The Tattooed Poets Project: Jared Singer

<a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2011/04/tattooed-poets-project-elliott-d-smith.html">Yesterday</a>, we enjoyed the tattoos and poetry of <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2011/04/tattooed-poets-project-elliott-d-smith.html">Elliott D. Smith</a>. Today, we get to check out the work of his roommate, Jared Singer.<br /><br />I met Jared, along with Justin, last month at the Barnes & Noble flagship store. Like Elliott, Jared's tattoo is a work "in progress" inked by the incomparable <a href="http://www.1228tattoo.com/artists/">Joy Rumore</a> at <a href="http://www.1228tattoo.com/">Twelve 28 Tattoo</a> in Brooklyn.<br /><br />Check out Jared's upper right arm:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRT6A4JluB4M1FFjHr8xLcgy3ZMQihuSGDjL7o2H2OAVZh1AsJ00kFOwMR963shHecED_G0H7C5ZcNQAq5xoiBlUt8SKdfz24qSdrkcrpMsjdLrg5qrA3a-FYVpdPfDJRpY7lpfDIaffo/s1600/Jared+detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRT6A4JluB4M1FFjHr8xLcgy3ZMQihuSGDjL7o2H2OAVZh1AsJ00kFOwMR963shHecED_G0H7C5ZcNQAq5xoiBlUt8SKdfz24qSdrkcrpMsjdLrg5qrA3a-FYVpdPfDJRpY7lpfDIaffo/s640/Jared+detail.jpg" width="436" /></a></div><br />Jared explained that this tattoo has two origins. First, it was inspired by lyrics from a group called <a href="http://legendarymusic.net/">Living Legends</a>. More specifically, the words "I'm so fly, even my shadow has its own friends."<br /><br />The other motif in this piece comes from the lyrics in "9-5ers Anthem," by <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Aesop-Rock/104163806285550?ref=ts">Aesop Rock</a>, that proclaim, "I tend to underestimate my own average."<br /><br />Jared says he originally conceived of the piece consisting of "shadows with other shadows". Joy drew up the design and said, "How about this instead?"<br /><br />The rest is history. Well, sort of. As mentioned at the top of the post, this sleeve-to-be is still a work in progress.<br /><br />Jared shared this poem with us: <br /><br /><br /><blockquote><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Last Love Letter from an Entomologist</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">Dear Samantha,</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">I’m sorry, we have to get a divorce.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">I know that seems like an odd way </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">to start a love letter, but let me explain.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">Its not you,</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">it’s definitely not me,</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">it’s just, human beings don’t love </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">as well as insects do.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">I love you far too much to let what we have </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">be ruined by the failings of our species.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">So instead,</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">I’m going to leave you now,</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">while I can still remember you fondly.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">I saw the way you looked at the waiter last night,</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">I know you would never do anything,</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">you never do, but still I </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">saw the way you looked at the waiter last night.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">Did you know that when a female fly </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">accepts the pheromones put off by a male</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">It rewrites the way her brain works, </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">destroys the receptors for pheromones.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">Sensing the change, the male fly does the same.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">When flies love each other,</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">they do it so hard,</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">that they can never love anything else ever again.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">if either one dies before procreation</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">both sets of genetic code are lost forever.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">Now that is dedication.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">After breaking up with Elizabeth</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">we spent three days dividing</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">everything we had bought together</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">like if I knew which pots were mine,</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">like if I knew which drapes were mine,</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">the pain would go away.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">When two praying mantises mate,</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">the nervous system of the male</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">begins to shut down.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">While he still has control over his motor functions,</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">he flips onto his back</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">exposing his soft underbelly to his lover like a gift.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">She then proceeds to lovingly</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">and I do mean lovingly</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"> dice him into tiny pieces</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">which she  shoves carefully into mouth</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">wasting not a single morsel,</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">even the exoskeleton must go.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">She does this so that </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">so that when their children are born</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">she has a first meal to regurgitate to feed them.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">Now that is dedication.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">I could never do that for you.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">So I have a new plan.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">I plan on spending the rest of my life committing petty injustices.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">I will jaywalk at every opportunity</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">I will steal things I could easily afford</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">I will be rude to strangers</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">I hope you will do the same.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">I hope reincarnation is real.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">I hope that these petty crimes cause me to be reborn as a lesser creature.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=6058251288236499429&postID=8493457638909191833" name="_GoBack"></a>I hope we are reborn as flies.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">So that we can love each other as hard as we were meant to.</div></blockquote><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">~ ~ ~ </div>We also have the good fortune of having video of Jared performing this piece at the <a href="http://www.bowerypoetry.com/">Bowery Poetry Club</a> in 2009:<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="294" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/B3wsSdPzAuQ" title="YouTube video player" width="469"></iframe><br /><br />Jared Singer is a poet and audio engineer who lives in New York City. While he may have physically grown up with his peers, he has never forgotten the imagination, magic, and nerdiness that were corner stones of his childhood. He hopes to remind others of these more creative times. He has been published by <a href="http://www.downdirtyword.com/">The Legendary</a>, <a href="http://unionstationmag.com/">Union Station Magazine</a>, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/swappoetry">The Spoken Word Almanac Project 2010</a> and has also appeared on the <a href="http://www.indiefeedpp.libsyn.com/">Indiefeed Peformance Poetry</a> Podcast. He is the<a href="http://original.bowerypoetry.com/urbana/"> NYC Urbana</a> 2009 Grand Slam Poetry Champion, The 2009 NYC <a href="http://www.louderarts.com/">Louder Arts</a> Individual World Poetry Slam representative and a member of the 2010 <a href="http://www.nuyorican.org/poetryslam.php">Nuyorican Poets Cafe Poetry Slam Team.</a><br /><br />Much thanks and appreciation to Jared for sharing his work with us here on Tattoosday!<br /><br /><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";}</style> <![endif]--> <br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;">This entry is ©2011 Tattoosday. The poem is reprinted here with the permission of the author.<br /><br />If you are reading this on another web site other than Tattoosday, without attribution, please note that it has been copied without the author's permission and is in violation of copyright laws. Please feel free to visit </span> <span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">http://tattoosday.blogspot.com</a> and read our original content. Please let me know if you saw this elsewhere so I contact the webmaster of the offending site and advise them of this violation in their Terms of Use Agreement.</span></div>

