Humans socialize by relativity, which gives them a sense of belonging to a group, an interest, or a lifestyle. For example, you would be more likely to be friends with a similar taste in music, as opposed to one who does not. While human interactions and social networking differ on several different scales, this is one theory that is fairly solid.
Having said that, there are also several other factors to take into account when socializing - demographic, personal beliefs and principles, language barriers, etc. When two people share a strong relativity to a certain entity - let's say, their favorite band - they might become the best of friends, provided that other elements of themselves are compatible, and if not, whether or not they are willing to compromise and tolerate certain traits of each other that might not necessarily align with their own.
Now, I'm known to be someone who really likes tattoos and have some knowledge about the local tattoo scene. I offer my limited knowledge wherever I can to peers or people I know who have questions. Most of the accounts I follow on Instagram, Tumblr, and Facebook are somewhat related to tattoos.
My company recently recruited a new member of staff, who happens to be a girl, who also happens to have an interest in tattoos, which is cool - as it is, our company is a dry desert with almost no girls, so a girl who has a similar interest as mine (relativity), all the better.
My superiors emphasized this point to me: that she was also a girl who emphasizes her embrace of tattoos, and that I would get along well with her.
While I have several friends and acquaintances with whom I share interests with, there are also several people who share mutual interests with me that either do not like me, are not liked by me, mutually hate each other, or we just do not speak. For example, I know guys who have tattoos who hate my guts because "girls are not supposed to have tattoos"; I know people who have tattoos whom I cannot/don't get along with either because we don't go with the same crowd, or our personalities limit our communication.
It was like how my parents expected me to get along with a family friend's daughter, who's around the same age as I am. I didn't get along with her, but ironically, my younger sister did. Whether it was the social awkwardness that plagues my social life, or that we just couldn't get along, I don't know. Not that we hated each other - I just didn't have much to say to her.
Tattoos and the industry itself is marvelous, and it's a really great thing to bring people together to share aesthetic opinions, broadening the spectrum of art styles within the industry, and just fawning over awesome needlework in general.
It does not, however, guarantee that anyone would get along with anyone else who has an interest in tattoos.
Some people get tattoos purely for the aesthetic value. Some get them for attention. Some get them as a memento of a life event. Regardless of the reason that one gets a tattoo, it's not "wrong" if it's by an artist who knows what they're doing.
I avoid "regretting" a tattoo by making sure they have substantial meaning before I go ahead to even research who does the best in the style I'm looking for. Apart from being a little skeptical of those who get tattoos just for the sake of getting them (without knowing what they want or what they derive from the tattoo), or opting only within the range of Pinterest/Tumblr tattoos, I respect everyone's objective of getting any tattoos, even if I quietly judge shitty tattoo choices/placement.
But apart from our interest in body art, our core beliefs may differ. Our lifestyles may differ. These differences may dictate whether or not we get along well. Our interests only serve as a potential catalyst to becoming acquaintances, let alone friends.
Ink addict. Cat lady. Weird girlfriend.
Monday, March 6, 2017
Friday, March 3, 2017
"Can I see your buttcheek tattoo?" - how about "fuck off"?
I wish I could say that I never get sexually harassing messages from strangers online, but given my tendency to take strategically covered topless selfies and upload them to social media, I guess I could say that I'm partially asking for it, since I do voluntarily 'expose' my body on a public platform.
It has come to a point where it's no longer offensive, but hilarious that some dudes would be so desperate as to take a roundabout way to ask for a nude (this is purely my assumption, which will be illustrated later in the post).
In the light of my recent weightloss, new-found self confidence, and new tattoo(s), I've taken up my old university habit of uploading censored topless selfies again (during which, these messages periodically popped up in my Facebook inbox). I don't know whether this directly provoked the Instagram DM from this dude, but it is my best theory as for the 3 years that I hadn't uploaded similar selfies, there weren't such messages within my inbox.
So this guy followed my Instagram some while ago. It was not until 28 Feb that he sent the first message, or rather, I saw his message in my DM inbox. I'll let the screenshots do the talking. Identity will be blurred out, cuz I just wanna point out the disgusting misogynistic objectification that still exists today, not to bash the dude. (I end up bashing his sorry-ass who unfollowed me after I sent the last message)
The conversation started innocently enough, asking about my tattoos. I felt it a bit off, but I credited that to my extreme paranoia and narcissism:
And as the conversation progressed from asking about my hannya, to my arm tattoo, things took an uncomfortable turn:
And my response to such an outward approach to presumably ask for a nude is as follows. Given, he took a really long time to reply to me eventually, he "found it a bit personal" that I was asking for his relationship status.
