I speak only of my personal preferences, with no way of knowing general sentiments of tattooed humans. I’ve gone from living in an area where most people were tattooed and I was rarely the most tattooed human in the room to an area where I am *always* the most tattooed person in the room, oftentimes the only one.

I am severely averse to people using my tattoos as a conversation starter or means of breaking the ice. I don’t want to compare tattoos with you as a way to get to know you.

My tattoos are of course part of who I am. A piece of the puzzle, as it were. Willing, conscious alterations to my being that will last as long as I do. With the average climate the bulk of my work is nearly always on display and I can understand why it is brought up as often as it is being both obvious, notable and relatively (regionally) uncommon.

Part of my distaste is likely due to the frequency of the queries. People that are unfamiliar with body modifications are naturally curious to the details and motivation behind them. I respect their desire to know more and like to think I have even broadened a mind or two in the process. Regardless, answering the same questions grows old.

Another reason is that it is just too easy, a baby step down from talking about the weather. Probing deeper will provide a rich context for the answers to modification related queries, or they may even come up on their own along the way. Such discourse will get you real answers, the kind given to people who have made it clear that they genuinely care, instead of stock answers that are doled out to numbskulls that ask me what they mean or where they come from right off the bat. Those answers are designed to appease your inquisitiveness in as few words as possible.

finished color on my thigh today. he’s adorable…

third chest piece sitting this week… i can’t wait ’til it’s finished. it’s going to be UH-MAY-ZING!

after 6 years of not having a personal domain… I’M BACK! thanks to my ol’ web-pal stujessica (( posed-to-death.org )) for the amazing birthday gift! she also did the layout for me. she’s hella fancy!

my birthday was lovely. this year is my ‘GOLDEN’ birthday and it’s going well so far. i went back to SLC for a week and was super lazy for 7 days. was able to get a birthday tattoo! a portrait of Theo Kogan (( T.A.T.S. )) with her makeup like Pizzazz from Jem! 2 of my favorite female icons…

crappy celly quality

i found this awesome site (( design a trophy )) and designed a trophy for my tattoo artist. the deer is because he goes bow hunting. he’s rad, and this is now on display @ the shop w/ their other awards:

JON CHATELAIN
SUPER REAL GOOD
TACKTEW GUY

moving back to SLC on the 27th… BFF is flying out to help me drive back. happy to go back, bittersweet in a way. learned a lot, time to take it to the next level by get’n some book learnin’z! bye, bye bay area! i knew you not-so well cuz i’ve been working like a crazy person the whole time i’ve been here.

i made a playlist to describe myself using music… love how it turned out – thought i’d share! (( share yours w/ me? ))

01. WHITEY – intro / into the limelight
02. THEO & THE SKYSCRAPERS – face the music
03. WALTER MEEGO – keyhole
04. CRYSTAL CASTLES – crimewave
05. HOT CHIP – over & over
06. TONES ON TAIL – go! (club mix)
07. THE STOOGES – i wanna be your dog
08. LE TIGRE – shread a
09. THE KNIFE – like a pen
10. MISS KITTIN – grace
11. THE PRESETS – girl (you chew my mind up)
12. DAN LE SAC VS. PIP – thou shalt always kill
13. THE ROLLING STONES – paint it black
14. Q LAZZARUS – goodbye horses