My "New" Ride and "Betsy"

          I've been wanting to get a car for a little while. I still love my truck, but, it's not always practical. Especially if you want to have more than two people with you. I also wanted something better on gas. So, I've been looking for a car, but not to seriously. During one of my random online searches I came across a car that caught my eye, a 2004 Chevy Impala SS. Not exactly the gas saver I was kinda thinking of. It's got a 3.8 L V-6 with a supercharger. It's pretty quick! And only has 39,000 miles on it. So I bought it. Now, I gotta say, Chevy Impalas have always been special to me. My parents bought a brand new 1966 Impala right after they were married and my father drove my mother to the hospital in that car when she was giving birth to me in 1967(I know, it's close. I've teased them many times. But, there is more than a year between wedding and my dob. Lol). I grew up riding in that car, many memories! My father even named her, "Betsy".  So 16 yrs after I was born and got my licence to drive, Betsy was given to me. My first car was the same car that I grew up in from my birth! How cool is that?

Betsy
 

Me(at 5 or 6), probably my first girlfriend(lol) and Betsy

I wish that I still had that car. I know what you are thinking, What happened to Betsy? My father took great care of her for those 17 yrs(he's much better than I am when it comes to that!) and there were no mechanical problems, engine was great. Some rust and rot up underneath that was gonna be a few hundred bucks to fix, at the time(30 yrs ago)it seemed like a lot of money to put into a car with 138k so, decided to get rid of her. Mistake. I wasted so much money on a few cars after her. If I had put that few hundred bucks into her 30 yrs ago I'd probably still have Betsy, with some help from my father! So that sums up why I like Impalas. Sometimes I'm sentimental to a fault. So be it, but, Now I have Betsy the 2nd!

2004 Chevy Impala SS. "Betsy the 2nd"
 

I think they make a nice looking pair!
 

Retro style taillights '65
 

The new Betsy has many more features and is much quicker than the original Betsy, but it's not the same. At least I have another Chevy Impala. Now I gotta take care of it as well as my father took care of the original Betsy! Thanks for listening, Kevin

New tat

       It has been about 13 years since my last tattoo, so I was long overdue. I came across the poem "The Man in the Mirror" when I was a teenager and I've always tried to live my life with this poem in mind. There's been a few times that the man in the mirror has been pissed off at me, but that's what keeps me in check. For those not familiar with the poem, here it is. The Man In The Mirror

If you get what you want in your struggle for self
And the world makes you king for a day
Then go to the mirror and look at yourself
And see what that man has to say

For it isn't a man's father, mother or wife
Whose judgement upon him must pass
The fellow whose verdict counts most in his life
Is the man staring back from the glass

He's the fellow to please, never mind the rest
For he's with you clear up to the end
And you've passed your most dangerous, difficult test
If the man in the glass is your friend

You can fool the whole world down the pathway of years
And get pats on the back as you pass
But your final reward wil be heartache and tears
If you've cheated the man in the glass

-- A convict; found on the walls of his cell     
So, I've always wanted a tat that represented this, but couldn't think of a picture that would do it. It came to me one night a couple of months ago. It was a very simple design. I brought it to Ken at The Inkwell, he has done work on a few of my friends and he does really good work. Very important when it's gonna be on your body for the rest of your life! Lol. Ken took my simple idea, ran with it and nailed it, I think. He said it was a really cool idea and had never done one like it in his 23 years of tattooing.

This is it
 



I know I'm weird.... but I love this!

For those of you not familiar with getting tattoos, it's not what you probably think it is. Gone are the days of drunks staggering into a tattoo parlor with buddies and getting something on their body that they will regret for the rest of their life. Nowadays, if you go to a reputable place, you make an appointment (almost 2 months), I received a call the day before confirming(like a doctor) and when you have the tat done, it's all sterile and clean. I really love getting tats, closest thing to pain and pleasure in one. I'm on a roll now! Got some ideas for new ones that I already spoke to Ken about. And for those of you that judge people with tattoos, don't, most tattoos have a personal meaning to that person, nothing to do with you. My mother was upset when I got my first at the age of 18, but my parents have got used to our differences, I think. I love 'em! Thanks for listening, Kevin