Lots of rainbows
She has a brand new baby girl. That changes things. She smiles when she has her in her arms. So does the babe. With an infant rubbing up against her heavily tattooed chest, she looks less intimidating. When she smiles, well, she has good teeth. I've never seen them before. I've never seen her smile before. It almost seems that beyond a certain number of tattoos, bad teeth would become a prerequisite. She has plenty (of tattoos that is).
Tattoos are different here, figuratively, culturally and actually. The designs are different. A lot of awesome shapes and designs dominate. Suns, birds, wings and anatomically enhancing or influenced patterns are much more prevalent than the more typically mainland trailer-park motor-head, biker, ex-con type hearts, skull and crossbones, (x)girlfriend names, Moms and homemade jailhouse tattoos screaming for attention in the dives and blighted bars back in Cali.
A great book and surf cult classic is Tapping the Source by author Kem Nunn. The title proclaims it 'The all time great surfing novel' and many agree. Like many great works, the acclaimed subject, in this case surfing, is only a small part of the story.
Everything that happens is because of surfing but it's not a, 'Dude, I caught the biggest wave, I hung ten in the longest tube . . .' book. It's about the culture. It's about surfing the way Fargo is about Fargo. The movie, Point Break, was loosely based on this book. I mention it here because the protagonist, in a furious bout of anger and drunkenness, gets a tattoo. It's big, graphic, highly visible and influences things to come. That's all. The interested reader will read it.
And let's not forget gang tattoos. Apparently that is big and getting bigger on the mainland. I don't know about Oahu. I have read a trilogy of novels set in the underworld, underbelly, drug fueled side streets of Honolulu and beyond. The author is Chris McKinney. The books are The Tattoo, Queen of Tears and Bolohead Road. I recommend them in that order to anyone inclined and curious about the real world in the shadows beyond any so called paradise where tourists run amok spilling cash and rushing frantic in the name of vacation.
Heaven forbid that the last tender departs for the mother cruise ship before they have spent today's cash. And the locals run amok, rushing frantic to work in the name of vocation. It's not all Tiki torches, leis and zany tee shirt shops. It never is. In that harsh, extra-dark, moving shadow cast by the Tiki torch lies dangers as contrasting as the flame to the shadow itself. A shadow so dark, it tints ink blue and hints at the truths beyond. The rainbow on the license plates is accurate enough. There are rainbows practically daily. There are pots 'o gold too. But like any rainbow, most of it is an illusion, a trick of the light. The pot 'o gold being but a small percentage of the whole and mostly carted away 'off island' as they say.
It's also typically stacked, as in any robust economy, that as little money as possible goes to the hardest workers. The poor cashiers at the ubiquitous ABC stores are pulling down minimum wage. The bartenders and wait staffs do better and are curiously mostly whites or at least non-local. The tribes by oil fields and diamond mines come to mind. Different continent, same shit. If there is a gang presence in Hawaii, it's primarily confined to Oahu. Maui doesn't seem to be affected by them. But I know that just because I haven't seen it, it doesn't mean that there isn't a gang presence here. It may be just fledgling or small or both. Maybe it's over in Wailuku or Kahalui.
I'm in Lahaina. LalaLahainaland. It's always sunny. It's always busy. Too busy. It's always the perfect temperature. Lot's of rainbows. I know there is a drug problem here. It's not 'Maui Wowie' or 'dakine bud' either. Contrary to propaganda, marijuana is rarely a problem drug. It makes people funny, stupid, think they are funny, inspired, creative, lazy, silly, maybe even serious but not violent. In fact it mellows violence. I've seen it. But there is 'Ice' here. I think Ice is a form of crack. Or it might be meth. Yeah, it's meth. Luckily I don't know. But I have been blatantly 'stalked' by a craze-eyed teenager near the Banyan Tree. At first I was thinking all like, 'fuck you man, I can walk here if I want.' Then I wised up. Teens are potentially the most unpredictable and dangerous, thinking that they are bulletproof and all. It wasn't about my rights. This kid was high and menacing. A harbinger of trouble if ever there was one. I swallowed my pride and ego and departed the scene. I've learned a few things as I've gotten older. It's supposed to be violently addicting, cheap and easy to get.
