Bragging Rights

Holy. Fucking. Shit.

That was painful. That was really painful.

Joe Rose, Tattoo Artist Extraordinaire, apparently is a strong believer in the 'No guts, no glory' approach. Not only did we go across my shin, not only did we go across my shin and up the side of my knee, not only did we hit the kneecap, but we crossed that tendon and went behind the kneecap, too.

Quoth Joe: "Yeah. That's gotta hurt."

Tony Corso, Other Tattoo Artist Extraordinaire and Joe's partner commented that me getting inked was like being in a Civil War field hospital watching somebody get his leg amputated without anesthesia.

It really really really hurt. A lot.

So that was cool. I am one tough fucker. And, I've got a great tattoo. It looks really beautiful. After Joe did the thick, dark outlines (ankle, shin, calf, side of the knee, kneecap, behind the knee, we went the route a second time so Joe could do the dark shading. (This will allow him to gauge how that skin takes dark ink, so he'll be able to adjust the hues he's using accordingly.) When it's all done, hopefully before my 40th birthday, it will look really good.

I made a lot of noise. Nothing too loud though. And I was breathing deeply the whole time. They put some DVDs on for me to watch, so I saw 'Reign of Fire' and 'The Fog.' Liked both of them, although Adrienne Barbeau fending off ghostly pirates in a lighthouse will for ever more make me wince with the memory of The Kneecap. Joe told me that I could bring along some DVDs for future sessions.

What would be some good movies for an evening of agony?

Any suggestions, readers?

I'm definitely gonna bring 'Jackass: The Motion Picture.' I bought the DVD cheap at K-Mart, but haven't been able to watch it yet.

Oh, and even though I was a big baby, I went through with it. There was a kid in the chair next to me getting a cross done on his back, right between the shoulderblades. Y'know, where you aim your whip. He didn't get all of his cross. "Uh... let's hold off on doing the middle for now."

But I took it, Bay-beeee!

Called Sir from my car as soon as I got out of there. He said he was proud of his boy. That made it all very worthwhile.

And y'know, I like the fact that it hurt so much. It fits in so well with my overall theme.

Need a reminder of what that might be? Those chains are Chains of Love. Like the Anti-Jacob Marley, I hope to be loaded down with chains of love in this life, the love I give and the love I receive. Binding me, keeping me safe and secure, and hurting, too. Cuz love hurts. No matter what.

Especially when it hits that tendon behind the kneecap. Then it reeeally hurts.

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