Happenings of the weekend led me to spend a little time on Sunday doing some research about Pit Bull breeding and fighting. I found out I was mostly right. Wrong about Pit Bulls and American Staffordshires, but understandably so, as there is a lot of confusion and cloudy history. There is a lot of subjectivity in dog breeding.
But here is what I keep thinking about. A "cur" as defined in dictionaries is a "mongrel dog," a "mixed breed dog," and/or an "undesirable dog." Obviously, at the time this word was popular use, the breeding of a dog made it desirable. In Pit Bull breeding/fighting jargon the word has similar meaning. It is a dog showing nontraditional Pit Bull traits, suggesting that it is a mixed breed, or "undesirable." These traits include, but are not limited to cowardliness, aggression toward humans, and that typical noisy dog way of fighting. To a dog fighter (in other words, someone who should be killed slowly), a "cur" is a dog that won't fight, as fighting is the only "desirable" quality these scumbags see in the dogs. In truth, the need to "fight" is not "bred into" these dogs. This is a learned behavior acquired after large game baiting was outlawed, sometime in the late 1800s (Pit Bulls were still common family and farm dogs well into 20th century America). The concept of "gameness" refers to a more broad enthusiasm for doing work, whatever that work may be, in the face of possible danger (like a hunting or large game baiting dog). Dogs in general fight for various reasons, dominance, territory, etc, and as puppies they play-fight to learn. Dogs (and their wolf ancestors) fight until one submits and issue at hand is resolved, not to the death and not for sport (or no apparent reason). The qualities that HAVE been bred and defined in Pit Bulls through centuries of employment are: loyalty, lack of aggression toward humans, tenacity, fearlessness, and a high pain tolerance (the latter three being "gameness"). These were working dogs that helped wrangle cattle and large game for hundreds of years. They were called "butcher's dogs" because if their common use to handle bulls within that profession (hmmm… "Pit Bull…"). The fact, Pit Bulls are awesome dogs that you don't want to piss off.
Through all of my reading, Bruno was on my mind. He was this random dog that I rescued from some assholes when he was 9 months old. They were going to shoot him because he wouldn't fight. He was a mess with hookworms and whipworms and emotional issues from abuse. His stomach was a mess from being fed chilis and glass and gunpowder. I took him for a mix, as he didn't display the huge basketball head and super-stocky body that other Pits seemed to have (it turns out, those are oversized "fad dogs" that aren't even considered true Pit Bulls by real breeders). I'm looking at all of these pictures and Bruno was SO one of these lean, muscular, happy working dogs. And as I read the descriptions of the valued traits in true Pit Bulls, I realized what a prize dog I had. I mean, I KNEW he was a prize, but because he wasn't one of these silly fad dogs, he didn't get much respect from some of the assholes I've known. He was healthy and hale, rather genetically clean. Didn't even start showing his age until he was 11 or 12 years old. Never got arthritis (spondylosis, yes), or hip dysplasia, or even white hair. He was very loving and fiercely loyal to those in his "pack." He adored children and even cared for small animals (like my cats & ferrets). He always deferred to me as his alpha, but to no one else, save a select few family members that could take charge in my absence. No, he was not a fighter, but he had that quiet courage and tenacity in him. And ask anyone who knew him, that dog had no fear. His one and only fear in life was losing me. He loved to play with other dogs and was very friendly. But when threatened he was no coward. I never saw him back down when either of us was threatened, by man or beast (well, when he was "threatened" by man, like the vet, he was a bit of a baby, but not until he realized that man in the white coat wasn't there for ME). As always, I called the shots, but I did see him start to tangle with a couple of different dogs (of all the hundreds he'd been completely copacetic with over the years), luckily all were on leads, or otherwise controllable, and the owners and I were able to break it up rather cleanly. Those dogs aggressed on him first. And some dogs didn't like him, but since they weren't aggressive to him, they coexisted in peace by ignoring one another. He knew which battles were actually battles. He was SMART. I watched him blow off dogs like he was Charles Bronson. On two different occasions he walked right through very minor dog bites (never broke the skin, weren't aggressive attacks, more like dog communication) as if the other dog wasn't even there. He barked at some shady people here and there. He would quietly stare at people he didn't trust, watching their every move. He bit once. I didn't like the man approaching us, he was a jerk, but I did work for him and had to be nice. I bristled, so Bruno did, too. As this douchebag approached us Bruno stared him down. I told the douche to back off and let me lead the