Oh yes, sir, very personal, as if your request to see my "butt cheek tattoo" wasn't personal at all. My response thus far (he has not responded yet, though he has read the message):
Whether they're professional adult models or regular people who have a knack for tattoos and/or selective nudity, what makes one think it's okay to hide behind a private profile and yet have the "balls" to "jokingly" ask for such personal items from said people, especially if they're strangers?
Oh, wait. Yes. Men are supposed to be entitled to women. NOT.
Now, most people will tell me I asked for it since I posted racy selfies. Posting racy selfies is not an open invitation to all to request "special privileges", regardless of your position in my life, and especially if you are a stranger.
And when you get called out for your bullshit, don't give a cowardly, lame excuse like "it was a joke". It's not a joke. Since when did asking for a photo of a girl's butt cheek become a joke? Can I randomly message you, asking about your tattoos, then ask for a photo of an intimate body part? I think regardless of how I seem to look on social media, you would feel invaded.
And what a fucking joke it is when you turn around to tell me that I asked a personal question. Oh, asking a random stranger for a nude isn't personal? What, asking for your relationship status is now "too personal" for your cowardly self? Your profile on lockdown, yet somehow, deep inside that chasm of desperation, you managed to heave out your cowardly, misogynistic balls to ask me something like that?
Oh yeah, unfollow me like the coward you are, unable to stand your ground against a random, slutty girl on Instagram who asked to be sexually harassed by posting racy selfies. Tell me, what if I were your sister, your mum, or your friend? How comfortable will you be with a random creep on the internet ask them for nudes when they decide to celebrate their moment of self confidence with a selfie, albeit a not-so-appropriate one?
Is this about the whole "women should dress more modestly to avoid sexual attention from men" rhetoric again? If it is, please castrate yourself and fuck yourself with said castrated dick, or even better get someone to ram into your ass without lube. What are scantily clad women to you but objects that you can sexualize and manipulate as you please, as if you are entitled to us in some twisted way? We don't owe anyone anything, not even our partners/lovers/spouses. How about you try treating girls and women like actual people? Who knows, you might actually get laid for once.
I found it funny when it was actually happening. I was laughing for 20 minutes straight at how pathetically desperate you were enough to do such a lowly thing, but I had no idea I'd go into a ranting rage. Who are you, to just brush off your sexual harassment with a stupid excuse that it's a joke? Which part of you had the right to think that you were entitled to any of my photos that aren't already on my account (which is fucking public, btw), when you are nothing but a stranger to me? When the fuck did it become acceptable to sexually harass anyone, regardless of if it's just an innocent jab or full-on violence?
You know why guys like you are still single? You can't get past your own fucking "manly" (read: misogy-fucking-nistic) ego to respect women as people that are equal to you, if not above you. No one owes you anything - not your family, not your friends, no one. You reap what you sow, and if you sow bullshit and you have the misfortune of meeting a bitch like me, please get your ass ready to be horse-fucked cuz you gonna get an ass full of bull, horse, and dog shit.
And unfortunately for you, people like Christian Grey don't actually get the girl. People who gives respect and treats women as people get the girl. Do the world a favor, piss off your misogynistic ass and die, please. Oh, yes, objectify all you want, I anticipated that when I started posting half-naked shit on the internet (although you are still a disgusting shit-bag for doing so). But please keep your twisted, misogynistic fantasies to yourself and continue fapping. Or buy a fleshlight, they come in all kinds of shapes and sizes now, so feel free to browse. Or actually treat a girl like a human being for once, and pray you don't bump into ranty bitches like me anymore if you decide that your poor dick is still entitled to fap to any of my personal photos.
I would very much like to expose you, then burn you at the stake after very slowly castrating you with a blunt serrated blade. But I'll just report your account to Instagram :)
#rantover
It has come to a point where it's no longer offensive, but hilarious that some dudes would be so desperate as to take a roundabout way to ask for a nude (this is purely my assumption, which will be illustrated later in the post).
In the light of my recent weightloss, new-found self confidence, and new tattoo(s), I've taken up my old university habit of uploading censored topless selfies again (during which, these messages periodically popped up in my Facebook inbox). I don't know whether this directly provoked the Instagram DM from this dude, but it is my best theory as for the 3 years that I hadn't uploaded similar selfies, there weren't such messages within my inbox.
