I Love Text Tattoos

Rex Manning (aka tattoo) Days are always among my most favorite of times and are especially fun when we get to hang out with our longtime friend and longtime tattoo artist, Nate. He and Marie headed over to our neck of the woods with tattoo gear in tow and after endulging in some yummy vegan pizza, I was lucky enough to add some new ink to my skin.

1) Vegan Jinxi: we squeezed this one right above Miss Octopus that resides on my throat/chest





2) I dig this next text tattoo that we added to my shoulder, because not only is it the title and lyrics to my favorite of all of The Cure's songs, but I love the positive message behind it as well. There is no if, baby!



3) Knuckle tattoos are always fun and this one is, well, ME. (he he)
I had Nate tattoo my signature to this blog and other writings that I do: j boo



YAY for Rex Manning Days!!

The rest of the weekend was groovy as well. We scurried around the mall in Riverside for a bit, as the kids picked out a few new pieces to their wardrobes and enjoyed the time out and about (even it was at the lame-ass mall - ha ha).

Work has been keeping me hopping lately. Even with the economy the way it is, customers still manage to squeak in some shopping from my store here and there; and I definitely appreciate each and every order.

www.Mermaidink.com

It's full of collectibles, charms, pins, stickers, figurines, patches, keychains, shoelaces, buttons and all sorts of gift-type goodies (in case you know anyone looking for such sorts). ;)

Over and Out,
j-boo

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Music & Equality

Last week was sprinkled with all sorts of my favorite things.
Among them, was a healthy dose of music, that was prevalent throughout.

On Tuesday, October 28th, The Cure's long-awaited album, "4:13 Dream" came out. Brynn and I hopped over to Best Buy when she got out of school that day and EACH got a copy of the fantastic-ness, so we didn't have to "share." ;)

I also got my paws on a superb AFI rarities which I find myself playing QUITE often. My kids especially love track #12 "I Wanna Get a Mohawk (But Mom Won't Let Me Get One)." Though that would NEVER be an issue in our house (ha ha).

On Saturday night, we took the kiddos down to the Hollywood Palladium, a venue that has significant importance in our lives, as it was the location of Steve and my VERY FIRST DATE, back in February of 1989, when we saw The Sugarcubes and The Primitives play. Bjork was the lead singer of The Sugarcubes at that time and screamed/sang so passionately, that she literally lost her voice half-way through the set. She was incredible; as was that night - and without the Palladium as a part of our memories, who knows HOW or IF we ever would have become the little family unit that we are today.

The incredibly inspiring and compelling band, Rise Against, was the headliner on Saturday and WOW, what a show it was! Especially given the significance of this week being election week and their passion for making a difference in political circles (as you can see from the video I shot below). It was a moving performance and we thoroughly enjoyed the night and getting to experience it all together.
**I somehow didn't catch a shot of Brynn while we were there - but she was, of course, rockin' out too**

Sunday, we took the boys with us to a rally for NO on PROP 8, where we stood for EQUALITY for ALL and tried to spread the message so that enough people take a stand tomorrow on Election Day and make sure that we protect basic human rights for EVERYONE! It was an interesting afternoon. While we did get many "honks" of support throughout the day, it was incredible to see vehement opposition and the anger and hatred from the "yes" side as they drove by yelling obscenities, flashing a particular finger more times than I can count, and assuring us all that we were headed straight for Hell.

I guess when you have that much bigotry and fear inside, you only see things one way and unfortunately, it is such a pathetic and ignorant way indeed. I truly do not understand how a civilized person in the year 2008 could not want everyone to be treated the same. It was not long ago that interracial couples were not allowed to be married and today, we look back in disgust and horror that a group of citizens could be treated with such disregard and inequality; yet the principle seems so hard to grasp for so many today.

Over these last few months, Steve and I have become increasingly aware that we live in an ultra-conservative area of California and that bigotry abounds around us. We are just hopeful that tomorrow, the REST of the state counterbalances the overwhelming side that we are exposed to in our neighborhood. Here's a photo of our yard (**we had to be overzealous to balance this suburb out a bit - ha)

I can't believe that tomorrow is finally Election Day!
Here's to hoping that a little change is in the making.

Over & Out,
j-boo

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I've Waited Hours For This

Updates, updates!!

So... I made the fabulous vegan chocolate chip cookies again, with the yummy recipe that I got from Dreena Burton. The whole family loves them and there is not a stitch of a chance you would ever know that it is lacking dairy products! Divine, if I do say so myself =)













The election rollercoaster is reeking havoc on what LITTLE patience I have left with the "intelligence level" of this country. HOW is Sarah Palin considered a viable candidate for one split second, for what, some might say, is the 2nd most powerful position in the world? Are you kidding me? Absolutely INCREDIBLE!! If the McCain-Palin joke-of-a-ticket actually succeeds in blindsiding America into a win this November, it will truly be evident that this country is officially void of any capacity for reasoning; and in a nutshell, absolutely has NO SHAME!! The land of instant gratification will have fallen victim to the pretty, shiny, oh-my-god-she-looks-like-a-"normal"-person-and-she's-a-hockey-mom-AND-I-am-totally-going-to-block-out-the-last-eight-years-of-degeneration-because-she-told-a-funny-joke-and-she-wears-cute-glasses. Yep...that country!














Well, I hope this horror does not become reality... and I also hope that THIS ridiculous Proposition (8, that is) does not pass and take away the long-awaited equality of gay couples; which would make that recently-granted freedom way too short-lived, should it pass. This sign is in the yard of one of our idiotic neighbors who thinks he would actually even KNOW if a gay or lesbian couple was married. The truth is, it wouldn't effect him any more than if I bought a new pair of purple socks. He wouldn't know and it wouldn't be of any consequence to his life one way or the other. I really don't understand why people that think they are protecting the "sanctity of marriage" (as if it's SO sacred in America nowadays) spend SO MUCH time pushing their judgmental noses into other people's business; and more specifically, bedrooms. Geesh!!


















My hair is growing-along nicely. It's pretty funky to have it up on top again; but I like it and I'm anxious for it to grow just a bit longer so I can dye it a vibrant shade of pink.













In musical news:











I learned to play this on my bass today and I am quite stoked about it!

The "Head on the Door" has always been my favorite of The Cure's albums and given that, well, how could one not just totally dig "Close to Me."

Over & Out, J-Boo

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