situation, my dog didn't like him. Of course, he's a douchebag and didn't listen. He stuck out his hand and loomed over me and my dog, still coming at us. Bruno struck. Got him on the hand that was coming towards us. He didn't shake, he GRIPPED like a real Pit Bull. This dude was kicking my dog in the face and he would not let go. I had never seen him like this before and panicked a little. I was pulling on Bruno and yelling at the guy to stop kicking my dog. He even kicked me in the face. Bruno would NOT let go. I finally regained my composure and yelled the familiar phrase "Bruno, drop it!" in my deep, commanding, you-are-so-in-trouble voice. He let go and I scuttled him off to the car. My friend picked him up and took him out for a McDonald's Happy Meal while I stayed and finished my work and smoothed things over (I did NOT want a lawsuit and/or to have my dog taken away). It wasn't about fighting for no reason, for human entertainment, or because "it was in his genes." It was always about me, his loyalty to me and keeping me safe from harm, helping me win my battles. In all of this reading about Pit Bulls taking down big game for butchers (oh, that douchebag was big game!), I remembered my shock when my mellow, sweet dog and I were hanging out in my garage one day. I was bored and started hitting the heavy bag hanging from the garage ceiling. Out of nowhere, there's suddenly this Pit Bull latched onto the heavy bag and pulling it. I felt like we were jumping the heavy bag: he held it as I whaled on it. Again, he was doing his job. He was helping me take down my "big game."
I guess my point is, I had a an argument with someone and I feel bad that the argument got loud, but since it did, I took the time to recheck my facts (and "subjective facts") and in the process learned something about my dog that I had never realized. Bruno was a Pit Bull, through and through. He was a lover, not a fighter, but he was one tough dog who knew exactly who he was what he was going to do. And he never made a fuss about any of it.
Maybe to some assholes who fight dogs and try to put their own spin on "the facts" my dog was a "cur." But to anyone who knows true Pit Bulls, the loyal and tough working dogs, Bruno was pure all the way.
But I never needed to know that to love him. I simply have found one more reason to be proud of my dog. Even in death he continues to surprise, move and inspire me.
You are sorely missed, Beetlemuffin.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Need to vent so I can study....
Yup. I have a lot of stress right now.
One roommate is moving out on 10/31. Fine. She submitted proper notice and paid her rent for October, albeit two weeks late....
The other roommate is having raving cunt attacks.
The quick-ish version:
In January she asked if her girlfriend could move in after she graduated from school.
I said "no."
Come spring, she said she didn't want to live with her girlfriend anyway, so there was no more interest in said girlfriend moving in.
Toward mid- to late May, I came home one day to find said girlfriend there and they were taking small furniture items and clothing up to said roommate's room. I asked what was going on and I was told that the girlfriend was only staying the weekend and would be moving in with an "uncle" in Palos Verdes. Six weeks later the girlfriend was still in my house.
During this time I approached her a number of times about the fact that the girlfriend should not be there. Nothing happened.
My original roommate moved out at the end of May, so June 1st I paid double-rent and double-utilities in order to keep the house (I sublet to the roommates).
At the end of June I was fed up. The girlfriend had been living in my house for free for six weeks, without permission, and I had been been paying double. I came up with what I thought to be a VERY reasonable payment for this: One month of utilities & a small portion of rent for the month, totalling $350.00. For six weeks. My roommate paid it for her, all the while tearfully apologizing for taking advantage of me and blaming the ignorance of youth and inexperience for not understanding the situation and applicable laws. I also added that the girlfriend absolutely had to be out of the house by the end of June. She was, and a second roommate took possession of my vacant room July 1st.
The summer went on and roommate 2 was really bad about paying rent on time; as a matter of fact, she never paid rent on time.
Money went missing from my room right before roommate #1 left on vacation, most likely at the hands of her visiting girlfriend. I don't know this for sure, but there were many times that the girlfriend was left alone in the house without my knowledge. Although I lock my room when I leave, I hadn't been locking it when I was at home and in the shower, or downstairs. The only people who'd had the opportunity to see the money in my room, therefore knowing of its existence, were roommate #1, the girlfriend, my fella, and one friend of mine who'd only been in there once and had never ventured back up the stairs due an intense fear of the upstairs of my house. So, I suspect the girlfriend, as she had knowledge, access, and motive (see aforementioned $350.00).
