Two blocks in Santa Monica

2nd and Santa Monica. Freshly laid asphalt. Reminds me of something. I can't quite place it. Something happy. Maybe recess and jumprope at recess in elementary school. No I don't think that's it. But it still smells wonderful.


2nd between Santa Monica and Arizona. Just a hint of popcorn from the Laemmle theatre. Not stale or burnt. Fresh and buttery and yummy. Now it's gone.


2nd and Arizona. Strawberries. And herbs. And other green growing things. The Wednesday Farmer's Market.

Nike Run Hit Remix

Yesterday I ran the 5-mile Nike Run Hit Remix. There's nothing like seeing 14,000 people all in the same shirt running down the streets of downtown LA. Luckily I passed Young MC (Bust a Move), Vanilla Ice (Ice, Ice Baby) and Digital Underground (the Humpty Dance) just as they were playing their signature songs. It was so much fun. I passed Coolio between songs. It would have been fun to hear Fantastic Voyage.


What a great experience. It was a beautiful day. The course started at the Colisseum went down Figueroa past the Bob Hope Patriotic Hall, then down USC Fraternity/Sorority row, then through the tunnel (wheeeeee) into the Colisseum. The Fraternity/Sorority boys and girls were out front cheering, hollering and offering hits on a beer bong. I hammed it up for the event photographer, but he missed it and took a sucky photo. Oh well.

End of Summer

I went for a run at lunch last week. The air smelled of freshly cut grass and sweet allysium. It smelled like Summer. Freshly cut grass, sweet allysium, juniper heated by the sun. Mmmm. But it made me realize that Summer is coming to an end. School started yesterday and with it the extra 15 minutes of commute time due to the extra cars on the road. Only seven more weeks of daylight savings time left. I vow to not squander it.

Peacock 7

Last Tuesday I flew up to San Francisco to get started on the color work. Cicely had the idea to do each feather a different shade of turquoise to give it more of the stained glass effect. She worked on it for about two and a half hours before I had to jump back on the BART to the airport. I really like the way it turned out. It's almost done peeling. As soon as it is, I'll take and post a photo.
She plans to be is West Hollywood at a friend's shop in a few months, so I'll schedule an appointment to see her then. I can't afford to keep going to San Franciso, eager as I am to see it completed. I am really pleased with how it looks. Even Corey is really starting to like it. Good art can overcome stereotypes.

Peacock 6

My mother was at my house this weekend and caught a glimpse of the tattoo. I expected her to freak. My mother is quite religious and very conservative. I was prepared to give the "I'm 34 years old and it's my body" speech. But what did I hear from her? "Ooh, is that a tatoo? I like tattoos. Can I see it?" And when I showed it to her, she told me she thought it was very pretty. It was just another reminder that even people you know well, can surpise you. Which is good.

Peacock 5

The day finally came. Sweet Cicely lives and works in San Francisco, but came down the weekend of July 14 for the Body Arts Expo in Pomona. It was an interesting atmosphere to get my first tattoo. The roar of the crowd served as white noise and was actually rather soothing. People stopped by periodically to ask Cicely questions about her work or make comments (all good!) about how the peacock was progressing. It was great to chat and people watch. The outline took about 2.5 hours. It felt less like a needle and more like a gentle grinding below the skin. It was at times almost pleasant. What can I say? I like a little pain. It got a little intense on either side of my spine. When she got to the part on my derriere, my nerves starting acting up and my legs kept twitching. It happened whenver she removed the needle, thank goodness. With about 15 minutes of work left to do, I began to get lightheaded and had to take a break. At least I didn't hurl. I drank some water, ate a few grapes and then we finished the outline. The photo was taken right before we started.

It's been about 9 days and it's done peeling. I am ecstatic. It's gorgeous. I love the way it fits on my body. Now I have to call Sweet Cicely and make arrangements to start the color. She expects it to take about 2-3 visits. I'm going to start looking for cheap fares to San Francisco.

