GOOD BYE MY FRIEND, MY BROTHER HC

I was enjoying a day at the pool giving my youngest swim lessons when I received a phone call that no one ever wants, but will ultimately have to experience many in their lifetime.

An old friend had passed away and a family member had found him. I'm being vague out of respect for his family, but those who are in my circle knows him as a caring individual who never raised his voice, nor show any sort of inconsideration to his friends. I've known HC for 20 + years and never had bad words between us, which is rare for people who've known one another that long in this day and age. Although we weren't close, we had mutual respect for each other as people, as friends, as same members of the same fucked up fraternity. I could always count on him to roll up his sleeves to lend a hand when I needed him. We use to run the streets as kids for a short time, but built a lifetime of respect and memories. I can say he was a "Down ass Motherfucker!". Again, rare in this day and age.

My biggest regret is that I wasn't able to tattoo him before his passing. I've been struggling with this guilt for the last few days and don't really know how to shake it! HC had come to me about 2 years ago to get a tattoo to cover up some old gang tattoos he'd been carrying around for as long as I've known him. We all used to think they were so cool growing up, but real life happens as years roll by and for some of us, they were shameful reminders of our wasteful youth. At that time business was booming and my appointments were 6 -8 months out. None the less, I'd managed to squeeze HC in a little earlier and also said I would give him the usual homie deal, as he'd given me when I used to stop by his shop. When his appointment day neared, he'd cancelled. I don't know weather it was the money or time constraint, but I just brushed it off as I did with the usual cancellations. I knew he really wanted those "cover-ups" too. Looking back, I should have inquired a little bit more or put in a little more effort to working something out with him, but I was so wrapped up in my own hectic life to give a fuck.

Now he's gone and I feel like an ASSHOLE DOUCHE BAG!!!

I know tattooing him wouldn't have made a difference in his outcome, but at least I could have given him something more than friendship, he deserved better. Our paths crossed many times since his appointment with me and we were always cordial, but I'd rather our last fond memories of each other be more than trivial.

I don't know how or when I'll shake this guilt- or if I ever fully will, but it has made me reassess how I'm going to treat the people around me and value the ones in my circle a little more. I guess only time will tell. For now, I will mourn and remember HC as he was, a great friend, father, business man and one "Down ass Motherfucker!".

GOODBYE HC, I love you bro, I"ll tattoo you in heaven...I promise!



"HAHAHA SUCKAH!!!"

When my tattoo colleague Charles Ong (Bad Influence Tattoo) asked me to tattoo his neck, my response was "Are you sure bro, you know that means, don't you?". To that, he replied "Yeah man!!". For me, it was an honor to initiate him!
Those statements may not seem very significant to the laments, but to us tattoo artists, it means total dedication and FUCK corporate! The irony behind that is we both work under the Bad Influence Tattoo Inc. umbrella.
About 16 years ago when I first got into the tattoo industry, it was a proverbial bridge I had to cross as well. I immersed myself and dedicated my life and career to the art of tattooing. It signified "No turning back. No regrets!" motto that I carry over onto my every day life til this day. Even my momma hated my neck tattoo, til she saw it consisted of hers and my pops name. A small grin resided over her disapproving frown as she raised her head to look up to my neck and utter these words I'll never forget, "At least the writing is nice!". Geesh, thanks mom!
I Still remember all the shit that came with having a tattoo. The looks, the stares, the constant pre-judgements any room I entered. Ladies would clutch their purses ever so tight as I walk by them on the streets. Some go so far as to switch to opposite sides when they see me nearing. The fights I would get into because I thought some fools were "maddogin" me. It took me awhile to adjust to the newly added attention. Mind you these were the 90's, when anyone with a neck tattoo was either a tattoo artist or an ex-con. Since I have no colored tattoos, guess which profile I most resemble? I can't say I blame anyone for how they perceived me, but it took getting used to. Just another factor to overcome with such a commitment.
Some tattoo artists don't have neck tattoos, nothing wrong with that. For myself, it was just me telling myself "Failure is not an option!". I guess its my way of disciplining my will to put my best foot forward everyday. God has blessed my with the talent I possess and the ability to to provide for my family, for that, I am ever so thankful. There's not one day I can remember that I've regretted my neck tattoos or the path that I've chosen because of it. It's enable me to experience so much and meet so many people, good and bad, that have I have shared so many stories with. I love what I do and without sounding too mushy, I love how i make people feel after the get a tattoo from me (I know, conceded!).
Nowadays, athletes, musicians, and even the kid that bags your groceries have neck tattoos. But to tattoo artists, I think the meaning still holds true and the process still sacred and personal.
Bottom line is, be wise about getting a neck tattoo, it's not for everyone, you may hinder life's opportunities as well as make them.