I left for vacation for a month.
Upon my return on 9/20, I came home to the girlfriend in my house again. I didn't know how long she had been there. Roommate #2 was MIA and roommate #1 was supposedly engrossed in classes, so I didn't see her much for a day or two. On 9/22 I had the opportunity to discuss the girlfriend situation roommate #1. She assured me that she would never leave the girlfriend in the house unattended and that the girlfriend was leaving in the morning. A week later, she was still there, although trying to sneak around.
I contacted an attorney (yay for my school that have these services available for free/cheap).
Last weekend, on the advice of my attorney, I implemented house rules to avoid these abuses in the future. I spent this last weekend being verbally attacked by roommate #1 and begging roommate #2 for the October rent she had not yet paid.
The good news is, I got the rent from roommate #2 finally.
Last night roommate #1 told me that she is moving out at the end of the month with roommate #2. I told her that, although she doesn't have a written lease, city ordinance requires her to give one rental period's notice as defined by her payment schedule (so, one month).
Now roommate #1 is trying to say that she told me on the 1st that she was moving out. Now, in all of that screaming and berating last weekend, and prior discussions, she vehemently maintained that she would NOT be moving any time soon.
I'm also pretty sure that she has the girlfriend there and is hiding her in her room and allowing her to stay in the house during the day while I am at school.
She has also stopped doing her own dishes and cleaning up after herself (coffee and food spills all over the counter; I don't even eat at home).
She also keeps leaving lights on all over house, I assume in some kind of effort to drive up the electric bill before she leaves.
I just don't know what to do at this point....
I'm happy these people are leaving. But I do need to get renters in there ASAP, which can be a chore, and expensive in the meantime.
And I have a very difficult midterm tomorrow that I absolutely cannot focus enough to study for (hence, the vent here, in hopes it will clear my head).
And I have to spend the rest of the month putting up with this bullshit in my own home.
And I have to wonder if she going to break things or steal things on the way out, just to be a pill. I put no immature action past her at this point.
I don't even feel safe at home.
I've considered moving out and into a smaller place closer to campus, but it's very expensive up here and I would need a lot of time to get out of the house after over 8 years there, so Winter Break would be the best time to do it.
Anybody have any thoughts or suggestions...?
At least pass the word along about the rooms for rent.
I have an ad on roommates.com, my profile is, of course, EarlessDog.
Or they can email roommate@earlessdog.com.
Ugh.
One roommate is moving out on 10/31. Fine. She submitted proper notice and paid her rent for October, albeit two weeks late....
The other roommate is having raving cunt attacks.
The quick-ish version:
In January she asked if her girlfriend could move in after she graduated from school.
I said "no."
Come spring, she said she didn't want to live with her girlfriend anyway, so there was no more interest in said girlfriend moving in.
Toward mid- to late May, I came home one day to find said girlfriend there and they were taking small furniture items and clothing up to said roommate's room. I asked what was going on and I was told that the girlfriend was only staying the weekend and would be moving in with an "uncle" in Palos Verdes. Six weeks later the girlfriend was still in my house.
During this time I approached her a number of times about the fact that the girlfriend should not be there. Nothing happened.
My original roommate moved out at the end of May, so June 1st I paid double-rent and double-utilities in order to keep the house (I sublet to the roommates).
At the end of June I was fed up. The girlfriend had been living in my house for free for six weeks, without permission, and I had been been paying double. I came up with what I thought to be a VERY reasonable payment for this: One month of utilities & a small portion of rent for the month, totalling $350.00. For six weeks. My roommate paid it for her, all the while tearfully apologizing for taking advantage of me and blaming the ignorance of youth and inexperience for not understanding the situation and applicable laws. I also added that the girlfriend absolutely had to be out of the house by the end of June. She was, and a second roommate took possession of my vacant room July 1st.
The summer went on and roommate 2 was really bad about paying rent on time; as a matter of fact, she never paid rent on time.
