Future tattoos

I have a long list of tattoos I want to get, always have, always will. This list has been forever changing as I get older, my tastes change and I mature. Some of the images have a personal meaning or history behind it. Others are just aesthetically appealing, traditional tattoos. I've always loved researching tattoos and discovering the true meaning. I did a lot of research on the tradition, story and history of my koi fish before I got the piece done. The same is true with these images (well most of them anyway).

When I left Hayman Island, my best friend from the island gave me rosary beads he bought in Thailand as a token of his friendship. Hayman was a great piece of my life and I've decided I'm going to get the rosary tattooed on me (as if I was wearing it) to represent the friendships I made and the time I spent in that place. I wore that rosary all the time until the clip at the back was broken (which I have yet to get fixed), and this way I will always be wearing it.

I got the idea of the Melbourne skyline from an episode of Miami Ink (however the person was getting the Chicago skyline i believe). Initially I was going to get it on my left pectoral over my heart, however I think I might go bigger and turn it into a back piece. I'm still up in the air on this piece and I need to find the perfect place to get a photo of the skyline that includes everything in it. This tattoo wont be done for a few years to allow Melbourne City expand and change.

I want to get a bonsai tree on my left calf to represent my dad. He loves growing bonsai trees and has even made his own Japanese garden in the back yard, with quite a large waterfall (that he made himself) as the focal point. For sometime now I've wanted to get a tattoo representing my mother and father.

And for my mother I want to get a robin. Mainly because of her name. But I want the tattoo to look more like a traditional swallow (below) rather then the picture of the robin above. I'm not exactly sure where I am gong to put this tattoo just yet. I quite possibly will incorporate into my left sleeve.

My 'nautical' star is a little different compared to most nautical stars you see. Mainly because I want to get a 7 point star (like on the Australian flag) rather then a 5 point star. There are a number of stories behind the origin of the nautical star. One recalls the sailor's reliance on celestial navigation. However another story behind the nautical star is people getting them to ensure a safe return home from travels, which is why I want to get one. My plan is to get it on the top of my left shoulder just before i head overseas at the end of the year.

I've wanted to get a rose purely because its aesthetically pleasing. The flower is complex and intricate with many layers and looks so beautiful when it's done right. I want to get it on my left elbow. I'm not 100% sure if I'm going to go black/grey or full colour. It will depend on which artist i get to do it as well.

The Candy Skull and Hannya Mask are two traditional tattoos that I really like and have wanted for some time. I'm thinking of getting them on the top of my feet, but this is extremely undecided at the moment.

I don't know what it is about this tattoo, but as soon as I saw it I fell in love with it. I'd have to change it slightly (because no one wants a tattoo identical to someone else), but I defiantly want it. Same position as well, which leaves with the conundrum of do I wait (like I said I would when it came to tattoo below the elbow), change the location, or fuck it all and just get it on my wrist.

Swine Flu

All inked up

I love tattoos and have for some time now. The culture, history, rebellion, art and the addiction all appeal to me. I love the process of getting a new one; deciding what you want and the story behind it, researching art, artists, studios etc. Collaborating with the artist and and seeing his take on the idea. Booking in (which you have to do these days for a good artist) and the feeling of anticipation and excitement. To finally getting the work done and feeling the satisfaction and relief once the session is finished. Not to mention all the attention you get from people wanting to see your new piece of body art.

I got my first tattoo when I was 17 during the middle of my yr 12 exams (probably not the smartest idea). It is the southern cross with a scroll through it stating 'Made In Australia'. It took just over an hour and is your typical 17 year olds tattoo. It is located on my left scapula. It's well designed (drawn by my friend James Erdman) and I did put a lot of thought into before I got the tattoo. At the time I hadn't seen anything similar (these days every man and his dog has a southern cross tattoo of some sort). I don't regret this tattoo at all. I still love how it shows my patriotism and my lighter side as well. It does need a touch up, and I plan on getting the stars filled in. But it's not exactly high priority on the tattoo list. Back then I had no idea about the different quality of artists, I was more worried about getting a tattoo while I was still 17. I have no idea who the artist was, I have tried to find out a few times but have failed. It looks like the man who popped my ink cherry will forever remain anonymous as the shop has changed management and artist since then and I believe it may have even closed.

