sophistre

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.

I played in the beta and really liked it. It makes my machine realllllly angry for some reason, though, so I'm trying to hold out until my new box gets arrives! I am getting ready for the release of the Vive. 8)

It also seems like people just literally do not know what a good tattoo even looks like, or why it's a good tattoo vs. some other tattoo that they've seen. They get impressed by the wrong things, and they don't really know better. I'd blame this on social media, but I'm really not sure that's possible, given that, as you say, bad shops seem to outnumber the good ones, anyway. But I've had good friends of mine -- people who have a pretty good eye for fine art/other mediums -- ask me about portfolios from shops that have made me go 'eeuuussgghh.' They just don't know. It's harder to find places like LST than it is to find terrible advice, unfortunately. - - - Updated - - - It also seems like people just literally do not know what a good tattoo even looks like, or why it's a good tattoo vs. some other tattoo that they've seen. They get impressed by the wrong things, and they don't really know better. I'd blame this on social media, but I'm really not sure that's possible, given that, as you say, bad shops seem to outnumber the good ones, anyway. But I've had good friends of mine -- people who have a pretty good eye for fine art/other mediums -- ask me about portfolios from shops that have made me go 'eeuuussgghh.' They just don't know. It's harder to find places like LST than it is to find terrible advice, unfortunately.

Holy cow, I love that so much. - - - Updated - - - Holy cow, I love that so much.

I remember when this got started I think. Or...maybe I just remember seeing the post about when it started, in the archives..? Either way, so cool to see it finished. :O - - - Updated - - - I remember when this got started I think. Or...maybe I just remember seeing the post about when it started, in the archives..? Either way, so cool to see it finished. :O

Thanks for this! That's crazy fast and somewhat reassuring. I went to his IG to see if I could find that piece, and I can't, which makes me sad, because it sounds awesome! 4.5 hours on a chest sounds murderous. Perhaps fortunately for me, I have few other people to compare his handedness with, so if he's heavy handed, I suppose I don't really have any way to tell. Haha. But he's a nice dude and the lollipops are definitely clutch! - - - Updated - - - Thanks for this! That's crazy fast and somewhat reassuring. I went to his IG to see if I could find that piece, and I can't, which makes me sad, because it sounds awesome! 4.5 hours on a chest sounds murderous. Perhaps fortunately for me, I have few other people to compare his handedness with, so if he's heavy handed, I suppose I don't really have any way to tell. Haha. But he's a nice dude and the lollipops are definitely clutch!

Greg and I get along well, and I like everybody else in the shop, too. My visits are always really enjoyable even when the spot we're tattooing is rough for all of those reasons. RE: the other stuff I don't know what they tolerate, but since drinking anything would have me up to pee every 3 seconds for the next two hours, it's probably better that I don't, haha. :) (I would be a dirty liar if I told you I hadn't given the leftover percocet I have from surgery in November a passing thought, but I don't think I want to mess around with anything like that, either. For all I know it would make things worse, and I'd definitely feel crappier after it wore off, anyway.) I've started to feel like that about all of my tattoos! Ever since finishing my arm, I guess. It's a strange way to feel when you're me and you know you have barely any coverage at all, but after the arm it was like 'oh, shit, one limb down already?' I have absolutely no regrets about my pacing whatsoever, but it's weird to be so aware of shrinking space, and the fact that eventually there will be no more room, or none left that I want to tattoo, anyway. I definitely try to follow all of that lead-in advice. I've never had to do it that many times in a row for so long, so hopefully my self-discipline holds out for the duration. I love that quote. I'm heavily relying on the truth of it. I don't know anything about getting my back tattooed, but I know for a fact that I will have all of the stoke. (For me, I think the night of the day of my tattoo has turned into my worst day. That's when I get the tattoo flu. Bluuuuh.) I've had a couple of appointments that went over 4 hours, but none (I think?) that went over 5. Maybe one that came close to it. I've found that I only get tattoo flu symptoms for the longer appointments, and it seems like anything over 4 hours is when my endorphins go away and things become something of a struggle (though for me it absolutely does start to hurt much more once that pain response starts to fade). I'm very lucky in that Greg is fast, but given the scale of this, I expect the first session might be my longest one ever...if I can hack it. If I tell him I have to tap out though, I don't think he'll make me feel bad about it. Hopefully after everything is lined, we can return to a saner schedule. I think mostly he wants to avoid trying to have to line everything up again if we don't finish. I am just guessing, though. This is such good advice, and I try to do this, but I think I'm bad at it! Haha. I always tell myself to expect the worst, but I always go in there hoping it won't be so bad. :( At least this time I actually really do think it's going to be horrible. rofl. I will take every bit of advice! That is also good advice, and I AM due for some new chucks, so I will take your advice and get some. ...maybe put in an order with Sephora, too. You guys are lucky you don't have to worry about your Sephora budget. (Unless you do, in which case I high-five you in solidarity.)

