We’ll always have Paris. *le sigh* Tattoos. I love them. It’s permanent art on a portable mobile canvas that ages with the person it belongs to. Right now they are everywhere in the gossip rags and social media. Hollywood stars have them, professional athletes are showing them off, heck even your favourite Twitter Tweeter or Blogger or Internet sensation may even be sporting one or three. Type “Tattoo” into the Google train and you’ll spend hours simply surfing through pages upon pages of pictures. Some of them make you stop and wonder as to what on earth could have made that person decide on that specific design and others will blow your mind to bits. So many colours and designs, so many personalities put on display, it is hard not to get hooked.

However tattoos are a permanent commitment. Once it’s on, it stays on. Which is why getting a tattoo is a serious decision that requires time and thought to be put into it. They are not for everyone but then again, nothing ever is really. Always consider what type of design and where on the body it would go before you even think about setting foot into a tattoo parlor. Remember folks, everybody ages. So putting a tattoo on a place that may look good now may not necessarily be the best bet because in ten years or so it won’t look the same as it did when it was first inked. Something to take note of is that the legal age to get a tattoo in Ontario is 18, along with a valid driver’s license for photo I.D. Anyone under 18 needs to have parental consent as well as a parent to come with you to fill out forms.

I can only speak for myself when it comes to making big decisions concerning me and let me be frank by saying that something permanent like a tattoo is a Big Decision. One that will literally stay with you as a vivid daily reminder for the rest of your life. I waited until I was 26 before I got my first one. I knew I always wanted a tattoo ever since I was old enough to realize the implication of what getting one would mean but I forced myself to wait what seemed like a very long time. Why? Well, I wanted to be sure the design I wanted was something I could stand looking at from here on in and it took a while to find an artist I liked. And there was this little phobia of needles that I still had to come to terms with. I can’t get my ear pierced without bursting out into tears so sitting in a chair getting worked over by ink-filled needles was up on my “scream as loud as I can” threshold. Getting a tattoo takes the same amount of effort in prep-work as it does getting a family pet. Research, research, research.

Some things to consider for someone curious about getting inked.

a) Is the artist credited? Always ask to see their work beforehand. Set up a date/time to meet them face-to-face and discuss your ideas. Your notion of the design may look good in your head but skin is a lot different than paper so it may not come out exactly as you want it to.

b) Is the tattoo parlor up-to-date on all of the Government regulation health codes of conduct? This may seem a tad overboard but do not be afraid to ask to see the documents that show they have passed the health and safety tests. They cannot deny you that and if they do, don’t bother wasting any more of your time there because it is likely they are hiding something. Better to err on the side of caution than to end up with unwanted complications.

c) Is that design something you really do want and can stand to live with forever? Yes, I mean FOREVER! Scary notion but it is the truth. Getting a tattoo removed is very expensive and more painful than getting the tattoo in the first place. If you’re not sure, don’t get it. Wait and sleep on it for weeks/months/even longer. There are a lot of things to consider and it is better to consider them all than going in blind and coming out with something you’ll regret getting in a few years.

d) Never get the name of someone you are in a relationship with put on your body. Learn from Angelina Jolie’s mistake. Don’t do it. Every tattoo artist will say the same thing. No. Just don’t.

e) Think of the place on your body you want inked and the FUTURE. The here and now is great and all but since tattoos are not like hairstyles and fashion trends that constantly change with the season, think about what sort of impact the piece will have. Do you want to work in the professional field? Your job is very important as is your overall appearance. Tattoo arm sleeves are beautiful to look at but think about what that means when you work in a place that do not allow body art to be displayed? You’re going to end up wearing long-sleeves and sweaters day in and day out…no matter how hot it gets in the office.

f) Don’t be swayed by trends. Bull ring nose piercings may suddenly one day be all the rage from here to Timbuktu and everyone may be getting one because it is the latest cool thing to do. It is easy to get blindsided by these things but stick to those metaphorical guns.

I may come off sounding like someone’s mom but trust me on this. I’ve been there. I’ve done it. And I’m going to do it again this summer. Even at my age I still have to answer to the Powers That Be (aka the Parental Units) and they have their own opinions on the matter. All things considering it can be nerve-wracking at times but if this is something you really want the end result is worth it.

If you are a fan of tattoos, thinking of getting one, or just like looking at the pictures here are a few titles you might enjoy. The complete idiot’s guide to getting a tattoo , Ed Hardy: Tattoo The World, Tattoo: Pigments of Imagination , The tattoo encyclopedia : a guide to choosing your tattoo . You can pick them up at your local Vaughan Public Library.

Good day all, and Happy Monday!  And as you tell me to go jump in the lake (or whatever you hip kids are saying these days; you read the title, you know my slang is a little dated) as you roll over back to sleep, I’d like to present a mixed bag of Sci Fi wonder to get you revved up for what the week may bring.

