Appointment only!

"The Noble Duke of York, he had ten thousand men
He marched them all up the hill
And then he marched them down again
And when you're up you're up
And when you're down, you're down
And when you're only half way up
You're neither up nor down"

For many reasons this song is playing in my head today. I've been feeling off since yesterday. The samsara that I'm caught in has got my mind marching in a downward spiral. Therefore my thoughts and mood is going down and down. Hopefully today I can catch up with things, meditate a little, and be on the up and up.

You would think I'd be pretty clear headed since I've been practicing healthful living for the most part. I haven't drank alcohol for nearly two months. My diet is overall healthy and full of Organic food. The only thing I need to catch up on is exercise and rest, and quit those Organic American Spirits. It's a tough life when you have a family (husband, toddler, 2 dogs), work full time, and don't have full time day care. Toddler's get sick too. Our little one has a fever and a cough AGAIN. Last week we thought we were in the clear at least we hoped and prayed for an end to cold season. I've been up since 5am because I had to tend to the sick little one. On top of that I've been catching up on work emails and cleaning. I also need to draw (note it's my so called day off). Someday I will find a balance, and perhaps this will be very soon.

Next week begins my appointment only ventures in tattooing at Body Graphics in Pennsauken, NJ and No Ka Oi in Philadelphia. I will be booking all of my own tattoo appointments, but consult appointments can be done via the shop that you want to get tattooed at. I'm pretty excited about this, although the fear of change always lingers in the back of my mind.

Please note some of the following ways that I work. I prefer to tattoo in NJ since I have a private room there, parking is free, and I live closer to that shop. Please let me know if you have a car and can make it to the NJ shop which is only 5 miles away from the Philly shop so that I can offer the Philadelphia appointments to people without cars. I'm hoping to work 4 days tattooing and have one day dedicated to drawing. At your consultation, we still take a NON REFUNDABLE DEPOSIT usually $50 - $100 depending on the complexity and size of the drawing. When people are booking time for large work taking more than one session, we'll book all of the planned sessions at the consultation appointment. I won't commit to drawing anything for people unless they book the tattoo sessions at the consultation. Booking many appointments in advance also secures that you will get your tattoo done in a timely manner, and we're covered if a cancellation is in comes up on either end. Having a child has made me accept that things come up in people's lives, and tattoos always don't come first. Not to mention if you get sick, please don't come in and get tattooed. Often people say to "Take your time", however they don't always mean it. The drawing will be ready either a day before or on the day of your appointment emailed to you. Preferably we can go over it at the tattoo appointment, and I can redraw it then and there if you don't approve the drawing. People don't always understand the etiquette of a tattoo shop. After 15 years of being in the business, I still have to remember that part of my job is to educate the public.