Money went missing from my room right before roommate #1 left on vacation, most likely at the hands of her visiting girlfriend. I don't know this for sure, but there were many times that the girlfriend was left alone in the house without my knowledge. Although I lock my room when I leave, I hadn't been locking it when I was at home and in the shower, or downstairs. The only people who'd had the opportunity to see the money in my room, therefore knowing of its existence, were roommate #1, the girlfriend, my fella, and one friend of mine who'd only been in there once and had never ventured back up the stairs due an intense fear of the upstairs of my house. So, I suspect the girlfriend, as she had knowledge, access, and motive (see aforementioned $350.00).
I left for vacation for a month.
Upon my return on 9/20, I came home to the girlfriend in my house again. I didn't know how long she had been there. Roommate #2 was MIA and roommate #1 was supposedly engrossed in classes, so I didn't see her much for a day or two. On 9/22 I had the opportunity to discuss the girlfriend situation roommate #1. She assured me that she would never leave the girlfriend in the house unattended and that the girlfriend was leaving in the morning. A week later, she was still there, although trying to sneak around.
I contacted an attorney (yay for my school that have these services available for free/cheap).
Last weekend, on the advice of my attorney, I implemented house rules to avoid these abuses in the future. I spent this last weekend being verbally attacked by roommate #1 and begging roommate #2 for the October rent she had not yet paid.
The good news is, I got the rent from roommate #2 finally.
Last night roommate #1 told me that she is moving out at the end of the month with roommate #2. I told her that, although she doesn't have a written lease, city ordinance requires her to give one rental period's notice as defined by her payment schedule (so, one month).
Now roommate #1 is trying to say that she told me on the 1st that she was moving out. Now, in all of that screaming and berating last weekend, and prior discussions, she vehemently maintained that she would NOT be moving any time soon.
I'm also pretty sure that she has the girlfriend there and is hiding her in her room and allowing her to stay in the house during the day while I am at school.
She has also stopped doing her own dishes and cleaning up after herself (coffee and food spills all over the counter; I don't even eat at home).
She also keeps leaving lights on all over house, I assume in some kind of effort to drive up the electric bill before she leaves.
I just don't know what to do at this point....
I'm happy these people are leaving. But I do need to get renters in there ASAP, which can be a chore, and expensive in the meantime.
And I have a very difficult midterm tomorrow that I absolutely cannot focus enough to study for (hence, the vent here, in hopes it will clear my head).
And I have to spend the rest of the month putting up with this bullshit in my own home.
And I have to wonder if she going to break things or steal things on the way out, just to be a pill. I put no immature action past her at this point.
I don't even feel safe at home.
I've considered moving out and into a smaller place closer to campus, but it's very expensive up here and I would need a lot of time to get out of the house after over 8 years there, so Winter Break would be the best time to do it.
Anybody have any thoughts or suggestions...?
At least pass the word along about the rooms for rent.
I have an ad on roommates.com, my profile is, of course, EarlessDog.
Or they can email roommate@earlessdog.com.
Ugh.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Day 29
The last night.
It's after 23:30. Just said our goodbyes at the Dome.
I'm going to miss this place and these people.
Had a nice adventure yesterday. Poled into Polar from Loraine. It was rough, but fun.
All together we caught a 23-inch Northern Pike (Nadya), a largemouth bass (Dad), a smallmouth bass (Kevin), and a few sunnies (me and Kevin). Made for a very tasty late-night dinner.
We were on the lake for about 8 hours. I fell asleep with my fishing pole in the water at one point.
My brother and I lost our anchor. I don't know who tied it on, but it was gone.
Our last adventure for the summer.
I can't wait to come back next year....
Everyone else is in bed.
I'm going to smoke a hand-rolled that I bummed from Marshall, take a shower and pack it it all up.
See everyone in 36 hours or so....
WOOT!
It's after 23:30. Just said our goodbyes at the Dome.
I'm going to miss this place and these people.
Had a nice adventure yesterday. Poled into Polar from Loraine. It was rough, but fun.
All together we caught a 23-inch Northern Pike (Nadya), a largemouth bass (Dad), a smallmouth bass (Kevin), and a few sunnies (me and Kevin). Made for a very tasty late-night dinner.
We were on the lake for about 8 hours. I fell asleep with my fishing pole in the water at one point.
My brother and I lost our anchor. I don't know who tied it on, but it was gone.
Our last adventure for the summer.
I can't wait to come back next year....
Everyone else is in bed.
