Tattoo loving Scientist finds LST!

[Isotope]

Hi all!

I'm a research scientist who studies paleoclimate, climate change, oceanography, and archeology/anthropology through stable isotope geochemistry.

Stuff about me. My grandfathers pretty much raised me. Both were WWII veterans.

My grandfather on my dad's side was a BAR-man in the USMC with the Pacific from 1942-1944. He was the embodiment of the Greatest Generation, I loved the man to death. He essentially raised me: he taught me how to shoot a rifle, how to fish, and gave me my moral compass and innumerable life skills. I miss him every day. He fought on Rennell, Bougainville, then was assigned to the First Provisional Marine Brigade, where he fought in the Second Battle of Guam, losing sight in in his right eye to a Japanese Grenade, sending him home. The Brigade would go on to Iwo Jima. The grenade probably saved his life. Yes, he was tattooed.

My other grandfather was a total badass, as well. Field Artillery in the battle of Kasserine Pass. He was captured by Rommel's troops, and was a POW at Stalag III-B in Furstenburg. From which he escaped. Twice. Ratted out both times by refugees. They used to trade red cross cigarettes to the guards by making them give a salute and yell "Heil Roosevelt!"

My dad was a 3rd generation Marine, of the Full Metal Jacket era. He was also a real POS of a human, and being in the Corps did that part of him no favors. He told me, to quote, that if I tried to carry on the family tradition, he'd kill me himself first.

So, having grown up in Florida, I pursued what interested me. I'm not the kind of person who could ever have a job just to pay the bills. I get totally enrapt in whatever has my attention and interest. So science was a natural fit. I went to school for way too long. I paid my way through undergrad (chemistry/marine science) working in a boatyard, at a public aquarium and TAing/tutoring. I did research and taught more to survive through getting an MS in Oceanography and a PhD in Geoscience. Now I wake up and get to do what I love every day.

So my main fascinations are the history of tattooing insofar as to be tattooed is to be human. Then, secondarily, American Traditional. As a scientist and person who tries to be an autodidact (and has sailed in the South Pacific, and was raised by Veterans), it's impossible for me not to be fascinated by and deeply respect Sailor Jerry. And as a general person who loves tattoo history, Paul Rogers, Cap Coleman, Amund Dietzel, Thom DeVita, etc. etc. etc.

I am not a tattooer or artist. I don't have a visually creative bone in my body. To me, good tattooing is an ultimate and purely human art form. As human as paintings of mammoths and ungulates on cave walls. It's a truly special, endemic form of tool use that pushes the human brain out to the max.

As a final note, the university I work at has a very conservative student body and is in a very conservative town. It's also too hot for long sleeves all year, so all of my past and future work is necessarily coverable by short sleeves, and preferably shorts as well.

Thanks!

[Graeme]

Great intro and welcome!

[Mark Bee]

Welcome aboard!

[misterJ]

Welcome. I look forward to what you can contribute both tattoo-wise and other.

[jen7]

Super interesting!

[Isotope]

Thanks everyone! My current work is all from Mike Pain (gave me my first, second and third, great guy), Shanghai Kate Hellenbrand, and Chelsea Kotzur.

My future collection desires and wants so far are a ribcage wolf's head with arrows from Tony Hundahl, a full back work from Kelly Edwards. I also love love love Katja Ramirez and Steve Byrne's work.

I REALLY would like to someday travel to Modern Classic and get a girl head from Valerie Vargas.

But alas, despite what Fox news tells ya, they don't pay us much, so each work is a long time coming

[CultExciter]

Kelly Edwards is a beast! Good for you!

[Patrick Bateman]

@Isotope

Dope intro, welcome to the board. Hope to talk to you.

[Iwar]

I love it when new members take time out of their day to properly introduce themselves. Great intro! Welcome to LST.

[bedoktime]

Get a Dave Keeling tattoo! :rolleyes:

[Isotope]

Thanks everyone for the super warm welcome. Stoked!

[DavidR]

Finally got around to reading the intro posts after front-to-backing all 750 pages of the Latest tattoo low-down thread and yours was a doozie! Welcome to LST!

[pidjones]

Austin is not (to me) an obvious location for your specialties. With your background, have you worked with the folks at WHOI? I have a few friends from the accelerator community up there. Fascinating work that they do!

[Isotope]

Austin is not (to me) an obvious location for your specialties. With your background, have you worked with the folks at WHOI? I have a few friends from the accelerator community up there. Fascinating work that they do!

Many, many Tier 1 research universities all over the country have stable isotope laboratories that work on what we do. It's substantial community. In fact, the home of the international scientific ocean drilling program is actually in a central Texas Tier 1 research university!

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Finally got around to reading the intro posts after front-to-backing all 750 pages of the Latest tattoo low-down thread and yours was a doozie! Welcome to LST!

Thank you sir!