PEACE AND TATTOOS!

“I’M NOT QUITTING SMOKING, COS I’M NOT A QUITTER!” AT LEAST THAT’S WHAT I USED TO SAY AS A JOKE TO HIDE MY TRUE DESIRES TO QUIT SUCH A NASTY, SMELLY, AND UNHEALTHY HABIT. DESIRING TO QUIT WAS SO MUCH HARDER THAN IT SOUNDS, IT’S MORE LIKE THE NEED TO QUIT, BUT DESIRING IT TO BE A CAKE WALK. NOT ONLY HAD I FAILED MISERABLY QUITING TWICE IN MY 23 YEARS OF SUPPORTING THE TOBACCO COMPANIES LAVISH LIFESTYLES, BUT I HAD ENDANGERED MY LUNGS BY FILLING IT WITH TAR AND NICOTINE FOR A SMALL FORTUNE DAILY. YOU REALLY DON’T HAVE TO BE A GENIUS TO KNOW THAT EACH PUFF OF SMOKE PUTS YOU AT HIGHER RISK OF DEVELOPING SOME TYPE OF LUNG DISEASE IN YOUR LIFE TIME, OR THAT MILLIONS HAVE EITHER DIED OR ARE SUFFERING FROM SOME KIND OF SMOKING RELATED ILLNESSES.

THERE WAS NOTHING ANYONE CAN TELL ME OR ANY TV ADS CAN CONCUR THAT WOULD MAKE IT ANY EASIER FOR ME TO QUIT. IT WAS SOMETHING I HAD TO DO FOR MYSELF AND AS HOAKIE AS IT MAY SEEM, FOR MY KIDS! I DIDN’T WANT TO BE THE “SIDELINE” DAD OR GRANDPA THAT WAS CONSTRICTED TO AN OXYGEN TANK OR HAS SHORTNESS OF BREATH FROM JUST THROWING A BALL AROUND. I WANTED TO QUIT SMOKING OUT OF CHOICE, NOT BECAUSE SOME DOCTOR IS TELLING ME I HAD TO QUIT, IF I WANTED TO SAVE MY OTHER LUNG. NOT TO MENTIONED, I WAS SPENDING ABOUT $200 A MONTH ON CIGARETTES. YOU WOULDN’T PAY SOMEONE TO COME TO YOUR HOUSE EVERY MORNING AND PUT A LITTLE CARCINOGENIC IN YOUR COFFEE WOULD YOU? (DON’T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON CAFFEINE, WHICH I’M STILL TOTALLY ADDICTED TO!). IT’S PURE LOGIC AND WILL VERSUS INSTANT GRATIFICATION AND TEMPTATION. LOGIC WILL PREVAIL WITH LOGIC. IN THAT, TO DEFEAT ONES SELF, ONE MUST OUT WIT ONES SELF. IT TOOK ME A FEW WEEKS TO DEVISE A STRATEGY TO RID MYSELF OF THIS UGLY STINKING, MONKEY ON MY BACK, AND I AIN’T TALKING ABOUT MY EX-GIRLFRIEND NEITHER. I’LL TELL YOU HOW IN MY NEXT BLOG…. HAHAHAHA JUST KIDDING!

I CALL MY PLAN OF ATTACK THE “FIVE MINUTES BATTLE” OFFENSIVE.

THE FIRST STEP WAS TO DECIDE ON AN ABSOLUTE DEADLINE ON WHEN TO QUIT FOREVER, FOR REAL, FOR CERTAIN, FOR GOOD! IF THIS FIRST STEP FAILS, FORGET IT! YOU’RE NOT READY.

THE SECOND STEP IS TO LOAD UP ON BEEF JERKY. LOW SODIUM PREFERABLY, AS SALT TENDS TO MAKE YOU RETAIN WATER. THE LAST THING YOU WANT IS TO BE JITTERY AND BLOATED! IF YOU’RE A DUDE, THAT’S KINDA CLOSE TO BE ON THE RIZZAG. I THINK? THE BEEF JERKY WILL HELP YOU ENTERTAIN YOUR HANDS AND MOUTH DURING THE BATTLES. WE ALL KNOW SMOKING IS HALF ORAL AND HAND FIXATION. THE OTHER HALF IS THAT INSTANT GRATIFICATION OF THE FIRST HIT OF SMOKE AS IT COMES DOWN YOUR THROAT AND FILLS YOUR LUNGS. AFTER THAT YOU’RE JUST TRYING TO FINISH THE CIGARETTE SO AS NOT TO WASTE IT.

