A post in which I get new ink!!!*

I was dead to the world when the alarm went off this morning. My first thought was about what I needed to do for work today, and then I remembered I had the day off. I was pissed that I hadn’t turned the alarm off, but since I was awake anyway, I decided not to waste the day. I could have really used some extra sleep, but figured I would just take a nap later.

I lazed around the house for a while, and since the post-scene horny train had pulled in to the station I had a buddy over for a bit.

I was restless though. I was just ready to get this tattoo thing done. I’ve been thinking about it for a while, but hadn’t set aside the time to do it until yesterday. Since I knew that Russ would know the best shop around, I called him for his recommendation. I needed to go by the shop anyway to print out the flash I used for my original tattoo, which I wasn’t sure was still in the computer. Thankfully, it was. Russ told me the shop to go to, but didn’t know the name, and his directions were pretty vague. I had looked up some shops on line and written down addresses on them though. At this point, I was pretty Zen about it. If I liked the place and things worked out I could have the work done, and if not, I wasn’t any worse off than I had been before.

On Russ’s instructions, I headed for Spartanburg. After getting lost for a bit, I eventually found the shop he’d heard good things about. The shop is Shanghai Tattoo, and I had seen their website earlier in the day. When I walked in, the guy behind the desk was on the phone, but he was very nice. I showed him my flash and the work I had done already, and he said he’d fix me right up. No problem, no attitude. He needed drawing time of course (my flash was pretty significantly altered for my tattoo), and so I told him I would just grab some lunch and come back. He didn’t even charge me an art deposit.

Well I was a bit skeptical because he seemed to listen in a hurry if you know what I mean, but the guy (Jordi) had been very nice, and it didn’t hurt that he was cute as a bucket o’ puppies. I ran to lunch and got back, and he was done. He is very talented, and the drawing was very close to what I wanted. After another discussion, and a few changes, which he was extremely open to and good-natured about, we were good to go.

The work he did was just beautiful. It is just as good as (if not better than) the work I had done at All or Nothing. He explained to me that since All or Nothing had gotten famous (I later realized from their website that I’ve seen them on TV) that they really don’t need customers any longer. They sell videos and stuff. They’re also running some kind of champagne service for rich people where they fly them in to town, they stay at a resort, eat gourmet food, and get tattooed. Well small wonder they didn’t have time for little ole me. Nice work if you can get it, I suppose.

It had been a while since I’ve been under the needle. It hurts, but after a little bit you get used to it again. We talked the whole time, and Jordi was very nice. We made each other laugh. Too bad he’s 100% hetero. Oh well, you can’t have everything right? I left with a great new tat, pleased as could be.

I ran through the grocery store on the way in, and when I got home I called and talked to my friend Jaimie. He’s Rhonda’s ex, and I haven’t talked to him in a while. He really did Rhonda dirty when they broke up, and pissed off a bunch of people here; but I’ve tried to stay in touch with him and check on him from time to time to make sure he’s OK. Jaimie and Rhonda were really close with Michael and me when we were couples. He seems to be doing well. He’s in service to a woman he seems to be crazy about, and I’m happy for him. They invited me to Vegas again. I think about going every Christmas, and then I don’t.

I realized after we talked that I was in no way prepared to go back to work tomorrow. I put in some laundry and started cooking lunches. As I was doing that, Miss Kat called to check in on me. I was fine, but we talked for a while anyway. It was so thoughtful of her to call and check in on me.

I spent the rest of the evening cooking, cleaning up after that, and doing laundry. I went to CVS twice to get tattoo care supplies. Apparently I was on a clearing out binge at one point and got rid of all my old stuff. I was very, very tired. That second trip to CVS I felt like I was walking on my knees! But eventually I got it all together and climbed gratefully into bed. It’s been a long day, but a good one. I am so tickled with my new ink!!!