So this guy followed my Instagram some while ago. It was not until 28 Feb that he sent the first message, or rather, I saw his message in my DM inbox. I'll let the screenshots do the talking. Identity will be blurred out, cuz I just wanna point out the disgusting misogynistic objectification that still exists today, not to bash the dude. (I end up bashing his sorry-ass who unfollowed me after I sent the last message)
The conversation started innocently enough, asking about my tattoos. I felt it a bit off, but I credited that to my extreme paranoia and narcissism:
And as the conversation progressed from asking about my hannya, to my arm tattoo, things took an uncomfortable turn:
Whether they're professional adult models or regular people who have a knack for tattoos and/or selective nudity, what makes one think it's okay to hide behind a private profile and yet have the "balls" to "jokingly" ask for such personal items from said people, especially if they're strangers?
Oh, wait. Yes. Men are supposed to be entitled to women. NOT.
Now, most people will tell me I asked for it since I posted racy selfies. Posting racy selfies is not an open invitation to all to request "special privileges", regardless of your position in my life, and especially if you are a stranger.
And when you get called out for your bullshit, don't give a cowardly, lame excuse like "it was a joke". It's not a joke. Since when did asking for a photo of a girl's butt cheek become a joke? Can I randomly message you, asking about your tattoos, then ask for a photo of an intimate body part? I think regardless of how I seem to look on social media, you would feel invaded.
And what a fucking joke it is when you turn around to tell me that I asked a personal question. Oh, asking a random stranger for a nude isn't personal? What, asking for your relationship status is now "too personal" for your cowardly self? Your profile on lockdown, yet somehow, deep inside that chasm of desperation, you managed to heave out your cowardly, misogynistic balls to ask me something like that?
Oh yeah, unfollow me like the coward you are, unable to stand your ground against a random, slutty girl on Instagram who asked to be sexually harassed by posting racy selfies. Tell me, what if I were your sister, your mum, or your friend? How comfortable will you be with a random creep on the internet ask them for nudes when they decide to celebrate their moment of self confidence with a selfie, albeit a not-so-appropriate one?
Is this about the whole "women should dress more modestly to avoid sexual attention from men" rhetoric again? If it is, please castrate yourself and fuck yourself with said castrated dick, or even better get someone to ram into your ass without lube. What are scantily clad women to you but objects that you can sexualize and manipulate as you please, as if you are entitled to us in some twisted way? We don't owe anyone anything, not even our partners/lovers/spouses. How about you try treating girls and women like actual people? Who knows, you might actually get laid for once.
I found it funny when it was actually happening. I was laughing for 20 minutes straight at how pathetically desperate you were enough to do such a lowly thing, but I had no idea I'd go into a ranting rage. Who are you, to just brush off your sexual harassment with a stupid excuse that it's a joke? Which part of you had the right to think that you were entitled to any of my photos that aren't already on my account (which is fucking public, btw), when you are nothing but a stranger to me? When the fuck did it become acceptable to sexually harass anyone, regardless of if it's just an innocent jab or full-on violence?
You know why guys like you are still single? You can't get past your own fucking "manly" (read: misogy-fucking-nistic) ego to respect women as people that are equal to you, if not above you. No one owes you anything - not your family, not your friends, no one. You reap what you sow, and if you sow bullshit and you have the misfortune of meeting a bitch like me, please get your ass ready to be horse-fucked cuz you gonna get an ass full of bull, horse, and dog shit.
And unfortunately for you, people like Christian Grey don't actually get the girl. People who gives respect and treats women as people get the girl. Do the world a favor, piss off your misogynistic ass and die, please. Oh, yes, objectify all you want, I anticipated that when I started posting half-naked shit on the internet (although you are still a disgusting shit-bag for doing so). But please keep your twisted, misogynistic fantasies to yourself and continue fapping. Or buy a fleshlight, they come in all kinds of shapes and sizes now, so feel free to browse. Or actually treat a girl like a human being for once, and pray you don't bump into ranty bitches like me anymore if you decide that your poor dick is still entitled to fap to any of my personal photos.
I would very much like to expose you, then burn you at the stake after very slowly castrating you with a blunt serrated blade. But I'll just report your account to Instagram :)
#rantover
Wednesday, January 4, 2017
NEW TATTOO: #4 君の名わ
Ironically, I'm blogging about this sooner than I am with finishing my China trip blog post (read: I hate sorting through photos).
Usually I'd go through the really long rant of explaining the meaning of my tattoos - this time I think I'd opt out.
