Post awesome things you have been doing recently

[irezumi]

besides getting tattooed, which is also awesome but that's for a different thread.

Just got back from a guest-spot at Godspeed Tattoo in Breckenridge Colorado, where everybody are the friendliest tatbros. Did a early morning/sunrise canoe trip on a mountainside lake, skated at several different skateparks, several mountain trail bike rides, camped out for a few days way high in the mountains with good friends P Wee, Miho, and Joel Long, did some 4 wheeling in a jeep in same area, and had a campfire drawing session with P Wee & Joel.

Can't wait to go back.

[CultExciter]

Prior to getting tattooed in NYC, I totally did the tourist thing of going to the Statue of Liberty. That was a lot of fun.

But, Thursday night a bunch of pals and I got together and made guitar pedals using perfboard and following schematics. That was awesome, mostly b/c I cannot solder for shit.

[posterboy7596]

I finally got enrolled in college again after about a 10 year "break".

[PhilB]

I finally got enrolled in college again after about a 10 year "break".

Awesome. You'll have a leg up on all the young kids. Motivation, work ethic, and paying for your own shit tends to keep things in perspective.

I went back to school in my 30s and graduated last year with my BSc. in Computing Science. Try not to get mad at the kids' sense of entitlement. They usually had me speak at orientation, because I would lay down the polite version of "Nobody owes you shit, and no one is responsible for your success but you. Your profs don't care, they are here to do research and are usually forced to teach, which many of them hate (and it shows)."

But, you know...with some jokes thrown in...Ahem.

[ThaliaCamille]

This semester, I've been using a printing press from the 1500s. In a country "found" in the 1700s (or 1600s, if you believe the Dutch :P), shit that old is kind of exciting.

I still suck at carving woodblock/lino/finepoint, but hey, I get to use cool presses :D

[Pugilist]

ThaliaCamille, I am super jealous! I got to use a hundred year old press (that was historically significant to local printing) while doing litho last year, and I thought that was cool. How does it run?

And Posterboy, congrats on going back to school! Speaking as a prof, I love students who have returned (and teach many of them at my university) as, like PhilB said, y'all tend to be more motivated, less whiny and entitled, and get shit done. I hope it's a super rewarding experience, and PhilB, I promise that not all profs hate teaching!

This is probably not that awesome to normal people, but my big thing this summer has been finally learning how to drive, at the tender age of 31. This is what happens when you grow up somewhere with great public transit. I am taking my exam next week and while I feel really proud of how confident and competent I've gotten behind the wheel, I am nervous as all hell. (I will admit that part of the motivation for finally going for it, though, is to be able to share the driving with my dude on upcoming tattoo-related road trips.)

[Jake Anderson]

I just got back two weeks ago from a service trip to West Virginia (I'm from North Dakota). My parish took a group of 8, and travelled with a group of 14, and spent a week working for and with the locals in Delbarton and Williamson, WV. It was most excellent.

[ThaliaCamille]

ThaliaCamille, I am super jealous! I got to use a hundred year old press (that was historically significant to local printing) while doing litho last year, and I thought that was cool. How does it run?

A little clunky, but pretty nice. I'm sure it'd be more fulfilling if I were actually producing good stuff using it, but still, the novelty is there. It's quite ornate as well, with scrolley stuff and a big crown right on the top, real pretty.

Good luck with the driving too!

[Avery Taylor]

I stay pretty busy trying to make sure that my five year old daughter, and two year old son don't grow up to be assholes. It is not glamorous but I like it.

[AlannaCA]

i took the week off to go to the cottage and breath some fresh air and relax. recently i did the Warrior dash(5km mud race with obstacles) it was so amazing and im hooked! i want to eventually work my way up to Tough Mudder!

im new to running-been doing it for fun for the last year- and im training pretty hard for a half marathon coming up this fall!

oh and how could i forget in a couple weeks in going skydiving!! its easy to back out of something big like this but im organizing a group to go with and they will keep me from backing out! hahahaha

[ShawnPorter]

Since becoming single unexpectedly, I've had a major fire under my butt to get in shape- physically and mentally.

Since May 9th I've lost 45lbs. I ride my bike 20 miles a day for fun. I've radically altered my eating habits. I go to the gym every day.

Instead of staying on my couch eating a bag of m&ms, I'm ziplining in the Pocono Mountains. Things like that.

Instead of bitching that my life changed without my consent, I'm going to therapy to work on my noodle; make myself an even better person.

[exume]

besides getting tattooed, which is also awesome but that's for a different thread.

