Milo "Mr Lucky" Marcer

So I am off to Italy for two months, to work in Civitanova at Fantasy Tattoo, and in Ancona at Tom Tattoo, dates for departure will follow, but to those clients out there, don't fret, I will be back sooner than you think, and ready to tattoo you. To be brutally honest, I am also escaping the cold, I don't know why, but it's really getting to me this year. Im excited to be inspired by new surroundings, and a little break from my usual routine. Stay tuned for further news about this.

Last night the Cape lived up too it's original name, The Cape Of Storms, as a huge storm came in and woke me from fit filled dreams of my parents. I thought about those less fortunate than I in the city, those in shaks or on the street and "for the grace of God there go I" we often neglect these people everyday of our lives, and turn our backs on them, calling them bums..... I guess that's how life is, but how much time have you given to being thankful for the good things in our lives. My parents were my grace, not in the sense that they were perfect parents and it's no secret that my Father and I had the worst relationship, but for mostly poorly educated, blue collar workers, they did the best they could. So it wasn't that perfect little iconic family, with every need being attended to, or even being noticed,  but with the tools they had, and the damaged done to them by life, they made sure 3 boys grew up reasonably strait and true, and with some values, tha...

Well little Kona makes another day, and Im hoping a few more, still watching her carefully and I thought yesterday was gonna be it, as she didn't look good when I got home, but found some spring in her step to come ask for treats, and then chewed on the treat heartily, so we will se what everyday brings. Today is the Godoy Machine Seminar, Brett from 2Evolve supply, a company dedicated to supplying the local tattoo and piercing market with the very best quality products from across the globe, put this amazing opportunity together for local artists. I now only use Godoy machines, bought my first almost 4 years ago, and it still works everyday, without missing a beat and packing ink into the skin Check out this QR code, if you have a barcode reader or a qr app reader on your cellular, go to the app and aim your camera onto the code below, and you will take you somewhere.....lol

there will be a lot of changes in the near future, and the announcements will come soon, but I will start with the bad one first. My darling little girl Kona, one of the last in Chenooke's litter is nearing the end, and after 14 years she is not doing well. She has the heart of a lion, but the rest of her body is being ravaged by cancer, and I just can't keep her here cause I hate loosing her. I have been watching her carefully the past while, and things have been getting worse, and Im just not going to let my girl hurt. After all we have been through, the church house in Linden, with the pack howling at the bells tole, to the big house in Northcliff, the flight to Cape Town and all the constant upheavals that came with the life I chose, she's been there, that strong heart, always reserved, but in those eyes always so very glad to be near her Dad. Laika and I will really miss her when the day comes to say goodbye.

Nothing to say today.... perhaps you can tell me something?

It seems this dreaded lurgy is doing the rounds, the guys in the shop are coming down with it too, and reports from friends, are that they are all being layed waste by it, and corenza c seems to be the favorite way to cope. I hopefully have managed to get it, even though I wasn't to well over the weekend. Besides all that, started a nice piece on Bryan, and have about an hour and a half to get it completed, would have done it yesterday, but he had to rush off. Doing a demon today, that is not my design but a challenge for sure, I will probably post an In Progress pic here. http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150165363374701.303820.39559039700

A question today.... do you believe in a soul mate? in all the billions of people in the world, do you think that theres one person that's meant to be with you. No really, imagine they're in Japan and you're in Panama, what are the odds you'll ever meet? Then you may just be standing right next to each other and never even say a word to one another, and then there are those that are together and believe that they are...So you are in a relationship with someone, how much do you believe they are the one, if so when last did you tell them, when last did you make them feel like they're the one?

Ok so I have been quiet the last couple of days, sorry about that but I have been down with some bug, that kicked my ass. So with a migraine and the chronic runs, I have had an awesome 2 days….. not…… must have been something I ate, and it’s punishment for ordering in instead of making myself dinner, but after the wonderful afternoon I spent having fun, the last thing I wanted was to cook. I will not mention where I ordered from, as I have already said enough. I last mentioned the new public transport system into the city, and promised a report back, I love it, it’s quick and easy and at R10 a trip it’s the cheapest and easiest way to work. There is a feeder from the Civic terminus to the Gardens that goes up Long Street, at no extra cost, but it takes a little long and the walk is great exercise, which I’m in need of. I am now really considering selling my Vespa, as it’s not really needed any more, and with the saving in payment on it, the insurance, and the parking bay, I will save m...

It's cold this morning, my faux fur is so awesome to sleep under and getting out of bed in winters getting harder....lol It reminds me of being a school boy in Johannesburg, those icy winter mornings, just wishing to stay in bed, and my Mum making me get up, cause I was gonna be late, washing my face and brushing my teeth after getting dressed, and slipping back under the covers before she noticed, for those few more minutes of warmth.... it's like a time warp. I just finished the piece I started on Sari's leg, I hope you all like it.  Guess what, I'm going to slip back under the covers for 15 mins.... http://youtu.be/rGPZGBfzIT0

Damn I’m late again, couldn’t get out of bed it was so warm and cozy, gonna try the new buss system today, see how it goes.

