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There’s something to be said for subtlety.  A lot of times we focus on the big picture, bright bold images of drastic modification.  Don’t get me wrong, I love those images as much as the next person, but sometimes I like to see an image that is subdued.

Looking at this image from Altered Designs you may not even notice any modifications.  I know I didn’t.  I took me almost a full minute to see the anchors on her back for corseting.  Once I saw them of course, I couldn’t miss them again.  The photo, and the piercing job, combined to make this image both about the modification, and not at all about it.  Just because this woman doesn’t have the most noticeable mods we’ve ever seen on ModBlog, it doesn’t detract at all from quality of the image.

You see, as much as I love seeing modifications that can best be described as being on a large scale, a nuanced image like this can really remind me that modifications aren’t just about getting the biggest and best.  They’re about altering your body to the way you want.  I’m not going to go on about that point, as I covered it yesterday, but you can see in this image a person whose mods are visible, yet they blend in with her.  They have become an extension of who she is, and we can look past the superficial trappings of modern expectations towards modifications, and see her for who she is:  A woman who just happens to have mods as part of who she is.

Personally I had a moment a few years ago when someone asked me a question about one of my tattoos.  For a moment I was puzzled at the question.  Not about the question itself, but the fact that I had completely forgot that the tattoo wasn’t always there.  I have had it so long, it is just my skin to me.  My mod has become just a natural extension of of my self, to the point that I can’t remember what it was like before then.  So when faced with a question about it, I blanked simply because it seemed odd to me that someone would ask me a question about something that to me had felt like it was always there.

Have you had a moment like that?  The first time you realized that your mods have become a permanent extension of yourself and you forgot that they were even there?

So picture this:  You’re sitting at home, thinking to yourself, “Self, I think I want to save some animals today”.  Now you’re stuck because it’s not like you can just run outside and physically protect an endangered animal, especially if the animal is one of those cute fuzzy ones that can rip your throat out in a heartbeat.  So what can you possibly do?

Well, donating money is definitely a great way to help out, and heck, for most donations you get a tax write-off.  So you should probably do that.  But what if that doesn’t satisfy you?  There must be something you can do that wouldn’t take you to a far away country living in the wilderness.

Well what about getting a tattoo?  I’m sure one or two ModBlog readers have some of those.  Actually I’d hope so, or else all the tattoo pictures I’ve posted are going to waste.

Back to the helping animals thing.  It turns out two separate organizations on opposite sides of the globe have found a way to turn getting a tattoo into something that can help the planet.

First, there’s TATZOO, an eco-contest that promises free tattoos in exchange for help protecting endangered species! Fifteen finalists were selected on Aug. 5 based on their ideas for raising awareness about the leatherback turtle, California condor, or other endangered species local to the Bay area. Those tattoo-loving finalists now need to engage at least 100 people with their idea — for which they’ll be rewarded with a free tattoo of their endangered species, inked by locally famous tattoo artists.

And farther away in Melbourne, a three-day tattoo convention called Rites of Passage Festival calls all tattoo-loving environmentalists to enjoy art and music along with environmental education (via The Green Life). According to the website, the festival will showcase eco-friendly tattoo supplies — and raise funds for rain forests

In the case of the Rites of Passage Festival (not to be confused with the lovely boys and girls in the suspension crew), 100% of their proceeds go towards the charity.  So if you happen to be in or around Melbourne at the end of January, head on over.  You never know, you could save a spider monkey from being run over by clear cutting operation.

Personally, I’ve donated money to a couple of charities over the years.  I know the WWF has a program where you can buy a stuffed animal with the money going to save the real version of the animal.  I hope George “The Animal” Steele got the money ok.  That green tongue of his won’t change color on its own.  Do any of you have a favorite charity you help out when you can?  Is there a reason why you chose that one in particular?

I’ve been where you are now and I know just how you feel. It’s entirely natural that there should beat in the breast of every one of you a hope and desire that some day you can use the skill you have acquired here.