The urge came right after I (finally) watched Kimi no Na Wa, and felt that the entire story pretty much visualized what I thought love was - fated, and more often than not relied heavily on chance and timing. That feeling of constantly looking for something... or someone, somehow feeling like something has been forgotten, but could not or would not remember what it is. That desperation of clinging on to every memory of the person, who may or may not be your destined, but what you do know is that they mean so much to you, so much more than so many others because they really are that special.
I wanted it simple and clean. I first contacted Pink Tattoos, but I didn't browse their social media first and did not realize they were on Christmas break. So I contacted Dr. Ink through WeChat, and set an afternoon for a consultation.
Since Dr Ink is also a bar, they open at 4pm at Scott Garden. I would say this would be one of my more comfortable consultations, as I had someone with me and it was close enough in proximity to where I lived.
I got inked on the last day of 2016, and on this day I learned 3 things:
The entire piece took about an hour to complete, from stencil to completion. During this hour, I attempted to use my Kaneki distraction method - to spam someone counting back from 1000 in sevens, until we started talking about another topic, which either distracted from the pain or I gradually accustomed to the level of expected pain.
Our topics of discussion included the possible effect of my original binge drinking plan on my tattoo, how my hand was almost constantly in contact with the crotch of my artist's drop-crotch pants, and a few of WeChat's new emojis (which are funny AF btw).
I was given the usual Vitamin A+D emollient, and instructions to remove the dressing and wash with regular body wash/soap after 4 hours.
4 hours rolled around, and I did something extremely stupid. The only other experience I had with surgical tape is some really old stock from my ex's house, so they weren't as sticky. At first I peeled them off slowly, but in my impatience and assumption that a quick tug would hurt less (completely glossing over the fact that waxing salons always hold the skin in place to avoid excessive tugging), I tried to rip out what was left of the dressing, and ended up bruising the parts where the tape was stuck.
However, I also noticed that I actually bruised from this particular tattoo. It could be due to the sensitivity of the area, combined with the fact that I bruise very easily.
It is now day 4, and the peeling and itching has officially begun. I'm still using the A+D especially for time when I know I'd be rubbing it against something for some time (e.g. sleeping, at work with a hoodie on), but I do layer some After Inked right after my shower for moisturizing.
Expect the next tattoo-related post around February - I've booked a session with an amazing artist for a rather unique piece on my dad's birthday (what a way to celebrate).
Usually I'd go through the really long rant of explaining the meaning of my tattoos - this time I think I'd opt out.
All I'd say is, I still haven't actually tattooed someone's name on me.
The urge came right after I (finally) watched Kimi no Na Wa, and felt that the entire story pretty much visualized what I thought love was - fated, and more often than not relied heavily on chance and timing. That feeling of constantly looking for something... or someone, somehow feeling like something has been forgotten, but could not or would not remember what it is. That desperation of clinging on to every memory of the person, who may or may not be your destined, but what you do know is that they mean so much to you, so much more than so many others because they really are that special.
I wanted it simple and clean. I first contacted Pink Tattoos, but I didn't browse their social media first and did not realize they were on Christmas break. So I contacted Dr. Ink through WeChat, and set an afternoon for a consultation.
Since Dr Ink is also a bar, they open at 4pm at Scott Garden. I would say this would be one of my more comfortable consultations, as I had someone with me and it was close enough in proximity to where I lived.
I got inked on the last day of 2016, and on this day I learned 3 things:
- ALWAYS properly check if you've actually brought your wallet with you when you go out
- Have some bits of cash in the car just in case you forgot to bring your aforementioned wallet so you can actually get out of the parking lot
- Patience is a virtue when removing surgical tape (more on this later)
The entire piece took about an hour to complete, from stencil to completion. During this hour, I attempted to use my Kaneki distraction method - to spam someone counting back from 1000 in sevens, until we started talking about another topic, which either distracted from the pain or I gradually accustomed to the level of expected pain.
Our topics of discussion included the possible effect of my original binge drinking plan on my tattoo, how my hand was almost constantly in contact with the crotch of my artist's drop-crotch pants, and a few of WeChat's new emojis (which are funny AF btw).
I was given the usual Vitamin A+D emollient, and instructions to remove the dressing and wash with regular body wash/soap after 4 hours.