The Tattooed Poets Project: Jared Singer

Yesterday , we enjoyed the tattoos and poetry of Elliott D. Smith . Today, we get to check out the work of his roommate, Jared Singer. I me...

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Jill Walks On with Her Ink

I spotted Jill in the beginning of November sitting in the <a href="http://www.njtransit.com/hp/hp_servlet.srv?hdnPageAction=HomePageTo">New Jersey Transit</a> waiting area at Penn Station.<br /><br />She has eight tattoos, five are symbols and three are word-based, including this one on her forearm:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHpdq3lIwlBOMIUbV04RRc31-vC7JazJLn2rG9-Uq8HZA2iJih2wn2XMUNotvjVwlRCZmWnEyuDq_1MhPTffvSXvt6y-x_2OFXBwu1z5mjzTUc4VQLgXRv0dd9_kef9AbiOx9hMifHLjM/s1600/Walk+On+Collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="331" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHpdq3lIwlBOMIUbV04RRc31-vC7JazJLn2rG9-Uq8HZA2iJih2wn2XMUNotvjVwlRCZmWnEyuDq_1MhPTffvSXvt6y-x_2OFXBwu1z5mjzTUc4VQLgXRv0dd9_kef9AbiOx9hMifHLjM/s400/Walk+On+Collage.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />The one she shared with us is based on the song lyrics of <a href="http://www.u2.com/">U2</a> and their song "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walk_On_%28song%29">Walk On</a>".<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPUIJGSNFmkWeqaOnl4PrfurE9sfBr8VfXvDE-LqPi9CKRTyMTMl_DCSHER40_U4oeEZwOoI0spZ0rZoSFJXqbFTj71kPxWhFIdr1Rd4IuDHyW0rlDliNT9TPM4bc6G7GA5EnkFULaPxc/s1600/u2+walk+on.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPUIJGSNFmkWeqaOnl4PrfurE9sfBr8VfXvDE-LqPi9CKRTyMTMl_DCSHER40_U4oeEZwOoI0spZ0rZoSFJXqbFTj71kPxWhFIdr1Rd4IuDHyW0rlDliNT9TPM4bc6G7GA5EnkFULaPxc/s400/u2+walk+on.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />The letter G and the date refer to her grandmother and the day she died, March 2, 2010.<br /><br />The lyrics are "And I know it aches/And your heart it breaks/You can only take so much/Walk on".<br /><br />Jill said that listening to music got her through a difficult time and this song, in particular, carried and sustained her through the mourning process.<br /><br />Coincidentally, March 2 marked the anniversary of her meeting the band in 2009.<br /><br />She chose an <a href="http://www.google.com/images?q=edwardian+script&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=kU4kTY_MBISclgeXmcmMAg&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CCYQsAQwAA&biw=1024&bih=528">Edwardian script</a> and the tattoo was inked by Mike at <a href="http://fatkattat.com/">Fat Kat Tattoos</a> in Keyport, New Jersey.<br /><br />Work from Fat Kat has appeared previously on Tattoosday <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/search/label/Fat%20Kat%20Tattoo">here</a>.<br /><br />Thanks to Jill for sharing this special tattoo with us here on the site!<br /><br />A little extra treat, video of U2's "Walk On":<br /><br /><object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/gwKEdFoUB0o?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0xe1600f&color2=0xfebd01"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/gwKEdFoUB0o?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0xe1600f&color2=0xfebd01" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>

Jill Walks On with Her Ink

I spotted Jill in the beginning of November sitting in the New Jersey Transit waiting area at Penn Station. She has eight tattoos, five are...

