Saturday, April 07, 2018

Self-Shame Saturday

I am a man of many ideas. They flow continuously from my braintap, roaming free-range across the fields of my mind.

I am also, it must be said, a man of very little demonstrated ability to follow through on my ideas.

And so, because I really would like to execute on this one idea, I'm putting it in front of you in hopes that the community of Gheorghies will hold me to it. I set myself up for ridicule in order to pay off my notion.

The image above is a stylized rendering of a voiceprint of my daughters' saying "It is what it is." I used Soundviz.com to turn an audio file into imagery.

As some of you know, I wear a bracelet engraved with that phrase in memory of my father. That was his stock answer when someone asked him how he was doing during his battle with cancer.

And I'm ready to turn that image into a tattoo, preferably on my inner right forearm.

That's the idea I want to execute. I've created the image. I've identified a studio in my town that does pretty decent work. Now I just have to actually do it.

Help a brother out, Gheorghies.

32 comments:

TR said...

Having just returned from a vacation, I can safely say that the percentage of 40+ y/o dads w/ ink who seem to be respectable, upstanding folks is high. Go for it. Will give you more street cred w/ the daughters as well.

I recommend adding on a tribal or barbed wire arm band. Both are rare.

Mark said...

I can show this to my guy today at my appointment and see what his thoughts are...

Mark said...

As I’ve told you via email though, this is fucking going to need to be bigger than you anticipate/want to do it justice.

Mark said...

Not sure how a “fucking” got dropped in that last comment other than Autocorrect just gets me.

T.J. said...

Weird. 5 minutes ago I told Jess I should get a tat while we’re in Nashville. Then I saw this.

zman said...

You should get this on your lower back.

Donna said...

I don't know why you say you're setting yourself up for ridicule. You've thought it through, it's meaningful, honors your Dad...the numbers of folks with tattoos today - it's more the norm than the exception practically. I even have one. Really! (Some pretty funny stories about what church members think about it - not all know but some do.) I learned what Mark said - for it to look decent, might need to be larger than you're thinking. That happened with mine. I'm guessing you considered having the quote itself done - the image is a cool idea. Hope you like the result!

rob said...

the ridicule won’t come from getting it done. it’ll come from failing to.

Donna said...

I see. I took my friend with me to make sure I didn't leave and said if I didn't do it that day, I never would. It was 30th bday present to myself. Can't believe it's been that long ago. We are old!

rob said...

this masters leaderboard is stout

Mark said...

I’m two hours deep on this tattoo appointment. This always when I question my decision making. Every time.

Also, Wind River is a good movie. Pretty fucked up though.

Tj- try to hit up Biscuit Love if you can.

TR said...

My kid barfing on a plane’s descent...a tradition unlike any other.

Mark said...

Oh my. That’s a thing?

zman said...

On my plane was what I thought was a 10 to 12 year old girl, desperate for attention, who kept yelling "oh my god!" in an insincere tone and expressing fear throughout the flight, but it was actually a full grown and possibly crazy person.

Mark said...

This is why you people should live in the south. Enjoy the warm weather year round and skip out on the annoying Northerners whilst traveling.

Plus it’ll make GTB summits that much easier. For me. And Danimal.

zman said...

I don't think I could survive a Florida summer. I was in Miami last July for one day and it just about did me in. I'm too sweaty for that shit.

That said, this last week was perfect.

TR said...

I want out of NJ in the worst way. And as I see my kids’ chances of being Ivy Leaguers diminish, I just want to be in a state w/ a decent public school system. New Jersey ain’t that.

Mark said...

I won’t stump for the public education system in Florida. Depending on the area you’re alright though. Come on down, TR.$

Mark said...

As for Florida summers..,they’re brutal. They will turn your kids into athletes though As I’ve said many times, live right near the beach in Florida or don’t come here. I’m

TR said...

I meant public university systems, not public high school systems. States like FL, VA, NC, CA and others really offer something valuable to high school grads. NJ does not.

On my last work trip in Texas before leaving my job, I had a chat with a woman in her fifties. Her daughter was about to grauate from Texas A&M. The mom said she told her kid to stay in state at an affordable school for undergrad. If she did, and did well, the parents would pay for the more important graduate degree. Given how stupid expensive schools are, that makes some sense.

Whitney said...

Get it done, Rob. I'll get my 6th one if you tender your tattoo virginity. Maybe Dave will get another.

Whitney said...

And maybe Brian Hightower can finally find his "essence" and get it inked upon his skin. He chickened out 22 years ago.

Mark said...

More tattoo related nonsense: I’m about to get my second hand tattoo. Still not the really large one I ultimately want though as my need for gainful employment continues to delay it.

Also, my 16 year old is asking for her first tattoo. I’m in no way shocked. Her father is heavily tattooed. As is her mother and myself. She had her nose pierced at 14. I’m still telling her she has to wait until she’s 18 but I’d bet we break and let her do something for her 17th birthday. I know what she wants and it’s not going to be regrettable.

Mark said...

Am I the only one who always thinks about the stories surrounding Fred Couples’ first wife when they see Fred Couples?

Mark said...

I’d really like to have some beers on my couch and get slightly over served while watching the Masters but I have to go to my sisters to celebrate my nieces birthday. Total bullshit.

Dave said...

that's going to look like an asterisk if you get it on your puny forearm. either starting pumping iron or get it on your shoulder. i will get a voice print of myself saying "zee plane, zee plane!"

and TR, how dare you talk about college on the last day of spring break. i'm trying to relax here before i go coach soccer in a wind tunnel.

TR said...

Finally on the couch after U9 soccer and U10 baseball. Big 10-9 comeback win in baseball, w/ 5 plated in the bottom of the 6th.

Plopped down and turned to CBS, hoping for something close. No offense to likable
Fat guy Patrick Reed, but I’m very happy to see a nice cluster atop the leaderboard. Just need the wife to buy me booze.

Mark said...

The wife and I took Monday off to celebrate being without the kids after they were off all of last week so I’m gonna have a Sunday night drink or two.

I’m also going to Miami to see a friend Thursday through Saturday. Not much of a chance of me getting a whole lot of work done this week.

rob said...

nine hours of driving isn't good for much, but if you're into listening to golf on the radio, it's just the thing for you.

college is a damn racket, tr. it would not break my heart at all if my kids decide they're not ready for a four-year school, and spend a year or two in community college. it would not break my bank, either. it's unlikely, but i'm keeping the door open.

Mark said...

And my kid just puked in her hamper. So much for a relaxing night before a Monday off.

Mark said...

I finished up my sophomore year at the local community college. If someone would’ve told me how easy it was when I was in high school I might’ve changed my plans. I was high every day and made all As in two semesters. I’m not that smart but I might as well have been fucking Stephen Hawking in community college.

zman said...

This seems to be a trend. My friend is a high school teacher in a middle- to upper-middle-class town in Bergen County NJ and he says a not insignificant number of students, maybe 15-20%, are going to community college for their first two years and then transferring to Rutgers for the last two. This results in a huge financial savings and helps assure that the kids start out with great grades (I think you have to have a 3.5 or above to automatically transfer into Rutgers).

I also think Rutgers isn't getting a fair shake in this space. I acknowledge that the New Brunswick campus is urban and not in a cool way like NYU, but I know a lot of people who went there and had a good time, and now earn a good living.