I'm going to smoke a hand-rolled that I bummed from Marshall, take a shower and pack it it all up.
See everyone in 36 hours or so....
WOOT!
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Day 28
WOW. Day 28. It's almost over....
We've just been chilling out and fishing. I caught a nice sunfish and four or five crappie the other day. Dad got a small bass. That was out on Battle Lake. We hit Battle again the next day and only got two crappie: my brother got one and I got one (but mine was bigger). We filleted them and tested my uncle's broiling method - YUM! Tuesday we went to the cabin to do some work and my brother and I took a nice three-mile hike half-lost in the woods. Then we tried fishing Deer Lake with no luck. Had a very tasty dinner in Audrey's very cool old cabin and got nice and drunk before boating back. Nadya and I spent Wednesday rather hung over while Kevin explored and Dad ran into town for supplies. Today we are having a nice breakfast and spending the day fishing Poplar. It's such a nice, clear lake. Tomorrow we winterize, clean up, do laundry, etc.... Saturday morning we head out for L.A., early I hope. I have a lot to do and school starts Thursday.
Which I'm getting nervous about. We won't be home until late Sunday night at the earliest. I will have been gone for 31 days. I need a day or two to prepare, readjust and reorganize. I also tend to go through that "not smart enough, academic impostor" thing. I'm really nervous.
Anyway, I need to eat. I'll leave you with selected photos.
Okay, maybe I won't. Something isn't working.
I'll figure that out later. For now, I smell bacon...!
We've just been chilling out and fishing. I caught a nice sunfish and four or five crappie the other day. Dad got a small bass. That was out on Battle Lake. We hit Battle again the next day and only got two crappie: my brother got one and I got one (but mine was bigger). We filleted them and tested my uncle's broiling method - YUM! Tuesday we went to the cabin to do some work and my brother and I took a nice three-mile hike half-lost in the woods. Then we tried fishing Deer Lake with no luck. Had a very tasty dinner in Audrey's very cool old cabin and got nice and drunk before boating back. Nadya and I spent Wednesday rather hung over while Kevin explored and Dad ran into town for supplies. Today we are having a nice breakfast and spending the day fishing Poplar. It's such a nice, clear lake. Tomorrow we winterize, clean up, do laundry, etc.... Saturday morning we head out for L.A., early I hope. I have a lot to do and school starts Thursday.
Which I'm getting nervous about. We won't be home until late Sunday night at the earliest. I will have been gone for 31 days. I need a day or two to prepare, readjust and reorganize. I also tend to go through that "not smart enough, academic impostor" thing. I'm really nervous.
Anyway, I need to eat. I'll leave you with selected photos.
Okay, maybe I won't. Something isn't working.
I'll figure that out later. For now, I smell bacon...!
Friday, September 11, 2009
Day 22
It is a beautiful day; however, I do not exist today.
Yesterday, Marc & I went into Big Fork to do laundry (7 loads!) and grab some groceries. It took forever and Marc was really hurting because he forgot to take his pain pills with him. So, we grabbed a six pack and split it on the way home. I never stopped drinking after that. I spent the evening bullshitting with Aaron, Jessica, and Ludwig about the universe, math, and life on Earth. Eventually we got the fire going and Aaron got out his guitar and Ludwig grabbed his banjo. Ludwig later switched to washtub bass. There was a faint aurora overhead, lightning out across the lake and thunder rolling. It really was rather perfect. Other pals and visitors came and went throughout the evening, but the crowd slowly dwindled as the wee hours approached. Ludwig and Aaron even snuck away to go to bed. Jessica and I; however, stayed up drinking screw ups and bullshitting until who-knows-when. At some point the vodka and late hour finally hit me and I stopped her mid-sentence saying, "I MUST go to bed NOW!" And that was it. Right now I would kill a man for some club soda. We're both pretty wrecked today. Ugh.
Today is the anniversary of many things. One of them is the birth of my friend.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRIEANA!!!
Some pictures....
This is the shack
This is Gail's place, where we are staying.
The Duitsman cabin (unfinished). Dad & Marc bought most of the property at this lake; the rest is county land. We need to clear a way to the shore, and a little more yard area, but it will be done in time. Eventually, a lot of clearing needs to be done to get rid of some of the competition between the trees. Dad wants some of the maples to grow.
