planning my first tattoo

Yesterday afternoon, I headed up to Foxfire Tattoos here in New Westminster, for a consultation on my first tattoo. I spent more time sitting in the lobby waiting than talking to the artist, as she was finishing up a tattoo for someone, but the time I spent talking to her was well worth it.

I already know what I want to get for a tattoo, so I was really just looking to get a quote on the price, as well as talk to the artist about placement. I needed to find somewhere that wouldn't distort too badly once I've lost weight, and she confirmed what I suspected: my lower leg is a good place to put it. I'm planning to get it on the outside of my right leg, just above my ankle.

The design I have planned is a raven, sitting on the ground or perched on a branch, with its head turned, and a sprig of holly in its beak. The raven has become one of my animal totems, and also symbolizes transformation. The holly sprig signifies the friends who pretty much saved my life a few years ago.

It's going to cost me significantly more than I had originally thought, so it will be a bit before I can actually get it, but I still want to get it.

I mentioned it at my birthday dinner last Thursday, and my laurel, who is a professional artist, suggested that she would be willing to draw it up for me, and since that would reduce the price of the tattoo a little bit, I'm planning to talk to her about that, as well. I think it would be awesome to have a piece of her art on my body. I'm very excited. :)

(And I'm already planning my next one!)

more exciting news

I FINALLY got off my arse and took my passport application in!

I went in on Monday, and it all went as smooth as could be. I paid for pick-up service, and get to go back on Monday the 17th to get my passport. Ian is very excited, because he wants to take a daytrip to the US (probably Bellingham) once I get it.

But this also means that events in the US will be doable. Now I really need to get busy collecting up the gear that will allow me to camp at SCA events.

Here's the list of stuff I've come up with so far:

- Tent (I want one that is at least 5'6"ish tall in the center, so I canstand up in it, and preferably square or rectangular) - I need to look at Army & Navy, since they seem to be quite reasonably priced there. Someday I will have a Norse A-frame, but it's a ways off yet.
- Air mattress - a double, so that when Ian and I go modern camping, we already have one big enough for both of us.
- Folding table and chair(s)
- Shower tent - this is slightly lower priority, but I REALLY don't function without my morning shower, so I still want one, unless I can find someone who's going to be at all the same camp events as me and has one I can borrow.
- Camp stove
- tarp, just in case
- antihistamines, because I have an allergic reaction to something (trees, grass, pollen, etc.) every time I go camping.

Things I'll need to take with me, but don't need to buy:
- sleeping bag, - I'll just take regular bedding and make up the bed that way.
- wash basin - already have one, just need to put my lampwork stuff in something else
- cooler - already have one

Some of these may not need to be bought right away, if I can share with others. I'm sure there will be household members & friends going to the closer events, and I can probably pitch in and share cooking duties and gear with them. Who knows, melspeth and wulfstan might appreciate a break if I was to take over their campstove and make dinner for their entire family plus me. ;)

I also need to get going on some more garb for myself, as well as make myself some sort of coat/cloak, since the nights get darn cold here in BC, even in the summer!