I had a dream of Hunter S Thompson
He told me that I need to play full out. He wants me to live full out and write a life he would be proud of. I need to finish writing my book with brutal honesty and colourful language. Do not spare anyone’s feelings because if they acted appropriately then there would be nothing to write about. My side of the story is my side of the story and I am sure they have theirs, they are going to justify it however they sit fit.
People have read my blogs or instagram captions and completely misinterpreted them. One time I wrote a blog post about being more kind during the pandemic, or ‘pandy’ as I like to call it, because people in Canada were going through it, and a ‘friend’ who was living in another country who had no idea what we were going through lashed out at me, calling me privileged and unhinged, like, what?! How did you get t h i s from that? I am literally asking people to be more empathetic and kind…something that wasn’t in her wheelhouse.
I remind myself that people’s perspectives are skewed by their eyeballs…haha. I think about the viral dress phenomenon where some people saw a blue and black dress and some people saw gold. Remember that? I personally saw black and blue. How about the Laurel vs Yanny debate, what did you hear? I heard Laurel but that’s because I have an inability to hear higher frequencies due to my age. Seriously. Tell me what you see and hear in the comments below, I would love to know!
The book I am writing is coming along nicely, it’s about my career as a tattoo artist and all the adventures along the way. Now that I am rereading it I can see how much I have improved as a writer. I have added flare and details and painted a picture with my words. As a writer and I get better everyday. It’s a practice of patience and perseverance. I am looking forward to finishing this project so I can move on to the next one. More colouring books! I love going back and forth between writing and drawing. I love that I get to live this wildly creative life.
This book is my travel tattoo memoir. It honours the people who lifted me up and dragged me down. I have changed all the names because I am going to write my truth…and I don’t want to get sued, ha! Obviously it’s from my perspective and in my opinion and now that I have read it back I can see how hurt I was when I started writing it, especially about my time in Turks and Caicos during the pandy. Now that I am back in Turks and Caicos finishing this book, it feels cathartic. I have forgiven myself and others. I have moved on. I needed to be here to do that. I am proud of myself for all of the growth I have accomplished. I am a work in progress but I am taking the right steps to get there.
It’s all good baby, baby! Without the bad we wouldn’t have the good. Without the dark there is no light. Without the wild there is no calm. A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor. You get it. There is no great book with drama and tea and madness. Thankfully I came out the other side a better version then when I went in. I can’t wait to share this project with you. These last sixteen years in the tattoo industry have been an incredible story that would make Hunter S Thompson proud.
