It's been nice being back in the personal space of our own. And it's been nice to actually put the stuff you pay for to use for a minute before packing it all up and leaving on yet another road trip across the states... I am super grateful that I got to do all the shit I got to do, it was a "blast" for lack of a better term.

Coming up on the SFO show this year, and good lord that time has flown by. I mean it was only this past 25th Richard and I got married. It's been a surreal last week or so being able to process the memories and thoughts, along with the work, people, time, and lessons that I accumulated, and I say that as opposed to learned, because some stuff is still sinking in, or as my psychologist would have put it:

"Jennifer, you just swallowed a bunch of shit, you seriously took whatever someone gave you and without thinking and acting on your personal behalf you chewed up and swallowed a bunch of shit, it's just now actually starting to digest, but do yourself a favor and shit or get off the poddy..."

Well this dump is getting blogged, a personal polaroid to hold onto... The "honeymoon poo", Ahhh so pretty.

I have a pattern of behavior that gets me in trouble: I am too quick to take people at their "word" instead of "face value"...

This is bad in and among Tattooing nowadays... I need to learn the fine art of detachment, and being objective without taking a side. A lot of people like to talk to hear themselves speak, and it seems that a lot of the last year was a one way conversation with a bird that made you laugh at some times but there was no blanket big enough to toss over the cage to give it a rest, so that peace could happen every so often. I don't like birds, they kinda freak me out...

I took a pregnancy test today, (not prego), (sigh of relieving comfort), yet a little bummed, I thought, as Richard said, well... That would have meant Texas it is, or staying here in Jacksonville...

Nope...

I really feel like I have been in school this past year, tossed back in the ridiculous "high school" doing a "course study" on the road.

God I am glad I grew up a lot in Dallas, and in Texas back in Richards old shop. I really don't think I would have made it, yeah I'm a little impartial, and (possibly PMSin, in a fluffy emo sort of way.) I mean Vegas is off (for now), well: it's possible, but we both personally see more Bullshit Drama then Actual PERSONAL FULFILLMENT, and both of us were millionaires at one point, at least on paper, and I don't know if I want that amount of responsibility again. I know we want our own shop again.

We want to have a place where it is our "business" in both senses of the word. Even working in a shop for someone you care about, unless you sign the checks that make sure everything is paid, keep your nose on your face, and remember you are responsible for good work, satisfied patrons, and being happy... Those things truly come from within. Nothing else is really of concern... It's not tangible life matter that satisfies any human need to exist. Just be happy to be a part of the game, even if you are riding the pine.

So anyways... Yeah, super glad I grew up in Stells shop: been thru the drugs, the big partys, the shows, satan, and the criminals thank god I went thru that whole nude photo thing back in deep ellum... it makes the fact that there are youtube videos, (with comments making fun of me) of last years show where he's tattooing in the blackout, we can't see the tattoo, holding the flashlight, (panicky) not knowing what the fuck to do, just get it done...

The world could have been ending but that fucking tiger was going to get DONE...

I'm getting told by him to keep people out of the booth, so I am freaking out telling people to back up ( no I wasn't afraid of the dark- DICK), and YOU never hear Richard talking to me, in his scary whispering voice that really freaks me out to keep these fuckers out of the booth, let me get my job done god dammit, I wanna have a good time too! Yeah that video is out there, coming up on almost a year now. And it's not a big deal... It was pretty funny. Yes I take this seriously ( I can be a bitch, I take this stuff to heart )... I love it, it's in my nature to care about what I do. And to take a personal pride within that. We got it done. Who cares by what means, what happened did, and no one got hurt. . .

It's been a wild ride.

Well... From SFO we flew to LA, Worked at True, and Spotlight, and we painted the signs on to the front of Spotlight that visit, that visit was a blur... We had some appointments at True, we did those, then we went to Bob's to Paint... I mean we offered, and it was time to make good on that. So yeah... But yeah it was my first time in a Dick Blick art supply, Bob and Richard and I were buying one shot paint to use, and when paying we finally get up in the line, and the cashier is taking Bob's money, and he pays cash... Well the chick takes 3 minutes each to looks at the 100.00 dollar bills, and I was getting peaved at the snobbery, I looked at Bob, and could tell he was too... I picked up a cute little tin of gum, that had a smartass remark on it that was for sale; I held it up to show Bob, he read it aloud,

" I need more money and power", and then turned to the little wasp behind the register, looked her in the eye, and finished the saying, "and less shit from people like YOU!". . .

That in it's self is worth of a blog post. . .

We painted over the course of 37 hours in a 48 hour time period, fueled on ...., and art. It was pouring down rain... Ray stayed late one night, then Serazio hung the entire night the last shift. We worked up until 30 minutes before our car service was due to show up to take us to LAX to fly to NOLA for Halloween.

...(Memories)...

Ahh, we ended up napping in the Eagles of Death Metals Back Stage Green Room at Voodoo Fest... Tattooed at Nola Tattoo, Watched the party punish the people...

And ended up back in JAX eventually...

Bought the truck, paid shit up only to realize we were still uneasy with JAX to fly the coop again... We drove to the Richmond Show in the truck, it blew a belt... Broke down in SC, got it fixed, got to the show, worked our asses off, went to DC after, Thanksgiving dinner with Rachel in Virginia... Thank God for the familiar face... After DC we went to Billy Easons funeral and then we went back to Jacksonville, only to pay bills and pack up to fly back out to Los Angeles, to see Louis C. K. live, do appointments, ended up seeing Josh Homme at the show too (shook his hand), and keeping distance as to not ruin my favorite music for life...As he popped in and out of True that visit.... From there we had a road trip to Vegas... had that whole "opportunity" arise. . . Still weighing in on that whole thing... Xmas kinda sucked, yeah we stayed at the Redbury, it was nice... But I missed home, and my family, so did he, so we buried our problems in work... Painting and working all nighters...

Well we never quite could get home... After driving back from Vegas, we kept seeking out a solid agreement... Pushing off our flights, we finally ended up having to fly straight to Austin, TX for the convention... then renting a car and Driving to San Angelo... Then Riding with Oliver back to Dallas from the West Texas Tattoo Convention.

From Dallas we went to Houston after being grounded and stuck at Brian Thurows house due to an Ice storm that hit Dallas, ew... That was horrible. Worked up until it was time to get to SLC to work that show.

Then we met up with Tony Hundahl to work that gig... We make it thru that show, only to get iced in once again and did some appointments at Lost, with Keet in the.... Next Post...