"With magic, mother fucker!!"

Went and saw "Your Highness" this weekend. It was every bit as stupid as it looked on the trailers. And I like me a movie that delivers what it promises on its trailer. Whatever that may be. I like that honesty. This delightful bit nonesense was American Pie meets Dungeons and Dragons and it was AWESOME. My favorite line in the whole movie happens when the handsome prince is about to marry his recently rescued from the tower virgin, and the evil warlock appears in the midst of the festivities and announces his intention to retake the bride to be. Seeing the warlock surrounded by guards and vastly outnumbered, the King asks, "And how do you intend to do that?" The warlock replies, "Magic, mother fucker." I straight stole that graphic from here. Okay, so there was NOTHING redeeming about this flick. I admit it. But I still really enjoyed it. It was fun and stupid. A complete pixie stick of a movie. Sometimes on a Friday night, that's just what you need.

A New Tattoo for a New Me

So Wednesday, February 9, was a very exciting day for me because I went and got a new tattoo from the same artist who did my last one, the cornucopia which you can view here: Cornucopia Tattoo  His name is John Cimperman and he used to be at Lynnwood Tattoo, then it became Colorbomb, then he moved on to Laughing Buddah on Capital Hill in Seattle.  I'm glad he's there now.  It seems like a much better place for him. 

So we got there about 5:00 p.m. The hubby went with me even though we'd had a discussion about how boring it was going to be for him at three hours of hearing the tattoo gun.  But he wanted to go and I was glad.  He got some good pics there too. 

This first one is the come to Jesus moment when that gun first rips into your skin - before the endorphins kick in to save you from the relentless onslaught of pain.  I found out AFTER we got started that these fatty side pieces are typically the most painful part!  Crap!  Now you tell me!

I couldn't sit in that chair like that for very long. Maybe about the first fifteen minutes of what worked out to be a nearly four hour tattoo. By the way, this sucker was custom drawn for my back by John. He's really an incredible artist who, if given his own head, will come out with some gorgeous stuff.

So, because my let was going to sleep, John went in and got a massage table for me to sit on. Since I didn't want to hang my legs over the side and have my knees cut off my circulation, I wound up sitting akimbo and bent way forward. You can see John working on my back putting the color in in the next couple of shots.

After I got the rush of endorphins, it was actually possible to focus on my homework. I had a long chapter to read as we were having a quiz on that material the very next evening. So, I got down to the business of reading.

It was tough to sit there that long in this position, and I know John was tired and ready to go home by the time he was finished, but he was proud of this piece as was (and am) I.

Isn't it beautiful? He does such great work.

And here we are...artist and canvas - both worn out and ready to go home.

Renewed Faith in the Goodness of Human Nature

Often it doesn't take much, especially this time of year, to warm the heart and make a person think that the world is not that bad a place afterall.  Such a thing happened to me today.

Over three years ago I had a business trip to Minneapolis in the dead of winter.  I stayed at the Radisson there and in the business suite, where I hung out in the mornings before heading to the office on the skyway, I met a concierge whom I liked and we hit it off.  At the time I was reading a Christopher Moore novel.  (Love me some Christopher Moore) and she enquired about it and I gave her some details.  A couple of days later, I saw her again and had finished the novel and wanted to share it with her.  It was a hard-back book so I thought I should probably indicate that I would like to have it returned, and did so by putting my name and address on the inside cover.  Well, my husband said that I was silly for "loaning" it to her and that I would never see it again.  After several months went by, I conceded that he was likely right and I would have to buy a replacement for the book so that I would not have a hole in my Christopher Moore collection. 