Suppress it! You don’t know the horrible aspects of war. I’ve been through two wars and I know. I’ve seen cities and homes in ashes. I’ve seen thousands of men lying on the ground, their dead faces looking up at the skies. I tell you, war is Hell!

–William Tecumseh Sherman

Before I begin this post, I want to take a moment to address some criticisms that may occur in the comment section.  The following post is not meant as a political statement in any way.  Nor is it an endorsement of any armed conflict.  This is about those people who choose to do what they believe in, regardless of the thoughts of others.

I don’t think in any period of documented history that there has been a time where the entire globe was at peace.  Wars have been waged since the dawn of mankind, and will probably continue on long after everyone reading this is gone.  While the reason wars occur vary widely, there is one constant in every conflict: the soldiers.  The men and women who are either forced into service, born and raised in it, or volunteer for it, all have one thing in common.  These men and women all put their lives on the line for a greater cause.  Granted we have the luxury of looking back on the past and are able to place our own judgement on the validity of the causes, but in the moment, these people took a stand when ordered.

I realize that ModBlog has a global audience, but for the time being I’m going to be focusing on the US soldiers currently stationed in Afghanistan.  These brave soldiers have chosen to put their lives on the line for their country.  Whether you believe that the war is justified, or should be stopped entirely, for the time being, these people are out there facing death each day.  I know there are a lot of members (former and active) of the armed forces that read ModBlog, and hopefully some will be willing to share their stories with us.  The reason I say this is because TIME Magazine recently did a photo essay on a number of troops stationed in Afghanistan.  The one thing these men have in common is their love of tattoos.  I hesitate to claim they love other mods, simply because I’m positive military regulations prevent them from possessing certain modifications such as piercings, and there’s no way to ascertain their personal feelings regarding modifications.  That said, these men are on the front lines every day, and the shadow of death is constantly overhead.  Here’s how some of them cope with their feelings about the situation they’re in.

Sergeant Paul Williams, 20

During a recent embed with Marines in Marjah, Afghanistan, photographer Mauricio Lima asked the men to share the stories behind their tattoos. Williams’ back features two bulldogs, animals frequently used to represent “Devil Dogs,” a nickname commonly applied to the Marines. The words on his shoulders are from the Dire Straits song “Brothers in Arms.”

Like I said earlier, no matter your personal feelings towards the current conflict in Afghanistan, there are men and women out there choosing to put their lives at risk for what they believe in, and for their friends and family back home.  So take a moment to think about these soldiers, the people, who are standing up and living their lives how they want to.  The way I see it, these soldiers are not only modifying their bodies to be who they want to be, but they’ve taken things a step further than a lot of other people who modify themselves; they have completely transformed their bodies and minds to become their own ideal.  The way I see it, even if you don’t agree with the war, these soldiers are brave in not only standing up for what they believe in, but also for taking extreme steps to modify their minds and bodies.

I would think not. I am sure modblog readers, as well as the readers of many other blogs as well as viewers of the George Lopez show remember Jesse from the recent media circus surrounding his arrest.

However, this is modblog, so focus on the body mods for a bit.

It’s no wonder he’s smiling, look how absolutely amazingly the “Trojan War Helmet” ECU (electro cautery unit) branding has healed up. The scalp is NOT an easy spot to get to scar, trust me I have tried. Yet these brands by Steve Haworth just look astonishing and really add a new dimension to his already impressive collection of body mods.

I realized as I was writing this that I’ve been talking a lot about the process of being modified.  The way I see it though, the process is just as significant, and possibly even more so, than the final product.  Heck, sometimes the process IS the final product as is the case with some of the harder mods.  We’ve all gotten the questions from non-modified people, “did it hurt?”, “how long did it take?”, etc.  So while people may admire the finished product, they always gravitate to the process.

We all have our own little rituals as well.  Be it through meditation, conversation, aftercare procedures, and so on.  Part of the experience is the ability to relive these moments that can seem so fleeting when looked back upon.  I know that when I look back on some of my longer tattoo sessions, it doesn’t seem like I was there for over 6 hours;  I can remember everything that happened before during and after, but for some reason time has become condensed.  Which may be the reason a lot of modified people continue to be modified.  That rush of endorphins that comes when the needle or blade breaks the skin can’t be recreated through memory alone.

