Oasis in SODO

I went to Seattle to get tattooed today. I've been seeing Joby at ArtCore tattoo studios for a little over a year now, working on a back piece that we keep chipping away at. While Joby was setting up, I took a walk around the block to psyche myself up for another hour under the needle.

The day was bustling with folks in the Georgetown section of Seattle, more so than usual. As I rounded the corner onto Corson Avenue, I came upon a piece of property 3 feet away from the railroad tracks. A solid, stately and obviously very loved stone building with a beautifully rusting wrought-iron fence around the perimeter. I saw this sculpture, through an open gate and I had to stop and admire her. In the middle of an industrial complex, here is an oasis of life, green, thriving, reaching up toward the sun.

Not long after my walk, I was in a semi-trance on the tattoo chair being needled and needled.... It was excruciating at first, but like Joby says, sometimes the pain of the needle can be so intense, that when there are other stressors in life, this needle pain can make the other stuff seem trivial. Nice bit of wisdom from someone who sees the world through tattoo-colored glasses! Still, I eventually found myself lulled by the motor on the needle, my body vibrating and the sensation on my skin dulling to a warm glow, like a scratch that feels kind of good. My nerve endings mellowing, buffered by a rush of endorphins.

One of my birdies is done! Yahoo!