4 hours rolled around, and I did something extremely stupid. The only other experience I had with surgical tape is some really old stock from my ex's house, so they weren't as sticky. At first I peeled them off slowly, but in my impatience and assumption that a quick tug would hurt less (completely glossing over the fact that waxing salons always hold the skin in place to avoid excessive tugging), I tried to rip out what was left of the dressing, and ended up bruising the parts where the tape was stuck.
However, I also noticed that I actually bruised from this particular tattoo. It could be due to the sensitivity of the area, combined with the fact that I bruise very easily.
It is now day 4, and the peeling and itching has officially begun. I'm still using the A+D especially for time when I know I'd be rubbing it against something for some time (e.g. sleeping, at work with a hoodie on), but I do layer some After Inked right after my shower for moisturizing.
Expect the next tattoo-related post around February - I've booked a session with an amazing artist for a rather unique piece on my dad's birthday (what a way to celebrate).
Labels:
tattoo
Thursday, August 11, 2016
NEW TATTOO: My first color ink!
Welp... *cue hiatus apologies*
Before we begin, let's go over some of the background information about the hannya mask. Many around me mistaken it to be just some demon's face, and while I admit the hannya is still badass, it's not a any old demon face.
According to thehannyamask.com, the hannya mask is used in Japanese Noh theatre.
The design of the mask itself caught my attention back in high school, and as time went by I felt that I could relate to this 'character'. Not that my love betrayed me, but that jealousy and envy are one of my dominant traits, and jealousy/envy is never pretty.
Anyway, I enlisted the help of Yang Lee, after pretty much just Googling 'best oriental tattoo KL'. And it so happens that I actually stumbled upon the studio itself during a night-time ramen date with the girls during university, so I took it as a sign of fate. From a little more digging, Yang Lee turned out to be an artist who won awards in tattoo competitions.
I went in for a consultation after some exchange on WhatsApp, and after plotting the size for the tattoo and discussing some details, I waited for the sketch from the master Yang Lee himself. I requested a mask that felt more feminine than demon-like, because I somehow wanted to portray the vulnerability of a woman who feels insecure enough to feel jealous/envious enough to become demon-like.
I loved the design, and was so excited. There was some hiccups in between getting the sketch and getting the tattoo actually done, but I made an appointment for 12pm on 4 March. After prepping, signing some forms (you're required to sign a form that gives the studio/artist official permission to put ink on you, mostly procedural stuff), and then Yang Lee went about sizing the stencil and applying it to the skin.
Inking officially started at 13:47, after he added some extra flowers behind the mask with a Sharpie. The first session was just for lining and shading, and boy did it look good even just in black and gray.
For aftercare, I was given Tattoo Goo, which by the way, smells amazing! It's almost like cocoa butter heaven, but not completely cocoa butter. It contains olive oil, beeswax, and cocoa butter as the main ingredients. My previous tattoo artists gave me just a small sachet of of A+D ointment, which I never got round to finishing, and they also wrapped up my freshly done tattoo with a layer of gauze, a layer of saran, then asked me to remove the bandages after about 2 hours and rinse with warm water. Yang Lee only applied a thin layer of Tattoo Goo and sent me on my way.
Pro tip for tattoos: just do whatever your artist tells you to do for aftercare - different artists may have different approaches, but mostly unless you have vast experience with tattoo aftercare, just listen to what they say and you won't regret it.
Anyway, about 2 months later, I was actually a little hesitant to whether I actually wanted color on the tattoo, cuz it just looked so good just as is already! But I went ahead to make another appointment anyway despite my doubts.
The process took about 4 hours, including a little break in between. Guest spotting there was the amazing Andrew Ong from The Skin Canvas Tattoo, Penang. Andrew specializes in hyperrealism tattoos, and his works are just amazing! Above was the piece that he was working on while my hannya was being colored in.
I walked away with my first color tattoo at around 6pm... *cue scrolling*
Right after this, I went for an overnight trip to Fraser's Hill (waterfalls and bike rides), and then attended the Wayang Kulit Tattoo Show, where both Yang Lee & company, and Andrew & company had booths, along with several other talented artists from various studios in and around Malaysia.
This is my first time getting a tattoo that took so long to complete - my first took about 2-4 hours (RIP both artist Telwin's and my spine), and the 2nd one took all but 15 minutes (considering getting another one done by Ying). This was a total of about 10-12 hours in two sessions.
The FAQ that I get the most is 'doesn't it hurt???' It takes more than I'd like to admit to just blurt of a sarcastically cynical comment, because all tattoos hurt to a certain degree (depending on individual pain threshold), but yeah, this particular tattoo hurt A LOT. Why? The thigh is a pretty sensitive area (although many people say fattier areas of the body hurt less), and my tattoo extends to almost the back of the thigh, where the skin is even more sensitive.
