I love tattoos. I don't have as many as I want, but I guess it's a process. Quite an expensive process too. For the last two or three years, I have thought about how I might go about training to tattoo myself. Not tattoo myself (although that is a part of the training), but to learn the art of tattooing. Back in November, I was offered an internship at Urban Ink in Toronto. I was very excited about the prospect, but the more I thought about it, the more I realised that it was unrealistic. I would have to give two full days a week to being at the shop, and it would still take me over a year to get anywhere close to tattooing people. With a baby on the way, that just wasn't going to happen.
Then Holy Spirit suggested something to me. What if I trained myself? I have spent a good deal of time now researching what I would have to do, and feel ready to start learning. I purchased a machine, pigment, power supply and footswitch, needles and tubes. I started by tattooing fruit, and then moved on to pigskin (quite close to human skin). I'm having a great time!
The next step was to experiment with different needle sizes and combinations. for this, I needed more supplies. Most of the websites that I found were very average - horribly designed, hard to navigate and usually based in the States. Then I found the Tat Shop. They're based in Mississauga, the site is excellent, and the couple that run it are awesome. I realise that most people reading this won't have a need to get tattoo supplies, but you can check the site out anyway. And if you do need anything, that's the place to go. Check them out here.
We're off to Wonderland in a little while, so I have to go get ready. I'll post pictures when I've practised more. Those who want a tattoo, give me a while to practice, then form a line...
I know I skipped a week of the announcements, but to be honest, there wasn't much to miss. Here's the announcements for the upcoming week. I learned an awful lot about some of the stuff I can do on Final Cut while I was doing these ones. Because I don't have easy access to cash for effects and stuff to add onto the program, I had to find ways of giving this a real old feel without paying for it. I Googled to my heart's content, and found loads of tutorials online. As well as giving me the finish that I wanted on this (adding the scratches, hairs and jitters), the tutorials showed me how to use similar techniques to get very different results that I'll be able to use in the future.
In other news, it's the long weekend this weekend. I got a bit confused about the date of it originally, because the Victoria Day weekend (as this is) is often known as the May Two Four, because of the date that it falls on. Except that it actually falls closer to the 18th. So this coming Monday is a day off. Nice to be caught off guard like that, and realise that you have a day off when you thought you didn't. I don't really plan to do an awful lot with it, except chill out with my wife and daughter. Hopefully the predicted rain of the weekend will be over by Monday.
Lots of weddings and stuff coming up this summer, so that's exciting too. I have a bachelor party on Saturday, and more to come after that. Lots of parties. Not all good ones though. Last night, we went to Jacob and Carolyn's place for a barbecue. It wasn't that the party itself sucked, but the reason for it. Our amazing friends are moving down to Raleigh, North Carolina. This is something that I've prepared myself for for some time. Ever since I met Jacob, our friendship is something that has been conducted over a distance. When I moved to Toronto, I realised that it was an amazing privilege to be able to live in the same city as my best friend, but that it was a privilege that probably wouldn't last long. I think that we both knew that Toronto was a temporary base for us, and that one of us would leave before too long. It's been a fantastic year or so, and I'm so glad that we had this time. I know that our friendship lasted with the Atlantic between us, so I'm sure it can handle a move to the States. Hey, we might even visit them...
And with that, I'm off. I have to go plan my long weekend.
Here's the video announcements for last week. I've been a little delayed in putting them on here, because I've been in England for the last week. You'll notice that the announcements are rather reminiscent of a BBC documentary. This is no mistake. I'd been very excited about coming here. I really really miss England. My family, my friends, the chocolate, fish and chips, beer, rubbish seaside towns... it's brilliant. We had the privilege of spending a week here, hanging out with all the people that we miss, and enjoying all the things we can't get in Canada. We went to Leeds one night, and hung out at Simon and Esther's place, where we were joined by about 40 friends we have not seen for months. We saw loads of people at my parents' house too. We did lots of shopping for clothes for Addie, and we ate fish and chips 3 times. We went to Whitby, and even enjoyed the first sunny bank holiday Monday in England since time began. Fantastic stuff.
We have loads to report on, but now isn't the time, because we leave for the airport in a few minutes. Once I've finished packing, we'll just have time for one last delicious English breakfast. Then it's back to all the things I miss about Canada. Ho hum. Such is life...
Tomorrow Adelaide will enjoy her very first trip on an airplane. She probably thinks it is just a big white toy from the outside. We are going to the UK for nine glorious days. This time we will not only be spending time with Mark's family, but we're having a party in Leeds and also getting the MASSIVE treat of seeing Maija and Pudd who will fly into Manchester and meet up with us for a few days.
Man, our little one is growing so fast and becoming more interactive everyday. She can suck her thumb, and sit up in a chair all on her own! She now has some likes: Shouting, watching bright cartoons, being held in a flying position like she is superman, splashing in the bath, and getting changed. Her favorite toys are these coloured rings and a big cow. She talks to the cow.
Last weekend she went to a birthday party for the first time- we had the pleasure of celebrating Judah's first birthday with the Smiths, and I think Addie is rather excited for her first birthday now... thankfully we have 9 more months to enjoy her being less-than-one!
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