Last week I talked about the moment right before an event.  Those few precious seconds of anticipation where your mind goes into overdrive with anticipation.  Today it’s all about the time between the before and after.  The experience.  If you’ve read some of the stories in story section of BMEzine.com you’ll see that a good deal of them center around both the before and after, but all of them talk about the “during”.  It’s as if your vision of yourself enters into limbo.  You’ve prepared yourself however you see fit, and now everything is changing.  At the end of the process you will have changed, but while it is going on, you are no longer your former self, nor are you the person at the end of the transformation, you are a completely separate entity that can only exist in the time before and after.  This transitional period can mean everything to a person.  I hate to use the butterfly metaphor, but it is aptly appropriate.  You are essentially the cocoon (not the Steve Guttenberg film).  This transformational state that is neither the caterpillar or the butterfly.  Not to say that when you’ve finished getting your mod you become something radically different, although that is the case with some mods, but you have changed your body in a way that you controlled.

Control is definitely another part of the changing process.  The very act of modifying your body is an act of control over who you are as an individual.  The time spent in the process is basically you seizing control of yourself and making your vision of you become reality.  This applies not only to long tattoo sessions, but also to piercings and other modifications.  In the case of a piercing, the moment can be very brief, but you still go through the exact same transitional state that everyone else does.  Of course everyone’s experience is different, so I can’t state that everyone goes through the same thought process, but to everyone there is something that goes through your mind in those seconds, minutes, or hours.

So ModBlog, what goes through your mind during your modifications?  Do you experience the same thing each time, or is every time unique?

While your ponder your answer to that, take a look at these images from Miss September.  I’ll put the after image after the read more button so you can use your imagination to fill in the process between the before and after.

And now the finished product..

So let’s hear it.  What happens to you during the process?

There’s something inherently beautiful about a greyscale tattoo.  Especially one as well done as this lion that Metalmegan uploaded, which was done by Kyzer from Mainstreet Tattoo in Ohio.

The shading, particularly around the mouth is incredible.

I think part of the appeal of a well done portrait/greyscale tattoo, is the ability to really capture the essence of the subject matter.  It’s often possible to see a portrait done that appears to have been done with charcoal, and not a needle.  Obviously in the close-up of the middle image you can see the stippling from the needle, but in the image on the right they’ve disappeared as it healed.

Now we’ve all seen those bad tattoo blogs where there’s the image of a portrait side by side with a picture of the subject and they look nothing alike, or worse, they look like the subject only made ugly.  Thankfully this isn’t the case here.  It does make me wonder though, what would happen if I got a portrait done, and it turned out horrible.  As is the case with a tattoo like this, it really is in the hands of the artists to bring the image to life.  It’s one thing to look at the stencil in the mirror and see it look like a perfect outline of the picture, but it all depends on the artist to really bring it to life.  The shading and detail work are the things that really matter, and by the looks of the image, it’s something Kyzer has managed to pull off.

If you head over to the nature and wildlife galleries you can take a look at the full sized image, to get a closer look at some of the finer details.

The August edition of Vogue Italia has a spread featuring models Ranya Mordanova and Naty Chabanenko with a little faux-body art--created by Kabuki--and as the fashion blogs say, "It's edgy!" [I vote for banishing that word from any tattoo... Marisa Kakoulas DiMattia http://www.needlesandsins.com/marisa.html

IAM:somekindarobot is no stranger to working with his hand. A quick look at his page will show you some of the works he has sculpted out of clay as well as his works in other mediums (bonus points for the C’thulhu image).  So when he decided to get the alchemical symbol for clay tattooed on his chest, it seemed only logical to have it done by hand (tapping).

Somekindarobot is no stranger to blackwork, as evidenced by his arm, and it’s always fun to watch a hand tapping session.

