Month: January 2020

Today has been one year since the start of what I called a ‘lady shrine’ or artistic dedication ties in the form of tattoos along with music mixes.  Two of the versions celebrated Tiësto’s 50th birthday and the countdown to Edward Norton’s birthday, but the rest were along with the experimental project.  Some people I think listen to a podcast and if they really identify with it possibly buy a diamond ring or something like a t-shirt to remember/tie that spirit.  I was listening to up to four hours of the top DJs a day after I moved back to the U.S. in 2011 and 2013-2014.  Of course I went to the gym and was on the ellipticals or other machines for awhile until there was not much more toning I could do and felt I went too far.  Then I continued to walk in the suburbs of Libertyville, IL through Greg’s Parkway for a trip that was about 7.4 miles.  At the halfway point (3.7 miles), I would always arrive to a gas station and this idea started creeping in.  My imagination was paying the DJs with riders of snacks, drinks or other trinkets that I picked up in the store as if they showed up as credit for their mixes in another world.  Other ideas manifested in the dream world.  Today many things I imagine fall into reality, but so do many bad things.  I was attempting to solve a spiritual problem last year with this first tattoo that became personal in my life apart from Ckwal.  The world of spirit and soul may be under the jurisdiction of various Churches depending on what religion you follow, but I was leaning on the relationship between music and tattoo arts as a deviation from my faith that was failing me.  The risk is making things worse for you or someone else.  Often we realize the problems take longer to solve or materialize in reality the intended way because so many artists are involved.  We aren’t always clearly communicating with each other’s physical minds in person so misunderstandings between us and the artists using prayer, signs, your heart mind and soul follows can be complex.  Like when a President is elected into office they work sleeplessly for four or eight years typically and often we don’t see many of the results until the next President is in the office.  Obviously now we see construction everywhere as Trump is a builder at heart and doesn’t like slackers.  So this comparison is good because you can see ink on your skin immediately.  It heals in two weeks and if you have the money, you walk away with something.  This isn’t the only picture and is the biggest deception of all.  Like a three minute song that cost 1.29, we don’t see the 5 or 10,000$ studio bill and the two page list of names that went into the recording or concept.  We don’t see the months it took to write and then waiting for the copyright to go through and the publishing company to label it, not to mention the graphic designers making cover artwork.  Some companies streamline the process and have the resources and team to pump out hits for a lower price and on a timely release schedule, but those companies took a long time to build often years after an artist or DJ had individual success through another label that may have treated them unfairly.  Five years on this blog, the ability to find that much music and mix it together thinking about one individual in this given year’s mission and considering all that makes me attempt to understand why last year was so difficult.  Getting licenses to perform or stream mixes is nearly impossible for someone like me alone, but that project without permission from anyone is only controversial.  Even though completely legal from what I have been told by tattoo artists and my knowledge of the music business, it doesn’t necessarily leave the spiritual world shaking hands and sipping champagne.  How many forms of this girl were helping me make last year a success and how many impostors were present?  So at this anniversary, I am trying to keep my head out of a minefield of what has started as a disaster.  The name goes vertical down the right Achilles’ tendon with a font called “Daughter of  Glitch” by Chequered Ink.  Type your name in at this link to get an idea of what it might look like.

Arrived at Love Field and got to the Hostel in Deep Ellum. It was a small plane and I felt sick. I drew a plane in the gate the best I could in an hour before it taxied out and drew a third face/profile out of my mind in the sky to keep thoughts from a crowded flight. There was even a small dog on there! Such a quick flight thinking… as a vegan it would be difficult to go overseas without relaxing some strictness. I didn’t eat or drink anything though after security until I could walk to the grocery store after checking in. It’s a challenging day trip full of mostly travel without music too which is not typical for me. Checkout tomorrow and to give two units of blood. Nervous because last time I failed to bring a Pilot pen and refused to sign with a most likely unsure brand. I angrily left when the woman said I couldn’t sign with Pilot marker. So this trip is unusually and unintendedly poetic, at least not by me. My purpose is to forgive the previous situation from last summer and complete the mission.

Sitting at the gate in Hobby. From bus stop to here was about 1hr 50min and used trusted traveler number for the first time. Google Maps predicted 1hr 47min from the apartment to destination and I didn’t wait long at each stop.

I’m poking away at the duplicate skull and it’s not that straight forward. I’ll get a section done, or at least I think so, go to clean off the excess ink and nothing remains. So I keep trying new things. I swear I had it down with the shading and went on to the next skull that same night and it wasn’t working. It’s turning out to be a time consuming and fairly good looking piece. So it’s has been a mostly mild and spring-like winter in Houston. It was what I expected last year, instead it was cold. The winds started when I was downtown today and now there is a tornado warning with temperatures in Dallas at twenty degrees lower. I am supposed to be on the first flight I’ve been on since I went to Nicaragua from Vail in 2015 tomorrow afternoon. That trip was right after my cousin’s wedding and there was a superb deal with stopover in Miami. Will this trip still happen?