Argh, I started to reply to these and my power went out! Good ol' PNW. I will get a reply up as soon as I return to the modern era. :/

As of today I am exactly 4 weeks away from starting this whole backpiece thing. That seems like a long time, but I'm having renovations done to the house in that time, so I know it's just going to fly by. I'm spending a lot of time thinking about the appointment. Anybody have any advice specific to surviving a looooonog day of lining? Greg wants to get the lining done in one day and we're going nape to thighs -- and I am not a waif -- so I suspect this is gonna be quite a day. I just wanna be as ready as possible.

Greggles and I did a thing today. Haven't been in a tattoo shop since last summer. I dunno if that was the reason, or if this spot was just really tender, but holy crap, I feel like I just got hit by a truck! Poor Greg. I was unusually squirmy. Worth it though, as always. https://www.instagram.com/p/BCmDYNNzBHG/ We set the appointment to line my back for April 9th. I am legit scared of a day that consists entirely of lining! Haha. Especially since we're aiming to line the whole freakin' thing in one shot. Excited, though.

This thread makes me want to cry. Haha. Better you than me, sir.

Not sure about this Saturday! I have a backup plan if my tattooer doesn't have anything he's itching to do, but I figured I'd see what he's into lately first. The back...well, we'll figure out the fine details at the consultation, but prooooobably some critters from Tibetan Buddhist art. - - - Updated - - - Not sure about this Saturday! I have a backup plan if my tattooer doesn't have anything he's itching to do, but I figured I'd see what he's into lately first. The back...well, we'll figure out the fine details at the consultation, but prooooobably some critters from Tibetan Buddhist art.

I think I'm getting tattooed for the first time since last summer on the 5th, this coming Saturday. Also, backpiece consultation. Wooooooo. - - - Updated - - - I think I'm getting tattooed for the first time since last summer on the 5th, this coming Saturday. Also, backpiece consultation. Wooooooo.

This is beautiful, and I love how these horses were done. And that's coming from somebody who isn't usually into this particular iconic image. It doesn't often appeal to me personally, just because of the crazy-exaggerated shading commonly used in the horse's faces (a weird hangup that comes from a childhood spent around horses, I guess). These are really lovely, though.

All I'm gonna say is...

I didn't get in for Washington state. :( But, he emailed back to say that he'll keep my number in case there's a cancellation, and he's going to be back later in this year and we can definitely do something then, soooo, ultimately a win. :)

D'aww. :) Thanks, you! I will always recommend Greg. He's got a great eye for balance.

I WANT IT. Emailing!

I don't know enough to say with any authority (maybe @beez can), but I can say that she and I had a pretty good time getting tattoos from Ayalin at Liberty for funsies. (We're probably due for another one of those now that I can walk again..)

The best part of being away from LST for life stuff is getting to come back and binge on this thread. Too many good tattoos for me to even comment on which ones I liked best. Holy wow.

I miss you, LST! I have been busy not getting tattoos and instead getting/recovering from hip surgery on Nov. 9th (it went reaaaaally well and I am ditching the crutches and brace tomorrow, already!), and I can't wait to catch up on seeing what everybody's been getting. Now that the hip ordeal is over with, I get to look forward to a Dec. 16th consultation in Portland for my back. ^^

Added to the top of the to-read pile. :)

Definitely a classic. The Selfish Gene is a classic, too. Right now, I am reading Skullcrack City, by Jeremy Robert Johnson, and it is GREAT. I don't even know how to describe it. It sticks a bunch of genres into a blender and mixes on high, and then tells you its crazy story in a narrative voice that reminds me a little of Chuck Palahniuk. It's funny and sharp, and a little dark, and kinda amazing.

The only upside of this being such a common derogatory remark is that now, since I have a handful of tattoos, I get to verbally eviscerate any untattooed idiots that say it when I'm around, and they can't say shit. Never had anybody suggest it about me, personally, but my friends do have excellent survival instincts, as a rule.

I'm sold, but I agree that it needs work. The balancing on Hoth wasn't great (I know the rebs had it bad in the canon, but this is a game!), there were some weird things with the party creation, the spawning locations were SERIOUSLY borked.... .......but I still have like 15 hours just in the beta, so I guess that means I enjoyed it, haha. The sound design is fantastic, at least. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk