Our anniversary present to ourselves: saving our backs. We did that by hiring a landscape crew to do our yard cleanup for us. Some of the best money we’ve spent! Here’s the proof…
Side by side comparisons of before/after the cleanup… sadly, it isn’t quite as dramatic in the pictures as it is in person:
Now all we need to do is maintain it… shouldn’t be too hard, right? RIGHT?
(as couched in the verdict levied today in the Casey Anthony trial)
Here is the problem with the media being so intertwined with our justice system… After watching the Casey Anthony case, the public at large now thinks they have the right to judge and and lay down a guilty verdict upon her, regardless of the court proceedings, and regardless of how the jury came to their verdict.
While the media filters ‘facts’ through their ratings tinted lenses, we all seem to have forgotten that 12 jurors had to deliberate, vote, and lay their determination based on the proceedings and facts presented. Is it so difficult to believe that perhaps the media has skewed our perception of what may really have happened? Do we all really think we know better because we saw a 30 second spot on TV or read a 3 paragraph news article? I’d love to hold the media as greatly responsible for the deep distrust society has for our system, but really, I can only blame our own arrogance; our own belief that we know better because we have a little knowledge.
I know I wasn’t on the jury; I have no place to lay blame or judgment. I, for one, can only identify 12 people who DO have that capability and responsibility. The rest of us get to trust that their decision was more well informed and thoughtful than ours ever could be with only the media to influence our perception of the case.
The media has served to thoroughly break our trust in the system time and time again by providing tidbits of information disguised as fact. And, once broken, that trust is near to impossible to regain… even once we realize that cherry-picked facts never provide the whole story; that our condemnation of the accused may have been misguided by poor journalism standards and partial truths.
Jean and I headed up to Seattle on Saturday to run around the city with Meg, Craig, and four of their five kids: Tim, Dustin, Vicky, and Steven. The six of them had just returned from an Alaskan cruise and were killing two days until their flight home to Tennessee. While we see Craig nearly monthly because of his work, and saw Meg last when she and Craig visited last fall, we hadn’t seen the kids since late 2006 (possibly early 2007) so you can imagine what a change was seen in these now-teenagers.
We had a great time with them all as we ran through the EMP (Experience Music Project) museum, not so much fun in Pikes Place, and then a good time just running around the city working up an appetite for dinner before Jean and I had to head home. It was such a pleasure to be able to joke around with them all, as if not a day had passed (if you could ignore the fact that they all tower over me. Heck I think even Vicky is taller than me now, ok maybe not, but she’s getting close!).
The EMP museum was an interesting place. Jean referenced it on Twitter as being a requiem to punk, and her youth. I’d have to agree. When punk ‘artifacts’ make their way to museum exhibits, the movement is truly dead. Long live punk! Luckily there were also some cool basses squirreled away in the guitar room..
(That last picture is Craig laying down some vocals in the EMP’s sound lab. Pretty cool place to explore different instruments in a pseudo recording studio environment.)
There was also a SciFi exhibit in the same building, highlighting the Battlestar Galactica series (new and old), as well as an Avatar exhibit. Not being a fan of Scifi, most of that was lost on me, though my best photograph of the day (nearly unmodified from the camera) came from the BSG exhibit:
I’m nowhere near what anyone would call a fan of BSG, but I DID have one of these in action figure size when I was a kid. The nostalgia alone was cool enough for me; add in the dramatic lighting and I was sold on this shot.
All in all, a great weekend. The best part though: getting to hang out with Dustin, Tim, Steven, and Vicky again. I mean, it was great seeing Meg and Craig too, of course… it’d just been so long since we’d seen the kids, I couldn’t get over how much they’ve grown, and I don’t just mean physically. I adore those kids… and am overjoyed to see them growing into amazing adults.
And no pictures to post this time either. For shame. While I could go on about how work has monopolized my energies these past few weeks, that is only a partial truth. All be told, my muse just isn’t here right now. But I am hopeful. There is light on the horizon.
Whiskies of the World is upon us! Next week I’ll be in flight to my yearly pilgrimage to San Francisco to attend the annual Whiskies of the World expo and sample some of the new drams coming out of my favourite distilleries, as well as learn some more about craft distilling this year in one of the additional classes being presented. I’ve not yet decided if I want to bring my new camera along, as I’m not sure I want that extra concern in the environment, though it would help me document each of the drams I taste and take notes on. We’ll see. I expect a lengthy report to come of this year, just as years past, so look forward to another chapter of “The Gospels according to Seamus” to hit the 3DC website in the week or two after the grand tasting.
I have other things I need to get done as well, like finish my hand crank phone conversion and blog about it, but that’s stalled out for the time being while other priorities take precedence. I also have grand plans to write more, which will hopefully come to fruition as spring descends upon us. I’m fully engulfed by the motorcycle road trip itch again, so likely that will lend to some fun travel blogs as well in the coming months. Just gotta figure out where to go 
I actually completed this nearly two weeks ago, but it took me a bit to test, take pictures, and get around to posting them.
Specs: 1960′s era Telephone Operator’s headset. Dual prong 1/8″ RCA plug. Modified to run a Plantronics CT-12 wireless phone and Firefly headset system (with the glowing ‘in-use’ microphone tip).
From the photos, you’ll see I completely re-wired the internals of the headset. I used the Plantronics Firefly headset internals to swap into the operator’s headset, removing the original wiring, mic, and earphone. This left a great deal of space to work with in the ear piece, and surprisingly even more in the mic section. I used an extra foam earpiece as a backing inside the operator’s headset to hold the much smaller speaker in the center of the earpiece. The mic section is wide open and internals are visible through the perforated clear plastic covering, allowing for the red “in-use” LED indicator to be visible.
Once I learned how to wield a soldering iron, making a wiring swap was fairly easy for this project as it was essentially just shoe-horning the Firefly headset internals into the much larger operator’s headset. I retained the wired plug at the end to connect into the CT-12 wireless keypad so I have access to dial/talk/release functionality anywhere in the house. Next up is to find a solution to hide the base-station and antennae. I’m thinking a simple but nice cherry/oak box will hide it with class.
Of course, now I need to focus in on my 1930′s hand-crank office phone. That one is going to be a bit more of a challenge to retain as much functionality as possible and still make it a usable (and by usable I mean with dialing functionality) for daily office use. To that end I have obtained an older slimline Samsung push-button wired phone from the late 80′s early 90′s which I should be able to shoe-horn into the base of the 1930′s crank. Should be very cool if I can make it work!
Dad (Howard O’Donnell for those who don’t know) just sent me an email noting that he was recently interviewed by a blogger. Here’s the direct link:
http://budplant.blogspot.com/2010/09/new-interview-and-biography-of-bud.html
It is short and to the point (much like this post), but really paints dad as part of the early in-crowd in the comics industry. Very cool!
… and I still don’t know what I am doing next week. Starting to feel under the gun to decide now. Realizing that being social is likely not something that I can control at this point, but rather just something that will come from getting on my bike and looking for an adventure.
I’ll be honest, the prospect of a multi-day ride scares me. My sense of safety is really challenged when thinking about riding without a partner or at least a known entity at the end of the day. Solo rides are inherently more dangerous for a multitude of reasons, but the main one being for the mere fact that you are alone. I won’t dwell on that any more than what needed to be said.
So, as of now, who knows where I’ll end up…. and who knows how I’ll get there. All I know is that over the next week I will meet more people face to face than i have over the past 3 years. I may have to leave the state to do that or I may not leave any further than day-long round trips in state. Who knows. The important part here, after all, is just to get OUT. And out, my friends, is exactly what I intend to get.
One in a possible series; The following presumes you already have an idea of what you want, and can verbalize it with some decent level of clarity. An example drawing is even better, as artists love visual aids Rather, what I intend to impart upon you here is how to take that next step from deciding you want a tattoo, and have an idea for a design, into the space of actually seeking out someone to ink it for you…
First and foremost: talk to your friends who have tattoos you like. Ask where they got theirs, and who did them. More often than not they will have recommendations for you. And really, recommendations are worth their weight in gold. (My recommendation: Wendi Ramirez, who is now in Austin, Tx. as owner of Dovetail Tattoo… or Eli Falconette at Adorn Body Art, Beaverton, Or.)
Like anything you commit a large sum of money or any permanence to, you will want to do your research. www.bmezine.com is a great single resource for a lot of articles on (and photos of) tattoos, as well as key tips for sanitation and what to look for in a shop on their Tattoo FAQ wiki: http://wiki.bmezine.com/index.php/Tattoo_FAQ
Doing your research now will pay off in the long run and help you understand what to look for in an artist and a shop.
Failing any local friends/artists, start on the internet and do some searches for prevalent and established shops within your comfortable travel distance. Check out the online portfolios of some of the local artists and make a list of a few whose art you like. In general, I’d recommend finding someone who has some portfolio pieces of the quality you want in the style you are also looking for. (As an aside I don’t take my own advice here, typically I look for quality of work over the actual content. I chose one of my favourite artists based on a particular piece, a blackwork leafless tree, because the skill to do that work would translate well to the piece I wanted her to do for me. I didn’t want the same content, I wanted someone who could provide the same quality, and her portfolio proved to me she had the chops, even though nothing resembled the style I wanted.) If the artist does high quality American traditional work, well, bets are that they will provide you with the same high quality work if you want that same style; asking someone to go outside their normal artistic style may not prove to be as fruitful.
Before doing anything at this point, do not expect to get a tattoo the day you walk into the shop. Expect to schedule an appointment for a later date with the artist you choose. While most shops do handle walkins, you will likely get whichever artist is available, not necessarily the one you choose. And you want to choose! Be prepared to schedule as far as a month or two out, or as quickly as later that week, or next week.
Once you have found a few shops and artists you’d like to visit, do just that: go to the shops. Literally shop around. Take a look at as many shops as you can stand, and thumb through all the portfolios each shop has on their artists. If the artist is around and available to talk, speak with them. Tell them what you are looking for, where you want it, how big, and keep an open mind if they have ideas to change the piece a bit to make it work better. While you are talking with them, tune in to how they treat you, and what questions they are asking… and be sure to ask some good questions yourself to get a sense of their craft and the shop they work in. Following are some of my initial questions I find useful:
There are really no wrong answers to the above (aside from the obvious medical safety items like autoclaving and glove usage, etc.), but rather these types of questions are intended to give you a starting point for a better idea about the artist’s skills and establish a comfort level with the artist; to stimulate the discussion, if you will, so you can feel your way around the artist and make sure you are comfortable with them. The more shops you visit and artists you talk to, the more likely you will find the artist who is right for you.
Now, while you CAN and should ask about pricing, I’d highly recommend not making that your first or main question, as when it comes to tattooing the primary focus should be in finding the right artist first, not necessarily the lowest price. After all, this will be something you carry with you the rest of your life, do you really want the task of inking it to go to the lowest bidder?
When it comes to pricing, from my experience, most artists worth anything charge around $85 to $150 / hour for their work on custom pieces. Of course some may be more, or some less costly; it is up to you to decide where the balance is in terms of quality/comfort/and cost for you. Some may quote you a set price per piece depending on the size and amount of work involved. So be prepared to deal in hourly rate or price per piece. Some pieces may take more than one sitting, so be prepared for that as well, and know how your artist will charge for multiple sittings etc. Being clear up front will help avoid misunderstandings later.
I’ll leave you with this: Taking the time to research before you commit to getting inked will help ensure your happiness after you get your first tattoo… and your second… and your third… and so on.
A friend of mine tweeted earlier today about a conversation she had regarding the concept of love, and how it is being a bit twisted by the Twilight novels… specifically she’d noted that a friend intimated that “it’s really unselfish love, he’s controlling because he’s concerned for her”. This not only disturbed her, but me as well. She summed up her frustration as: “So, a guy treats girlfriend like a child, or a possession, & young girls are reading this and thinking it’s romance?!?!”
Now, tell me; how as a human being is this ever an appropriate lesson or example to be teaching to -any- person regardless of age, race, orientation, or gender? *
While I realize that my personal views may not always be 100% correct, or right for everyone, but shouldn’t we be teaching and exemplifying good and healthy relationships? When the divorce rate in the US is so high, and domestic abuse is a common theme in our judicial system (for the minority of cases which are actually reported…) HOW, I ask you, can we condone books and movies which romanticize dangerous relationships? If the lessons provided in these media shine above all else, how can we ever change the culture to nurture healthy successful relationships? How can we teach and ensure the lessons are heard: that we all deserve to be treated as humans, each one of us worthy of love, and not as possessions to be controlled and manipulated for others’ selfish desires? Does this all really just boil down to more responsible marketing? Or is there more to it?
Aside from any sort of government control (which I will state for the record I am very opposed to), are we destined to simply play Sisyphus and continue pushing this boulder up the hill, only for it to roll back down upon us time and time again? Or is it indeed possible to make headway with culture change and see some success in building solid healthy relationships?
How can we change culture when healthy living is drama free and uninteresting to society’s school of mass-media? I am hopeful that there may be some good discussion in the comments to this post soon, as I am honestly stumped as to how we can effect any change against such popular items which simply reinforce the wrong message… Of course I am also open to discussion which disagrees with me, as I crave that other point of view to help convince me or further solidify my own position.
More importantly, how to we quell that which we find truly wrong, but still allow for revolutionary ideas and change to still mete its way through the culture and effect more change to better us all? Can we really drive what we believe is right and proper and see it take hold without resorting to tactics of controlling opponents’ right to disseminate their opinions?
Alas, the most important question of all…. can I HAVE any more question marks in this post??? (apparently the answer is yes!)
*It should be noted here that I am all for any kind of relationship that is healthy, regardless of what that actually entails. So long as it involves adults who act in a consensual and informed manner, I can bear no judgment. A relationship based on control and misinformation is not healthy, as at least one party involved is likely unaware of any other choices available.
It is true what they say; tattoos are addictive. Ever since my first ink back in February 1996, I’ve been constantly planning the next pieces I’ll get, always looking at least 3 designs in the future. Each design has shifted and changed as I have, up to the point where it is the perfect piece at the perfect time to have it set in ink. All my tattoos have been years in the making from concept to execution. And last night’s session at Adorn Body Art was no different.
For the past two year, I’d been contemplating a few concepts for more tattoos loosely based around how my life has changed since we left California and moved to Oregon. Part of that concept was realized in my Craftsman/Mission style number 13 house plague in black and gray on my upper inner forearm. For me, this was a great realization of the work Jean and I have done on our new home, as well as a celebration of 13 years of marriage (anniversary date is July 13th). But something about it left me wanting… it felt somehow incomplete, as if it needed more balance. So, I opted to add in another design I had been thinking about for the past two years: an Arts & Crafts stained glass design called the “Pasadena Rose”.
Both Jean and I fell in love with the design immediately after installing the two wall sconces which incorporate it in our living room. For me, the design connects the dots of our move from Southern California, to the “Rose City” of Portland. It also displays my love for the Arts&Crafts / Mission / Craftsman design movements which are popular in both SoCal and Portland.
Like all my tattoos, this one has a deeper connection and meaning for me than I can adequately convey in plain words. The best way I can describe it is this: tattoos for me are stamps on the steamer trunk of my body; they tell the tale of my life in iconic form.
In this latest case, it is the stained glass “Pasadena Rose” on my forearm:
Click the picture for the larger view
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Lastly, here is my Picasa gallery showing some of the tattoo work I’ve had done: http://picasaweb.google.com/acdntlpoet/Tattoos?feat=directlink
More work can be seen on the WaywardCelt gallery here: http://waywardcelt.com/coppermine/thumbnails.php?album=16
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