I know, I know, I’ve been letting my Geek Flag fly a lot recently.  But this last Saturday was Free Comic Book Day, a yearly event that happens the first weekend of every May, where local comic book stores give out free samples of various comic books to their customers.  Check out your local store this week, they may have some left.  So, after waiting in line for half an hour in the sun on Young Street to get to the Silver Snail, I’m in the mood for more.  Besides, it’s who I am.  I know it, you all know it by now, why are we dancing around the obvious?  I am an enormous geek, a nerd, a dork, a weirdo.  It’s alright, I’ve come to terms with it.  And I love it because it’s fun!  Who here can tell me it’s not fun?  No one, that’s who!

So in that spirit, let me start off with a clip from Star Trek: Into Darkness , which must be shared for the simple fact that it features current nerd heartthrob Benedict Cumberbatch, who I think is becoming the big selling point for this movie.  So for all you Benny Batch fans out there, this one’s for you.

Ooooh, goose-bumps!  Mr. Cumberbatch can make even a series of numbers sound menacing.  Hee hee!  What could be at those coordinates?  What are the 72 reasons aboard the Enterprise?  Why isn’t it May 17th yet?

Deep breath.  Patience young padawan.  Okay, not padawan, that’s Star Wars, but you know what I mean.

Moving on.  Next up, we finally get a new poster for Man of Steel.

Faster than a speeding bullet and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound indeed.  I’m getting more and more excited for this movie the more I see of it.

Finally, I had to put this up in case you guys haven’t seen it yet.  This has been making the rounds for a while and it’s just…it’s just epic.  A little while back comedian Patton Oswalt guest starred in Parks and Recreation as a character who holds a filibuster during a town meeting to keep a bill from being passed.  As it mentions in the video below, basically the directors told Mr. Oswalt to talk about whatever he wanted for as long as he could.  What he came up with is pure geek gold, cementing his standing as a full-on Sci Fi nerd.  Here it is, unedited and completely ad-libbed.

How impressive is that?  Clearly he knows what he’s talking about, and though his vision could not work in it’s entirety, as the film rights to Spider-Man and the X-Men are owned by other film companies and not Disney, it’s an idea that, if it ever came to fruition, I would pay all the money to see…though I’d definitely add more female characters, Amy Pohler was right on that point.  In fact, one artist at Entertainment Weekly was so inspired by this that he made a poster for Episode VII that fits Mr. Oswalts ideas.

*Sigh*  If only.  Well, we can all dream, can’t we?

Well I hope that gets your week off to a light-hearted start.  Enjoy the beautiful weather, go see Iron Man 3 and have fun at school.

Oh, one more.

Come on, that’s funny!

Alright  peoples!!! So, a couple days ago Our dear friend and colleague (notice I’m using the royal ‘Our’???  Yeah, I roll like that =P), Daniela posted a book review for a title that caught my eye….something rather intriguing because it’s one of those hush hush things that nobody really likes to talk about.  At least, not out loud.  So how does that work, eh?  Meh, never mind…it’s all closed doors and quiet rumblings whenever it is discussed or pondered upon.

And so,  I figured since she pointed out such an awesome information item, I’d share the crème de la crème (IMHO) for this spendifulous topic…my I present:

Sex: a book for teens – an uncensored guide to your body, sex, and safety by Nikol Hasler.

Now, the first time I saw this book, I must confess that it was the cover image that caught my eye and made me want to check this book out cause it’s kind of hard to find good, complete, and verrrry well-rounded information about this kind of thing…and, let’s be honest – that picture is pretty funny.

And what to say about this awesome little book…hmmmmmm.  Well, I think I’m going to borrow another reviewer’s words as she said it so well:

“Hey all, there’s a fun new book out that I highly recommend for teens who are thinking about having sex, or teens who have already started having sex, or teens who just want to know more about sex so they’ll be ready for it. (So basically, every teen in the universe.)”

So check it out!  There’s a whole ton of stuff and info out there, you just have to take a look.  And you can always ask us at the library, too – or email us if you don’t want to ask in person.  Also, there’s obviously also a bunch of info online – be sure to check out the database Teen Health & Wellness (you just need your library card # and your four-digit PIN to access this from home).

So I was browsing my fav site and came across this interesting  post (clicky the picture)….These are pics of families from around the world with ONE week’s worth of groceries. Really makes you think, don’t it?

Heya buck-Os! (and buck-Es, don’t worry, I didn’t forget you!)
Well, for those of you who are up and current with all the news and buzz about the Hollywood-side of our beloved YA books, Divergent has released its cast along with the first few stills of the upcoming movie. Read more here.

And for those who of you aren’t that in the know with modern happenings, the final book in the trilogy has been named – Allegiant will conclude the dystopian trilogy and is supposed to hit the shelves on October 22nd…not that long a wait, but still.

Hopefully the final book redeems itself as I was sorely disappointed with book 2 – more specifically, with Tris.  That girl took a downward turn that spiraled waaaaaayyyy down into the lower depths of pathetic charaters.  I’m keeping my fingers crossed that Tris has now gotten some sense knocked into her.  We shall see.

Anywho, to ends things on a fun note, look at this!!