Krschhttshttt. Testing. 1 - 2 - 3. Krrrsshttskkshht.

This post is about Agent Freckle (AF) and TattooMama (TM). The guys must have handles too (Cabela and Levi?) but I don't remember them, which is a perfect segue into my next comment:

Tattoo Mama, aka Karen, is my friend. She's a Harley gal and an RN. She's a Virgo too. She's real (no BS here) and a Mom, and she's hooked up - literally.


Last weekend, a group of us gathered to install TM's new CB radio and antenna. And what a team we were (I was, of course, the supervisor).

Following a great breakfast, we all wandered to the VERY well organized garage to begin this project. After a few hours of fun and work, the first official communication cleared the airwaves to cheers all around! It worked! It was hooked up!

TattooMama's handle comes from our coordinated and shared support for her daughter Lauren's new (and first) tattoo. Let me simply say, this tattoo isn't small and it isn't easily hidden.

Gulp. Breath. Chant: "Mom's are cheerleaders, Mom's are cheerleaders."

Second chant: "Eighteen. Eighteen. Eighteen. Legal to make own decisions."

It's a beautiful design that Lauren drew herself from the ancient native american zia symbol. It's a very artistic and appropriate expression.

The zia is easily recognized as the symbol on New Mexico's flag - a red sun with rays streching out from it. There are four groups of rays with four rays in each group. This is an ancient sun symbol of the Native American people called the Zia. The Zia believed that the giver of all good gave them gifts in groups of four.

These gifts are:

The four directions - north, east, south and west.

The four seasons - spring, summer, fall and winter.

The day - sunrise, noon, evening and night.

Life itself - childhood, youth, middle years and old age.

And all of these are bound by a circle of life and love, without a beginning or end.

An honorable message. There are far worse things one could have tattoed onto their forearm.

This new tattoo on the arm of a friend's daughter reminds me of my son's first tattoo, one I was adamantly opposed to and thankfully completely oblivious to for a long while. When I did learn about it (irritation building behind my curious smile as I asked to see it), he tentatively, but proudly, pulled up his shirt to bare an ancient Chinese symbol for (he was telling me quickly) "Integrity".

Gulp. Breath....CHEER! (it wasn't a rose with someone's name on it! or a skull and crossbones!)

Tattoo's still weren't my thing, but evidently they were his.

Why do kids have to grow up? Why do they want tattoos? I don't know. Why do adults want CB handles for that matter? It's all a matter of personal expression.



AgentFreckle morphed from my original handle "The Big Freckle" (given to me in the 80's by Bill Hunt on a trip to Mt. Shasta). Karen used it in reference to me after I managed to take a particularly sleuthful picture, appropriately named "Azzphalt ".

As in all things, photography can be creative too.

It's the simple matter of personal expression.

krrrsshttttt this is AgentFreckle lookin for TattooMama, come in TM??! You out there?...krrrshhsttttt




Hmmm. Didn't copy that. Over (under?) and out.

Steppenwolf "Born To Be Wild"