Lace codes (and brace or strap codes I’m reminded above) are largely dead now. It started letting up when it was discovered how dope blue Docs looked with red laces.

See? The system works!

Hitting a guy with an ax handle. There’s not a lot of nuance or grace in it.

Back a few lifetimes ago in this area it was anti-gay.

Yeah, absolutely. It’s’s an old Skinhead/Bonehead thing. You’d rock different colors to say what you sort of believed. Red was neo-nazi, white was klan or white power, blue I think was pro cop, yellow was anti-gay, green was something bad but I don’t remember what, may be you robbed everyone. This was kind of nationwide but varied by area somewhat. Like blue could mean pro cop or anticop. This was way before think blue line stuff.

So growing up you’d see a bunch of bone heads strutting around with white laces and you’d know they were all racist shiteaters.

Mostly I think it was a way for skins to decide who to fight. Like I say, I was a punk, so not as much into fighting for fun like most skins were. I just ran with some because being a skater and a punk then was a little harder if you got caught alone. And having friends that liked to fight was just good sense.

I’m 52 now so I don’t punch anyone anymore. But back in the mid '80s to early '90s I was one of a few skatepunks that ran around with some ofe the local Unity Skins. We did a fair bit of nazi punching (and ax handling). This was toward the end of lace codes and wearing patches on bomber jackets. I’m not sure we changed anyone’s mind but for a few years, no one was rocking confederate flags or white laces in the open. But I’m just some random guy online so take everything I say with a grain of salt.

(White, red, and yellow laces still give me pause. My teen came home one day wearing yellow laces and we had to have a talk. After some fact checking, and him explaining some stuff, I let it go and got a pair of yellows for my boots. Funny how things change over time and areas).

Man, my guy Plank sure cleans up nice.

I have a big Veto bag. It was a gift from one of my bosses. I’d never have bought one (though I have occidental bags and am not afraid to spend money on tools) but god damn, it is a fine piece of gear. If it ever wears out, I’d deff buy a new one.

If you want a tattoo, or several, it’ll sort of decide for you. Like go into a shop, meet some artists, look through their portfolios. Something will jump out at you and the pain will work itself out. Really, meet the artists. You want someone you vibe with. You’re going to be in an intimate relationship with them. And you don’t want some nut-jobs mojo getting in your skin.

Everyone feels tattoos different. My worst were my elbows, center of my sternum, and by far the worst, my inner wrist. My buddy had real problems getting his palm done but mine just felt weird. I’ve heard ribs are torture but mine were OK. The top of my foot was brutal, my friend (different dude) said he almost didn’t feel his. Keeping clean, follow whatever after-care that particular artist says to do until you learn your body and have experience on how you personally heal. And after it’s healed, sunscreen.

Also, try to remember, tattoos aren’t a static piece, they’re dynamic. They change over time and you wear them in. They’re like a good pair of jeans, they reflect wear and tear. They can fade a bit, they can get a little muted. This is part of the beauty. They aren’t stickers.

Ooof. Or that thing in your chin just under your tongue.

An arch cramp for 2 minutes every day at a random time.

…baby, shakin’ that ass, shakin’ that ass.

This was one I did to a buddy years ago but he still says it’s the best prank pulled on him ever. We had each other’s apartment keys so we could walk each other’s dogs.

He had gone out drinking and playing poker with some friends. I knew he’d be coming home drunk. I got into his place and took every single light bulb out. All the lamps, all the ceiling fixtures. His fish tank. The little one in the fridge. Every single one. Then I took his futon mattress and put it in his storage shed and made up the frame like it was all ready for bed. Then I took his couch cushions too. Fed and walked his dog and went home and locked all my doors and windows and made sure to put the chain on the door.

Maryland here… Our crabs are 3x better than yours.

Well, it’s world Breakfast for Dinner day so everyone is with their families making pancakes and waffles. Kids playing in the yard, moms and dads watching the sportball game, dad’s and moms making waffles, drunkles going for it with the mimosa pitchers.

Scrambled Egg Man is getting his 1974 Pinto loaded with presents to deliver them to the good kids all over the world and kissing his life partner on the forehead as he sets out on his journey.

Somewhere in a jungle, the village children ask to be told the story again of the time Great Gramps AccAcc saw Scrambled Egg Man swing on vines while dropping Stretch Armstrongs and GI Joe USS Flag playsets to all the huts.

The world has found peace. Tomorrow is a holiday and everyone has the day off with pay.

I quit smoking pot and no longer enjoy the Spin Doctors. Well, that’s half true. I heard them straight one day and decided if that’s the kind of thing I like when I’m high, I should quit.

It’s been more books recently.

We just did Snowcrash, which has parts that aged poorly, but over all was a fun read. That leads to the old movie Pontypool (Snowcrash is in a shot in that that’s an obvious plant- both had similar themes). That lead to Pontypool Changes Everything a book that, try as I did, I could not get through. But the movie and BBC radio drama are both great.

We’re doing Ubik by Philip K Dick right now, and I’m enjoying that a lot. I’ve read a fair bit of his stuff but missed this one. I tend to binge authors so I imagine I’ll do a few more from him.

Late last year I did about everything from Scott Meyers. The Magic 2.0 books are deff for a younger audience but were fun in their own way.

I tried to do the Murderbot series recently, but it missed it’s mark with me. I didn’t not like them and I can see goung back to give them a second try maybe in the fall.

The Duck and Cover series was heavily thrown at me through ads so I gave that a go. It deff has its moments but I think there’s underlying difference of opinion between me and the author. I have no proof of this, it’s just kind of a feeling. Not bad books, funny and clever in spots.

John Scalzi and Dennis E. Taylor are two guys I get everything from as soon as something new drops.

And recently a buddy got me to watch Ravenous. An old cannibalistic, period piece in the Spanish American War era with a good dose of homoeroticisim thrown in. Deff highly recommend watching that.

I find they’re neither.

I grew up watching cartoons, and still do. I’m an avid scifi, horror, and speculative fiction reader/watcher. There absolutely should be animations geared toward adults.

I don’t like Rick and Morty. I think it’s dumb, self obsessed, drivel. I think it’s writing style is the literary equivalent of pumpkin spice latte. No one hurt me, I just don’t like it and I don’t understand why people do. I answered a question. I didn’t tell people to not watch it.

Day Z with a friend till I hate everything about every thing. And therapy twice a month.