I got another tattoo! (well, sorta)

Ever since I got my first tattoo, I've been wanting to get another one. (WARNING: If you're thinking about getting a tattoo, be aware that they can be addictive.) Well, my brother decided to be a really nice guy and buy me one for my upcoming birthday, so yesterday we went back to the place that did my first tattoo to set up an appointment for my new one.

While I was there I decided to get an addition to the tattoo I already have because I have been thinking that it needed something to spice it up a little since the day I got it, so I decided to add a scroll to give it more of an authentic feel. I printed a picture of a scroll that I liked and brought it with me to the tattoo shop, and the artist free-handed my scroll based on the picture that I brought in.

I can't complain about the results because I absolutely love it.

Reading vertically: Nicolas (left), and Natalie (right); the names of my children.

(Note: Please excuse the gratuitous showing of side-boob in the picture.)

I'm looking forward to getting my other tattoo done tonight because I'm excited to see what the artist has designed based on the concept that I gave her. (I'll give a hint: it's a USC Gamecocks tattoo.) I'll be sure to share a picture of it when it's finished.

If you're in the South Carolina area and you want to get a great tattoo from really cool people, check out Ivory Tiger Tattoo in Summerville. (I am not being paid for this endorsement. I'm only endorsing it because it really is a great tattoo place.)

Stay tuned for pictures of my new tattoo tonight or tomorrow.

UPDATE: Here's my new gamecock tattoo, as promised:

Big Fat Slob: One Month Update

Last month I started my plan to stop being a big fat slob, and I must say that I'm impressed with myself as I've lost 12 pounds in the last 30 days. I honestly never thought I could do it because I like chocolate, ice cream, and reese cups too much...but I suppose even I can surprise myself if I put my mind to it and work towards reaching my goal.

I'm a little under halfway to my goal, as I have lost 12 pounds and have 15 more to go, but the fact that I've made it this far is amazing to me, so I think I might stick with it and see what happens for another 30 days. If you've ever considered losing weight...I urge you to try cutting back on the bad stuff you eat and limit yourself to 2000 or so calories per day. You'll be surprised at how easy it really is after you get used to not stuffing your face all day. (I'll admit -- this step takes longer for some of us to overcome.)

I still struggle from time to time with cravings for a huge bowl of chocolate ice cream or a bag of reese cups (especially at night -- they always seem to be worse at night), but so far I've been able to fight them off and press forward towards my goal. For the first time in my life, I truly believe that I will reach this goal that I've set for myself, and it makes me feel great.

That's all for now, as I have other things to accomplish today, but hopefully my next update will be as good, if not better, than this one has been.

Big Fat Slob

Yeah, you read that right...I'm a big fat slob. I hate myself sometimes for letting myself get this way. Why do we let ourselves go after we get married and have kids? Do we feel like we just don't matter anymore, or is there something else to it? Maybe there is something deeper involved that I just don't know about, but I've been letting myself go for the last 7 years now, and it's got me to the point where I'm nothing more than a big fat slob.*

* - Okay, I'll admit that I could be in much worse shape. Seeing shows on tv like "The Biggest Loser" make me feel a little better about myself, but it's still no excuse for me to be this big fat slob version of my former self.

Well dammit, I'm tired of being a big fat slob. I'm tired of being ashamed of how I look and feel now as opposed to 7 years ago. It's time for a change. It's time for the dreaded D word. It's time to actually stick to my guns, get off my lazy ass, and do what I've gotta do to lose weight. I'm sick of being unhealthy.

So, I'm going on a diet. Not the kind of diet where I don't eat anything at all, or some fad diet that everyone else is doing because Oprah, or Dr. Oz, or Dr. Phil, or any other whacko who has a tv show says to do; but the kind of diet that I can deal with and lose weight at the same time. I'm making some sacrifices (like chocolate, and ice cream...oh how I'm gonna miss ice cream), and cutting back on things that I consume too much of (soda and beer, for example).

Not only am I cutting back on the things that I eat/drink too much of, but I'm replacing them with things that I don't eat nearly enough. I'm taking my own advice that I usually give to the other big fat slobs I see every day, and I'm going to mix in a salad or two. (I'm curious as to how long I can do this, because as a general rule I hate salads. I've never understood the point of eating lettuce like I were a baby rabbit or something.)

I'm sure I'll have plenty to gripe about now that I'm doing this. (Of course, having something to gripe about and actually taking the time to gripe about it are two totally different things, just so you know.) Stay tuned for updates as this diet progresses. If I do happen to lose weight, I'll be sure to post pictures of myself to piss you off/make you jealous/make you want me/whatever the case might be. Or, maybe I won't.

You'll just have to tune in to find out.

Look ma, I got a tattoo!

