Friday, September 30, 2016

qwerty

liv asked, "what's that full, dark band on the other arm?"

I think you mean my typewriter.

I collect them, I display them, I clean them up, I use them, I give them to friends. I never pay more than $10 for one, because they're still everywhere, safely resting int heir little suitcases in thrift stores and flea markets. They almost always still work - they were made to take a beating, literally. You can still buy ribbon through Amazon or possibly even physical office supply stores.

This is fresh, of course, and better than it looks now with my Robin-Williams-like arm hair grown back over it, but I'm still a fan. If the blade and marker are my basic tools, the typewriter is an elegant machine, every piece clicking softly together to make language hold still long enough to carry meaning.

I have big arms. It made sense to get big ink. Here's pirate Hank, walking the Dog Island decks. Note PBR bottlecap done just inside the line of my farmer's tan.

I'd like to get another, still manual but newer, on my right arm. Balance, I like it. Finances being what they are, that will have to wait.

Plus, my next tattoo will be my knuckles. I've waited long enough.

20 comments:

  1. Thanks for the photos, I especially like Pirate Hank. I love typewriters, my youngest son has my mums old typewriter.

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    1. I have my Grandpa Fish's old one, one of only a few I won't trade away.

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  2. Favorite present I ever got was a typewriter. My mother totally scored on that one. I'll never forget. It was magical. As is your writing in this one.

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  3. Wow! That is so cool. I like the dark intensity of this one, and to balance it out would be beautiful. I love typewriters too, and your sentence......"every piece clicking softly together to make language hold still long enough to carry meaning" is exquisite.

    I was just going to ask that question about the hair...haha Do you ever shave your arm there or would that make the tat fade? And the PBR cap - Love It!

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    1. PS: Someday when you have time and the inclination, it would be great to see a picture of your typewriter collection.

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    2. Shaving my arm there would just look really silly and then get stubbly. Glad you like the ink and the entry.

      I'll need to get a camera to do a showing of my typewriters. See, I'm still rocking a flip phone, and the camera on it is useless. ALL THE OUTDATED TECH!

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  4. What a unique tat! Never seen that. I agree, your writing is great but that's not new. Knuckles will hurt. Can't wait to see what you do there. I also love the pirate picture. You are quite handsome.

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  5. Awesome and very unique! Whoever did it did a great job.

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  6. Ok Hank, I miss you lots. Please write. A friendly plea from a friendly friend in the universe.

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    1. Hey! I'm up to my neck in Gaines Street Fest! I'll write soon!

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  7. I've heard about your typewriter collection and am envious. I could possibly set up a museum of books and would love to add typewriters in. I have an old one that I bought for myself on my 50th birthday a few years ago. It's bright green, and I adore it.

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  8. My stepsister gave me an amazing old German typewriter years ago. I got rid of it when I moved to New York, but I still think about it sometimes. It was very cool.

    I miss those old, manual typewriters. I wrote all my college papers on them -- and developed very strong fingers!

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