This, all in a society that already proudly publicly proclaims its ethnicity and/or racism on tee shirts and in attitude. There is also 'tagging' here. Graffiti. That can be a sign of gangs or at least menacing, gang imitating wannabes. Tattoos are as ubiquitous as the ABC stores. But they more closely resemble the original source, being of course, Polynesia. I think the traditional tattoos are pretty amazing. I'm almost thinking I wouldn't mind getting one. As it is, I proclaim my individuality by being one of the few not sporting a single one. If I were to get one, it would have to be a design I draw. Being an artist and everything. I could see it being heavily influenced by the historically significant ones.
I do have a brand new scar prominently displayed on the back of my right hand. I managed to rip a gash in it responding to the jolt I took at work one day. Unfortunately my hand was in a light fixture when I instinctively pulled it out. The scar is curiously very Hawaii shaped. If you look at a map of the islands, you will notice that they are lined up in a distinct arc. I've got that arc. I can tell people that tattoos don't hurt enough and that I am more into body decoration by mutilation. Much like the above mentioned tribes by the oil and diamond mines in Africa. The scar really is Hawaii. Lemonade I know, the glass is half full. But, I do wear gloves at work now. And I make sure the power is off.
If I get a tattoo, it will also be influenced by the symbol for hazardous materials. It's kinda' funny, hopefully not too true, but mostly, I think it's a really cool symbol. Danny used to say that if he ever got a tattoo it would be the Underwriters Laboratories symbol. U.L. listed. I might go do some designs to see what I get. Bridget and Rachel will be here next week for a ten day visit. We'll see.
Oh yeah, one more thing, my Steven Wright type comment; 'I have tattoos, my whole body is covered in them, but I used skin colored ink'.
Read the books.
At least I think it's her baby. Another regular at this Internet cafe just left with the infant in a stroller. Babysitter, Mom, Auntie? I don't know but I'll find out.
Tattoos are different here, figuratively, culturally and actually. The designs are different. A lot of awesome shapes and designs dominate. Suns, birds, wings and anatomically enhancing or influenced patterns are much more prevalent than the more typically mainland trailer-park motor-head, biker, ex-con type hearts, skull and crossbones, (x)girlfriend names, Moms and homemade jailhouse tattoos screaming for attention in the dives and blighted bars back in Cali.
A great book and surf cult classic is Tapping the Source by author Kem Nunn. The title proclaims it 'The all time great surfing novel' and many agree. Like many great works, the acclaimed subject, in this case surfing, is only a small part of the story.
Everything that happens is because of surfing but it's not a, 'Dude, I caught the biggest wave, I hung ten in the longest tube . . .' book. It's about the culture. It's about surfing the way Fargo is about Fargo. The movie, Point Break, was loosely based on this book. I mention it here because the protagonist, in a furious bout of anger and drunkenness, gets a tattoo. It's big, graphic, highly visible and influences things to come. That's all. The interested reader will read it.
And let's not forget gang tattoos. Apparently that is big and getting bigger on the mainland. I don't know about Oahu. I have read a trilogy of novels set in the underworld, underbelly, drug fueled side streets of Honolulu and beyond. The author is Chris McKinney. The books are The Tattoo, Queen of Tears and Bolohead Road. I recommend them in that order to anyone inclined and curious about the real world in the shadows beyond any so called paradise where tourists run amok spilling cash and rushing frantic in the name of vacation.
