Rummaging through my iPhoto vault, I found this shot from long long ago.

It's the very first lines in my anime tattoo.

I remember the giddy feeling of anticipation. The exploration of unknown. What will go here? What will go there? How will it all tie together? The surprises and delight.

At first I assumed the feeling would resemble the start of a new program: it's a blank sheet of paper, upon which I will write, a world I will create out of little more than imagination and effort. But tattoos feel different than code. When I write code, the primary creative force is me. But when I get a tattoo, the primary creative force is another person. I give up control; I am freed from responsibility. I'm rewarded with a chance to watch.

Another tattoo ends; I find my world slightly diminished. I am no longer giddy with anticipation. There is no more unknown to explore.




Until it's time to start the next project.

Herb Kane, Pantheon of Volcano Spirits

The anemone of my anemone is my friend.

It's amazing how seven hours under the needle just fly by when spent with Mrs_Misha.

In 30 hours I get on a plane to LA to get another session on a tattoo I've wanted for years. As the little kid says in the Disney commercial: I'm too excited to sleep.

Squirrel at my birdfeeder!



It's so cute, sitting there with its little paws, draining the birdfeeder in a matter of hours.

The birdfeeder's at ground level to protect my young tree from broken branches: the squirrel's too heavy for my sapling of a tree.

I think I need one of them fancy squirrel-spinning birdfeeders:

Day 4, right on schedule: peely, flakey, and itchy itchy itchy.