HELLO AND WELCOME BACK TO ANOTHER INSTALLMENT OF MY TATTOO RANTS. THIS WEEK THE STUDIO EMBARKS ON A 5 YEAR MARK OF BEING OPEN. THATS INSANE…BUT ITS THE BEST DECISION IVE MADE IN MY CAREER. LOOKING BACK ON SWITCHING STUDIO SPACES AND NAME CHANGES , I CANNOT RECOGNIZE THE PERSON I USE TO BE. NO CHILL, 12-15 HOURDAYS, I WAS FUCKIN NUTS. WELL.. I  STILL AM JUST A DIFFERENT KIND OF NUTS. ONE OF MY CRAZIEST MEMORIES OF OPENING GREYLOCK TATTOO WAS BEING 2 MONTHS IN AND SAYING TO MY WIFE “I WANNA CLOSE THE SHOP AND QUIT TATTOOING”. THINKING EVERYTHING WAS GONNA CHANGE OVER NIGHT, I WAS UNFULFILLED AND UNSATISFIED. IT TOOK A BIT FOR EVERYTHING TO COME INTO FRUITION AND COMFORTABLE. EVERY TATTOOER HAS GONE THROUGH THE PROCESS OF “WHAT IF I FUCKIN QUIT?” ” WHAT IF WE BLEW EVERYTHING UP?”. WEVE ALL DONE IT. IT DOESNT GET TALKED ABOUT ENOUGH. YOURE LYING TO YOURSELF IF YOU HAVENT. EVERYONE IN EVERY FIELD OF WORK HAS THOUGHT ABOUT IT.I THINK THAT QUESTION IS WHAT MAKES MOST OF US RESILIENT BEINGS. “WHAT IF WE FUCKIN BLEW EVERYTHING UP?” WOW.. SOME DO HAHA.  POWERING THROUGH ANXIETIES, SUFFERING, LIFE BULLSHIT, AND THE CHASE FOR PERFECTION (THAT DOES NOT EXIST) IS WHAT BUILDS CHARACTER IN ALL OF US. LIFE IS SUFFERING.ITS ALL ON YOU HOW YOU WANT TO DEAL WITH IT. ITS A VERY DAUNTING THING GOING ON YOUR OWN. NO ONE IS GONNA PICKUP YOUR SLACK BESIDES YOU!  BUT I WOULDNT HAVE IT ANY OTHER WAY. THATS WHAT KEEPS THIS LOCOMOTIVE GOING. WITH ALL THAT PSYCHO STUFF BEING SAID THANK YOU TO EVERYONE THATS MADE THE LAST 5 YEARS POSSIBLE. YOUVE GIVEN ME THE BEST 5 YEARS OF M LIFE. ESPECIALLY MY WIFE FOR TALKING ME OFF THE LEDGE ON THIS ROLLER COASTER RIDE.THANKS TO ALL MY CLIENTS PAST AND PRESENT FOR TRUSTING ME.  BIG THANKS TO TAT QUEEN LEINA SIOUX AND EVERYONE WHO HAS GUESTED FOR KEEPING ME INSPIRED, SANE, AND BEING EQUALLYNUTS AS ME. THIS IS STARTING TO SOUND LIKE A WEIRD MOTIVATIONAL/RETIREMENT SPEECH NOW. CANT WAIT TO HEAR WHAT THE YEAR 10 BLOG SOUNDS LIKE.HOPEFULLY THE SPY BALLOONS AND 10G DONT ZAP MY WET BRAIN BY THEN. UNTIL THEN THANKS FOR LOOKING. SORRY THERE ISNT MUCH TO LOOK AT. I WAS PLAGUED WITH SICKNESS FOR THE ENTIRE MONTH OF APRIL. MY BOOKS ARE ALWAYS OPEN AND ALWAYS TAKING MACHINE ORDERS. THANK YOU AND FOREVER GRATEFUL!!!