It bled a lot, too. Before they shot the final reveal and during breaks, blood and plasma just kept oozing through the petroleum jelly. The lining and shading session didn't produce much swelling, but right after the color went on, my entire thigh was swollen to the point of borderline pain for a couple fo of days before the skin hardened into a crust like texture.
Overall, I would really recommend going to Yang Lee if you were looking for some good oriental designs. Though he has his own style of drawing, he almost never disappoints with the quality of the work.
The other artists Newjack and Brandon also produces really detailed needlework in various art styles - from chibi to traditional, from tribal to floral.
After using up my Tattoo Goo, I got myself some After Inked ointment from My Tattoo Supply in replacement of tattoo aftercare.
While Tattoo Goo is an oil-based ointment, After Inked is more of a cream-based product. Apart from the lack of the layer of oily film that I would get after applying Tattoo Goo, I also noticed that the tattooed area did not itch after I applied After Inked, as opposed to the constant itch that I would get after applying Tattoo Goo.
In hindsight, I should have taken a few more days off work for the first few days of healing to allow maximum color-stay effect.
Before we begin, let's go over some of the background information about the hannya mask. Many around me mistaken it to be just some demon's face, and while I admit the hannya is still badass, it's not a any old demon face.
According to thehannyamask.com, the hannya mask is used in Japanese Noh theatre.
In Noh theater, the Hannya Mask was used to depict a female character who has been betrayed by her love and is then possessed with thoughts of jealousy, rage and hatred which transform her into a demon form. A typical Hannya Mask has 2 horns which emerge from it's head, sharp teeth and scowling eyes to show the anger and fury of a heartbroken woman.
The design of the mask itself caught my attention back in high school, and as time went by I felt that I could relate to this 'character'. Not that my love betrayed me, but that jealousy and envy are one of my dominant traits, and jealousy/envy is never pretty.
Anyway, I enlisted the help of Yang Lee, after pretty much just Googling 'best oriental tattoo KL'. And it so happens that I actually stumbled upon the studio itself during a night-time ramen date with the girls during university, so I took it as a sign of fate. From a little more digging, Yang Lee turned out to be an artist who won awards in tattoo competitions.
I went in for a consultation after some exchange on WhatsApp, and after plotting the size for the tattoo and discussing some details, I waited for the sketch from the master Yang Lee himself. I requested a mask that felt more feminine than demon-like, because I somehow wanted to portray the vulnerability of a woman who feels insecure enough to feel jealous/envious enough to become demon-like.
I loved the design, and was so excited. There was some hiccups in between getting the sketch and getting the tattoo actually done, but I made an appointment for 12pm on 4 March. After prepping, signing some forms (you're required to sign a form that gives the studio/artist official permission to put ink on you, mostly procedural stuff), and then Yang Lee went about sizing the stencil and applying it to the skin.
Inking officially started at 13:47, after he added some extra flowers behind the mask with a Sharpie. The first session was just for lining and shading, and boy did it look good even just in black and gray.
For aftercare, I was given Tattoo Goo, which by the way, smells amazing! It's almost like cocoa butter heaven, but not completely cocoa butter. It contains olive oil, beeswax, and cocoa butter as the main ingredients. My previous tattoo artists gave me just a small sachet of of A+D ointment, which I never got round to finishing, and they also wrapped up my freshly done tattoo with a layer of gauze, a layer of saran, then asked me to remove the bandages after about 2 hours and rinse with warm water. Yang Lee only applied a thin layer of Tattoo Goo and sent me on my way.
Pro tip for tattoos: just do whatever your artist tells you to do for aftercare - different artists may have different approaches, but mostly unless you have vast experience with tattoo aftercare, just listen to what they say and you won't regret it.
Anyway, about 2 months later, I was actually a little hesitant to whether I actually wanted color on the tattoo, cuz it just looked so good just as is already! But I went ahead to make another appointment anyway despite my doubts.
The process took about 4 hours, including a little break in between. Guest spotting there was the amazing Andrew Ong from The Skin Canvas Tattoo, Penang. Andrew specializes in hyperrealism tattoos, and his works are just amazing! Above was the piece that he was working on while my hannya was being colored in.
Right after this, I went for an overnight trip to Fraser's Hill (waterfalls and bike rides), and then attended the Wayang Kulit Tattoo Show, where both Yang Lee & company, and Andrew & company had booths, along with several other talented artists from various studios in and around Malaysia.
