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Today I learned that the posterior of my body is home to multiple portals to hell! Seriously, I kept expecting cenobites to show up and drag me off with hook chains. Whoever said the butt crease is magical sure knew what they were talking about. But the most surprising thing for me (and for Greg, actually) is that there were a couple of spots near my shoulder blades that actually made me burst into tears instantly! It was the strangest thing...it wasn't like I just bottomed out and couldn't take it anymore, it was a huge surge of adrenaline and emotion that felt completely involuntary. And just in those spots! We tattooed well into armpit territory and it was honestly a relief after those other spots. So strange. I would post the Instagram but I'm on my phone. :( it's on his page, though, butt crack towel and everything.

Just got this reimagining of a Rock of Ages by Aaron Hodges at Spider Murphy's. Stolen from his instagram:

I sit here, sore, swollen, in a daze... but I have to share my story. I am an apprentice tattooer and have been in my apprenticeship since September of 2014. I have always had a deep respect for tattooing, but it has now been solidified even deeper. Last year at the Lady Luck Tattoo Convention, my teacher was asked to receive a traditional Samoan tatau by Sulu'ape Si'i Liufau of A-Town Tattoo. My teacher has known Si'i for about 10 years through the convention circle. We were sharing a booth with A-Town, so I was preparing for a pretty close view of the event. As they were preparing, Si'i came to me and told me that he only had his apprentice, Genesis, available to stretch skin for the tatau and they would need my help. I have a previous post describing the experience, so I won't elaborate further on it here, but it became one of the biggest honors of my life to be involved in that tatau on my teacher. Fast forward to this past weekend: We were working the Lady Luck Convention again and had a pretty slow schedule of clients. My teacher intentionally did so, because he wanted to hopefully help stretch on a tatau. It is a huge honor to receive a tatau, but it is an equal honor to assist in one. Saturday night, we are all in the bar, relaxing and having a good time. It was a group of about 20 tattooers from all over the country. Talk of the process of tatau began and I took the opportunity to interject and publicly thank Si'i for asking me to assist on my teacher's tatau. I told him it was one of the biggest honors of my life and I would never forget it. He nodded to me and said, "What are you doing tomorrow?" I said, "No tattoos, just working our booth." He said, "I should give you tatau tomorrow." Without hesitation, I stuck my hand out and said yes. We shook on it and he went over to discuss it with his apprentice. They were making gestures around the lower thigh area and kinda laughing a little. I jokingly said, "You guys are laughing too much! You gonna fuck me up tomorrow?!" Si'i responded, "We're gonna try something new on you, Nate. You're not gonna like it... but you're gonna like it." The next morning, I went over to the A-Town booth and Si'i had me remove my shoes and put on a sarong. Without discussion, he started shaving my knee area, all the way around. He drew on a couple reference lines, where he then called over my teacher and told him he would be assisting his apprentice with stretching of the skin. I've already written a lot, so I will skip along. It took 3 hours of, by far, hands down, the most painful tattooing I've ever received. Almost my entire knee, and all the way around back, through the ditch. At the end, I was congratulated. I didn't move. I didn't squirm. I made no sounds. Inside my head, it felt as though they were cutting my leg off, but I knew I had to show my respect and gratitude by being silent. It was incredible. To be a part of my teacher's tatau and for him to be a part of mine has bonded us even closer. We are both so humbled and blown away by it all. As he did a final cleaning of my leg, I asked Sulu'ape Si'i what I needed to pay him for this (I was actually kind of worried, because I'm a broke apprentice). He said, "Meaalofa. It's a gift for you. You earned my respect when you sat for hours and stretched for your teacher last year." He also said, "Now Nate, this tatau has the ending placement of a traditional Pe'a, so when a Samoan sees it coming out of your shorts, they are going to question you. When they do, you tell them it was a gift from Sulu'ape and if they have any more questions, they can come talk to me." I'm still in awe. I look at my leg now and it is so much more than a tattoo. It is history. It is honor. It is respect. I just wanted to share my story. Thanks to all that read it. Here are some pictures of the whole thing. Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

I vote for a Jesus head with a dagger through it.

BAM

Wow, I can't believe you can hold this situation... RUN from this city, hahaha I'm sure you will have a lot of problems with people staring and calling you shit after doing your tattoo, as a lot of Christian people are against tattooing your body. That's what makes me angry the most; even when you respect them, a lot of them won't respect you. Run, seriously. Run.

That is killer. Aaron rules. Spider Murphy's rules. Great life decision! - - - Updated - - - That is killer. Aaron rules. Spider Murphy's rules. Great life decision!