There’s something very primal about the entire experience, possibly from the use of the tools, or just the technique itself.  Which is part of the reason this image drew me in.  As anyone who has worked with clay knows, the entire process of creation involves sculpting something out of a lump of what can best be described as mud.  It’s a raw material, and no matter how modern things have come along in the sculpting world, it’s a process that goes back to the stone ages.  To craft something from nothing with your hands, to turn a lump of clay into something practical or beautiful, or both.  So here we have an artist, who works with one of the oldest mediums known, getting an ancient symbol tattooed on his chest by one of the oldest tattoo techniques.  Regardless if you love heavy blackwork or not, you have to appreciate the the utter primitiveness that is evoked by the linking of the artist and the art.

There are a few more pictures of the session up in the “other” tattoo galleries.  That’s where you’ll find images of tattoos done by hand, using a variety of techniques.

I think what I’m taking away most from this image ties to the anonymous quote I used in the headline.  This is an artist who not only molds clay, but also his own body, in the way he wants.

I just got back, late last night, from a week long family beach trip. I planned to skip out on Modblog today, and instead, focus on healing my sunburn, my sore muscles and my hangover. However, after I got home, I realized a monumental birthday passed while I was gone, the 80th birthday of the “father of the Modern Primitive movement”, Fakir Musafar.

To, me Fakir will always be an inspiration. The fact he has dedicated his life to body modification for longer than I have been alive and that he is still actively involved in body modification, deserves respect from anyone involved in this community. He, more than any other individual brought attention to piercings, scarification, suspension, corsetry and countless other forms of body art and body play. If it were not for him, I don’t know where we (as the bod mod community) would be today, or if most of us would even be a part of this community at all.

There is not much more I can say about Fakir that hasn’t been said in the book Modern Primitives, The DVD Dances Sacred and Profane, his personal website, or Allen’s write up on hooklife.org. So I suggest anyone not fully versed in the life of Fakir Musafar start in those places.  However, for the countless friends and fans of him and/or of his work who didn’t get a chance to wish him a happy birthday on his actual birthday, feel free to so do in the comments here.

“It is very good to recite the mantra Om mani padme hum, but while you are doing it, you should be thinking on its meaning, for the meaning of the six syllables is great and vast… The first, Om [...] symbolizes the practitioner’s impure body, speech, and mind; it also symbolizes the pure exalted body, speech, and mind of a Buddha[...]”

“The path is indicated by the next four syllables. Mani, meaning jewel, symbolizes the factors of method: (the) altruistic intention to become enlightened, compassion, and love.[...]”

“The two syllables, padme, meaning lotus, symbolize wisdom[...]”

“Purity must be achieved by an indivisible unity of method and wisdom, symbolized by the final syllable hum, which indicates indivisibility[...]”

“Thus the six syllables, om mani padme hum, mean that in dependence on the practice of a path which is an indivisible union of method and wisdom, you can transform your impure body, speech, and mind into the pure exalted body, speech, and mind of a Buddha[...]”

– H.H. Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama, “Om Mani Padme Hum”

Spirituality and modifications have been linked together since the beginning of documented history.  Be it through rites of passage, or devotional modifications, the concept of altering ones body to attain a higher form of spirituality isn’t new.  As times changed, practices faded into obscurity, to the point where some are no longer even practiced at all.  Thankfully the modification community has arisen to resurrect these forgotten rituals.  Today these modifications are performed all over the world, and many for different reasons other than the original intentions.  The practices are also much safer, as we have learned how to adapt them to the modern equipment that we have available.  That isn’t to say that these rituals aren’t being performed in traditional ways as well, as they are very much alive and well all over.

One of unique abilities we have living when we do now, is that we have access to the knowledge from cultures and civilizations from around the globe.  We can now blend together practices that possibly would never have encountered each other historically.   Go to any Suscon and you’ll see any number of people sporting modifications from multiple cultures, while being suspended from hooks, another ritual that has carried on to modern times.