This is my first time getting a tattoo that took so long to complete - my first took about 2-4 hours (RIP both artist Telwin's and my spine), and the 2nd one took all but 15 minutes (considering getting another one done by Ying). This was a total of about 10-12 hours in two sessions.
The FAQ that I get the most is 'doesn't it hurt???' It takes more than I'd like to admit to just blurt of a sarcastically cynical comment, because all tattoos hurt to a certain degree (depending on individual pain threshold), but yeah, this particular tattoo hurt A LOT. Why? The thigh is a pretty sensitive area (although many people say fattier areas of the body hurt less), and my tattoo extends to almost the back of the thigh, where the skin is even more sensitive.
It bled a lot, too. Before they shot the final reveal and during breaks, blood and plasma just kept oozing through the petroleum jelly. The lining and shading session didn't produce much swelling, but right after the color went on, my entire thigh was swollen to the point of borderline pain for a couple fo of days before the skin hardened into a crust like texture.
The other artists Newjack and Brandon also produces really detailed needlework in various art styles - from chibi to traditional, from tribal to floral.
After using up my Tattoo Goo, I got myself some After Inked ointment from My Tattoo Supply in replacement of tattoo aftercare.
While Tattoo Goo is an oil-based ointment, After Inked is more of a cream-based product. Apart from the lack of the layer of oily film that I would get after applying Tattoo Goo, I also noticed that the tattooed area did not itch after I applied After Inked, as opposed to the constant itch that I would get after applying Tattoo Goo.
In hindsight, I should have taken a few more days off work for the first few days of healing to allow maximum color-stay effect.
Labels:
tattoo
Monday, January 4, 2016
Torazou Ramen, Kuchai Entrepreneur's Park
Torazou has never been hidden, but for some reason, it only jumped out at us just recently (i.e. a few days ago), and so we figured, why not?
It's been a few years since I had ramen, and the place where I had it no longer exists in Sunway Pyramid. My first impression then was that the key to a good ramen was mainly the soup base, with the pork, noodles, and toppings coming in as secondary. My first ramen experience wasn't bad, but the "gyoza" that came with the noodles were as if they were salt-cured before frying.
Anyway, back to Torazou. It's on the same row as Chatime, Nippy Noodle House (a favorite), and Drunk Cat Restaurant; opposite Lai Lai Restaurant, which mainly focuses on Taiwanese beef noodles (to be sampled in the future).
A disappointing red Japanese curtain barely lined the glass door leading into the restaurant, booth chairs lining both sides of the restaurant, after a small noodle-making room to the left of the entrance. The walls were painted a dull grey, but illuminated with several paper-wrapped bubble lights reminiscent of IKEA.
The left side of the wall was adorned with Japanese style art in the form of blown up photos of paper-and-wire sculptures.
After browsing, we opted for a bowl of ramen each, with 2 side-dishes, all to be washed down with green tea that is quite regularly refilled by the foreign staff. Both bowls of ramen had a ridiculously miso-heavy soup base.
The SO ordered the Aka Niku Miso Ramen, which is a miso-based ramen with spicy minced meat. He rated it a 6/10, as the soup wasn't as thick as we expected, and the chashu was slightly bland. The bowl included a marinated soft-boiled egg (yolk no runny), spring onions, julienne black fungus, crispy bean sprouts, the spicy minced meat, and 2 slices of chashu. The sprouts and fungus provided a nice addition of crunchy texture to the springy ramen.
Since I just tried out the squid ink pasta a few days ago, I was still in an adventurous mood, but I was limited to a non-sour-spicy-eggy diet for the past few days, so I had to bypass the Jigoku Ramen (literally ramen of hell) and opt for the black garlic ramen. It was basically a miso-soup base infused with black garlic oil, and the bowl included 2 slices of chashu, black fungus, and bean sprouts, minus the soft boiled egg. The sweetness of the black garlic went quite well with the miso base, but overall it was a dish that merely mildly surprised me.
The thing is... the ramen noodles themselves also surprised me, as I was expecting the thicker type of noodles, like in instant Korean ramen, but a quick Google search revealed that this is indeed original ramen noodles. I think the key here is the texture: springy and almost crispy, but still soft enough to enhance the ramen experience~
Apart from the chuka idako (which was so overwhelmed by the flavor of sesame), we ordered a side of Hiroshima wings (comes in 5 pieces). This, we could give almost 10/10, because while the wings were crispy yet light, and wonderfully marinated in what I assume is a garlic marinade. However, a Google search led to no such dish called Hiroshima wings, or Hiroshima tebasaki.