My second tattoo came when I was 18/19. It is a tribal piece on the inside of my left arm. Now tribal was the big thing at the time, and there is no real meaning behind it apart from it looking cool. I did some studio research this time and asked around about good places to go. I initially called the studio in Eltham (which I had heard the best things about) but they were booked out for the day. But I wanted the tattoo that day, my friend had told me about a place on St Georges which he went to, so I called up and the guy who answered informed me if I came in now I could get my piece done straight away, problem was I called Eternal Instinct in Thronbury, but went to Advanced Art in Fitzroy, I failed to take note of the suburb or name when I called up and just went to the tattoo place I'd seen on St Georges Rd. I didn't really pick on as to why they were busy when I walked in, or the blank look on the guys face when I said I called up before, it was because I was in the wrong bloody studio. That aside I still ended up getting the tattoo, even if I was in the wrong place and had to sit around and wait for an hour or so. It around 90 minutes to do. I still like this tattoo, I also drew more to extend it to fill the inside of my arm, however I have moved on from the tribal wave and will leave it the size it is. Hopefully I can incorporate it with the tattoos I will be getting on that arm. The colouring was not perfect on the tattoo and could probably do with a touch up, but once again it is not high on the list (especially considering it's location). No idea what the name of the artist is, although I believe he still works there so I could find out if I chose.

My last piece is a Japanese themed half sleeve, it was started around 2 years ago. It features koi fish on the outside of my right arm and a blue lotus flower on the inside, with cherry blossoms scattered throughout. So far I have had 4 sittings accumulating to around 16 hrs of work. I still need at least one more sitting to finish it off, but that was put on the back burner when I flew off to Queensland to travel. I love this tattoo. The story behind the koi fish really appeals to me, and the artwork itself is beautiful. This tattoo was done by Craig Duece at Eternal Instinct on St Georges Rd (yes the place I thought I was going to for my second tattoo). I went in and spoke to Craig about what I wanted and he drew the whole thing from scratch. It is a completely original piece and that's what I love about it, I also love how Craig has put his own influences in it. It's not a 100% traditional piece, it has modern aspects to it and I think that is one of the things that make it so appealing. The colours are extremely vibrant and

really pop and I constantly get compliments about the piece.

I plan on extending this piece to a full sleeve, but not until I'm set in a career that i know I can get away with it. The last thing I want is for my tattoos to stop me from getting the job I want.

I will do a post about the future tattoos I want in the upcoming days.

Tip of the day

New Zealand is less then a month away

Initially (as you can tell by the description on my profile) I started this as a travel blog. But soon after I started the blog my traveling came to a sudden stop and I ended up back in Melbourne. Instead of keeping this an exclusive 'travel' blog I decided it would just be my 'life' blog and would not fall exclusively under one category or genre. However in less then a month I shall be taking off to NZ (even if it is only for a week) for my friends 21st. Which means I can get back to some travel writing!
I'm not yet all that excited about NZ, and the main reason is the almighty dollar, or the lack there of in my possession. Work is quiet and my new/old place of employment is still taking forever to get me back in. So what I am currently earning is just covering my bills. Which leaves nothing for the savings.
The less money I have, the less activities I can do while I'm there. Not only that but I booked the flights from Brisbane (as I presumed I would be living on the Sunshine Coast) so I sill need to book flights to Brisbane, and I also need to change to the later flight to NZ on that day, so I'm on the same flight as my friend going over, and to make it easier to get a flight arriving at Brisbane in time for my flight to NZ (without arriving 12hrs prior).
But again I can't do any of this until I have the spare money. With less then a month to go I really need to find some extra work to get the funds up. But it will all work out. It always does. Worst situation is that I wont get to do all the things on my list while I'm over there. But that will just mean I have to return when I have more funds. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing now is it?

In a side note I've been super slack with reading and commenting on blogs. I promise to get back on top of it. Eventually ;)

Ex

In this case cross out 'here' and replace with 'reading this'

Blaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh

I'm feeling less then average at the moment to say the least. My runny nose marathon from yesterday has carried over to today, it has also decided to bring along it's friends: sore throat and dry cough. The three combined leaves me feeling awful and wanting to do nothing but watch TV in bed. Plus the drugs don't seem to be working, I've almost used up a box of tissues over the last 24hrs!

Anyway enough of the self pity, I'm going to post some pictures as there is nothing on TV. Enjoy.

Beer

No one believes me when I use this as an excuse.

Carnage

This morning I was woken up by gale force winds. The willow in our front yard was taking a beating, and then with no warning it gave up. The trunk goes up into a fork about half way up, well it used to before this morning. The force of the wind was so strong it snapped clean off, taking out the pergola above the BBQ in the process.

The damage was pretty bad to the pergola as you can see, the van took a cheap shot and was left with a small dint, and the power cable was ripped clean out of the house. But thank God no one was hurt. I believe it's all getting cleaned up tomorrow. No idea what's going to happen to the pergola though.

Ever felt like this?

Boxed in...

They are on the way!

For those of you that know me, and those who have read from the start, my boxes are on the way!!!! I'm so excited, it will be like Christmas, except I will be getting my own crap back!