So where does that leave us now?  Simply put, in a great place.  We have this knowledge that has been amassed for centuries and are able to apply it to ourselves as we see fit.  So while centuries ago a culture would expect its people to all have facial tattoos, and another would incorporate large lip plates, now a person can have both without even being part of the original culture.  We have the freedom to do with our bodies as we see fit, for whatever reason we determine.  Which brings me to the following photo from our cutting gallery.

Johnkid created this image of a lotus with the om mani padme hum mantra.  While this may not be the first such scar featured on ModBlog, it is worthwhile to note that as a form of meditation, Buddhists will spend time carving mantras into stone or other objects.  What the recipient as done is taken two aspects of of their beliefs and merged them into something for themselves.

Do you have any modifications that have a spiritual connection to yourself?  Or is the process of getting modified a way for you to get in touch with some deeper meaning in your life?

I’ll admit I started today on a bit of a downer, thankfully Kajika came through with a picture that cheered me right up.

There’s something infectious about a genuine smile.  As adults we often get lost in the shuffle of our daily lives to sit back and just enjoy a moment of happiness.  To wash away the pressures of work, bills, and relationships, and just relax and smile.  Find something, anything, to just be happy about.   Now I’m not saying this is easy to do.  Hell, most days it’s a chore to get out of bed for some of us, but take a minute and try today.

Heck, just looking at this picture brightens my day.  Smiles can be extremely infectious.  Ask anyone who has spent any time around an infant lately.  The second that baby smiles the room can light right up.  I was at dinner with some friends last week and one of my friends brought his daughter.  Now while we were all enjoying ourselves, catching up with each other, this little girl was just enjoying her crayons.  Nobody really took notice of her until she saw my arm and decided that if someone else had drawn on it, why couldn’t she?  The grin she gave while drawing on me was huge.  As I looked around, I could see everyone at the table slowly notice what was happening and one by one, they all started grinning from ear to ear.  All because this little girl was having the time of her life drawing on her uncle Rob’s hand.

So, I’m going to try an experiment.  Take a look at Kajika’s picture, and let me know, did she make you smile?

In case you wondering, the piercing she’s sporting on her lip is a horizontal lip piercing.

Oh and you can thank me later for getting that song stuck in your head.

So here we are.  It’s the middle of August, and you can start to feel the summer fading away.  Sure we’ve got a few weeks of sun and fun left, but then fall will be upon us.  School is starting up again, patios won’t be open, and the days will start getting noticeably shorter.  Now don’t get me wrong, I love the fall.  It’s easily my favorite time of year, but the end of summer always make me sit back and contemplate those warm summer days and nights.

Maybe I just have a case of the Mondays.  Actually, no, I think I’m just overtired.  C’mon, there’s still a few weeks left, I still have time to go camping, sit out on the patio with friends, maybe make the trek down to the Canadian National Exhibition to get some Tiny Tom doughnuts.  Lots of things to do.  So who cares that it’s monday?  I sure don’t.

Then again, if you are feeling kind of blue because of the end of the weekend, maybe you can sympathize with this guy..

InkEverything uploaded this image last week along with a large collection of portrait tattoos.  Some of them are really fantastic, so if you’ve got some time to spare this morning head on over and check them out.

Hypothetically speaking, if I were to be suffering from a Blue Monday, what would be a good way to get myself out of the funk?

The wonderful Vince Hemingson of The Vanishing Tattoo sent me this new Yahoo ad that features photo-shopped custom work on a petite coquette who really loves social networking. And flowy scarves.Vince sent the ad around to a bunch of... Marisa Kakoulas DiMattia http://www.needlesandsins.com/marisa.html

As you probably guessed by looking at the big banner to your right, Tattoo Hollywood is happening next weekend (Aug 20-22).

Well, I opened up my inbox this morning and to my surprise I was given a sneak peek at some of the prizes being given out for the “Best of Day” tattoos.  Now I was sworn to secrecy about the prizes, and I think there was some sort of non-disclosure agreement in there, but I skimmed over that part to get to the pics.

