The 40 Year Old Virgin (IMO) is a really, really a good (funny) movie.

Seth Rogen plays 'Cal' who alongside Steve Carell (Andy) and others who work a drudgerous job at a Circuit City-like store.

At first I thought maybe the film was fitting into the social stigma that a heavily tattooed person could only possibly get such a shitty job, but after thinking about it I just realized the tattoo aspect of Cal was merely a character trait just like Andy's hairy (natural) chest.

I couldn't also think that they were associating Cal's tattoos with the 'bad boy' behavior, but Cal turns out to be the most intellectual of the bunch (he reveals himself as a non-smug 'novelist').

...but I also can't help to point out incredibly fake and horrible the 'tattoos' look. They don't even posess any sort of depth of color, but merely have a dark pencil grey shade.

Tinsley Transfers did the 'tattoo work' of Cal.

Disappearing ink tattoo info. @ gizmodo.com

Also info. @ needled.com

I met Dan in my 'Advanced Rock Climbing' class.

Dan recently (2 days) had gotten a celtic knot type design tattooed on his right forearm. He mentioned being worried about accidently brushing against the rocks. I definitely see a snake in there.

Needled, a huge body modification blog, mentioned my site 2 weeks ago in regards to the Hunter Barnes exhibit.

This is culled from something I overlooked over at the New York Comic-Con.

This is a tattoo on Roman Dirge's (guy on left) right leg. It is self done, he did it about 2 (?)years ago. It is of 'Malachi', a character of his creation in his comics. I *believe* that a 'malachi' is the formal term of the 'form' (the dense thick foam block that the animal skin is put over) that is used in taxidermy for moles (the animal).

I met Brian this semester in my current MSA class, The Body: The Medium & the Message.

Brian has the first nine digits of the Fibonacci number sequence tattooed on his right forearm. Brian has always been fascinated by math.

Brian was tattooed over last weekend, it was his first one. He was tattooed by 'Smitty' at 'Tattoo Me' in Dobbs Ferry, NY.

These are shoes designed by Tokyo Hiro. According to the Draven Shoes website, Hiro is a kickboxer who is also a tattoo artist as well? They feature traditional type tattoo flash artwork. I googled his name and could only find pages regarding the same canvas shoes.

http://www.dravenshoes.com/

I met Doug Thursday night at the Student Center at the school I attend. I sold him the vest he is wearing (which I've had since childhood) for $3.

Doug has a sparrow tattooed on his left wrist.

I met Ava Wednesday. It was a sunny day and I noticed she has some not-so average tattoos on her arms.

The tattoo on her inner right arm is her most recent (still healing). She did the illustration and you can find more info. about it at her website 'Metaterrestial Conventus'

from Ava:

'http://www.sabian.org/alicech2.htm that website shows the the illustration and the part of the book the "curiouser and curiouser" is about'

Daina, Ada's sister. They have the same tattoo.

'Leave New York' group show at the Sweet Home Gallery.

'I' was in the 'Skinny Like a Skyscraper' exhibit by Jeffrey Kilmer. You can find better photos of his work at '23 Perfect Pure' section of his site.

Jeremy runs and owns the Rogue's Gallery which is just down the block from the Apple Store in SoHo. I went to go see an exhibit that my friend Haley (on the right) was in.

Jeremy was heavily intoxicated and was wearing a dress.

Ran into Blackwolf the Dragon Master in Union Square last week as well. Mind you it's about 80 degrees outside and this guy is wearing multiple wool capes.

Tattoo flash art on the toilet at NY Adorned.

I met Mark and Nicole last Friday around Union Square last weekend.

Mark plays in The Casualties and has a '914' tattooed on his right wrist. 914 is the area code for Westchester, where he grew up.

Sunday I went to China Town with my friend Erica. After lunch we stopped by 'Luxury Shoes' to check out some new sneakers.

Here I am hands on with the new 'Sailor Jerry' themed Converse Chuck Taylor shoes. There are a variety of 'Limited Edition' shoes available, but this store only had one available (which is actually my favorite of the designs).

