A Circle Jerk - The NZ New Year honors role call.

171 people to be recognised in the New Year 2012 New Zealand Royal Honours.

Aside from Ralph Hotere who's dedication, focus and single-mindedness to his art which, which like it or not (the art) deserves recognition, there is little of merit in the other 170 names on the list.

Ok, so I'll back down a little and some of the names, those give selflessly and without reward probably deserve some wider recognition, and it is likely that within their own circle, their own community they are fairly well-known, or at least renown for their work, even if most people never have contact with them, or are likely to.

Haters gonna hate right? Not really. I've never understood the glee with which we recognize people for doing their job.

"For services to Business" Spare me.
"For being a Rugby Coach" Give over! What if the All Blacks hadn't won the RWC?
"For services to the State" - so for being a career public servant. Beggars belief.

There are a lot of unfathomable examples of awards, to a myriad of unknown people in unknown jobs. Fair play to them (mostly), but I question the reward for "doing your job".

I'm sure that if these accolades came with a big cheque then there would be slightly more scrutiny and not a "Meh" when they are published.

via Prominent artist tops New Year honours (+ list) - National - NZ Herald News.

Beer – #2 in a series

Today; Fullers London Pride

What can I say except this is a solid beer. Right on my beer button, middling taste not as harsh as a pale ale, and for me like a beer should be.

9 arbitrary stars out of 10 arbitrary stars

In the court of public opinion - #1

In the case of a 16yo in Turangi A particularly tasteless sex crime against a girl 5.

Thankfully public opinion and sentiment isn't the deciding factor in what if any punishments are due. There isn't much doubt about guilt, the teen, by all accounts, turned himself in, and is in custody, bail declined, for the duration.  The story will be one of why, and how. And we will all have an opinion on that.

But is you've been unfortunate enough to read some blogs then you'll find things like this, all anonymous all ignorant and all rabid;

• "Hopefully this scumbag will be jailed. He will last about 5 seconds in prison."


• "He should be fucking shot"


• "he big pity is ... the cunt is only 16 and  will create a feeding frenzy for lawyers, psychiatrist and the like all at our expence, besides that in jail nowadays most of the crims are in for similar shit, they will just fuck him."


• "16. Disgusting. And of course will likely not be convicted due to his age. Appalling."


• "I REALLY hope that the judge refuses name suppression in this case."


• "It's well past time minors got automatic name suppression. Hang em high"


• ime for a little social justice me thinks....Should get a lynch mob together outside Taupo youth court for a public castration and flogging. What a piece of trash cant wait till his lawyer (probably tax payer provided) blames his tragic upbringing."

And that's just from just one blog!

Twitter had is share of agony aunts and uncles, with one long and ill-informed back and forth about nature over nurture that I was (As was the whole of connected twitter) watching (or participating in).

Bottom line is not a one of us knows, and not a one of us will get to decide on this. The worst thing about this whole episode, in my opinion, is the level of faux outrage that  people have. The crime was sick and distasteful, all crimes against children are, but with a little nudge from the media and we have a circus born. And to the circus come the freaks, freaks with opinions, bloated, self-important or ill-informed, all there at one outlet or another.

This is the price we pay for democracy on the internet of course, we're all allowed our say and we're all at liberty to share it with who ever we like, where we like, and how we like.

Casting aside even our own sense of moral right and climbing on the high horse of public outrage doesn't end well. We're increasingly like a school of  sharks who encircle the next victim with a savage onslaught, only to move away quietly to the next victim, out faux outrage dissipated.

We've had this Faux Outrage at events such as, Pike river, Michael Laws, Garth George, The Tea Cup fiasco,  the Rena accident, and just about any time there is a child abuse case spread across the media.

It's ok to be disgusted, and to be confused by events that you don't have any control over, really it is, however it's not ok to assume that you are the arbiter of outcomes. It just doesn't work that way.

just saying.

Beer - #1 - Fullers - Honey Dew

Today It's Fullers Honey Dew 'Organic' beer.

It's a bit 'flat' and tasteless but does have a strange under-taste, It could be the honey.

On the Pdub-o-meter it rates an arbitrary 7 out of 10. You couldn't make a night of it and there aren't many redeeming features, but there is  comedy section on the label on the back that has a serve with suggestion.

 

Trying Teen Times – the grown up one – Part the Fourth

It's really difficult being a parent, especially one to a newly unemployed child. Unemployed because he quit at university, and has suddenly discovered that jobs are not like food in the pantry, always there (at least at home), but that you have to go hunt one out.