Things are getting busy. Tomorrow I have an international interview venturing downtown to the central library to use their available services. It was a whim application to Weifang, China since I should do thirty applications or follow-ups per week with the accompanying work help for food stamps. This weekend continuing to Dallas to donate blood which was a Christmas trip gift. If successful it will be a potentially life saving donation. Each double red can save up to six lives, so when you are down about how much you are contributing, accomplishing or how much your life matters, search for an event or appointment. So far I’ve experienced Red Cross, Carter BloodCare and Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center. All of which I would go through the process with again. My goal is high which was set after reading an article about how many units it took to save a pregnant woman in one statistic. This mini-trip to review starts with a flight from Hobby to Love. Partially funded from a voucher that was a result of the failed ‘New Orleans to Florida trip’ last year. Then on the 13th is the one year anniversary of the name, center to last year’s theme. I’ll try not to embarrass her by showing off any pictures or writing too much on each date. I don’t really know what to do about those as there were 8 tattoo sessions that look like eleven or twelve individual things over the year. Discombobulated right now as I noticed the fridge/freezer getting hot right after I posted the last lists, so summing up for Dallas preparations.

Discovered mostly on Traxsource. Working by candlelight I listened to finish these, side by side. Ten tracks each of mostly new releases moving out of the last style kick.

Gaara’s Favorites (character from Naruto Shippuden)

Dawn – Culprate
Phantom (Soulified Mix) – Nimrod Pitso, TitoM, SjavasDaDeejay
Memories – Definition
Africa (How You’re Doing) – Oscar Ozz
Été (Plemont Remix) – AKA AKA, Thalastroem
Impala – Olivier Giacomotto
Wait (Yost & Funk’s Mofdau Rework) – Nivek Tisoy
Uheri – DJ Vivona
Traffic – Thom Yorke
The Ending – Papa Roach

Anna and Elsa’s Favorites

Eden (Soulful Radio) – Jago Alejandro Pascua
Why We Sing (Louie Vega Expansions NYC Version 21 Years Later) – Kenny Bobien
Dawn Boreal – David Jansen
Being With You – Erman Erim
Something Said (Ian Pooley Remix) – Ryan Murgatroyd
Secret Parkway (Dubspeaka Remix) – Sharam
Surrender (Extended Mix or Dario D’Attis Remix) – Mark DiMeo, Liz Jai
Jazz Space Homey – Kevin Yost
Check Out The Groove – Soul Avengerz, Odyssey Inc.
End Of The Universe – Hatiras

I’m struggling with the words for this post. The day kept bogging me down and I wasn’t sure about any positive progress. I took a break from poking away layers of tiny dots and just returned. I’m using Okay brand African Shea Butter instead of vaseline to hold caps in place and to practice using a thin protectant layer between the skin and needle as well as to wipe clean the ink to check it’s progress. They also make a 100% coconut oil hair and skin moisturizer to try when that runs out and a blend I haven’t bought that would be good for pro shops or real clients. Other cruelty-free supplies are Boise brand papers (Aspen 30). I’m still looking for cruelty-free scissors and so far have a World Famous outlining ink and Dynamic White (WD1). *I sent ten of my best drawings to a shop I’ve gotten tattoos at in my required job search. One skull is pretty much finished that was partially done with machine and the other won’t be done until late next week probably. I’m making two concurrent favorites lists and drew an original with non-original manga eyes from the practice video I previously posted about, for fun. Everything on the blog right now is communication and entertainment. I’m not doing a self tattoo, nor is it likely I’ll work with another artist unpaid, but we have to keep making progress. Vegan friendly jobs are rare.*

I’ve got assignments, an interview and things to go do shortly, but had some time this morning to catch up with Katrin Berndt’s YouTube and this post. She has two New Year’s videos, one which is over an hour long. I previously unsubscribed to the email subscription, but every once in awhile check the channel. For me they are a good reminder when I feel like I’ve said or shared too much that there is always someone braver and more revealing who isn’t afraid to show that in front of their audience or peers. This isn’t always the message or best reason to tune in because her approach changes from week to week and year to year. I was just thinking she has too much going on in her life with variations on her shows, club and what-not. In actuality I believe the presentation style adapts with an ever-changing support base that is fickle with competing technologies for our attention span… If you missed my update yesterday, I added a link to an EP at the end of Ari the digiponi’s listening list. I started shading on the practice skin last night as well with some lines using only the needle. I kept experimenting until the needle broke off the part that normally hooks it to the machine. Catch up later.