inconsistencies

Gee golly, has this month been an odd one. February is usually a hump month in my mind, and perhaps that's mostly attributed to being submersed in an educational calendar. I even forgot about President's Day. In school we did not have the pleasure of the 3-day weekends associated with Monday holidays. No Columbus Day, no MLK, no blowing out the candles for Washington--all forgotten in the world of private academia. Alas. Oh and happy [belated] valentine's day all you lovers, and singles, and hallmark representatives.

Just 3 days ago it was gorgeous out. On Valentine's Day I scampered down the streets of the Italian Market in a dress. A DRESS. IN FEBRUARY. And then...it snowed.

But all of that is nothing compaired to the happenings in the rest of the world. President Mubarak and Egypt have dominated most of the news, and I wish I could say that I have been following the events in the land of the Nile and Sphinx closely, but I have only heard bits and pieces. I did have the chance to hear a graduate student at UPenn speak about his time in Egypt. He was writing his dissertation of Mubarak's reign and happened to be living in the country when the protesting picked up speed. He was living with a young Egyptian lawyer who had begun to recieve text messages, e-mail and instant messages regarding locations and time of demonstrations. This new era of technological communication has created infinite pathways for organization, and, as Egypt has shown us, technology allows for those with no political inclinations to be drawn in with the click of a mouse or *boop* of an iphone. Who knows just what this will mean for the future.




And now, my contribution to the world involves sipping Sleepytime tea (it's so magical) and hoping to get sleepy soon because I won the work lottery and was assigned a nine-hour shift starting at 6am. What am I, an adult?

My beau and roommate, aka the boys, are watching a movie. And not just any movie, oh no, it's like six movies in one and they are all bad. It is called....Hancock. Seems like a handful of incomplete broken superhero movies were somehow glommed onto one another to create a terrible monstrosity of special effects and sappy tunage In do like Jason Bateman, though.

rat-a-tattoo

My ears still buzz with the drone of the needles. Swirling designs dance before my eyes. But my skin continues to be ink-free. I survived it, the great Philadelphia Tattoo Convention.

It was a wild time. The Center City Sheraton was overrun with tattoo-ed folk of all kinds. Tall ones, fat ones, young ones, old ones. Bikers, hipsters, punks, hippies...the elite of the body art world all convening into three sweaty, PBR scented convention floors. There were rows upon rows of folks getting tattooed and artists doing live sketches. The whole scene was quite entrancing.

And then there was the entertainment. For the price of the admission I was suddenly privy to the accessories to the world of tattoos and gauge piercings: the art of the sideshow and burlesque. Philadelphia's own Olde City Sideshow performed along with The Freak Kings (can't find a site for them). Acts that normally would only be seen in the company of the big tent circus and vaudeville stages of the past are popping up all over the place now. I saw many swords a-swallowed. Household clothes irons were suspended from lower eyelids and swung from side to side, and the oh-so-interesting Penguin Boy lifted a bowling ball from the large holes in his earlobes. What? How does one start to endeavour in such a practice?

But I digress. The whole evening was a blast. Truly. Murphy's Law played a hell of a set. Did I know their music? No. Did I dance like I did? Of course.

So, ladies and germs, if a tattoo convention comes your way open your mind a wee bit and consider attending. For serious.

Whine Free

Look at this bottle.

This is a 1999 Joseph Drouhin Montrachet. This is a very expensive bottle of wine (retail basement at around $300). This is by far THE BEST WINE I EVER, AND PROBABLY WILL EVER TASTE. If you ever happen upon this wine and have $300 to spare, or are lucky enough to taste it for free you will be engaged in a smooth dance on your taste buds. You will drink each sip as if it were liquid gold. You will be so very happy. I promise. I will never forget you Joseph Drouhin.

So what is new in my life ladies and gentleman? I threw my fate into the hands of the united states postal service and sent in my application for the Walnut Street Apprentice Program and boy am I crossing my fingers for it. It's been quite difficult for me not having constant obligations and tasks to accomplish. And having so much time to myself has resulted in things like this blog and creating my website. And watching lots of Netflix.

This weekend is the Philadelphia Tattoo Arts Convention up at the Sheraton. Considering my brother and his girlfriend and coming all the way from big bad Brooklyn I'll probably be in attendance. I'm sure to stick out with my un-inked skin and such, but it should be quite the visual adventure. I'll try and take pictures.

up and running

HELLO INTERNET! So I've got my own website right now, and I'm a bit embarassed about it. Not quite sure what content to include or how to navigate myself between letting my personality peek through and totally looking like an amateur. It took me quite awhile to format, mostly because I'm not the greatest at this whole computer deal. I guess I shouldn't be too worried about it all since no one knows about it yet, nor does anyone read my blog yet. But they will...they will.

So anyway the website is http://katherineperry.weebly.com/ and I would very much so appreciate some feedback on it. Content, layout, colors, whatever. So whoever you are, my electronic friend, let me know what you think!

For now I've got an ice storm to prepare for, ie I'll be leaving myself notes reminding me that, although the ground seems totally clear, there is a layer of ice that would like nothing more than to paint my canvas with bruises. And that shit is no fun.