Friday and I'm totally into exchanging phone numbers, etc., and meeting for food/drink after. There's a Biermarkt near the convention, I haven't personally been to it, but I assume it's pretty much the same as the one in Toronto which I haven't been to in probably over a decade, but they have food (including poutine!) and a good selection of beer so maybe that would work?

For brunch, what neighborhoods are people staying in?

We'll likely be right in the Plateau.

edit

sees thread above - notes @Mark Bee is also reading LST

And it's coming up soon!

So for an LST meetup, who is planning on coming? If you're coming from out of town, what days will you be in town and what day(s) will you be getting tattooed? We could do poutine and drinks again like we did last year, we could do a pre-convention brunch, but let's figure this out!

I do like good beer :)

Count us in for anything this year.

Standing outside The Okey Doke right now. 4 people ahead of me and only Franz is working soooo... I dunno if I'll get in :(.

Franz is pretty fast - glad to hear you got in.

We picked up a last minute class so we'll be there with bells on - and also to supply snacks! I just need to decide if I'm in need of a new piece too!

We're big fans of a greasy spoon breakfast before and roast chicken after the tattoo.

Mario Desa's folk birds are amazing. Instagram

Today I got my kneecap done by Franz Stefanik at The Okey Doke. 1 down.

yup - I can report its still quite swollen - but looks amazing. Franz Nailed it.

My mom came with in the shop with me for my first (25 odd years ago) - as my Aunt and Uncle got their tattoos as teenagers, on the streets of Mumbai, with a guy holding the batteries together with his feet, in 1969/70 - nothing I could do tattoo-wise would faze anyone in my family.

When we travel for tattoos we take tape, bandages, gloves, and towels. Usually that does the trick and we've never had any complaints. Though I sometimes wonder what the hotel staff thinks of all that stuff piling up in the washroom.

I'm sure they think we're downright freaky ;)

I'm getting really tired of the conversations that start with "Oh I like your arm... even though I'm not really into tattoos... [going into a long discussion of why they don't want my tattoos]"

Honestly if you aren't into tattoos why do you feel the need to talk to me about them?

That and the "I'd get a tattoo but I'm afraid of needles..."

le sigh....

You know, its not a phrase I've ever used before. I married a historian too. There is never any shortage of things to read around our house.

I highly recommend marrying a historian. ;)

Yes! We both have white & blue hair now! I want to see a pic!

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I threw one up on my Instagram Instagram it's pretty great and one of the benefits of not teaching in the summer!

- - - Updated - - -

I want to see the white and blue hair toooooo!

I went from my natural blonde to a strawberry blonde/auburn and chopped it off almost pixie-ish a couple days ago. She put a big blonde streak in my bangs, and I'm not sure how I feel about it. I wish it had been purple or something fun now.

If she made a streak blonde it's super easy just to put a blue stain (which is what blue/ purple colour is) just take a piece of foil from the kitchen, pin away the hair you don't want blue, put the foil under the blonde piece and apply the stain (fudge, manic panic ect...) with a brush. Fold up the piece of foil to keep it away from your new hair and leave on for whatever they tell you and shampoo out - it will fade out eventually but it is fun!

Went to my salon and got my hair taken down to white blonde and my stylist coloured a couple of pieces blue to match my half sleeve. We love him.

Recently @Mark Bee and I were sitting outside a tattoo shop (surprise!) waiting for it to open for M to get a walk in. Dude walked up, chatted about Mark's tattoos, showed his own and then proceeded to touch the tattoo on my arm and ask me about it. He never came near M but felt totally justified touching me... irritating.

Daisy was such a sweetie - It was lovely to meet up with her people too @Graeme and @Pugilist !

@Branny212 If you're anywhere near Victoria, I would recommend going into Government Street Tattoo and talking with them, especially if you want to go traditional.

GOVERNMENT STREET TATTOO - VICTORIA BC

Tattoozoo in Victoria will also give you a great tattoo.

Black and Blue Tattoo in Nanaimo is also a really great bet if you're more up island.

As @Graeme mentioned Government Street are fantastic ... Lots of good choices if you want to go on the mainland too.

Try taking a look at the ladies thread here for bra advice.

My wife and I have just booked three nights in old Quebec City. We leave tomorrow, and will spend a few days poking around the city before hitting Montreal for a day or two.

Excited!

Yay for our last-minute booked first anniversary-ish trip - leaving hella early tomorrow!

@Graeme & @Pugilist we'd love to meet up - will let you know about Montreal asap

@Fala, @TrixieFaux, @Breakme, @polligwog, @Zillah - thank you, and those who liked posts.

Yes, it is a terrible thing, and I broke down the morning of, because she had a really good couple of hours. But now that she is gone, I know it was the best thing for her. Not having her here gives me more perspective looking back at her decline into old age. I'm not sure we'd've done anything differently, other than perhaps require more frequent ultrasounds with other kitties doing forward. (She had great and regular vet care.) They couldn't even feel the masses on palpation, although one was 2x2cm and the other in her pancreas was 5x2cm. Insidious.

So, love your animals and listen to them.

I will dream about the monmon cat - I am thinking upper thigh or front rib cage/abdomen. It still has to be hidden as per my line of work, etc. But that means it will be on healthier skin for the white. Hoping for this fall if all goes well.

Sounds like a perfect memorial.

@Pugilist has a story about how when she was getting her back worked on I asked Stephanie about tebori, because she's getting her back done by Shinji, and Steph then proceeded with an impromptu tebori demonstration with a machine on Pugilist's kidneys. I still haven't been forgiven for that one.

Ha she told us that story when we met up last month!

As for kitties we just about came home with brother and sister kittens today. They did their very best to charm @Mark Bee