Not having a clue of course, and reluctant or willfully ignoring, advice, it's suddenly dawned on him that he has to get his A into G and find something.

Like a bull at a gate he goes at it. Today we have the "What I.T. courses should I study?" to which I reply that I'd told him  2 years ago that he'd be advantaged by studying on and getting into something like VoIP. Today I have to tell him that it's not like there is one qualification that'll get him a job, it's kind of bit specialized.

So I've sent him off to look at jobs he'd think he'd like to do, see what the qualification level is and go backwards from there, after all if he can find a bunch of "dream jobs" then he should  plan to work towards them knowing what the bar looks like?

Unless I'm wrong.

Today the driver is that 5 1/2 hours ago we mentioned to him that it would be a plan to keep searching for a job, and to be sending off his CV. I should be happier but when he sits next to me with a gamestaionboy device I know he's been more focussed on some qualification and experience in something that'll do him no good and have no relevance in anything he wants to do in life.

Honda CRZ - a quick drive around the block

MrsPdubyah had a call from Honda NZ, "would we please go drive one of their new cars?" She declined but knowing I'm an easy touch made them ring me. Of course yes, I'm always a bit keen for a bit of a thing.

They offered the Insight, I laughed, but I did say that I'd be keen on the Honda CR-Z, and so it came to pass, for a jolly entertaining and rewarding hour.

They had a white one available so I sat myself in had the pre-flight lecture and took off.

Initial thoughts: There are a few things missing inside, like an arm-rest - which is a big deal if you're a commuter having to sit for an hour or more in traffic, somewhere to rest your arm is important - to me.  And the view from the rear-view mirror is somewhat obstructed by the strange high boot lid design, not the end of the world, but restricted.

The steering wheel was a confusion of switches and buttons, some not so easy to get to, and some that did things that I didn't really get.

The dashboard! What can I tell you! it was like being in Tron - the movie.

The rev counter / speedo came in glorious blue. If you're being frugal the circle around the speed indicators turns green, if you're driving it with a lead foot it goes red, mostly it stays blue, a veritable disco dashboard.

The CR-Z has heaps of in drive view options  on the dashboard if you keep tapping the buttons, some I got  - like distance travelled, average speed,  but others not so much, technology for the sake of it, or that fact that I hadn't read the user encyclopedia. I had a look at it, not in it.

You can select - on the move - one of three drive modes, Eco, Normal and Sport. And the computer sorts it out. Accelerator bursts of energy are augmented from the battery - oh yeah it's a hybrid - should you need it, and it has a flappy paddle gearbox.

In the Eco/Normal mode if you flip the flappy paddle, say to change gear to overtake, it changes to that gear for 90 seconds before reverting back to automatic mode. In sport if you  change gears with the flappy paddle then you're driving it in manual mode, it doesn't switch back (I'm sure it has over-rides to make sure it doesn't blow up). Very trick, 7 gears, very smooth, and very fast. Very fast.

And talk about economical - I drove it a bit harsh and it peaked at 5.9 liters per 100 kms. No wonder it's only a 40 litre tank! I could get used to that economy on the commute.

Weirdest feature - the auto-stop. Honda have the technology that cuts the engine when you stop at a junction or lights, release your foot from the brake and it's instant on and away you go, not ideal in some circumstance but interesting, very trick, and a bit confusing at first.

Worst thing - it has 4 seats, and unless your passenger has no legs - no way - not ever- would you get anyone else in the back of the car. Worst thing (2) I have no idea where the front of the car was, it disappears over the front of the bonnet somewhere into neverland. I didn't even attempt to reverse.

Missing Feature: no GPS. I'm sure it'll get one eventually, but for the sake of a couple hundred dollars it seems a little odd.

Would I buy one? at $45,000 it's a big ask, but if you do it'd be very rewarding to drive, it handles surprisingly well, and it would be cheap to fill and run. Is it practical? not for a family man no. Unlike other Honda cars I've driven this one has a bit of personality and verve. It's looks will not suit everyone and is controversial, but then that's never stopped Honda in the past.

The Honda CR-Z then, 8 arbitrary stars out of 10 arbitrary stars, drive one you'll get it.

Christmas - the one the day after

Well that was a bit of a thing. Christmas at home instead of at the beach house.