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Christmas House Cleaning

Regular readers of Tattoosday will notice that, although I generally follow a chronological order when I share tattoos I have encountered.<br /><br />However, certain pieces, for various and sundry reasons, have been bypassed, and haven't made it to the blog, until now.<br /><br />I was originally going to post a dozen to represent the Twelve Days of Christmas, but I settled for eight. For the nights of Chanukah, perhaps?<br /><br />Without intending to offend anyone for not receiving a post all to themselves, I have lumped these tattoos, spanning from late August to late October, in one post.<br /><br />These are the neglected tattoo pictures that are just a little off, some not through the fault of the contributor, but for reasons beyond their control.<br /><br />The quality of the photo may not be ideal, or the host and I faced a language barrier that prevented a good back story from emerging, or I didn't find the story behind the tattoo especially compelling. And then<br />there's what is likely one of the poorest tattoos I have seen, but the story behind it is somewhat compelling.<br /><br />So, without further ado, here is a Christmas cleaning, eight posts rolled together into one gigantic one.<br /><br />~~~<br /><br />First up, we have Esteban, who shared his sleeve when I met him in September, at <a href="http://www.fairwaymarket.com/Directions/redhookdirections.html">Fairway</a> in Red Hook:<br /><br />Alas, I was still using a borrowed camera, and several shots were over-exposed and/or blurry, but I was able to salvage this one:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoCKpO9H6mA_MZ5ou0CpD-J2GxeRk5BO22IgXm2D1q3nv-aiJZciRF6GQkQT9zEvURzPbrUADwkMXgWYESPM5JR0zCNFWBvDeNtpGFrQz8ko2I5vsCK6glxYHmWQCxHF4MN3EYkBj4m4Q/s1600/esteban.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoCKpO9H6mA_MZ5ou0CpD-J2GxeRk5BO22IgXm2D1q3nv-aiJZciRF6GQkQT9zEvURzPbrUADwkMXgWYESPM5JR0zCNFWBvDeNtpGFrQz8ko2I5vsCK6glxYHmWQCxHF4MN3EYkBj4m4Q/s640/esteban.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><br />The artwork is pre-Colombian in its inspiration, and is part of a larger tropical motif. <br /><br />Next up we have Dave, who I met in Penn Station. He has over 25 tattoos and selected this one to share:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiivUYW36jsOIdEdy7Br_K51DbhbKVpJZeviRPRK6c-dv9bN7PoJzWNGOq4cjBho_9y2pwP2dw78jJb83c9WIIRagbp5oqwOcoAIEC6y4dr-kPO0yq4sGALADusGIlFL2l3zzTknV1E_iw/s1600/United+and+Strong.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiivUYW36jsOIdEdy7Br_K51DbhbKVpJZeviRPRK6c-dv9bN7PoJzWNGOq4cjBho_9y2pwP2dw78jJb83c9WIIRagbp5oqwOcoAIEC6y4dr-kPO0yq4sGALADusGIlFL2l3zzTknV1E_iw/s400/United+and+Strong.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br />The phrase "Uniting the Strong" is the title of a song from <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victim_in_Pain">Victim in Pain</a></i>, the second album from the band <a href="http://www.agnosticfront.com/">Agnostic Front</a>. This is a friendship tattoo that stresses unity and the host's nod to the hardcore punk scene.<br /><br />Dave credits Jelena at <a href="http://www.lonewolftattoo.com/">Lone Wolf Tattoo</a> in Bellmore, New York with this piece.<br /><br />~~~<br /><br />Next we have Orlando, a Fine Arts student at <a href="http://www.fitnyc.edu/">FIT</a>, where I met him outside while walking toward 23rd Street on my lunch break, also in September.<br /><br />This ship tattoo is an homage to his father, who served in the navy for thirty years. He wanted a "classic look" in the Sailor Jerry style.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0f_MXKN9uSjgLjcday1WfHZN1TZSdu2fRosiuhNWHNcnHsbuMf69hOk3WvRa0TpmTaeTwHemlJSbsx-iavyVZVmgEthqjSm4ZPOSm3ivAxyf4zMkEFd4mWqMDaxFGsII4m_z29TW1StQ/s1600/Orlando+Ship.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0f_MXKN9uSjgLjcday1WfHZN1TZSdu2fRosiuhNWHNcnHsbuMf69hOk3WvRa0TpmTaeTwHemlJSbsx-iavyVZVmgEthqjSm4ZPOSm3ivAxyf4zMkEFd4mWqMDaxFGsII4m_z29TW1StQ/s400/Orlando+Ship.jpg" width="247" /></a></div><br />Orlando confirmed for me that his dad loves the tattoo.<br /><br />It was inked at <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/crazy-fantasy-tattoo-new-york">Crazy Fantasy Tattoo</a> in Manhattan by an artist named Antonio.<br /><br />[Update: I got a better, crisper picture from Orlando of the ship tattoo in May 2011:]<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWXuKT0m7hHLVSvg4hcB4lChONTyq6mAC6bl2w7Do8p_j0wS9DaVXTGrI3YJGxXwQATLk9GJNzuWE6Kafg9b3YmujeAmfHBZq-OSsc54qNKLBwhyphenhyphenbdREno1tdPBnXga6HtWT0KJWab7wI/s1600/Orlando+Ship+2011_picnik.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWXuKT0m7hHLVSvg4hcB4lChONTyq6mAC6bl2w7Do8p_j0wS9DaVXTGrI3YJGxXwQATLk9GJNzuWE6Kafg9b3YmujeAmfHBZq-OSsc54qNKLBwhyphenhyphenbdREno1tdPBnXga6HtWT0KJWab7wI/s400/Orlando+Ship+2011_picnik.jpg" width="210" /></a></div><br />Orlando has seven tattoos in all [in May 2011, he updated this number to ten], and shared this one, as well, inked at <a href="http://www.daredeviltattoo.com/">Dare Devil Tattoo</a> on the Lower East Side.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ZZvCEjXPnsUIZo5PVmbnlgU5aTF1FXanSPmRG1RnmRhHCfY6hdMuejtxSu5VKPGL3NUoGVfNX7f8-r9MAu_izIL8oxI0YofyOis2GFZ4TDf2e-Uv9MwjoOagh9SwEpSBsyu1p_ZDwiY/s1600/Orlando+Bon+Iver.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ZZvCEjXPnsUIZo5PVmbnlgU5aTF1FXanSPmRG1RnmRhHCfY6hdMuejtxSu5VKPGL3NUoGVfNX7f8-r9MAu_izIL8oxI0YofyOis2GFZ4TDf2e-Uv9MwjoOagh9SwEpSBsyu1p_ZDwiY/s400/Orlando+Bon+Iver.jpg" width="258" /></a></div><br />The quote, "<span id="search" style="visibility: visible;">This my excavation and today<i></i> is Kumran"</span> is from a song called "re: Stacks" by <a href="http://www.boniver.org/">Bon Iver</a>.<br /><br />Orlando explained that he interprets this quote as a reminder that "every day has the ability to make you or break you. It just depends on what you do with it." Other interpretations are <a href="http://www.songmeanings.net/songs/view/3530822107858674649/">here</a>.