Gong Xi Fa Ca

First off -- HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR!

It's the year of the Dragon, the water dragon to be more specific. I was born under the sign of the water dragon.

Water has a calming effect on the Dragon's fearless temperament. Water allows the Dragon to re-direct its enthusiasm, and makes him more perceptive of others. These Dragons are better equipped to take a step back to re-evaluate a situation because they understand the art of patience and do not desire the spotlight like other Dragons. Therefore, they make smart decisions and are able to see eye-to-eye with other people. However, their actions can go wrong if they do not research or if they do not finish one project before starting another.

[snip]

ARIES DRAGON
Aries Dragons tend to have good luck. With a passionate drive they fill their days to the brim with activity. They are upwardly mobile people so they usually get what they want.

This is a great site about Chinese astrology. Lot's of good information.

Happy New Year!

(A pix of one of my own dragon tattoo's, this one was done around 1989). Although one can see it as either being on my leg or my arm, it is actually on my left forearm, and I am taking the picture with my arm stretched upward.

It's Hockey Playoffs, And I Am At My Favorite Bar!

It was a good day today. First off, Santa's Elves has been offered a FREE warehouse and office, Yippee!!!!!

Second, I went to my regular watering hole. It's fun to be greeted like Norm at the Cheers bar, where everyone knows your name! (Laughing). The Rangers/Capitals game was on, and I eventually moved from my regular table to the bar where a New Yorker was watching the game on the bar TV. It was fun talking with him (he was in town on vacation with his wife, but he was at the bar because he was trying to find someplace to watch the "game.") We had fun exchanging hockey stories, but clearly, I was the dominant one with respect to knowledge of players and the game. Yeah, just in case some of you don't remember, I still have my two hockey player autograph tats on my left ankle! And you all know I am the sports pig, so I can talk about just anything sports, whether baseball, football, hockey, basketball, etc. I gave him advice as to where to go have dinner with his wife (the Grove/Farmer's Market) where there are plenty of regular and upscale places to eat. He actually went to a Kings playoff game and was surprised at how many empty seats there were (yeah, don't get me started on my Kings rant!), and he wanted to buy a Kings jersey but he felt the roughly $150 was a bit high. Shit, I've paid more for some of my jerseys ... but then I have paid less when I've ordered them from Canada. Anyway, the game went into overtime, and I had to leave because I needed to get home to watch my reality show, Survivor (ha ha). Caps won in overtime. I gave him my blog business card. Hope he checks it out, and if he and his wife come back again, I will most assuredly help him out with the "tour" of our gracious city!

Third, my regular bartender, who is always generous in her "pour" of my rum/cokes, and sometimes comps me with a drink, bought me a lotto ticket. I still haven't figured out how to check what numbers won ... I never play the lotto, but I did tell her if we won, it's a shared ticket! UPDATE: I got 3 of the 5 numbers and won $15 bucks LOL!

Then, of course, because I have all the tattoos, especially the hockey player autographs (Kelly Hrudey and Corey Millen) the next topic was tatts, so I gave information to one of the servers that was interested in getting a tatt regarding Greg at Sunset Strip Tattoo (who usually has a nine month waiting list, he's that good).

It was a fun night. I need more of those.

Cruising The Tattoo Convention

I took my grandson to the tattoo convention here in Los Angeles today. It wasn't like the old ones back in the 1980's and early 1990's, I have to admit. It was just a bunch of booths set up end to end selling overly expensive wares, and probably about a hundred artists doing tatts. I really was not all that impressed, but, given the fact that I have six tatts (four courtesy of the famous Greg James), and my daughter has two, I thought Zaire could use a little look at what tattooing is all about.

While walking around, I found this fun tattoo kit that uses eraseable ink, so I bought it for Zaire. His mother will probably have loads of fun putting on cool tatts -- and not those silly little "lick em and stick em" type usually available for kids.

Then we came across Victor de Los Angeles' booth, and he offered to draw a cool tatt, for free, on Zaire! Who could resist THAT?

Today, Zaire was the coolest kid on the block!

So, who inspired YOUR body art?

Ah, my inspiration! I have six tattoos, not a lot by some standards, but more than most. I decided to get art after Gunners came out. I was enamored by the artwork on Axel.

Definitely up there in my top five rock bands. And DEFINITELY the inspiration for my tattoos.
Props to Tracy and Roberta!
I'm glad I saw them perform live at the Los Angeles Coliseum.


This is probably my most favorite Gunner song.

HAPPY SAINT PATRICK'S DAY, AND MAY THE LUCK OF THE IRISH BE WITH YOU

The Irish in me comes out once a year on St. Patrick's day. Kelly is the surname of my maternal ancesters, and I remember always having dinner at Kelly's Steak House in the Long Beach area, with my family.

I never got into the "green" beer thing, but I will pinch you if you are not wearing the green! For me, since I got all my tattoos that have green in them, I never have to worry about getting pinched! As for the beer, my Irish roots lends itself more to the stout and darker beers rather than the pale ales that the non-Irish like to put green food coloring in!

I've always been into punk music, and these two bands have been my faves at St. Pat's day: Dropkick Murphys and Floggin Molly. Enjoy!





And, now for something more traditionally Irish.







Have a great day, and if you drink too much, call someone for a ride, please, or walk home! Don't drive.