Guide me home

Smashed out in one long session in Long Beach on another traveling tattoo artist before both of us hit the road again in a few days. So 'Guide me home' was really fitting for both of us. Traded for a food stamp card and bus tokens. Hopefully I'll get to add some background and finish up some things if we ever end up in the same place again. The top lantern smoke would eventually extend into a moon in the arm pit. Tons of fun + ouch.

 Pirates are a big part of Christmas in Hollywood (And can apparently walk more proper than a nutcracker)

My foggy memory/life

It hurts my head when I try to think of all the cities and towns I've stayed in over the past year. I couldn't tell you the names of even half of them, but I could tell you that "that one place" has a huge playground that's fun and comfortable to sleep at. Or I could tell you that "that next one" has some random giant pineapple tourist attraction. Or "that other one" has a sweet skate park that's lit up all night but there's a huge mosquito problem.

There's definitely more cities names I've forgotten than remembered. But you're pretty cool, LA.

I sat outside of Universal Studios at some store and drank a lot of iced coffee. Maybe some day I'll actually go in.

I am now tattooing at Hollywood Zebra, 6660 Hollywood Blvd. I tried to escape Hollywood and I made it exactly one block from where I was, still on the blvd.

At least there's always something interesting going on. This pretty much sums up my night - "Sorry, guy-covered-in-blood, I will not tattoo a teardrop on your face for $20 even if you say you'll pay me later". (Also if you could take your hand out of your pocket it would make me a lot more comfortable and a little less scared for my life)

Uncertainty

Every day my life scares me. I still can't decide whether that means I'm doing something very wrong or something very right.

I'm in LA now, tattooing at California Tattoos right along the Hollywood stars walk of fame. There are mirrors everywhere so when I'm not tattooing I do quick 10 minute sketches to remind myself of how I need to shave.

Mom

 My mother. She looks at me like I'm not covered in tattoos, and like I haven't caused her over 20 years worth of trouble and worry.