Cocktails - we'd best not talk too much about those, the Cosmopolitans were in order for the ladies and I then made Margaritas, but I ended up drinking them all - and I'd made enough for a few.

We had my bromance friend around, he rarely visits but was forced to by his daughter. He came with a bottle of port, pre-dinner entertainment.

The Beef on the BBQ was just over cooked, I was working to instruction and the salads and other things were all wonderful. The Ham of course was magnificent.

During the lunch we discovered that my son's girlfriend is related to David Bain. I don't think we'll be going to his house for a party any time soon to be honest.

 

The Public Purse - Having your snout in it, or how Parliamentary Staff Cuts are the fault of John Key.

Someone is making a story up. The PSA are a very noisy union all about feathering the nest of those that have been employed at the cost to the public purse, they are troughers.

I do have to say that  that really is what a union is, the what's in it for the worker, regardless of the cost to the work (employers) mentality. IT's not about "fair" or "equitable" it's about "protectionism".

So then via Parliamentary Staff Cut - politics - national | Stuff.co.nz.

"The festive season is somewhat subdued at Parliament this year after advisers, managers, press secretaries, librarians and executive assistants lost their jobs.

Most of the staff employed within the parliamentary precinct are employed by the Parliamentary Service, which this year was reorganised in a bid to cut costs.

As with elsewhere in the public sector, back office functions are being amalgamated."

All of which seems very logical and normal part of cutting your cloth to suit your needs - we're not flush with cash as a country and there is over-population in some sectors of public service. Right then carry on :

"General manager Geoff Thorn said this had resulted in the senior management team being reduced from six to four."
and
"Much of the reduction had been achieved through natural attrition but two librarians were made redundant, he said"
and
"Executive assistants to MPs are employed on fixed-term "events-based" contracts around each election. That means their contracts terminate when the MPs they work for are no longer members"

Well excuse me if Labour had better policy and leadership they'd have more MP's, And that's about the long and short of it. How does Brenda Pilott -  http://www.psa.org.nz - get to her statement that this is only bad for opposition MP's. And that this was picked up and re-tweeted by Trevor Mallard - who knows who pulls the strings.



When you realise that the PSA values are the core of the Labour party then it all becomes a bit clearer. The 'facts' are that rather than have a realistic outlook on what we can afford, or should have, we 'need' to have over staff, multiple layers of overlapping and duplicating services. The unions will fight tooth and nail to ensure that they draw every dollar out of their employer, in this case it's about how many tax dollars can they get their hands on rather then it being available to essential services and the really needy.

The PSA then appear to want to be all about troughing at the public purse, with no accountability or any requirement to have efficiencies or productivity of any kind. Which is really scary. That the EA's that are on contract and being let got get redundancy and doubtless some will be re-employed at a better or same rate seem appalling.



It's just greed. Out and out self centered greed, and blindness to the obvious. And it makes me angry that someone would assert that something that happens every election, with regard to the EA's, can only be a bad thing for the opposition even though the article says "The Greens and NZ First are currently interviewing EAs." and that this clearly is the faulty of the new government and unacceptable to the union.

Frozen Shoulder - the one where it's not

The good news is it's not "Frozen Shoulder" and it's just a tendon tear.

Cortizone will help to redce the swelling and free up the shoulder. At least that's quicker than the 12-18 months

 

 

 

My own personal Jesus

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Stained glass at St John the Baptist's Anglican Church http://www.stjohnsashfield.org.au, Ashfield, New South Wales. Illustrates Jesus' description of himself "I am the Good Shepherd" (from the Gospel of John, chapter 10, verse 11). This version of the image shows the detail of his face. The memorial window is also captioned: "To the Glory of God and in Loving Memory of William Wright. Died 6th November, 1932. Aged 70 Yrs." (Photo credit: Wikipedia)"][/caption]

It only really just occurred to me that the whole Catholic faith is as a result of extrapolation of a few words and sentence. Whole churches and thousands of followers extrapolated from a bunch of words. Words that have been changed and re-ordered, texts that contain contradictions and statements that can't apply two thousand years after they were written. The fact that there are almost as many variations on churches as there are words in the Catholic Bible should ring alarm bells, but it doesn't.

That might be true of most religions.

That you can write whole treatises on a sentence or placement of a word seem core to the continuation of the ministry of faith.

Religion is intensely and totally a personal thing, your own personal Jesus is yours and yours alone. I don’t think that there would be two people who would share, in total, the whole concept and nuance of their faith. It is very subjective.