<br /><br />For the record, I did email Orlando to ask for an opportunity to get clearer pictures, but I did not hear back from him.<br /><br />~~~<br /><br />I met Farkas in <a href="http://www.unionsquarenyc.org/">Union Square</a> back in October. He had this wolf on his right arm:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMA9a9FQPdqfB8UFR6MAWlhxzNETG9XACGNz2uBX5BnprYOKwltlwngCfa1eSaHky1albtHSpBK726mOjzqOuhHZH5VGXhXv0WovIhOrBI5x1v-oSb86MIz0V0Wp7w5ryBG8Q0qU9QRLg/s1600/Farkas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMA9a9FQPdqfB8UFR6MAWlhxzNETG9XACGNz2uBX5BnprYOKwltlwngCfa1eSaHky1albtHSpBK726mOjzqOuhHZH5VGXhXv0WovIhOrBI5x1v-oSb86MIz0V0Wp7w5ryBG8Q0qU9QRLg/s400/Farkas.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br />He explained that his name means "wolf" in Hungarian, and that one of his friends in Hungary did this tattoo for him.<br /><br />~~~<br /><br />A couple days after meeting Farkas, I met an Israeli named Ran on 34th Street across from <a href="http://www.macys.com/">Macy*s</a>. He shared this iguana on his right leg:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIHj2VounzL4T6Mx3cKaxi-zeRl040YaomM-YqtDCvi8VRfCmdpZHf74w8Ryg1n3rXY3p5vJ6azsEr4mCA1u8BlpJOoKnIYTP1QrFdKgLCxLdZrPl7RSC62Id019VaFMOnZhDff55WnuM/s1600/Iguana_picnik.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIHj2VounzL4T6Mx3cKaxi-zeRl040YaomM-YqtDCvi8VRfCmdpZHf74w8Ryg1n3rXY3p5vJ6azsEr4mCA1u8BlpJOoKnIYTP1QrFdKgLCxLdZrPl7RSC62Id019VaFMOnZhDff55WnuM/s640/Iguana_picnik.jpg" width="304" /></a></div><br /><br />It's a pretty nice tattoo, but he hasn't sent me any further details about it.<br /><br />~~~<br /><br />A couple weeks later, I was in the West Village before a concert, and met Carlos, a manager at the <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&expIds=17259,27342,27642,28067&sugexp=ldymls&xhr=t&cp=9&qe=cWRvYmEgMTAwMA&qesig=ioAfmDfQL9io8qJXivfDRw&pkc=AFgZ2tn4CORECvVIyeLyU2neM3rYho1uXF-JgkCMN3WPXIASZMzsBqf9zoXZYVCZMemdAnlBQwpPIUCXg07_bR4jmJS4wGewDw&client=firefox-a&hs=mBF&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=qdoba+10001&fb=1&gl=us&hq=qdoba&hnear=New+York+10001&ei=-DoWTejMIM6s8AaP58W7Dg&sa=X&oi=local_group&ct=image&resnum=2&sqi=2&ved=0CAQQtgMwAQ&iwloc=3378200444570630634">Qdoba Mexican Grill</a> where we were having a quick bite before the show. He shared this intricate tattoo on his right arm:<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn8KUnEG425eSfjpANGwbxuUSu-w2jJZCT2xzDpA4H05-MXMrw9ZIyOZFF6rYlCx-rPDwnSqfT526k8_7fsGRDjTcesXnP7Lqr3eVmI9FzLCIiNFq4d4G1cp4Utm8VK7bE7CIf_TZjsTE/s1600/puzzle+wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn8KUnEG425eSfjpANGwbxuUSu-w2jJZCT2xzDpA4H05-MXMrw9ZIyOZFF6rYlCx-rPDwnSqfT526k8_7fsGRDjTcesXnP7Lqr3eVmI9FzLCIiNFq4d4G1cp4Utm8VK7bE7CIf_TZjsTE/s640/puzzle+wm.jpg" width="234" /></a></div><br />He and friend collaborated on this tattoo together. He told me that, when he was little, he did jigsaw puzzles with his mother a lot. The tattoo reminds him of those fun times growing up.