While it's not the SAME as the shirt, I think the artist really took into account my dad's tattoo (which I won't show here bc it's the last pic I took of my dad when he was almost gone) and copied what the tattoo *meant* to me, not just what it was on the shirt.

I think it's better than the original, honestly. For the weirdest reasons. The colors aren't as muted/dark, and I was REALLY worried about it at first (you know, perception vs reality). My dad's was SO faded, and I think the slightly-bright-yet-also-muted colors match SO WELLLLLL.

Seven hours later, two hours after the con closed, and the tattoo is finished.

Dad, I finished your tattoo for you. On the opposite arm of yours so we can always stand together. I hope it’s what you always wanted.

Chris from Briar and Bone Collective in MPLS - thank you for taking this on.

I saw this stencil print and I almost just burst immediately into tears. It was happening. Two and a half years and this random artist at this con said yes. The only artist at the con with this style - it’s an anime con so most artists were cartoony and colorful.

So I sat.

So I sent him *every image of this shirt I could find*. There aren’t that many out there. They’re all shit quality. He says to give him an hour so he can stencil it. Took a measurement of my arm.

I came back and he had taken the images, edited them to fit my arm, and stenciled it out.

Now I had to hope and pray that this guy had the *time* to do it. It’s the last day of the convention, and many of these artists had been booked out for WEEKS.

I met him at his table as soon as the con opened for the day and asked if he was free to do it.

He was.

I slept on it. Couldn’t stop thinking about how someone finally said yes - someone who doesn’t normally do color work, but had won an award at my convention for best tattoo last year, and whose work I loved otherwise.

Called Dudejita this morning and he said just go for it! It’s been 2 years!

I said I’m definitely interested, but the way my checking and my savings set up… I just wasn’t prepared to drop 2k on it *right now*. I never expect anyone to say yes. Let me think about it - I’ll email you in a few weeks. He was cool with that - I don’t mind the 6h drive to MN for it.

I showed him a couple pictures I could find - all grainy and low-res, because again, shirt from the 90s. He said that he’d do it. Let’s book it!

Hol’up.

At a slow point, I was looking through his flash book, and he asked if I wanted a tattoo. I said yeah, but it’s a custom tribute piece and I didn’t think it matched his style (he’s a blackwork artist). “Well, let me see the shirt.”

The search has slowed over time, and I’ve turned down other tattoos I wanted. This one was more important. However, I work for an anime tattoo convention.

I met an artist this weekend from Minneapolis - another place close to my heart. Just vibed with him all weekend (over an electrical issue).

Every one either said “I don’t tattoo other people’s art” or “That’s not my style” or “Well maybe XXX here can do it”. Disappointment after disappointment. It’s a tshirt from the 90s, the art isn’t stolen. It’s a tribute piece that means a lot to me. But I get it, and I kept looking.

Ever since he passed two and a half years ago, I knew I wanted to get the tattoo - but I wanted to complete it. Not just the wizard, but the woods and the lightning. I went on a mission to find local artists that matched the art style close enough. Emailed, went into shops, asked them at events.

like this is incredible vagueposting but truly, I can’t imagine a world where I don’t keep doing it, but if I choose to continue I feel like it would be a grave betrayal to one of my longest friends. I can’t fix it, it’s not mine to fix. I’m so mentally and emotionally lost right now.

My job is leveraging home-grown AI, not LLM's, but purely home-grown AI as a customer service assistant that's going to be a great boon to our CSRs. THAT'S, imo, when AI should stop. LLM shit is out of hand.

From my understanding, only the console itself has the magnets, the joycons just have metal to allow those console magnets to adhere securely.

oh stop it you