I’m atheist, and I have no problem with acceptance of a natural order of things, nor am I beholden to a core belief that I am not self-reliant or self-sufficient in and of myself. I’m content with the fact that when I die I die. I’m not happy about it, death, nor am I prepared for it. In fact some days I’m downright petrified by the prospect of an end.

But not having a continuance doesn’t bother me, why should it? Why should it bother anyone? Who really has had a life whereby a continuance would make a difference to anything? Anything other than a personal relationship or relationships group that is, ie partners or wider family.

Sure there are historical figures that we draw on for inspiration and hold as examples of change-makers. We’re pretty selective in what we remember and why, and what bits we celebrate and hold true. We’re not prepared to peek behind the curtain lest we see a reflection of ourselves.

The vocal religious types, On the whole, tend to be a bit self-centered and frankly a bit ignorant. A few sentences from a religious tract does not make it righteous. A selective, or enhanced, quotation does not prove your point, nor should it guide your moral compass. And you shouldn’t expect it to guide anyone else. Defending your faith aloud tends to draw attention to yourself and in doing so you call into question the depth of your faith, and your critical thinking. And this is where you leave yourself open to criticism and correction by the often slightly more educated atheist.

After all since the believers are labeling someone as a non-believer then the non-believer has to have a number of counter-arguments and reasoning’s, and trust me they’re all used and have been used, researched and investigated for use. All for naught though since if you have faith then you have it. You can’t stop having faith, you can choose to critically think about the faith you have and understand it’s fallacy.

On Twitter I follow a number of atheist tweeters, I’ve also followed and still do religious tweeters. The atheist twitter accounts, that I follow, tend to be more argumentative. The atheists don’t seem to get the live and let live of religion. It’s unlikely that religion or religious dogma would intrude upon their lives. And where it does ridicule and scorn don’t appear to be an effective counter argument.

It really does seem unlikely that there would be a middle ground, and religion and religious teachings account for a large portion of money, influence and sway in society, in many countries, and that’s not going to change any time soon.

Is religion wrong? Some of the teachings and some of the application of teachings is very wrong. These are human failings and interpretations, and there are vested interests in making sure that the status quo and balance is maintained. Change is slow and constant.

I'd be comfortable with your faith if you were as comfortable as I am with mine, but just don's ask me to defend your position.

Related articles

• If Christians own the Witch Burnings, Atheists have to own Stalin, Pol Pot & Hitler .... uh? (veganfeministpirate.wordpress.com)


• "Mixed marriages" - How exactly does THAT work?!?! (atinctureofmadness.wordpress.com)


• Atheists Need to Do a Better Job of Communication (patheos.com)


• Atheists of Different Types (docatheist.wordpress.com)

Christmas – the lead up to the big day - part the second - the one with the words

Christmas Shopping
The food - There appears to be an extraordinary amount of items on the food shopping list. From potato chips/crisps to Maple Syrup and Apricot Marmalade for the Glaze on the ham. There are notes for cheese, pickles, and various tins of things that I can only marvel at. And we need them all. The supermarket shops are, after all, closed on Christmas Day, for a whole day. We might starve if we don't lay in just in case. You never know.

Christmas Wrapping
There is a list of things we've managed to put aside and pre-purchase for the children and the parents. In theory both sides of the him/her list should match, in quantity and roughly in value. Well in our house that seems to be the way. They don't.  And so it is with some trepidation that I have to prepare to visit the mall. For some old tat and needy things that'll never see the light of day again. To make it all equal and fair of course.

Christmas Pudding
This year I've asked MrsPdubyah to make for me Eton Mess, this is a change from previous years where I've requested Cassata. Less faffing about. There will be Trifle, there always is, and MIL will have made a Dundee cake.

Christmas Cocktail
I've stocked up on Sloe Gin, Rum, and Cafe Tequila, Vanilla Vodka, Ginger Wine, Gin, Jagermesiter, Brandy, Scotch and a few other things. I should be able to muddle through the day on that. I've still to get in enough beer to get me through the tourture of being in an enclosed space with the in-laws.

Christmas lazy
This year we're staying at chez pdubyah, the first time in 24 years that we have not been at the beach house.  It's not like previous years where all the provisions and trimming have to be driven to the beach house and then you relax, this year it's doing nothing at home. Now doing nothing at home is usually called Sunday in our house. Not always but often. Whereas at the beach doing nothing was called 10 days of being at the beach.