Wednesday sunset:
The gang's all here (at Deer Lake Charlie's): The bartenders here are the Gail & Charlie, the progeny of the original Deer Lake Charlie. Charlie spends his summers here, his winters working in Antarctica, and likes to chat with me about physics. Read his shirt; it's funny.
Sexy Beeyatch! I told you, these Minnesota Mosquitoes are the only ones that get to me. Dad says it's because they have been sucking Duitsman blood for 57 years and have found a way to counter our immunity....
Yes, the picture is upside down. I took it looking down at my legs.
Yesterday, Marc & I went into Big Fork to do laundry (7 loads!) and grab some groceries. It took forever and Marc was really hurting because he forgot to take his pain pills with him. So, we grabbed a six pack and split it on the way home. I never stopped drinking after that. I spent the evening bullshitting with Aaron, Jessica, and Ludwig about the universe, math, and life on Earth. Eventually we got the fire going and Aaron got out his guitar and Ludwig grabbed his banjo. Ludwig later switched to washtub bass. There was a faint aurora overhead, lightning out across the lake and thunder rolling. It really was rather perfect. Other pals and visitors came and went throughout the evening, but the crowd slowly dwindled as the wee hours approached. Ludwig and Aaron even snuck away to go to bed. Jessica and I; however, stayed up drinking screw ups and bullshitting until who-knows-when. At some point the vodka and late hour finally hit me and I stopped her mid-sentence saying, "I MUST go to bed NOW!" And that was it. Right now I would kill a man for some club soda. We're both pretty wrecked today. Ugh.
Today is the anniversary of many things. One of them is the birth of my friend.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRIEANA!!!
Some pictures....
This is the shack
This is Gail's place, where we are staying.
The Duitsman cabin (unfinished). Dad & Marc bought most of the property at this lake; the rest is county land. We need to clear a way to the shore, and a little more yard area, but it will be done in time. Eventually, a lot of clearing needs to be done to get rid of some of the competition between the trees. Dad wants some of the maples to grow.
Wednesday sunset:
The gang's all here (at Deer Lake Charlie's): The bartenders here are the Gail & Charlie, the progeny of the original Deer Lake Charlie. Charlie spends his summers here, his winters working in Antarctica, and likes to chat with me about physics. Read his shirt; it's funny.
Sexy Beeyatch! I told you, these Minnesota Mosquitoes are the only ones that get to me. Dad says it's because they have been sucking Duitsman blood for 57 years and have found a way to counter our immunity....
Yes, the picture is upside down. I took it looking down at my legs.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Day 20
Didn't do much but drive yesterday (Day 19). Although, we did have a delicious meal at a Chinese buffet in Moorhead, MN (basically Fargo, ND). They actually had General Tso's Chicken on the buffet. Fuck the Colonel, I haven't had the General's chicken in over ten years and I LOVE THAT STUFF. For some reason, it doesn't exist in Southern California; no one's even heard of it. But apparently at least Hoosiers, Minnesotans and Pittsburghers have known the joys of General Tso's Chicken. MMMMMMMM.............
Anyway, got in to Gayle's just before midnight. I slept out in the shack because the air pump broke and I couldn't blow up the air mattress. There are people coming in for the jug band competition who'll be staying in the shack tonight, but I wish I could stay in there. It's a just a cozy room with a table and a bed, but it smells so good and it's quiet! Last night I fell asleep listening to the rain and reading "White Water Slim: The Only Man to Ever Ride a Log Thru Dead Man's Rapids." It's 45 pages of a 94-year-old man rambling on about his life as a woodsman/logger.
We would be in our cabin, but it's only just dried in. My uncle fell from a ladder and broke his collar bone and four ribs. Due to his accident, Gayle is letting us stay here at her place since we can't really finish our own cabin. If you didn't know, my dad and his brother bought a little piece of land of up here with an 18-acre lake on it. My family has been coming to this area for 57 years and finally bought something. I'm happy to be settled in the woods in a familiar place for a spell.
I miss Bruno. He should've been on this trip with me. He loved it here.
