Tired

The past few weeks have been trying times for my fragile nerves. I am not good at waiting for things to happen. I have been avoiding thinking by way of distractions but that isn't a viable long run position. The new place is working out alright. I still want to know what the deal with the place over the fish restaurant was? It still looks vacant almost a month after they said it was rented. Found out that they have not held Don's service yet. Not too surprised but it has been 2 months now and finality has an appeal not to be overlooked. I am trying to maintain the early to rise rhythm I developed while camping. I have been getting out on the bike most dry mornings and walking in the early evening before retiring. Looking for a routine to fall into for a short time. A little rebounding pause. I have one big hurdle remaining and that is to move my stuff. The draining of my financial reserves aside I have just not been physically up to it. Enough complaining for one day, a nonessential update from the frivolous world of the intertubes.

DistractInk Hearts

Spent an exhausting three days taking in the sights and sounds of Inked Hearts Expo 2011. Had fun for the first time in a long time. Did not get any ink. Finances being what they are I decided to wait. My art work is still down in storage so it would have been problematic even if I had found someone that made my skin itch.
Here is an update on the Humboldt Pin-Up Calendar Girl contest with the Day 3 preliminaries followed by the finals. The winners announcement is in the video at the end.
I entered my leg and back in the contest. The money was for charity, (Breast Cancer Research) and I enjoy showing off my ink on occasion. Thanks to Chris Taylor for the shots of me on stage. Many more of my pictures are available for viewing on my Flikr stream and I started a group “Inked Hearts 2011” on Flikr with the highlights. And the Radmul channelhas more Video.

Contest Updates

Last years Pin-up winner.

Day 2 Tat of the day,best portrait and best color tattoo were held last night, and the winners are...

And a video of the day 1 Pin-up Girls preliminaries winners.

Inked Hearts Can't be Broken

The Inked Hearts expo also had a contest to help choose models for the next Humboldt Pin-Up Girls Calender. Here are the day 2 contestants. part of the proceeds from the sales goes to charities combating violence against women and the winning model gets $200.

Blue Lake Ink

The tattoo nation was populated with open minded accepting people. That is what drew me into the culture. People of any race, age, body type and philosophy are welcome to come and parade their art.That was on display at the Blue Lake Rancheria with the Valentine expo. Day one gave me some great photos and sore feet. enjoy a little fresh ink.

It isn't ironic.

A few years back Alanis Morissette captured the zeitgeist with her tune, "Isn't it Ironic?" Turns out no, her lament was just a laundry list of bummers missing irony completely but capturing the new definition of the word to a tee.

In the past few months I have lost two people very close to me at different ends of the age spectrum and thinking about their plights put me on to the question Isn't that ironic.

Lois and Don Had similar health problems in their circulatory systems and reacted differently to the lifestyle changes that scientific medicine recommends with dramatically different outcomes. Don Quit smoking, changed his diet and added exercises to his daily routine when ever possible. Lois continued to smoke 2 packs a day, eating the Pennsylvania Dutch cooking and sedentary life style without missing a beat.

Don died at 55 while Lois made it to just shy of 90.

The Hillsdale

The cruel tendrils of winter smacked me in the night. Frost on the tent and Ice so thick I had to chip it off the windows of the car.Was not to bad in the bag but when the need to pee finally drove me out there was no going back. I recommend the Exped air mattress for keeping you protected from the ground chill.Would have taken some pictures but the batteries in the camera froze.

Found a place to lay up for the winter. The Hillsdale bldg, has a sordid past and a decidedly seedy present. Built in the 1920's my place has huge windows, a claw foot bathtub and a Murphy bed. A place straight out of a Dashiell Hammett noir film. A place Sefton could have could have called home. I pick up the keys on Friday. (Link to "The Black Mina" NSFW)