Heaven forbid that the last tender departs for the mother cruise ship before they have spent today's cash. And the locals run amok, rushing frantic to work in the name of vocation. It's not all Tiki torches, leis and zany tee shirt shops. It never is. In that harsh, extra-dark, moving shadow cast by the Tiki torch lies dangers as contrasting as the flame to the shadow itself. A shadow so dark, it tints ink blue and hints at the truths beyond. The rainbow on the license plates is accurate enough. There are rainbows practically daily. There are pots 'o gold too. But like any rainbow, most of it is an illusion, a trick of the light. The pot 'o gold being but a small percentage of the whole and mostly carted away 'off island' as they say.
It's also typically stacked, as in any robust economy, that as little money as possible goes to the hardest workers. The poor cashiers at the ubiquitous ABC stores are pulling down minimum wage. The bartenders and wait staffs do better and are curiously mostly whites or at least non-local. The tribes by oil fields and diamond mines come to mind. Different continent, same shit. If there is a gang presence in Hawaii, it's primarily confined to Oahu. Maui doesn't seem to be affected by them. But I know that just because I haven't seen it, it doesn't mean that there isn't a gang presence here. It may be just fledgling or small or both. Maybe it's over in Wailuku or Kahalui.
I'm in Lahaina. LalaLahainaland. It's always sunny. It's always busy. Too busy. It's always the perfect temperature. Lot's of rainbows. I know there is a drug problem here. It's not 'Maui Wowie' or 'dakine bud' either. Contrary to propaganda, marijuana is rarely a problem drug. It makes people funny, stupid, think they are funny, inspired, creative, lazy, silly, maybe even serious but not violent. In fact it mellows violence. I've seen it. But there is 'Ice' here. I think Ice is a form of crack. Or it might be meth. Yeah, it's meth. Luckily I don't know. But I have been blatantly 'stalked' by a craze-eyed teenager near the Banyan Tree. At first I was thinking all like, 'fuck you man, I can walk here if I want.' Then I wised up. Teens are potentially the most unpredictable and dangerous, thinking that they are bulletproof and all. It wasn't about my rights. This kid was high and menacing. A harbinger of trouble if ever there was one. I swallowed my pride and ego and departed the scene. I've learned a few things as I've gotten older. It's supposed to be violently addicting, cheap and easy to get.
This, all in a society that already proudly publicly proclaims its ethnicity and/or racism on tee shirts and in attitude. There is also 'tagging' here. Graffiti. That can be a sign of gangs or at least menacing, gang imitating wannabes. Tattoos are as ubiquitous as the ABC stores. But they more closely resemble the original source, being of course, Polynesia. I think the traditional tattoos are pretty amazing. I'm almost thinking I wouldn't mind getting one. As it is, I proclaim my individuality by being one of the few not sporting a single one. If I were to get one, it would have to be a design I draw. Being an artist and everything. I could see it being heavily influenced by the historically significant ones.
I do have a brand new scar prominently displayed on the back of my right hand. I managed to rip a gash in it responding to the jolt I took at work one day. Unfortunately my hand was in a light fixture when I instinctively pulled it out. The scar is curiously very Hawaii shaped. If you look at a map of the islands, you will notice that they are lined up in a distinct arc. I've got that arc. I can tell people that tattoos don't hurt enough and that I am more into body decoration by mutilation. Much like the above mentioned tribes by the oil and diamond mines in Africa. The scar really is Hawaii. Lemonade I know, the glass is half full. But, I do wear gloves at work now. And I make sure the power is off.
If I get a tattoo, it will also be influenced by the symbol for hazardous materials. It's kinda' funny, hopefully not too true, but mostly, I think it's a really cool symbol. Danny used to say that if he ever got a tattoo it would be the Underwriters Laboratories symbol. U.L. listed. I might go do some designs to see what I get. Bridget and Rachel will be here next week for a ten day visit. We'll see.
Oh yeah, one more thing, my Steven Wright type comment; 'I have tattoos, my whole body is covered in them, but I used skin colored ink'.
Read the books.
At least I think it's her baby. Another regular at this Internet cafe just left with the infant in a stroller. Babysitter, Mom, Auntie? I don't know but I'll find out.
posted by Steve-O at 5:40 PM
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