Now from what I understand, each day will have it’s own “Best of Day” contest, in addition to all the other contests happening.  The winners of the “Best of Day” will each get a prize.  The tattoo artist will get custom built machine from Lucky Supply, while the recipient of the artwork will walk away with a shiny trophy.

Now I haven’t had a chance to see the trophies, but the e-mail that I was supposed to keep private happened to have some pictures of the tattoo machines.  The question I’m now faced with is: Do I share the pics with ModBlog readers and jeopardize my job, or do I keep the pics hidden and have the ModBlog readers hate me for making a post talking about something, and not showing it.

Well seeing as how there are more of you, you guys win.  Just don’t tell anyone I posted these.  I don’t want to get in trouble.

So, if you’re in or around Los Angeles next weekend, definitely head on over to The Grand Ballroom at the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel to check out the show.  You could walk away with some cool swag.  And who doesn’t like free swag?

Can someone do me a favor?  Please explain to me how cupcakes became so insanely popular in the modded community.

I don’t get it, which probably has to do with me not really ever eating them.  Now don’t get me wrong, it’s not that I dislike them, I just have never really ate anything sweet.  But what I lack in the eating of cupcakes, I more than make up for in the baking of them.  I’m the go-to guy for most of my friends when they need something baked up, which oftentimes is a batch of cupcakes.

Now I know you’re probably expecting an awesome image of a tattooed cupcake, but did you really think I would go for something so obvious?  C’mon, when I put the icing on a post do I ever just slap on some pre-made Betty Crocker crap?

The devil’s food cake is in the details.  At first glance you probably just assumed this was a simple skull and crossbones tattoo.  Well look deep into those eye sockets and you’ll see where the buttercream filling is.

L8ness uploaded this image yesterday and it definitely shows how the little details, like the right color sprinkles, can make a project stand out.

Now I’m sure those who are cupcakely inclined have a few recipes to share.  Or at least someone can explain the popularity, which I’m guessing probably has to do with the taste.  Maybe I should do some kind of ModBlog contest where the winner gets a batch of cupcakes made by me.  Do you think anyone would even enter it?

“Look at a day when you are supremely satisfied at the end. It’s not a day when you lounge around doing nothing; it’s when you’ve had everything to do, and you’ve done it.”
-Margaret Thatcher

John Joyce uploaded a couple of images from what I can assume to be a recent cutting that he did.  What caught my eye wasn’t the scar itself (although it does look great), but it’s the look on the woman’s face when she’s staring down at the finished product.

I’m sure most of us have been in this situation before, when you’ve sat down for a procedure, be it tattoos, scars, piercings, etc, and after the artist is finished you finally get a look at the culmination of goal.  That feeling of satisfaction that what you had imagined in your head was finally realized on your body.  You can tell in the image that she is very happy with John’s work.  Whatever the story may be behind the piece, you can see in her face the satisfaction.

The last time I felt that way was pretty recently.  I had the final sitting on my most recent piece, just some touchups really, but I got off the table, stood up, and looked at my arm.  There’s the moment you feel where you have a wave of relief wash over you, at the same time a moment of sadness hits as well.  You’re elated the work is done, but also sad that this shared experience you had with the artist is finally at the end.  It may be that feeling that drives so many of us to continue to be modified.  The sense of control over our bodies, and the ability to share something so personal with someone that you may barely know.  A bond that forms that you will never forget.

So while John will move on to his next client, the time spent with this woman will be forever etched into his mind.  As for the recipient, she has something not only etched into her mind, but also her body.

There are days I really love writing for ModBlog.  This is one of those days.  The reason today?  Well, I’ll let the picture speak for me.

I woke up this morning to find this image, and MANY more like it uploaded by Vincent Hocquet from Beautiful Freak Tattoo in Belgium.

I know I posted an image of a geometric blackwork tattoo last week, but to have a flood of images like this hit the galleries isn’t something that happens every day.  One of the key features of these photos is they’re all obviously professionally done.  The images are crisp and clean, and really make the tattoos pop.