It's time to vote here in SA, and the dumb ass that I am, I did not realize I had to register in Cape Town when I moved, so I can't, but I hope everyone that can is, going too. That's it, short and sweet today.

Not much to say today, the Machiavellian, machinations keep on coming, but it's water of a ducks back, and so transparent, and thats all that needs saying about that, Time is not on my side right now, but I am keeping the faith, that all will work out, and grateful for every little bit of good fortune that comes my way. I am of course, Mr Lucky.

It drives me nuts, I can't wait for a misty day, to lay in bed late so I can just snooze and watch telly then nod off again, but alas, my cheeky dog Laika has other ideas, by 8, she's jumped and pawed at me enough to just make me get the hell out of bed and play with her... and after playing and feeding, getting back into beds about the last thing on my mind. Sunday, is crash day, phones off, treats, motor racing on the telly...... the life of a bachelor ..... lol. Just making sure I get out of bed

It feels like something just turned a corner for me, I think that all I have ever asked for and needed has come my way one way or another, and I am so grateful, as for my life being perfect, well perhaps thats all opinion and desire, but for me right now it's damn good. Someone very close to me, in fact family, is going through a very trying time, and as he know he's done the right thing for him, the decision is one that is hard to make, and with it huge changes. There will be troubled and dark times ahead, and self doubt and recriminations, but holding fast, and believing will bring you what you need. My heart goes out to my brother. Saturday Passed in a blur, as I worked on Jay from 10 till 5:30 pm, and this biomech cover up is turning out real nice, I have never spent much time on, or doing biomech, but I must admit, I am really enjoying the work and the challenges that i faced in this, we are not done yet as there is a lot to do still, and in 8 weeks we we'll tackle it ...

A past, something by our very existence we all have, but there are so very many of us with pasts that are sometimes best forgotten, or so you think. In 2006, I was at a red traffic light on my motorcycle minding myown, when I was involved in a hit and run, the car hit me from behind at over 160 kilometers an hour. Without getting into it, I was in ICU for a month and while it was touch and go for a while, I made it. There was apparently at the time no head trauma, and I don't feel any different than before, but for one thing, my memory, seems a little weird. I remember the strangest shit, and lose some of the most important stuff, I can greet a friend by name, and while standing talking to them, try and introduce them to someone else and completely forget their name, but I'm completely of topic here again. The past is what makes you, it connects you to the very fabric of who and what you are, it's roots on a tree, from every little one, to every large one, it feeds the p...

I will not be surprised if most don’t believe this story, had I not witnessed it myself, I probably would not either. There is a house of ill repute in the building on the corner, on the 2nd floor, how I know this? well the ladies come past the shop on their way to work, and it’s a little hard not to notice, when a woman is looking like she’s ready for a night out and it’s 9am, and besides we always chat as they come past. When you are as tattooed as I am, you learn not to be judgemental. So Bruce and I have to walk that way, on our way to “Deluxe” which happens to be the best coffee shop in the city, for our customary chat and, for me at least, only cup of coffee for the day and it’s not like anyone notices or cares about what goes on….. till yesterday…. As we were returning from Deluxe having a chat, minding our own, we round the corner of the building on our way to the shop, when we hear a pretty loud thud, about a meter away from us….lol the building on the 1st floor has a balcony,...

I always strive for some for of control in my life but it’s a constantly loosing battle, in my excesses, all of those I cannot seem to shake I keep finding that the more I try to control the less I have. That’s the reason for my post the other day “Your reality is just delusion”. This isn’t clever or pretentious, just me struggling with the little things in my life that leave me weak and stressed out. I feel an anxiety tighten around my chest as though my heart were being compressed. Mundane issues that are in “my” control, my truth is that as I imagine I have control, I’m not, I’m just deluding myself. I’m tired and cold, and I’m gonna get back into bed, I’ll finish this later.

I had a good day yesterday, everyone busy and I did a cool piece on ICE,pictured below, it's not done as it sits on a broken clock, but we pretty much got the owl done. I came home to the most awesome fog having rolled in over the island, it felt like a scene from Pirates of the Caribbean, I was expecting a band of scurvy pirates to come howling out of the fog...lol Got home, put on the fake fire heater, made dinner, turned on the telly and sat in my leather wingback chair.... I am loving this life. No rants, although using my car to go to work can nurture a few about the traffic, but not today, perhaps another time.

Not much to say today, except I started a really nice floral on Miriam, pictured below, and I love it. I have something very interesting to do today on ICE, and Im sure I will post a photo for you tomorrow, but that's it today. No ramblings, or rantings... perhaps tomorrow, hell I'm bound to find something...