Well, today, out of the blue, I got a package in the mail from Minneapolis.  Not remembering having ordered anything from Minneapolis, I was puzzled, but it was clearly addressed to me so I opened it.  And there, lo and behold, was my Christopher Moore novel.  There was a nice postcard inside saying that she had run across the book and felt she had better return it.  Of course, the address I gave was my business address here and she also added that she hoped I was still employed here.  (Thankfully, and for many more reasons than the return of the book, I am).  She also related that she is no longer working at the Radisson and is currently unemployed and hoping for a better year in 2011.  I too hope she finds a job.  I was right when I loaned her the book - she's a nice gal.  ;)

So I think I have a book on my shelves at home that has strayed too far from its owner and which I've had for a lot of years.  I remember who it belongs to and think I will pay this forward and return it to its rightful owner.  Okay, now before you get all judgemental, it was loaned to me by a lady with whom I worked about a decade ago, and shortly after the loan, she left the employment of the company and I never heard from her again.  Granted, I did not make an effort to find her, and she did not include her address on the front inside cover - but I could have tried.  Believing that kindness merits and begets more kindness, I am inclined to do just that.  I'll let you know if I find her.

Attending a Captivate Class in Portland

Well, I attended my last class for the quarter at UW last night, and then when it was done, got in my car and headed south to Portland.  I'm attending a Captivate class at a training provider here.  The problem is that I didn't arrive in Portland until about 12:30 a.m., and I'm staying with a friend so we stayed up talking like a couple of magpies until about 1:30.  We're both just KNACKERED!  And computer training is always soooooo riveting anyway.  It's a friggin' challenge just to stay upright - nevermind actually learning anything! 

But it beats being at the office for a couple of days and this is something that I have been feeling like I need to do for a while.  I'm getting tired of dropping everything I'm doing at work to train someone on a software feature - so this ought to save me some time in the longrun.  But DAMN!  I'm tired today.  :)

It's almost Hallowed-Weenie!

Halloween is coming!  Woo hoo!  Another Halloween is upon us. At least I'm going to be home this year.  I didn't have time this year to crack out the Halloween decs because I have been uber-busy with school, but it's in my heart.  Near and dear.  I'm not sure what the husband and I are gonna be doing to celebrate frightfest 2010, but we're going to do something! 

So, right now, I'm going to do a little Blogger image reprise.  This is the "Halloween bed" in all it's glory.  Can't wait 'til 2011 when I do this again.

a classic Halloween card.  Gorgeous, huh?

I dont' think this candy was mine, but I liked how it looked.

Yours -truly in the pumpkin witch costume.  I can't believe this was two years ago now.

Happy Halloween, everyone.  Go out, do something fun, and dream the dark.  It's a great time of year.

Sick of People Being Sick Around Other People

What the hell is it with people that they feel completely compelled to show up in group settings like classrooms when they are coughing and sounding generally consumptive? I know this girl next to me has a home....she's nice looking, well groomed and apparently DYING. I suppose I wouldn't be as sensitive if I wasn't immune suppressed, but still.

Right now we are watching a film on the villification of Arabs in American films. It really is rather astonishing. But I just wanted to vent about the lunger sitting next to me. Caio!

Game On!

Well, we've been doing a little D&D play since PAX, and having a pretty good time. Last week on Tuesday went went over to check out our friend's game store, Wandering Havoc Games. It's in Marysville and I guess has been open for just over a year. I'm really getting into learning about D&D and playing some of the games. So far, I've been involved in three, and they've all been good. I didn't play any video games this weekend, but I didn't really miss it. I woke up really early on Saturday and did a tarot reading for a client downtown. It was a good reading but took quite a bit of time. All good though. the workmen were here at the house laying tile and working on the outside of the house as well. So I wasn't really missing anything. Kristopher got all nerved-out and had to take off for a while. After I got home from the reading, I just took a nap for a while because I knew we were going to have a late night of it.
And right now we just finished watching the season finale of TrueBlood and I must say that I was hella disappointed. It wasn't a very good season and it wasn't a very good finale. Maybe I'm just done with it for a while.

Well, I'm finishing off the weekend working on a webpage for a client. I can't get things to show up correctly in Mozilla Firefox. I guess that one is a little too big to not be concerned about, so I'm back at it.