The meal ended with some laughs about the katakana written on the wooden plaques on one side of the restaurant walls, which were (I assume) were to mimic the traditional Japanese style of a "menu", but they seemed to be done by someone who had little to no experience with Japanese writing.
Overall, the experience wasn't bad, but it would be a place that I would actively return to for ramen or noodles.
It's been a few years since I had ramen, and the place where I had it no longer exists in Sunway Pyramid. My first impression then was that the key to a good ramen was mainly the soup base, with the pork, noodles, and toppings coming in as secondary. My first ramen experience wasn't bad, but the "gyoza" that came with the noodles were as if they were salt-cured before frying.
Anyway, back to Torazou. It's on the same row as Chatime, Nippy Noodle House (a favorite), and Drunk Cat Restaurant; opposite Lai Lai Restaurant, which mainly focuses on Taiwanese beef noodles (to be sampled in the future).
A disappointing red Japanese curtain barely lined the glass door leading into the restaurant, booth chairs lining both sides of the restaurant, after a small noodle-making room to the left of the entrance. The walls were painted a dull grey, but illuminated with several paper-wrapped bubble lights reminiscent of IKEA.
The left side of the wall was adorned with Japanese style art in the form of blown up photos of paper-and-wire sculptures.
After browsing, we opted for a bowl of ramen each, with 2 side-dishes, all to be washed down with green tea that is quite regularly refilled by the foreign staff. Both bowls of ramen had a ridiculously miso-heavy soup base.
The SO ordered the Aka Niku Miso Ramen, which is a miso-based ramen with spicy minced meat. He rated it a 6/10, as the soup wasn't as thick as we expected, and the chashu was slightly bland. The bowl included a marinated soft-boiled egg (yolk no runny), spring onions, julienne black fungus, crispy bean sprouts, the spicy minced meat, and 2 slices of chashu. The sprouts and fungus provided a nice addition of crunchy texture to the springy ramen.
Since I just tried out the squid ink pasta a few days ago, I was still in an adventurous mood, but I was limited to a non-sour-spicy-eggy diet for the past few days, so I had to bypass the Jigoku Ramen (literally ramen of hell) and opt for the black garlic ramen. It was basically a miso-soup base infused with black garlic oil, and the bowl included 2 slices of chashu, black fungus, and bean sprouts, minus the soft boiled egg. The sweetness of the black garlic went quite well with the miso base, but overall it was a dish that merely mildly surprised me.
The thing is... the ramen noodles themselves also surprised me, as I was expecting the thicker type of noodles, like in instant Korean ramen, but a quick Google search revealed that this is indeed original ramen noodles. I think the key here is the texture: springy and almost crispy, but still soft enough to enhance the ramen experience~
Apart from the chuka idako (which was so overwhelmed by the flavor of sesame), we ordered a side of Hiroshima wings (comes in 5 pieces). This, we could give almost 10/10, because while the wings were crispy yet light, and wonderfully marinated in what I assume is a garlic marinade. However, a Google search led to no such dish called Hiroshima wings, or Hiroshima tebasaki.
The meal ended with some laughs about the katakana written on the wooden plaques on one side of the restaurant walls, which were (I assume) were to mimic the traditional Japanese style of a "menu", but they seemed to be done by someone who had little to no experience with Japanese writing.
Overall, the experience wasn't bad, but it would be a place that I would actively return to for ramen or noodles.
Location - 8 / 10
(relatively accessible, but parking might be a problem unless you're okay with double-parking)
Atmosphere - 8 / 10
Atmosphere - 8 / 10
Food & beverage quality - 5-7 / 10
(depends on what you order, mostly)
Price - 7 / 10
Value for money - 6 / 10
Value for money - 6 / 10
(also depends on what you order, but portion size:price doesn't work for me)
Service - 8 / 10
Service - 8 / 10
(although staff are foreigners, they are quite attentive)
TORAZOU RAMEN, KUCHAI ENTREPRENEUR'S PARK
41, Jalan Kuchai Maju 7,
Kuchai Entrepreneurs Park,
58200 Kuala Lumpur.
Business hours: 12.00pm - 9.00pm
Photos taken with Samsung Galaxy Note 3
Photos edited with Fotor app
Photos taken with Samsung Galaxy Note 3
Photos edited with Fotor app
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