J. Arthur Loose

8/19/09

-Almost-

I write now from distant memory of Summer. Outside it is leafless, and soon it will be lifeless, at least as expressed by Winter's hibernation. Again, as seems now the seasonal norm, Summer was a torrent of grey skies and damp ruination. The big box stores were kind enough to import tomato blight. Thanks, Wal-Mart. You're awesome. August however, brought some sun in time for Pennsic, which was enjoyed despite the hospital trip.

Nearly the day of my return I had an appointment with Juli. We placed and sketched in the outline of the right leg, although we had only time for the outer lines. It still felt pretty amazing to see, after nearly four and a half years, the tattoo in relative entirety.

10/23/09

-Outlined-

Months ago, I was able to schedule a dual appointment with Troy and Juli on the same day. It was a long day of sitting... just over six hours in total. Luckily it was mostly linework... that much color work would be grueling! Alas, now that we have completed the outline, all I have to look forward to is color work. The hard work of design layout is over with, and the hard work of healing broadly scraped sections of color work is all that remains.

I've always wanted to inscribe the runic elements at this point in time, so I have been refining the concepts and inscriptions themselves. The primary inscription will read in Old Norse, in the Younger Futhark something along the lines of 'I, the Smith, shaped / forged Runes.' I like to think that some of the things I have made will themselves remain eternal mysteries...

On my left arm, where the beast grips tongs, the inscription is tentatively set as a name-formula regarding a kenning for gold, a visual pun and a metaphor for understanding metalworking as a mystery in and of itself: 'arm-fire grasper.' The left hand is the hand that usually modifies the force which is the right hand... it's got interesting right brain / left brain connotations, to say nothing of the magical concept of right-hand and left-hand paths... themselves something of a connundrum in the Odian context.

At any rate, I may leave it at that or include one more inscription on my leg, and with the Hammer, the tongs and all the rest I believe it must have something to do with the anvil; that immobile force which the hammer may act upon. We shall see.

Speaking of Hammers, Juli reworked that old friend. For the fourth time... and for the first time it healed beautifully from start to finish. I don't know what it has been about that area, but it seems to have resolved itself in a most satisfying manner.