<br /><br />~~~<br /><br />The following week, I ran into Iancu in Penn Station, and he shared this piece on his upper left arm:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEila4qrxm6SgDAx48PTDTSd93tZiNLvZrZ9pm02Xr9fGp-SM7AgtwiL9L7_1pCHfJCb0Kxw6ebhkEV4I7M83bq-zVJszsVpRh0Mmk6PcVWqjXMAOBL2M58lp2qjTTUkY2KIXQnZBqSM404/s1600/guns+roses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEila4qrxm6SgDAx48PTDTSd93tZiNLvZrZ9pm02Xr9fGp-SM7AgtwiL9L7_1pCHfJCb0Kxw6ebhkEV4I7M83bq-zVJszsVpRh0Mmk6PcVWqjXMAOBL2M58lp2qjTTUkY2KIXQnZBqSM404/s400/guns+roses.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br />Iancu told me he came to the artist, Rico, formerly of <a href="http://www.risingdragon.com/">Rising Dragon</a> in Manhattan, who was initially unwilling to do the tattoo. However, he convinced him to do it. It's basically a <a href="http://web.gunsnroses.com/index.jsp">Guns N' Roses</a> tribute although, he<br />noted, the guns were added about a year and a half after the original design was inked.<br /><br />~~~<br /><br />And finally, I must first say that  it is very rare that I ever criticize the quality of a tattoo.<br /><br />Even if it is inferior to the work of much better artists, I always like to believe there are some redeeming qualities in a tattoo.<br /><br />Which is why I struggled with this next tattoo, which I photographer back in August, and which I have included in this odds and ends post in December.<br /><br />I approached a guy named Danny who had a lot of interestingly-tattooed words and such on his arms.<br /><br />However, he offered to remove his shirt in Penn Station so I could photograph this:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5tErFkoR-1ZguP7shaYccHEfl1TmXehyphenhyphenugnQkyYRXSAx4R84vjq09C4-v26HETL4z79Ge7O81RmsTALz7RTgEW9cH0hwgqzjM856GwE8X6K-lO8T62RVUcJ7ht-yM4F-dGyMqxnvqPjs/s1600/diamonds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5tErFkoR-1ZguP7shaYccHEfl1TmXehyphenhyphenugnQkyYRXSAx4R84vjq09C4-v26HETL4z79Ge7O81RmsTALz7RTgEW9cH0hwgqzjM856GwE8X6K-lO8T62RVUcJ7ht-yM4F-dGyMqxnvqPjs/s400/diamonds.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br />Um, yeah.<br /><br />If this was done by an experienced artist, I would likely not have posted it. Despite its obvious flaws, it is compelling, in my opinion, because Danny told me, like all his tattoos (15 or 16, he told me), this one was<br />self-inked. Now, I can see tattooing one's arm or leg, but I cannot even fathom how challenging it would be to self-tattoo your chest. He estimated this took one and a half hours to do.<br /><br />The message is "Diamonds Aren't Forever," or, in  Danny's words, "don't take what you have for granted".<br /><br />~~~<br /><br />So there you have it, a Spring Cleaning for Christmas.<br /><br />I do sincerely thank the individuals who shared their tattoos in this entry. Happy Holidays, y'all!

