thirty-five...

... days until my motherfuckin' BIRTHDAY!

I'm so stoked for my birthday, and I don't even have any plans yet. in case you can't do math really well, my birthday is March 23rd. I had my golden birthday last year (I turned 23 on the 23rd if you don't know the term), so I'll be blowing out 24 candles this year.

I get a little nervous as I approach my mid-20s. I guess it's because it's THAT much closer to 30, and I'm not ready to be 30 yet, damnit. I don't know, I just feel weird about it. next year I'll be turning 25, and that means I'm really a grown up, since I'll finally be able to rent a car and my car insurance will drop it's rates. I don't wanna grow up, I'm a Toys R Us kid. I feel like I will no longer be able to get away with doing anything irresponsible, and that scares the shit out of me... not that I'm an irresponsible person to begin with... but the fact that I don't even have the option of doing something AND getting away with it makes me mad. I want people to take me seriously and respect me, but I don't want to have to be 24 or 25 for it to happen. Catch 22 I suppose.

I don't usually ask for much for my birthday. usually I just want some peace, quiet, and relaxation... and maybe something I can't afford to buy for myself. ;) just maybe. normally, I just get a few friends together for dinner out and then drinks back at my house. for my 21st birthday, I celebrated with a few of my best friends in the one and only MIAMI. it was, by far, the best birthday I've ever encountered. I'm hoping to do it up big again for my 25th... Vegas maybe? whatever. let's just concentrate on this year for now.

this was the night of my 21st in Miami - right after my first legal drink... which just happened to be an Irish Car Bomb. FML.

the hubs has already bought me tickets to see Chelsea Handler the weekend after my birthday in Washington DC. supah stoked about that - I love Miss Handler and I own both of her books, My Horizontal Life, and Are You There Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea and they were equally hilarious reads. since I didn't really ASK for the tickets though, I asked if I could trade them in to be my V-Day gift instead... and that I could ask for something different as my birthday gift. nope, I'm not spoiled or bratty at all. promise.

I would totes go lez for Chelsea. she's hilarious, AND has a smokin' body.

so, he obliged, and the ONLY thing I can really think of that I want right NOW (but I don't want to pay for) is to finish my ongoing tattoo sleeve. I hate having unfinished ink on my skin, for I feel like I have to explain it more since there's not much dimension to it. since most of you are unaware of my what my sleeve is, and what it represents, I'll share. just for you. and you too there in the back.

when I first decided I wanted to start a sleeve (yeaaars ago, and totally against my then boyfriend's wishes... but he's my husband now, so what's he gunna do? divorce me? I don't think so), I knew I wanted it to be cohesive. this isn't meant to offend anyone, but I just really didn't want it to be a bunch of random pieces put together, and I'm not saying that it's a bad idea to go that route, but it's just not ME. I'm far too OCD for that shit. so I contemplated different ideas until I came to the final decision - Maryland. "that's it," I thought... "I'll just get a sleeve to represent my state, my hometown." and so I searched and searched and Googled til I couldn't Google anymore, for the perfect photos to use to represent my home state on my left arm.


I came up with a design I thought would work well on a section like an arm - I would collect a bunch of smaller images of things that represent Maryland as a state (or what people think of when they think of "Maryland") and then have my tattooist place them all in a way to show them off individually, even though they're really all grouped together. I hope that made sense. I took an Ambien a little while ago, and I think it's starting to kick in a little bit.

ANYWHOOZITS - I chose the following images for my sleeve:
-the Maryland Blue Crab (duh)
-crab knockers
-Old Bay Seasoning (which isn't JUST Maryland, but you can't find it north of here or south of NC and it's the main ingredient used when cooking Maryland Blue Crabs)
-Black Eyed Susans (state flower)
-checkerspot butterfly (state insect)
-Baltimore Oriole (even though they suck, they're still the state bird)
-a banner with the words "Maryland, my Maryland" displayed (state song)
-the white oak leaf (state tree)
-the outline of the state, which would also feature the flag on the inside
-the one and only Edgar Allen Poe, who was actually born north of here (I wanna say Philly or Boston?), but he died, and more importantly, WENT CRAZY, right here in Murrland.

so whatever - that's what I came up with, and I have to say, it's probably the best idea I've ever had and it ended up being exactly what I had in my head - something cohesive, meaningful, and beautiful.



so far, I only have the outline done, which took about 3 1/2 hours to complete. I've been putting off getting the shading and color done due to finances, but since I have a freebie gift coming up, that's what I'm asking for. I want it done before summer so I can actually enjoy the sunshine without having to cover it up to avoid sunlight. enough talking, here are a couple pictures of what's been done so far. I apologize in advance for the first few - they were taken with my cell phone. apparently I couldn't find my camera and I had to take these pictures rightthefucknow.

and now a better picture, taken by my lovely best friend, Laura:

please keep in mind that it is NO WHERE near being finished yet! I still have both shading and color sessions left, as well as filling in the background with traditional stars and dots. I cannot wait to have a finished masterpiece.

happy birthday to meeeeee sometime in early April!