easter

I had such an awesome day yesterday. I was already stoked because it was my day to be at Bluebird. I actually bought a pack of cigarettes on the way to work because being at the shop, with all the tattoo smells (like the soap, ink, etc.) and sounds, has really been making me want to smoke. Since I've smoked on and off for the 10 or so years prior to my marriage, and have never been addicted, I didn't think it was a big deal. It's not like I'm ever going to smoke at home.

I had the best time working all day. It was so busy, and the guys kept asking me to do drawings for them, which of course is ever so much better than cleaning the bathroom. I also helped two girls change their jewelry, and they tipped me, which was cool. Later, the guy came in for whom I drew the pinup girl on the rocketship, and Drew tattooed him with my drawing. It's so cool to see your artwork going into someone's skin forever. He got the drawing on his upper arm, to kind of complete a whole sleeve, but it's kind of a centerpiece there. After he was done, he came over and tipped me $30.00 just for doing the drawing! It was awesome. So when usually I make no money, I made $40.00 yesterday. nice. Oh yeah, and the rocketship guy tipped me more than he tipped Drew, the one with the actual tattooing ability! lol. weird.

I still did all my cleaning and everything, but getting to draw a lot was really cool. After work, the guys were all talking about going bowling and I was silently feeling kind of left out. Last time that happened, it was Drew's night off or whatever, and no one invited me. When I got home, I was sad and complained to my husband that if Drew had been there, he probably would have invited me. So last night I went to start my car in the freezing cold, and came back in, and Drew was like, "Miss K, would you like to go bowling?" and I'm like, "Yes, I would." So i followed them to the bowling alley and actually had a drink there (which I never get to do because my husband has some addiction issues) and smoked cigarettes and hung out with guys and just generally felt very happy. Bowling was fun, too. I think playing my brother's Wii over Christmas really helped my game, stupidly enough. I didn't come in last . The tattoo guys are such boys. Of course they had to think of the grossest three letter names to put on the scoreboard. I was "DYK" by the way. Not that "dyk" is gross, but it was funny just because I'm not *exactly* a dyke, being married to a man and all, though I have been known to make out with a handful of girls. I was like, laughing, "Hey you guys, isn't this sooo much more fun with *me* here?"

Oh, I also got two more drawing assignments for customers that are due tomorrow... one is a 10" guardian archangel, and the other is two owls sitting next to eachother on a gnarly branch. I have therapy this morning, and my friend is coming over after school this afternoon, so I'm just going to have to draw while she's here. She's actually my former neighbor, and she's a senior in high school, but she's always been really cool and I think we actually have quite a bit in common. Even though I'm fucking ten years older than her. I'm turning 28 this week and she's turning 18 in like two months. my husband totally laughed at me when I was like, "Oh, Amanda's coming over after school on Wednesday".

The other thing was that Drew had me draw a really cool piece of flash just for the hell of it while I was there: Regan, from the Exorcist, done old-school cartoony style, with old-school lettering that read, "the Power of Christ Compels Me" which I think is pretty hilarious. He gave me a short deadline and everything, but he loved what I came up with, so it was cool. And so fun.

So anyway: awesome, super-fun day yesterday in which I felt very accepted and loved. and secure.