THE THIRD STEP AND MOST IMPORTANT, IS TO BE MENTALLY PREPARE FOR A LONG BATTLE OF WILL AND DETERMINATION. THIS IS MADE EASIER BY FIGHTING THE URGE TO SMOKE A CIGARETTE FIVE MINUTES AT A TIME. WHEN THE URGE TO LIGHT ONE UP COMES ALONG, TRY CHEWING ON SOME BEEF JERKY AND STAY BUSY FOR AT LEAST FIVE MINUTES TILL THE URGE SUBSIDES. IT GENERALLY TAKES ABOUT THAT LONG TO DISTRACT YOU FROM SUCH URGES. TRY NOT TO THINK ABOUT IT.

REPEAT THE THIRD STEP AS NEEDED UNTIL THE URGES COME FARTHER AND FEWER IN BETWEEN. I KNOW IT’S NOT NEARLY AS EASY AS IT SEEMS, BUT TRUST ME, IT DOES GET EASIER. AT FIRST THESE URGES COME BACK AFTER ONLY WHAT SEEMS LIKE MINUTES, BUT BE STRONG AND FIGHT THEM FOR ANOTHER FIVE MINUTES. PRETTY SOON YOU’LL FIND THAT IT’S BEEN A HALF HOUR SINCE YOUR LAST BATTLE, THEN ONE HOUR BETWEEN BATTLES, THEN HOURS, THEN DAYS, THEN WEEKS, AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.

THEN ONE DAY YOU’LL FIND THAT FOOD TASTES BETTER, YOUR CLOTHS SMELL BETTER, YOU BREATH A LIL EASIER, AND YOUR MOUTH AND FINGERS DON’T SMELL LIKE YOU JUST MADE OUT WITH AN ASH TRAY AND FELT IT UP IN THE PROCESS. IT’S A FREAGIN BEAUTIFUL FEELING NOT HAVING TO ROUTE YOUR TRIPS ACCORDING TO THE NEAREST LOCATION TO RE-UP ON SMOKES. OH YEAH, YOU JUST SAVED $2400 A YEAR ON CIGARETTES. THAT’S A FREAGING VACATION MAN!!!

OF ALL THE REASONS TO QUIT SMOKING, THERE WERE THOUSANDS.

OF ALL THE REASONS NOT TO QUIT, THERE WERE A FEW:

MEETING THAT SPECIAL SOMEONE IN THE SMOKING AREA WHOSE BREATH SMELLS WORSE THAN YOURS.

YOU LOOK COOL SMOKING A CIGARETTE, ESPECIALLY WHEN THAT STRAY SMOKE CATCHES YOU RIGHT IN THE EYE AND MAKE YOUR TEAR UP AS YOU TRY SO DESPERATELY TO PLAY IT OFF LIKE YOU HAVE A COOL SMOKING SQUINT.

YOU WOULD ACTUALLY HAVE NOTHING TO DO ON YOUR BREAK ACCEPT SOMETHING PRODUCTIVE WITH TWO HANDS, IMAGINE THAT!

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, YOU’RE “NOT QUITTING SMOKING, COS YOU’RE NOT A QUITTER!”

"DON'T LET THIS BE YOU!!"

So you’re probably asking yourself, "What’s wrong with these tattoos pictured above?" If that's the case, then definitely stick around for a quick lesson in "Good Taste", not to mentioned, "Wasted Skin"!

First of all, let me start by giving you guys a quick background behind these hideous excuse for a tattoo.

   The left tattoo, with the exception on the cross in the middle, is actually in the process of a long and grueling laser treatment that is both painful and costly. The client was getting tattooed frequently by an experienced artist at a semi reputable shop, when that artist suddenly moved. Now this happens quite often in the tattoo industry, as most tattoo artists are moody, emotional, and have the attention span of toe nail (yours truly INCLUDED). What was I saying again? Oh yeah! So trying to be loyal, the client asks the owner for a recommendation of the next artists in line at said shop. The owner, being quick to retain a client, suggested a new artist with a portfolio that was a bit deceiving (falsified pictures). When the artist was finally done with the tattoo session, his client could not believe what he had been put through! But alas, it was too late; he had already signed the consent form (a legal document releasing artist and shop from all liabilities).

The tattoo on the right was done on a friend of mine’s daughter by some “RA-TARD”, who claims to also have experience, but didn’t want to work at a real shop because “there’s too much politics involved”. If by “politics” he means “Quality Control”, then Hells Yeah! This freaking numbnut, even goes so far as to do the tattoo for free! C’mon, we all know the game, she’s an attractive young lady dying for tattoo, but dad made her wait and save up money for the right artist (good ol’ Bizzo), the numbnut is a desperate for experience and lacking in any type of game loser with a tattoo kit he bought from craigslist. You do the math. Just goes to show the old saying “good tattoos aren’t cheap, and cheap tattoos aren’t good” still applies.