Here we have Sailor Jerry tattoo art commodified on a sneaker. It seems as though Converse would seem like a logical, classical brand for Sailor Jerry to align itself with- but Converse was purchased by Nike in 2003. So unless you have a pair of 'classic' Converse sneakers pre-2003, you are essentially wearing Nikes (to a certain degree).

So essentially:

Nike is making money off of traditional tattoo art.

The site will be out of comission for about a week. You can read all about why (if you care) at:

http://www.mybodystory.com/apple_lcd/

The commodification of tattoo culture can be seen in any supermarket.

Vending machines can be seen dispensing plastic jewel rings, gumballs, toy soliders, and even temporary tattoos to any eager child with a pocketful of quarters.

LeftOfMe.com - Guide to getting a Tattoo

Site mention on glassjaw.net

More updates later this week.

Last night I went to the 'secret' Men, Women, & Children show at the Eclectic House at Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT.

Lots of underage bodies consuming alcohol & dancing. Only in college will you find an unwashed spaghetti pot next to shared toothbrushes & toothpaste.

I met Laura at the Eclectic house at Wesleyan University.

Laura is from Memphis, Tennessee. 'Radio City' is the nickname for Memphis.

Opening of the Al Hansen exhibit at the Andrea Rosen Gallery.

From the exhibit flyer:

'The second subject explored is Hansen's fascination with the Venus. Early in his non-figurative pieces, references to women appear through the words included, she, her, clit, hers. This lifelong obsession soon becomes full-blown. Miss Stuff, 1967, Callipole Venus, 1968, Bambolina, 1994, Venus of Shop-Ritedorff, 1965, A T & T Venus, 1993 - Venus, Goddess, Mother, Lover...This long and continued relationship is fleshed out in many different forms and mediums including wrappers, cigarette butts, cigarette papers, matchsticks, and newspaper clippings.'

Update! My professor just informed me that Al Hansen is Beck's grandfather. I went to this art gallery random FYI, I just saw a lot of people with beer on the lower west side and invited myself.

I met Erica at the Comic Con on Saturday morning. Erica works at St. Mark's Comics.

Erica has a 'chip' on her shoulder.

Way into character, amazing costume. I'm pretty sure it was handmade, the material was papier mache-like.

Guy in zombie makeup.

The Thing of the Fantastic Four.

I have seen 'Blackwolf the Dragon Master' for the past couple years at the comic conventions in the tri-state area.

This guy is ALWAYS in character. I'm pretty sure he actually believes he really is who he says he is.

From Wikipedia.org

'Blackwolf the Dragonmastercreated and performed by Richard Washington, is the self-proclaimed Unofficial Wizard of New York City. Notorious for his now-legendary unexpected encounter with Triumph, the Insult Comic Dog in May 2002, this fictional Sorcerer turned occasional eccentric has dedicated himself to embarking on a continuing Quest to encourage his fellow New Yorkers to, in his own words, "imagine responsibly!" That Quest has its greatest statement in his website, the somewhat spookily named, yet entirely family-friendly Blackwolf the Dragonmaster's Dark Chambers.'

More info @ wikipedia.org

I met Brandon on Sunday at the Big Apple Comic Con on Sunday morning.

His robot is from graffiti he saw somewhere in Philadelphia.

Update thanks to Josh!

'That's the design at the corner of Poplar and New Market Sts in the Northern Liberties section of Philadelphia.'

I met Liz and Val at the dual opening of Jose Lerma's 'The Golden Sea' and Al Hansen's exhibit at the Andrea Rosen Gallery on Saturday night. Liz and Val are walking art exhibits.

You can find more about Liz and Val at their website. Very nice people.

From the exhibit flyer:

'Hunter Barnes spends his time traveling and living with people who populate his photographs - American Indian Tribes, Bloods, Low-riders, deep-rural Americans, Outlaw Motorcycle clubs and inmates in maximum-security prisons. This process enables him to capture his subjects in stark natural settings. Trust and true friendships develop-as well as stunning photographs. His latest collection; "Scenes from the Outside" is a collage of these elusive characters.'

It was a bit like the Twilight Zone when a few bikers showed up to the opening. The bikers were like celebrities. Joe (Mike's brother) is towards the bottom.