I seem to have found that life has a few really big surprises in store for you. Yesterday Luca came to visit, for those that don’t know, Luca is Hymne’s 10 year old son, Hymne passed away on the 31 of January 2010, and left a huge, unfathomable hole, in our lives. On mothers day, he chose me to visit, it made me really apprehensive, as we had not actually talked about her, and her death since I had driven out on that fateful day to tell him that she had died, today was the first time we spoke about her. About how we missed her, and love her, and what fun we had when we all lived in the large farm house in Paarl. I never wanted kids, in fact it’s a major reason I find myself single at my age, but life plays these little tricks on you, here is Luca, choosing me to spend the day with, to be closer to his Mother. I makes me very small, makes me humble, and very grateful, I am truly blessed and very lucky….Mr Lucky

Having made it to bed at 8pm on a saturday night is a sorry state of affairs, but it's probably the safest place to be for me, if you know what I mean.... With the sudden onset of winter this year, I feel that big bear hibernation coming on, and the only thing my lovely place is missing is a lovely big hearth. It would be amazing to sit in front of crackling fire while watching the weather roll in over the ocean, the lighthouse starts up it's warnings to inbound ships. Alas this is not to be so I'm gonna cheat, Im buying one of those ruddy big gas numbers, and pretend it's the same thing....lol I started a new sleeve on a great client, Tracey, here is a sneak peek. The 2nd session in Tracey's new East LA inspired arm, as this work is normally in black and grey, I wanted to use the iconography, but do it in bright vivid color, that is the hispanic culture. So it's pretty "Dia de los Muertos" cholitas, lowriders and sacred hearts, skeletons and snakes...

"I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear... I will permit it to pass over me and through me". This is from Frank Herbert's "Dune" a sci-fi author and dune, made into a movie that kind of stuck with me for many reasons. First the art direction, it's fantastic, each planetary dynasty having their own style, architecture, fashion and the list goes on. The lighting is just fantastic and has incredible hues from planet to planet, all very saturated and setting the scenes, and I could go on, but I have digressed, one of the things that stuck with me was that quote, used by the Bene Gesserit's to control their minds, and it brings me too what's been on my mind. Fear cripples everything, your body, your mind, everything. It leads to some of the ugliest character traits, arrogance, jealousy, anger, loudness, control issues to mention a few. It forces you into a corner like a caged ...

Yesterday was Taco day! man I love those girls from Orinoco, they make seriously real soft taco's that are just so freaking awesome, every thursday I feel like I'm sitting with a good friend at a little Mexican place called Joanafina's on Ventura beach, some very good times. Oh and I have to mention Steve, he makes sausages... choriso's, salami, damn he's stuff is just fantastic. If you are ever in St Georges Mall up at the top where it meets the Company Gardens, on a thursday make sure you come to the food market, it's really worth popping in. Tuesday night was comedy night and I had the good fortune to catch Welsh Comedian Rhod Gilbert, and for me he is without doubt one of the most hilarious stand ups I've seen. I had to include this clip about the luggage, it had me rolling around laughing my ass off, I'm still looking for it...lol  I finished this cover up on Paul today the original was a type exercise that was miss quoted and really badly done, ...

I started Sonja,s new tattoo yesterday, I was hoping to get more done, but this kind of thing takes time, and not to mention a lot of patience from Sonja, who sat really well, but after three and a half hours, it all gets a little much. In two to three weeks we can complete it and really sit and finesse it so it's really absolutely perfect. Today I finish up Pauls chest piece, it's a cover up, of some very bad type with an awesome skull and rose design, I have been waiting several weeks to get it done, and I'm really super excited. I will post it tomorrow, so keep a keen eye. I am gonna gripe a little though, and it's about the use of ones talent, admittedly tattoo is in fact a commercial art, but the art created by me, is mine, the copyright belongs to me, and even though a client has paid for it and it's in there skin, the work is still mine. So why is it that every Tom, Dick and Harry wants to just use it for their own self promotion? this goes to photographe...

Not much to say today, as yesterday passed in the after effects of a Xanor taken on monday night, barely able to focus on the day though as in everyones, there are always the highlights, but thats something for another time. Today I have an awesome piece to do, I will post a pic tomorrow so keep an eye out. Thats it for today.

After two days of Im not quiet sure what to do with myself, I guess it's time to head back to work. It makes me think about what defines you? and I think it's probably a major part of that, whether thats good or bad I'm not really sure as there are things that will probably be more fulfilling as far as that goes. Raising a family, doing good in a community, but as I'm not in that kind of catagory I find myself thinking about just what does it for me. Is it my relationships? well as my phones been off the past two days I guess not, perhaps someone special, and there I tend to choose always the most complicated of relationships, not that I mind, but it certainly isn't a normal situation by any means. So I suppose it's my work that does, and my hobbies, lame you may say? and perhaps you are right, but just how closely did you take a look at yours? do you feel you are putting and getting enough from it? I've done a lot of work his month, but the pieces I wou...

Well at least it's cooler, but with the impending rain it puts a damper on the car was... and I was gonna be so productive today....hahahahaha. The awesome thing about a day like this is from my room I hear the ocean crashing down on the shore, that constant is always re-asuring. Moving to Cape Town I did have 2 things that had to be, I had to be able to see the mountain, and I had to be near the ocean, I really am "Mr Lucky"  Thank You