Christmas Sale
This year I've been pre-warned of the boxing day massacre - the needful shopping binge on boxing day. I'm abstaining, but I will be taxi driving. Joy of joys.

Christmas - the lead up to the big day.

< You'll have to imagine what I wrote here - since because it's a computer it somehow never made it through>

Christmas - Decorating the Tree

When I was a child it was tradition in my house to have a heap of christmas decoration. Not only did we have the bunting decoration on the ceiling, from the ceiling rose to the corners, and around the outsides, but we always had a "real" christmas tree.

Usually too tall.

Of course there were lights.

And someone had to sit there with a multimeter and check every bulb to make sure they would work, one bulb would stop them all working.

It was a chore that no one complained about.

But the best bit about decorating the tree was in the decoration. We would string "Quality Street" chocolates with cotton, and we would hand these on the tree.

They were sparkly like decorations should be, and you could take a sweet from the wrapper, leaving the wrapper, and they'd still be a decoration.

Bonus was on taking the tree down that there were always hidden and un-found ones that made it worthwhile

 

This is something I've carried on doing, in NZ we use Cadbury Roses, same effect, and this year it pleased me that my son took it on himself to decorate the tree for the house and he carried on the tradition.

 Not this  tradition though, and although I don't recall out house ever looking this, er, flamboyant, it does give you an idea of what we did have.

 

 

 

Trying Teen Times – the grown up one - Part the Third

I grit my teeth, oh I really do.

Daughter will not keep here room space tidy. I get surface mess, I just don't appreciate piles of clothes, It's very trying.

Son leaves everything to the last moment, or never, and this too is fractious and disturbing. Today it was his lack of petrol in the car, oh and a flat battery, and then expecting everyone to run around after him to sort it all out. Enough to make you mad as a mad thing.

Christmas - what's with that

Christmas - How mad do people go? As parents you of course like to show public largess to your children, and your closest friends. However the need to buy a couple tonnes of chocolates and assorted nuts, fruit and pastries, seems to have eluded me.

Since arriving in NZ we've spent every year at the beach, it's a simple time, away from the distraction of TV, Radio and only a daily news paper keeps us up to date with the world, it's an odd time.

This year will be a break with tradition, we're staying at home, due to work commitments of the daughter, and just because after so many years a change is as good as a rest. Menu is organized, and having pointed out that I don't get the over-indulgence, we will have at least 6 adults in the house, and then guests will arrive.

The children's christmas list, yes I know one is 20 the other 17, and you're smirking at the thought, is woefully small, or wonderfully small, depending on your view of things, I guess they appreciate having everything they need, and need for nothing, I think the youngest wants to gift a goat to someone, but has nevertheless provided a list of books that she'd like. It's all very simple.

As for MrsPdubyah well we'll have each other, I'll buy some bling as this is what I do, she'll hide it in the draw and never wear it, it's what we do.

There is no religious element to our festive time, it's family time, and time for relaxing and reflecting, I actually like the idea that in the north they call it Winterval.

I'll miss the beach though.

 

Secret Santa

It's an opt in for the company, and I put all the opt-in names into a hat, well to be precise a beanie.

I then go around armed with the beanie and a clip-board of names of the combatants

3 people pulled a named from the beanie then told me who they had picked. Idiots. How is that a secret?

I made them put the name back and pick a new one.

Lets the games begin

 

One-third of Kiwis believe in alien visits

A third of New Zealanders believe aliens have visited Earth and a majority think psychic powers exist, a study has found.

One thousand respondents were asked by UMR Research if they believed "that Earth has been visited by UFOs from other planets".

via One-third of Kiwis believe in alien visits - National - NZ Herald News.

• Nearly 8 in 10 believe that Jesus was a real person who lived 2000 years ago


• 57 per cent believe in life after death. That belief declined with age, falling from 65 per cent among under-30s to 49 per cent among over-60s.


• A quarter believed astrology can predict people's futures.


• Six in 10 - 72 per cent of women and 52 per cent of men - believe in the existence of God or a universal spirit.


• 55 per cent believed that at least some people have psychic powers such as ESP.

I have an opinion on this, like that's never happened

Aliens exist. In a infinite universe, with infinite suns and infinite planets (give or take) the odds are that there are other life forms in the universe. What like that's a surprise. What isn't a surprise is that they've never visited our planet. If they have ask yourself why? and where are they from. How come they conquered the travel distance thing, and if they are so advanced how is it they can fly vast distances only to get to Earth and crash at places like Roswell. And also ask yourself that with the billions of camera phones that are currently in use that there aren't more pictures and, er, evidence.