For those of you who are naive, when I was fired from Hayman, my mate told me to pack what I didn't immediately need into boxes and he would post them to me. Now after 4 months (not to mention him coming on holiday to Melbourne during that time) he has finally sent my stuff. Some things I'm getting back are: two pairs of jeans, work shoes, basketball shoes, my suit (I hope, I have a feeling he might forget about that one since he's been wearing it!), cables for my ipod and camera, numerous books (mainly hospitality related) and my group certificates so I can FINALLY do my tax, and get my stimulus package from Rudd!

dinner

I cooked dinner last night, and was feeling a little creative. So I searched some web pages and finally came across some recipes that caught me eye. They were extremely simple and tasted so good I thought I would share the recipes with you. I found them on http://allrecipes.com.au/

Cheesy tomato chicken breast
Ingredients
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast fillets
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 pinch salt
1 pinch freshly ground black pepper
2 ripe tomatoes, sliced
250g gouda cheese, cut into 10 slices
2 avocados - peeled, stone removed and sliced

Preparation method
Preheat oven to 180 C.
Heat oil in frying pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until almost cooked. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Place chicken in a shallow baking dish and top each piece with 1 - 2 slices of tomato and 2 - 3 slices of cheese. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until cheese melts. Remove from oven, add 2 to 3 slices of avocado on top of each chicken piece and serve immediately.

Stuffed Tomato
Ingredients
90g (1/2 cup) white rice
4 large firm tomatoes
1 green capsicum, chopped
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
small handful finely minced fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon olive oil

Preparation method
Preheat oven to 200 C.
In a small saucepan over high heat, bring water to the boil. Stir in rice, cover and remove from heat. Let stand covered 5 minutes or until water is absorbed. Fluff with fork.
Slice off the top of each tomato and scoop out the pulp, leaving a shell. Reserve 3 tablespoons of pulp and invert the tomatoes to drain.
Chop tomato pulp and put in a medium bowl. Combine with rice, green capsicum, onion, parsley, salt, garlic and olive oil; mix well. Spoon filling into tomato shells.
Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes.



I then served the chicken and stuffed tomato with a simple salad. Overall it took me less then an hour to prepare and cook the meal, and it was fantastic!

Hayman Island Part II?

Two nights ago I received a call from my old manager on Hayman Island. He asked me to come back and work for him again.

WHAT THE FUCK?!

Honestly this was the last thing I was expecting. As my dismissal was changed to a resignation on the books, it entitles me to return after three months. Four months has almost passed since I left the Island.

This leaves me with a huge decision to make. Do I go back or do I stick to my plans. Now my plans are by no way locked in (apart from NZ in May). But going back to the Island will change the whole dynamic of what I am hoping to do.

I loved living on Hayman and the island life. But at least 80% of my friends have moved on. So obviously I wouldn't be going back for reunite with my friends. I was in the process of becoming supervisor, however I believe someone has filled that role since I have left. So it would be very hard for me to go back for anything less then supervisor, my AM even told me not to except any positions lower then supervisor when I left the island. And I have been told that I will be doing HDs (supervisor) after a few months of returning back to Crown.

Now my manager told me he was going to check with HR yesterday, to make sure I was eligible to return and then give me a call. Yet I have not heard from him. There are a number of possibilities as of why he has not called yet: he could have totally written himself off after he called me and forgot all about the conversation (although my AM was there as well so he should have reminded him).

He never got around to checking with HR/calling me back. Or,

HR has on my record that I was dismissed and I am not eligible to return any time soon, which makes calling me back a low priority.

In any case I have been considering the options, and if the possibility of becoming supervisor is on the cards (I've heard the current sup might be leaving soon) then I think I might take the opportunity. I really did want to finish off at that place on my own terms, plus this will give me the opportunity to win the Outstanding Achiever Award I was robbed of!

But I'm not going to get my hopes up or make any decisions until I get the call back and know exactly what my options are.

I found the picture on http://www.ffffound.com/ and it is exactly how I am approaching life at the moment.

I gotta get me one of these

It's been a running joke between my friends since high school, always buying the inappropriate cards for birthdays and the such. I bought a 'So now your 2' card for a 21st and masterfully added a 1 to it. She didn't even notice until i pointed it out. Although I have a feeling it was the intoxication level over my artistic skills.

This stamp would make me the envy of all my friends.... Or maybe not

Funk

I'm in a slight funk at the moment. Haven't been given any shifts this week from the agency, and now I find out I'm going to have to wait up to two more weeks for my police check to be completed before I can start back at my old job. And when it comes to writing I have nothing blog worthy to bring forth. Well actually I have written a few things on my lap top, but I'm not sure if I'm going to add them yet.

To keep the cash flowing (and the bank off my back) I have become and Air Guitar Salesman. Below are some of the Air Guitars I am selling. Fell free to email me if you are interested in purchasing one.

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