Calavera

I've been thinking about tattoos for years. It's been hard to settle on anything. They are so... final. Ideas have come and gone, but some have really started to solidify. The first one is a Sugar Skull. Sugar Skulls are part of the Mexican Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead - when deceased relatives are honored. Skulls made of sugar are given to people as gifts - often with the name of the recipient written on the skull. The indigenous populations of Mexico used skulls historically as symbols of death and rebirth.

Here's a real Sugar Skull:

This is what Sugar Skull tattoos traditionally look like:

I don't really want a traditional looking Sugar Skull tattoo. I want the skull to look real - like someone took an actual skull and decorated it up. Usually the tattoos are straight on. I want a 3/4 view. The skulls are often decorated with flowers, butterflies, worms, and filagree. I found some images that I really like, and gave them to my tattooist (Amy Black of Trademark Tattoo in Richmond VA) for inspiration. Here they are:

I liked the above skulls both for their realism and for the angle - the 3/4 angle. I liked the detail work in both. In addition to the skull tattoo, I  have been thinking of a tattoo for my torso of some filagree like the below pic. Amy thought she could incorporate the filagree below into the sugar skull which would tie them both together. I wasn't sure how it would turn out, but told her to go for it anyway.

I'm glad she took it and ran with it. Here's her first preliminary drawing - sans some of the detail that will be in the final. Check out the crossbones in the butterfly. The rendering is better than I had even hoped for. 

See if you can find the hidden little easter egg I asked Amy to put in. She did such a great job with this. We start on it next Wednesday - Oct 1.

No matter how it ends...

I never get over Radiohead. In Rainbows is phenomenal. It's so good, I have a hard time listening to anything else. It's been a long time since I've loved a record like this. Here's the new music vid, and from perhaps my favorite song on the album:

Millions, falling from the sky... or really essy minivans

So Cass and I were at a festival here in Charlottesville with some friends. There were booths set up with random vendors. Behind one of the booths, I discovered perhaps the greatest thing I've seen in weeks. I'm pretty psyched about this. I've been trying to figure out how to become a millionaire, and lo and behold, I just stumble into it behind some crappy fairground tent. What luck!

Oh - and dude, the linoleum windows are hot. They're better than spinners. Wait, spinners are out. They're better than donks. I'm to skint to be rollin' like you. I'm callin'! 804-221-7421, bring me buckets of dough.

The End is Near

It's been said by religious savants for years, and I'm finally realizing... it's true. We're officially effed. Scientists have finally discovered a way to usher in the horsemen of the apocalypse. Ladies & gentlemen, behold... the doomsday machine. Click for a really big view of the machine that creates miniscule black holes. Don't forget: Chris died for our sins!  Black Hole, I defy thee.

Made for Cable

Cable killed the network sitcom. I can't watch network sitcoms anymore without feeling letdown. I'm always wishing it was done on Cable. I like cursing. I like violence. I like bosoms. The UK has a 9PM watershed on programming - things get good after dark. Here we have to pay $12 a month for the priviledge... and that's only taking into consideration Showtime. I've jumped ship from HBO to Showtime, by the way. Here's why: Sopranos ended. Sex/City wasn't my bag. Flight of the Conchords didn't run very long. Six Feet Under was too pretentious. So what does Showtime have to offer? Umm... Dexter, Californication, and Weeds. All excellent entertainment options. 

Also, here's the most inventive insult Cassie has used on me of late: f'ing a-hole in the eyeball bastard. What does that even mean?