There isn't actually a lot of evidence to support a person called "Jesus" ever having existed.

There is only death. That is it.

That an arbitrary planet can exert some life force upon you and 1/12 of the population seems likely.

Man invented God, any God, pick a god, we've always done it, mostly from ignorance and fear. We've had sea gods, tree gods, air gods, fire gods, animal gods, cat gods, stone gods the list is almost endless

Yes of course ESP. If it was real you think we'd need stockbrokers and market gamblers?

I surprised they didn's ask about Homeopathy, Bio-Mag blankets and the PowerBlanace band to be honest.

Frozen Shoulder

A peculiar affliction of which I am now the proud owner. It's also known as adhesive capsulitis.

Frozen shoulder, also known as Adhesive Capsulitis, is a condition that affects the shoulder joint capsule and results in loss of movement and pain in the shoulder joint. It is different from rotator cuff injury or shoulder tendonitis in that frozen shoulder affects the joint capsule, whereas the other two conditions affect the muscles and tendons of the shoulder joint.

The shoulder is made up of three bones, and the tendons of four muscles (tendons attach muscle to bone.) The bones are called the "scapula," the "humerus" and the "clavicle." In layman's terms, these are called the shoulder blade, the upper arm bone and the collarbone, respectively. The joints are the acromio-clavicular joint, the sterno-clavicular joint and the glenohumeral joint (where the humerus bone articulates with the socket of the shoulder blade).

Frozen shoulder occurs when there is inflammation of the capsule of the glenohumeral joint, which can result in the capsule surrounding the glenohumeral joint forming adhesions with the head of the humerous.

Frozen shoulder often occurs after another shoulder injury like rotator cuff sprain, that isn’t adequately treated.

The most common symptoms of frozen shoulder are severe pain and difficulty raising the arm in any direction.  Mine is a left shoulder problem. This manifests itself in two ways. Reaching into the back seat of the car from the driver's seat - that's really painful, as it reversing whereby you rest your arm on the passenger seat.

The other, weirder, and more annoying one is that I'm a right arm first dresser. And I have to daily remind myself that left arm has to go in first, since the restricted range of movement means I can't do that bent elbow sweeping motion thing to get my left arm in the empty sleeve. As for wearing a t-shirt or polo shirt - I've had to ask for assistance in getting undressed the restricted range of moment is so great.

And yesterday I discovered that if you stand with your arm straight out from your side in the classical T shape I can't actually raise my left arm any higher than vertical. I become a weird reverse L shape, which means I have to give up my position in the Village People Tribute band as the Indian and take on the letter C instead, dressed as a police man.

[caption id="attachment_876" align="aligncenter" width="177" caption="Can be doing this"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_875" align="aligncenter" width="246" caption="I can't be doing this :-("][/caption]

The normal progression of frozen shoulder has been described as having three stages.

• 
  
  In stage one, (the freezing phase) the patient begins to develop pain and stiffness in the shoulder joint. This stage can last up to four months.


• 
  
  In stage two, (the frozen phase) the difficulty moving the arm remains but the pain begins to decline. This stage can last from four months to nearly a year.


• 
  
  In stage three, (the thawing phase) the full range of movement begins to return to the shoulder joint. This stage can last four months.

Without adequate treatment, most sufferers of frozen shoulder will be fully recovered in 12 to 18 months but some cases have lasted for up to three years, although these are extremely rare. With suitable treatment, most cases will clear up in 3 to 6 months.

Sleeping is a painful experience and makes for uncomfortable re-adjustment of your sleeping position and pattern. Pain control is optional and lucky I have a sedentary desk job that involves a lot of typing and sitting.

And as for softball this year, that'll be a no then

Tattoo You!

Tattoo devotee Deryn Stephenson poses during The Tattoo Jam Festival on August 5, 2011 in Doncaster, England. The Tattoo Jam Festival is Britain's biggest gathering of tattoo professionals and skin art devotees. The event hosts over 300 artists working in the exhibition hall of Doncaster Racecourse revealing their latest designs and techniques. (Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

Tattoo art seems to play an important part in many lives, and these images are some I found that show the whole range of emotion, need and desire that you have with tattoo art.

[gallery link="file" order="DESC" orderby="rand"]