Christmas House Cleaning

Regular readers of Tattoosday will notice that, although I generally follow a chronological order when I share tattoos I have encountered. H...

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Jackie's Bouncing Lyrics

At the beginning of the week, I posted Jackie's <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2010/10/jackies-vintage-postcard.html">beautiful tattoo</a> and didn't include some work on her wrists that I also photographed:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Px611GdCR0w34gdz_18JUF7LTLyTVfdNosnl0FEqiDao7TxuBmBS0etcyWPrqZHdaoD2TJm-xvOVnFUyRIF0sqlvUiE7I3smbacynCcVYZD0DsAetyRKNqHG19S7v5k_GZCuYtG3/s1600/bouncing+souls+lyrics+wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Px611GdCR0w34gdz_18JUF7LTLyTVfdNosnl0FEqiDao7TxuBmBS0etcyWPrqZHdaoD2TJm-xvOVnFUyRIF0sqlvUiE7I3smbacynCcVYZD0DsAetyRKNqHG19S7v5k_GZCuYtG3/s400/bouncing+souls+lyrics+wm.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />These lyrics, "What are dreams for anyway/without the guts to live your life that way," are from the song "Highway Kings" by <a href="http://www.bouncingsouls.com/">The Bouncing Souls</a>, from their 2003 album <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anchors_Aweigh_%28album%29">Anchors Aweigh</a>.<br /><br /><object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/79PlE7rAHqA?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/79PlE7rAHqA?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br />Thanks to Jackie for sharing her tattoos with us here on Tattoosday!

Jackie's Bouncing Lyrics

At the beginning of the week, I posted Jackie's beautiful tattoo and didn't include some work on her wrists that I also photographe...

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Sandra's Cherry Blossoms

I met Sandra at the local laundromat at the end of August and she shared this lovely tattoo on her upper right arm: <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUDnmiRyNHVZ1ZER-EZYgpP8XTUjDTEL4UmH0L_SCMxFdCVeaec8ahiE7mUIjIwzdWfD5hXtjAAwAgMbRddIr42mKyrsnLN_SVcqBXpvTGbvS0SBgSwpQ8_X_BxrkkgvjS5v_PN8qN/s1600/Jiminy+Cherry+Blossom+collage+wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="376" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUDnmiRyNHVZ1ZER-EZYgpP8XTUjDTEL4UmH0L_SCMxFdCVeaec8ahiE7mUIjIwzdWfD5hXtjAAwAgMbRddIr42mKyrsnLN_SVcqBXpvTGbvS0SBgSwpQ8_X_BxrkkgvjS5v_PN8qN/s400/Jiminy+Cherry+Blossom+collage+wm.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />There are two elements to this design, the cherry blossoms and the quote. The cherry blossoms were inked after her father was initially diagnosed with cancer. The quote was added when Sandra decided to move to New York from Oregon.<br /><br />Reading "When your heart is in your dream, no request is too extreme...", this quote is from the film <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinocchio_%281940_film%29">Pinocchio</a>, in the song "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/When_You_Wish_Upon_a_Star">When You Wish Upon a Star</a>".<br /><br />The tattoo was done by <a href="http://www.myspace.com/4833400">Dragon</a> at <a href="http://www.myspace.com/12091597">Star Tattoo</a>, in Portland, Oregon.<br /><br />Thanks to Sandra for sharing her lovely tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!<br /><br /><br />Here's a little bonus:<br /><br /><object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/4cHsPCAZlP4?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/4cHsPCAZlP4?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>

Sandra's Cherry Blossoms

I met Sandra at the local laundromat at the end of August and she shared this lovely tattoo on her upper right arm: There are two elements t...

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