Just got back from a guest-spot at Godspeed Tattoo in Breckenridge Colorado, where everybody are the friendliest tatbros. Did a early morning/sunrise canoe trip on a mountainside lake, skated at several different skateparks, several mountain trail bike rides, camped out for a few days way high in the mountains with good friends P Wee, Miho, and Joel Long, did some 4 wheeling in a jeep in same area, and had a campfire drawing session with P Wee & Joel.

Can't wait to go back.

You skate the silverthorne park? Some fun lines to flow over there

[Pugilist]

ThaliaCamille, sounds super fun nevertheless! I love the technicality of printmaking precisely because even if my artistic abilities are whatever, the whole process of doing something so mechanical is still so satisfying. It sounds cool.

And AlannaCA, a good friend of mine did that 5k and it seems awesome--the photos on Facebook of her covered head to toe in mud were epic.

[Amok]

This is kinda lame, but making my 7 month old daughter laugh is my favourite thing to do right now. You know, before she hits 13 and despises her parents.

[Dumpleton]

I got my Vw bus going again after it has sat idle for 2 years or more, my buddy wants to use it as one of his wedding cars lucky for me all I needed to do was charge the battery and turn the key. Happy days

[posterboy7596]

After getting enrolled on Friday, I came home yesterday and there was a letter giving us mortgage pre-approval. So, school and a new home in the immediate future. Good shit. I would like to extend a big thanks to this people on and that run this site. It may sound odd, because it's just a website, but I've taken a lot of inspiration from this place. I've seen a dedication and focus in the tattoo community that it such a great influence. You really can do what you put your mind to if you REALLY put your mind to it.

@Jake Anderson are you Orthodox by any chance? I live in Kentucky not far from where your recent service trip was, and I know there is an Orthodox monastary close that's pretty cool.

[irezumi]

You skate the silverthorne park? Some fun lines to flow over there

twice. place is rad. aka fly-out city.

so many good things in this thread. kudos to everybody.

[TrixieFaux]

We are on a 2-week vacation to see family and friends on the east coast. A highlight was staying a night at our friend's organic dairy farm in northern VT where I had stored 3 boxes of photos before moving to Los Angeles in '98.

Our 4 year old got to see her first clear, dark nighttime sky full of stars, made her first s'more at a campfire, and saw her first herd of cattle up close, in-person. While my friend's sister was singing and playing guitar by the fire, Stella (my daughter) said, "This is the best song ever. This song is making me want another s'more."

Haha. Good times.

PS-another awesome thing I just did was to buy an LST t-shirt!

[hogg]

This is kinda lame, but making my 7 month old daughter laugh is my favourite thing to do right now. You know, before she hits 13 and despises her parents.

That's the farthest possible point from lame.

[Jake Anderson]

@posterboy7596 - Nope, I am Lutheran. We stayed at First Baptist Church in Williamson.

[irezumi]

im new to running-been doing it for fun for the last year- and im training pretty hard for a half marathon coming up this fall!

right on. i just started running earlier this year. not up to any marathons, but it is pretty cool to run longer distances without getting tired. every time i push myself to an extra half-mile further than i've done before is pretty rewarding.

Thursday night a bunch of pals and I got together and made guitar pedals using perfboard and following schematics. That was awesome, mostly b/c I cannot solder for shit.

years of burning my fingers and breathing in burning flux has made me try to avoid soldering ever again at all costs.

hallelujah for quality pre-made needles.

[Our Endless Days]

anyone do kickboxing or brazilian jiu-jitsu?

[missStark]

We are on a 2-week vacation to see family and friends on the east coast. A highlight was staying a night at our friend's organic dairy farm in northern VT where I had stored 3 boxes of photos before moving to Los Angeles in '98.

Our 4 year old got to see her first clear, dark nighttime sky full of stars, made her first s'more at a campfire, and saw her first herd of cattle up close, in-person. While my friend's sister was singing and playing guitar by the fire, Stella (my daughter) said, "This is the best song ever. This song is making me want another s'more."

Haha. Good times.

PS-another awesome thing I just did was to buy an LST t-shirt!

Where exactly in northern Vermont did you visit? I grew up in northern VT and most of my family still lives there. It's so beautiful and I find myself missing it a lot.

[cvportagee]

anyone do kickboxing or brazilian jiu-jitsu?

Yes, I was a professional muay thai fighter for a number of years. I have also trained brazilian jiu-jitsu, but am a relative newcomer in that. Why?

[TrixieFaux]

Where exactly in northern Vermont did you visit? I grew up in northern VT and most of my family still lives there. It's so beautiful and I find myself missing it a lot.

We were in Fairfield (close to Enosburg Falls). Was that close to you? I know, it is so beautiful...so much green, I love it there.