As for the tattoos themselves, the mixture of isometric designs combined with the natural elements (flowers, wings, etc) really works well in these pieces.  I’m reminded of one of my high school science classes where the teacher spent an entire class showing how math and nature are tied together.  Fibonacci sequences are present in animals and plants, complex geometric designs can be seen in micro-organisms, and I won’t even get started on crystal growth patterns.

It’s one of those things that really make you think about the world at large.  Did we as humans come up with these mathematical equations, then discover them in nature later on, or as a collective species, do we have some form of primal ties to the natural world, and came up with math based on a collective shared knowledge passed down through DNA.  So while flowers and animals have these equations hard coded into their DNA, and therefore evolved into the structures that we see today, do we as humans take a different approach to this same ingrained knowledge and express it through our math and science.

I suppose we’ll never really know for certain, but it is something to ponder while you’re procrastinating in your last few hours of work before the weekend.

Simple.  Propose to her when you’ve got a hold of the rope connected to the big metal hook in her chest.

When IAM: Trinket’s boyfriend proposed to her, that’s exactly what he did.

As the story goes, Trinket decided it would be a fun afternoon to take her boyfriend to Hangman Suspension’s 3rd annual Twisted Cedars event.  Little did she know that when she was in the middle of a pull, her boyfriend had planned some fun of his own.  As you can see by the picture, he made sure that there was no way for her to run away when he dropped to his knees to propose.

Luckily for him, Trinket said yes, and they now have a moment they can “hang” on to for all time.  The image below shows the exact moment he proposed, “suspended” in time for everyone to see.  (I apologize for my horrible use of puns.  I don’t know what’s with me today.)

I’m sure this isn’t the first time this happened.  How did you propose/get proposed to?  Or even better, how would you propose to your significant other?  And I don’t subscribe to the school of thought that says the guy HAS to be the one to propose, so ladies, how would you do the deed?

This genius video, created by Josh Anzano using xtranormal.com, is funnier every. single. time. And if you've ever spent time in a supply shop, it's even funnier. And if you've ever worked in a supply shop, it's quite possible you've... Patrick Sullivan http://www.needlesandsins.com/patrick_sullivan.html

A couple of events are coming up in the next couple of weeks that you may want to check out.

First up, this weekend is the 15th annual South Florida Tattoo Festival.  While I can’t vouch for the quality of their website the Sun Sentinel did a great summary of the event if you wanted to check it out.

It’s that time of year again, when the inked, pierced and earlobe-plugged gather to show off their bodily canvases. More than 30 tattoo artists will appear at this event, which will feature burlesque-suspension and fetish shows and appearances by Black Sabbath’s Vinny Appice, Iron Maiden’s Nicko McBrain, ex-WWE champs Titan and the Nasty Boys, and the Broward County Derby Girls. Proceeds will benefit the Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital. On Sunday, check out the Hot Rod Car Show from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. It costs $25 to register a ride the day of the show.

Location: Deerfield Beach Hilton, 100 Fairway Drive Time: Noon-1 a.m. Friday-Saturday; noon-7 p.m. Sunday Cost: $15 per day or $30 for a three-day pass Contact: 954-343-5585 or Sofltattooexpo.com

Honestly, I’d be willing to drive down there just to see Knobbs and Saggs duke it out with some locals.   Plus they’re giving their proceeds to a kids hospital, so you’d be able to help out some kids and have a fun weekend.

Now while you may not be in the Florida area this weekend, in a couple of weeks SuspenDC is having their get-together Sunday September 19th.

SuspenDC is a flesh hook piercing and suspension event. You can get to feel what it’s like to have temporary hook piercings. You can suspend from the piercings. You can watch or support others in their experience. Piercings are done by professional piercers and suspensions are rigged and performed by experienced suspension teams.  hough the event is scheduled to run about 8 hours, space is limited for the number of flyers. If you are going to get hooked, be on time to the event to make sure you can reserve a time slot to be pierced/suspended.

Now I know that the term “hanging out” can be a little vague.  So here’s an image of Iamdan showing you exactly the right way to hang out.