Hello! Congrats for making the decission of coming out as an atheist! I find your symbol and its meaning so strong and beautiful, nice idea, I loved it! Anyway, for the desing just go to a tattoo artist and ask him/her to draw it smoothed and perfect! He/she will know how to do this better than anybody! Anyway, for fun, I tried to do it, but I really think you should go and ask it to a tattoo artist Good luck!

welcome to the journey - and let's see some pics! Who is doing your back?

Thanks for sharing your story. Completing the piece in a month is amazing - and to say you have a high pain tolerance is an understatement. I hope you'll post a picture when you are all finished and healed.

Actually I never realized about someone staring (in the bad way) my tattoos. I think it's more about don't thinking about it and then you will not realize about people staring the bad way to your tattoos. Just change your mind and stop worrying! I never worried about people staring or judging my tattoos, and that's why I think I never watched nobody doing so! I just realized about compliments and admiring glances! I have a funny and cute tattoo on my leg (a pile of kawaii cats. You can check it on my instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/BDfk1qNvAYD/?taken-by=polymernai ), and, even when I know it's not the best tattoo ever (and it's not perfectly done, I have to touch up the colours soon) , I had A LOT of kids loving my tattoo, saying that this is super cute and funny!!! I'm super happy when I make children smile :D So, just listen to the compliments and forget about the bad words!

gotcha - cool man - make sure to say hello its gonna be a long day for me probably 6-7 hours in the car round trip and i guess an hour or so getting tattooed i hear chad is fast - beyond fast and i am gonna pick from his flash have no idea the what or where its going which i really enjoy at this point his style of tattooing is definetly the type of tattooing i most enjoy so i have a feeling i'm in for a treat he'll be in jersey at the end of his tour but the date wasnt working for me when he announced them anyway - the idea of the travel / new shop part of things is fine with me - - - Updated - - - gotcha - cool man - make sure to say hello its gonna be a long day for me probably 6-7 hours in the car round trip and i guess an hour or so getting tattooed i hear chad is fast - beyond fast and i am gonna pick from his flash have no idea the what or where its going which i really enjoy at this point his style of tattooing is definetly the type of tattooing i most enjoy so i have a feeling i'm in for a treat he'll be in jersey at the end of his tour but the date wasnt working for me when he announced them anyway - the idea of the travel / new shop part of things is fine with me

Many people have seen this all ready I guess. By Jondix, 11 days ago. Had such a great time. Stayed at the shop past midnight, talking and eating after the session. Everybody should get something from him. Super good heart, attitude and knowledge of tattooing and art. Wrathful offering of the five senses by Jonas Nyberg from last year.

Knee zapper from Chad Koeplinger the other day in Denver

This is sort of a microcosm of life for all couples, tattooed or not. There are couples who are on the same page about things and they have a great relationship, while there are others who seem to never be on the same page, and you wonder how they survive together, yet they do. And others who seem to be on the same page, but their relationship still falls apart. And everything in between. I guess relationships are complicated - with or without tattoos. I just feel good knowing that we are "a tattooed couple." It is a bond, something special, out-of-the-ordinary, that we share. We are different together.

I retired from the Army after 26 years of active duty - thank you and your husband for your service! I am on the distant end of the age timeline here I think. My wife and I have been married for over 41 years - and I just got my first tattoo 10 days ago. Although I'd thought about it for years, I didn't for many reasons. Several weeks ago, after watching the rash of deaths in musicians in my generation, I decided I wanted to make it happen. My wife and I were talking one day and she mentioned what she wanted for her birthday (coming up in a few days). As I always have done, I agreed and she asked me what I wanted. Her initial reaction was shock...but within seconds she said OK. She asked me if I had any idea what I wanted and, since I'd already researched it, I showed her. She said to go for it. Today, when I got home from work she mentioned she'd been talking with a group of people from our church, and the topic of my tattoo came up. No one was upset and when they asked Lynn why she said yes, she told them that for our entire marriage every time she wanted to change her hair style or do something different I always told her to do it - that what was important was what made her happy. Married life isn't always fun and games - when people ask us how long we've been married I will normally respond with "24 happy years.....out of 41 total. That's a pretty good batting average." We were married at age 19 and oyr son was born 2 weeks after my wife turned 20 and 1 day after I did. The odds of making it were not in our favor. Supporting each other, letting each other have their own personality and interests isn't always easy but I think it is what helped keep us together and in love. So, I now have one tattoo...will be getting more. My wife has talked about it sometimes, but I don't think she will ever do it. But, that's OK - it's her decision and it's about her body and I am OK with that.

had a 3 hour session on Saturday and we are almost done, only 3-4 more hours of details remaining and maybe some touchup. will post pictures next month when it is 100% complete. also i fell really far behind on updating my blog...

sol you're overthinking this - who cares who likes it - if its trendy blah blah you need to like it - thats it get what you get but dont get upset