I took my left nipple ring out after I got out of the shower today. It had migrated a lot and wasn't healing properly. The douche that pierced it screwed it up. It's not that he was a bad piercer, I just think he's too damn cocky and stopped paying attention to quality. I asked him if he'd pierced inverted nipples before and his response was, "I've been doing this for over thirty years, I've done it all." Well, guess what Tommy T, you fucked up. An inverted nipple needs to be stimulated a bunch to coax it out somewhat, then pulled out as much as humanly possible before that needle goes through. The right one was pierced when I was 16 in Turkey with a safety pin and it was just fine (until I took it out ten years later). Because it was pierced for so long, and therefore comes out more, it healed just fine this time, too. But, man, I could tell something wasn't right the moment he pierced the left one, but I didn't say anything because his chairside manner made me feel so ignorant. What a condescending prick. I should just pierce it myself after it heals. I still have some unused needles sealed in their packages from "back in the day." Hell, I could go to the Farm N' Fleet and grab some while we're here. Pretty ridiculous that I pierced myself with safety pins and animal inoculation needles for so long and never had a problem. The minute I pay some jackass to do it for me, I've got a tongue and a nipple migrating, and others that are slightly off-center. I didn't have any training, but I was very good; very attentive to position, aesthetics, symmetry, etc.... People liked my work. Tommy T needs to come down from his roost in Cool World and get his head back into the game. That's what I hate about so many tattoo artists and piercers, they get big heads and think they're too cool for school after a while. They can suck my butt. Argh!
Okay, I'm going to go enjoy the lovely day before the rain comes and we run off to the laundromat so we get that playa dust out of everything. I have absolutely no cell reception, but a text message come though here and there, so feel free to send me a "hei hei." We do have Internet access. I'll be on here and there. Watch for me on Skype.
Anyway, got in to Gayle's just before midnight. I slept out in the shack because the air pump broke and I couldn't blow up the air mattress. There are people coming in for the jug band competition who'll be staying in the shack tonight, but I wish I could stay in there. It's a just a cozy room with a table and a bed, but it smells so good and it's quiet! Last night I fell asleep listening to the rain and reading "White Water Slim: The Only Man to Ever Ride a Log Thru Dead Man's Rapids." It's 45 pages of a 94-year-old man rambling on about his life as a woodsman/logger.
We would be in our cabin, but it's only just dried in. My uncle fell from a ladder and broke his collar bone and four ribs. Due to his accident, Gayle is letting us stay here at her place since we can't really finish our own cabin. If you didn't know, my dad and his brother bought a little piece of land of up here with an 18-acre lake on it. My family has been coming to this area for 57 years and finally bought something. I'm happy to be settled in the woods in a familiar place for a spell.
I miss Bruno. He should've been on this trip with me. He loved it here.
I took my left nipple ring out after I got out of the shower today. It had migrated a lot and wasn't healing properly. The douche that pierced it screwed it up. It's not that he was a bad piercer, I just think he's too damn cocky and stopped paying attention to quality. I asked him if he'd pierced inverted nipples before and his response was, "I've been doing this for over thirty years, I've done it all." Well, guess what Tommy T, you fucked up. An inverted nipple needs to be stimulated a bunch to coax it out somewhat, then pulled out as much as humanly possible before that needle goes through. The right one was pierced when I was 16 in Turkey with a safety pin and it was just fine (until I took it out ten years later). Because it was pierced for so long, and therefore comes out more, it healed just fine this time, too. But, man, I could tell something wasn't right the moment he pierced the left one, but I didn't say anything because his chairside manner made me feel so ignorant. What a condescending prick. I should just pierce it myself after it heals. I still have some unused needles sealed in their packages from "back in the day." Hell, I could go to the Farm N' Fleet and grab some while we're here. Pretty ridiculous that I pierced myself with safety pins and animal inoculation needles for so long and never had a problem. The minute I pay some jackass to do it for me, I've got a tongue and a nipple migrating, and others that are slightly off-center. I didn't have any training, but I was very good; very attentive to position, aesthetics, symmetry, etc.... People liked my work. Tommy T needs to come down from his roost in Cool World and get his head back into the game. That's what I hate about so many tattoo artists and piercers, they get big heads and think they're too cool for school after a while. They can suck my butt. Argh!
Okay, I'm going to go enjoy the lovely day before the rain comes and we run off to the laundromat so we get that playa dust out of everything. I have absolutely no cell reception, but a text message come though here and there, so feel free to send me a "hei hei." We do have Internet access. I'll be on here and there. Watch for me on Skype.
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