Peacock 4

On July 13, Sweet Cicely sent the draft. I am very happy with it, but had a few questions for her. They were:

1) Does the tail need to curve in a way that covers the feet? I love bird feet. It sounds weird, but I think their feet is the one area that shows they evolved from dinosaurs. Dinofeet. If you think it will make it look awkward to move the tail, let me know.

2) It doesn't quite have the art nouveau quality I was hoping for, but I love the style so I don't want to change it. But I was thinking we could add, either now or later, an art nouveau border - something to anchor it and give it more the feeling of a stained glass window. The border would be the window frame. What do you think? Do you think it will make it to busy? If you think it's too much to do now, that's cool, but I want to make sure the size is right so there is room to add the border later.

She responded right away. She added the feet and I am very happy now. We decided to discuss the border later.

Peacock 3

My husband and I have had several tense discussions over the last few days about this tattoo. Bottom line-he thinks tattoos are disgusting. I made all the arguments about why want a tattoo, and why I decided on a peacock. I like things that are positive and beautiful and empowering. I connected with the ideas a peacock is supposed to stand for-infinity or immortality, confidence and beauty, being egotistic or vain, prideful. (Not that I'm vain. At least I hope I'm not!) I think art is what separates us from the animals. Our creativity and our search for self expression and individuality is what makes us special. (I didn't make that up, I read it somewhere else).

His argument was that people will look at me and think I'm white trash. He also felt I was seeking an emotional response or cure through artwork-that if I have the need to feel more powerful, etc. these needs, and the solutions, come from within. He felt that I am seeking an outward solution that has a permanent consequence.

In part his arguments have merit. I agree that emotional needs and solutions come from within, but that there is nothing wrong with an external reminder. I asked him to think hard about what was at the root of his disgust. I went on to say that I hoped he could embrace things that make me happy, not belittle me because of them. He suggested I get something smaller. I declined. Something smaller would not have satisfied me. I already had my heart set on something large, and I didn't believe that it was the size of the piece bothering him. I invited him to come with me. Ultimately he accepted that I was getting a tattoo, but was upset at my failure to comprise.

Peacock 2

I had a dream last night that I was being pursued by some sort of mythical beast/monster. At one point she got close enough and shot me full of stick pins. Every inch of my skin was punctured by thousands of stick pins in neat symmetrical angled rows. Hmmmm....
The cool thing was that I could fly in my dream. Unfortunately so could my pursuer. The dream dictionary says this about chase dreams: "To dream that you are being chased, signifies that you are avoiding a situation that you do not think is conquerable. It is often a metaphor for some form of insecurity. In particular, to dream that you are chased by an animal, represents your own unexpressed and unacknowledged anger which is being projected onto that animal. Alternatively, you may be running away from a primal urge or fear.." But it says the following about flying dreams: "To dream that you are flying, signifies a sense of freedom where you had initially felt restricted and limited." Ambivalent? Nah!
I am still waiting for Sweet Cicely to contact me with the first draft of the peacock. I am so impatient.

Peacock

The time is getting close. On July 14th I will begin my peacock back piece. I have been trying to pinpoint the time I decided I wanted a large tattoo on my back. I have always thought tattoos to be incredibly sexy - well, the right tattoo on the right person anyway. I was never vehemently opposed to getting one. I just didn't know what I would want on me for the rest of my life. I think I decided the peacock when I saw a tattoo program on television. A&E maybe? One woman had a large beautiful bird on her back. I saw it and knew I wanted something similar. I have loved birds ever since my Maxwell, my Senegal parrot came into my life. Now that he's gone, this will be a way to remember him. Although he certainly wasn't a peacock and he is only part of the reason I decided on this. I like the symbolism of the peacock. I'll get into that another time. It's also beautiful. It will be like a piece of jewelry on my back - an art nouveau, stained glass peacock.
I have sent all my inpiration ideas to Sweet Cicely Daniher of Cyclops tattoo. She does the most beautiful color work! I met her at at the Ink Slinger's convention in April. I had decided on the piece I wanted a few months back, and was searching for the perfect artist. She seemed to know exactly what I was looking for before it left my mouth. She has my insiration pieces. She has a tracing of my back. Now I am waiting to see the draft of the design. I am so excited! Stay tuned.