Let me start by saying I apologize for the eternal space between blog posts, but I have been very busy and just haven't had the time to sit down and write anything. (I know, I know -- I should make time. I'm going to try really hard to, I promise.)

Anyway, like the title of this post says: I got my first tattoo yesterday, which is something that I never thought I would do. My brother came to visit me because he wanted to see about getting a tattoo for himself, and since he was going to be getting one I figured that now was as good of a time as any to get over my fear of needles* and get one for myself.

* - When I say that I'm afraid of needles, I mean that I am terrified of needles. I'm so afraid of needles that I won't even donate blood, so I never thought that I would have the balls to actually let someone draw on me with a needle.

However, I've gotta say that it didn't bother me at all once I sat down in the chair, and I barely even noticed that the tattoo artist was even drawing on me. She made a comment that she was "almost done" with my tattoo, and I was surprised that she was that far along, as I didn't even realize that she had been drawing on me as long as she had.

The worst part about the ordeal is the fact that it's starting to itch now, and I can't scratch it. I hope this doesn't drive me bat-shit crazy, because I don't want to be tempted too much to scratch it for fear that I could screw it up.

It feels good to know that I've defeated one of my long-time fears, and strangely enough I already want to get another one. Funny how that kind of stuff works out sometimes, isn't it?

By the way, in case you missed my Facebook post, here's a picture of my tattoo:

Reading vertically: Nicolas (left), and Natalie (right), the names of my two children.

I know it's not much, but it's my first one. I figured it would be best to go with something simple to start with, you know, just in case I ever got second thoughts and wanted to have it removed. (Thankfully I really like it, because I'd hate to have a permanent tattoo that I didn't like.)

Three weeks ago, I would have called you crazy if you told me I'd have a tattoo. Now, I can't believe I've waited this long to get my first one, and I can't wait to get another.

Funny how that kind of stuff works out sometimes, isn't it?

Livin' La Vida Loca

I hate how my life just keeps moving at such a fast pace and doesn't allow me the time to sit down, relax, and enjoy just one small second of peace and quiet. I guess having a family, a job, and other responsibilities will do that to you though. It sucks, because what I really want is a career that pays me a hefty sum of money to do what I love to do: sit down in peace and quiet with a pot of coffee and plenty of time to write about anything that I want to say.

Unfortunately, I don't have that luxury (and if you do, then I'm jealous). What I do have though is the luxury of a loving family, a decent job that pays me and allows me to have a house fully furnished with food and clothing, and a bevy of friends that I can count on for anything I could ever need. I don't struggle to pay my bills, I don't go hungry, I don't freeze in the winter or roast in the summer, yet all I can seem to do is complain.

Dammit why can't I just have fifteen minutes of peace?!?
Will someone please turn that off?!?
Leave your sister alone! That's hers, give it back!

Those are just a few of the quotables that I give off on any particular day. Sometimes, they're much harsher. Sometimes, I tend to say things that I don't mean to say, and after I've said them I regret it, but there's nothing that can be done about it because the words have already been spoken. One thing in this world that can never be taken back is a spoken word, so we have to make sure that the ones we do speak are worth keeping out there forever.

I know it seems like I'm doing nothing but rambling on and on about nonsensical crap, but that's what I do best. It's the ramblings that go on inside my brain day in and day out that keep me sane, and unfortunately I don't have enough time in my life to sit down and share them with the world, because if I did I would (I promise).

Ok, I'll be completely honest. I guess if I really wanted to I could make time to share my thoughts with the world. After all, who needs sleep, right? Well, I do actually. And, you do too (whether you want to admit it or not).

But anyway, back to the point. I hate that my life is moving along at the speed of light and there's nothing that I can do to stop it. No matter how hard I try to avoid it, I'm going to get older, my kids are going to grow up (God help me when they do), and life will go on. I do hate that I don't have the luxury of being able to just take a break from life and the sorrows and struggles that go along with it, but at the same time I believe that if I were given the opportunity I wouldn't know what to do when I had the chance.

You know the old saying: Be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it. Well, I think that holds true in my life. If I were granted this wish of peace and serenity by some magic genie and had just 15 minutes to sit down by a fire with nothing but a cup of coffee and my thoughts, I know exactly what my thoughts would be.

Are my 15 minutes up yet?
How much longer do I have to sit here?
Can I get up now? I have stuff to do.

If you find yourself in the same boat as I am in, my advice to you is to just do what I've decided to do: embrace the life you have, because it's the only one you're going to get and you may as well eek every ounce of enjoyment out of it that you can.

Otherwise, you're going to look back one day and regret that you allowed the fast pace of a day-to-day routine get the best of you, and you'll wish that you could go back in time and re-live those moments so you could experience them from a different perspective, but unfortunately you won't be able to do that, and all you'll have left are the memories of what could have been. Don't let that happen.

Don't live for what it could have been, live for what it is.