The lessons here are simple, research, research, research!!! Word of mouth is still the best form of advertising. Don’t trust anyone, including myself to your skin, unless you have seen firsthand their work on someone you know or by their reputation. Most tattoo artists in this day and age have undergone some type of rigorous apprenticeship and health/sanitation training. Most popular is Bloodborne Pathogens Training. Look it up.

I know art is subjective and I was once there myself as a novice, but crap smells like crap even in a flowerbed. With experience come responsibilities. I feel like I should educate people on the importance of hygiene as well as quality, it’s for LIFE, literally.

The next time you see a “crappy tattoo”, chances are some of the same reasons may be similar to the unfortunate ones above. “DON’T LET IT BE YOU!!” oooorrrrr “DON’T LET IT BE YOU, AGAIN!!!” GOOD LUCK GUYS AND GALS.

BOB

Ps. Guess who's left with the daunting tasks of fixing these two work of "crap"!?

"VEGETARI--WAHHH, VEGETARI---WHOOO!?"

YES!!! Yours truly is going on my annual vegetarian fast for a whole month this month, from today the 3rd to the 3rd of February (the first day of the new lunar year cycle this year). Every year exactly a month before the Chinese/Vietnamese new year, I start this cleansing ritual for personal and spiritual reasons. I figured the whole year prior has consisted of me taking or receiving from nature, the earth or what have you. If I'm not going to give any of it back, which the last time I checked, I don't know anyone who've planted a tree nor nurtured a an egg to chicken lately. I may as well not take a life for the last 30 days of the year.
 I'm not a tree hugger by far, I'm just aware that the "powers that be" are good to me and my family and it doesn't take that much for me to resist over indulging to show gratitude. I get all types of reactions when people find out, mostly positive, some cynical, but all take a moment to process the reasoning. I've even had a few friends joined me in the last few years and we help support each other by finding new vegetarian joints and recipes (I know, gay right!?). My mom is also very supportive and frequently drops off vegetarian dishes for me at work (I know, gay and mommas boy right!?).
With a wide array of tofu specialties restaurant in the Westminster area, it's not that hard being vegetarian when you're Asian. Every type of Asian cuisines also offers vegetarian as an alternative, due to a vast numbers of Asians are Buddhists. Dude! they make tofu taste better than actual meat sometimes by over flavoring the tofu and the texture is surprisingly accurate.
 Bottom line is, I'm just trying to not take as much from what life has to offer. its my way of being thankful more than just by saying grace or slaughtering a pig or turkey as a form of appreciation. This will be my ninth year partaking in this ritual, if anything, at least for health reasons as well.
 HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE,  and good vegetarian eating!!

BOB

WHERE THE FUCK IS YOUR XMAS SPIRIT!!??

OK, so this is Xmas. I'm all with giving and sacrificing a lil for family and friends, but DAMN! Its bad enough we get screwed each Xmas by retailers and a constant barrage of advertising on the latest and most unique gift ideas, but  to get charged 10% for spending our own money too!!? UH UH!!
 Here's the biggest scam of them all: Did your know that those Visa gift cards charge you in upwards of 10% for buying the card and activating it? You knew that didn't you? I for one, am guilty of doing such a thing. That is, until after the 5th one. I refuse to pay someone for me to use my own money! The banks and credit cards already F us without dinner and a movie, now this!? Lets just say you paid for those gift cards with your credit card, you may be letting the institutions F you twice. Think about it....
Here's my solution: Instead of paying that dumb ass fee-buy a goddamn greeting card! It costs about half of that pesky fee and makes it more personal for the people who are lucky enough to get a gift from you during these hard times. Get cash from your own bank ATM (no charge) and stuff the greeting cards, write something nice or funny that reflects your feelings towards that person and watch them smile.
I have at least 20 people to buy gift cards for so it would have cost me anywhere from $75 - $100. Does that seem reasonable? That's a couple of gifts in itself.
I don't mind giving, but to those who are at least relevant in my life or for a purpose other than letting someone capitalize on my laziness and lack of imagination. I have Cable TV already, thank you very much!
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE AND HAVE A SAFE HOLIDAY, GOD BLESS!!!

ALL  3 TATTOOS DONE BY JROK

Yeah he's a lil quiet, but his work speaks loudly. Jrok's a lil shy, so don't let him fool you, he's quite friendly.