the thirteenth step

an ironic title given the fact i’m writing this AND looking into tickets to see a perfect circle in san antonio simultaneously…

…at $170 for the pair, and that’s cheaper than austin (and better seats) we might just be sitting this tour out. i’ve seen them at least three if not four times – i’m okay with that (as is the ufc).

moving on…

…for the first time in almost two years i get to deal with a friday the 13th at the tattoo shop. i’ve prepared a graphic for the company facebook page, pending the boss man’s approval:

too negative?

see, “13” has always been considered a good thing in tattoo culture, because it’s been one of the hallmarks of the “alternative” crowd. back in the days where most clients were bikers and sailors and whores (oh my!) shops would, on friday the 13th, “give back” to their clientele by coming up with little banger tattoos (industry term for small tattoos that can be done in less than fifteen minutes or so) that you’d get for thirteen bucks plus a seven dollar “required tip” (i changed the verbiage on the occasion we HAVE done them to a seven dollar “set up fee” as to not cap the tip portion). it was a way of saying “thanks” to your loyal clientele with some little space fillers…

…then came social media and the entitlement generation of millennial folks. they grew up with EVERYBODY getting a trophy, so they feel EVERYBODY should get a cheap tattoo on friday the 13th – even if they’ve never had one. here’s something i learned – 9 outta ten folks, who get a friday 13th tattoo, don’t come back to the shop…until the NEXT friday the 13th. and your phone rings off the hook all night with rude fucks that just hang up after you say “no” to their “y’all got any specials?” question. no matter how polite you are, they’ll be fairly rude. how dare you not wanna lose money so they can say they got tattooed on friday the 13th. who the fuck do you think you are wanting to pay your rent and shit?

so, yeah…that’ll be my night. spoiler alert – i’m taking booze to the shop tonight.