Second, I haven’t been to the Florabama in almost a decade. And now I remember why I don’t frequent there.

Well, last night was my first party bus experience. I imagine that it is a pretty prolific occupation to be in charge of a party bus. I also imagine it is one of the craziest occupations to have and definitely a great situation for people watching.

Will and Melanie were having their Going Away Extravaganza in style by renting a party bus for the night. First, the Florabama. Then, Tippy’s Tavern. And last, Gene’s Lounge. Wow. What an experience this was going to be. Gabe brought a whole pint of Jagermeister, which he had surely planned not to share. Tony brought bottled water; just like an apprentice to want to stay sober to keep things under control. KC and I brought nothing. We didn’t know the rules of partying on a party bus.

Well, we started things with some Bud Lite w/Lime. The first bottle was actually quite tasty. The second bottle… piss. Thank God we had arrived at the Florabama, right? I mean, I really didn’t want to finish that second bottle and I was pretty hungry. But unfortunately, Susan had given me a shot of Patron before we departed the party bus.

Well, we went to the bar and ordered a drink. Gabe decided that he would make a lovely conversation with the young man next to him about how gay he looked. The guy was pretty cool about it and proceeded to joke with Gabe whom introduced Tony as his life-partner. I patted the young man on the back and told him he was a good sport. But this asinine twerp about 3 people back from us started yelling,”Hey! You must be from Atlanta!!!” Gabe was indeed wearing his Braves hat and retorted,”Shut up, you dipshit! You don’t know anything about Atlanta!” And here we go…

So, the guy continues to yell about this hat and Gabe continues to tell him in many different ways how he can stop talking. But my attention shifted to a dumb, redneck girl that was probably 10 years younger than me who had started yelling,”Hey! I’m from Atlanta! Hey! I’m from there!” literally after every sentence Gabe said. In my mind, I started wondering why she even got involved in the cussing back and forth, and then I just simply thought,’She is just being an attention whore. Yep. Nothing better to do than be the center of attention.’ That became clear as I realized that her bright coral tank top was the only bright thing about her. Although, her boobs were as real as her personality and I am sure she wore that color to accentuate that aspect. What a winner. At least it distracted me from looking at her ‘i’ve-been-around-the-block-way-too-many-times-for-a-girl-in-her-twenties’ face. Striking. But not in a good way.

Well, I turned back around to hand our awesome bartender a $20 tip for putting up with this banter. She was solid. But to my surprise when I turned back to Gabe he was yelling at a manager and hatless. WHAT?! I only looked away for a moment! It turns out that they girl desperately seeking attention had taken Gabe’s hat and threw it into the next room. Wow. We are adults, obviously. So, it begins.

We go out to talk to this manager guy. Gabe is distraught and completely giving the guy a lesson in semantics, debate, common sense, respect and civil society. I am watching the boyfriend of this unintelligent broad who was now trying to apologize to Gabe without really saying sorry. The girl pokes her head through the plastic curtain used to keep the elements out of the establishment and starts yelling for her boyfriend. He looks at her, shakes his hand to go away and mouths ‘Stooooooop it…’ repeatedly. She continues yelling at him and I bite my tongue. He then takes her away and I watch this conversation via reading lips and I realize that one of his arms is in a cast. My guess is it’s her fault that he has an injury and he is trying to calm her down and get her under control. I imagine him say,”I can’t get you out of this if you don’t quit.” or something like that, to which she then mouths the two words that send me off. “FUCK HIM.”

I glare and continue to watch this conversation and she notices me and starts smiling, waving and blowing kisses at me. I look at her and hold my arm out. My index finger is slowly imitating a windshield wiper as I shake my head. Nobody likes to be treated like a child or looked upon in total disappointment. I could tell in her eyes that I had ignited a fire. I could almost see smoke exiting through her mouth as she grinned back at me and she threw her hand up in an L on her forehead. WAIT… Hold on a minute… what decade are we in?! I could have sworn we were in the 2000s. Am I in 8th grade??? Is she really holding up the “LOSER” gesture on her fore-, I mean, fivehead??? Wooooooooooooooooooow…

I just shook my head and turned around.

We went back in so Tony could finish his poboy and I see a bright coral mass bouncing up and down out of the corner of my eye. Yeah. She was still at it. I chose to ignore her because I really didn’t want to exhaust myself anymore with the likes of this unintelligent mess of a human being, but all of a sudden I hear,”Hey! Do you wanna take this outside?” and as I look up, it’s her directly across this bar table I’m standing at. KC is to my left and Tony is on my right as I throw my open hand in her face and yell,”GET AWAY FROM ME, YOU DON’T HAVE ENOUGH BRAIN CELLS FOR ME TO TALK YOU, SO JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!” at the top of my lungs so everyone around me can hear me and witness.

She continues to attempt to talk over me as I repeat these lines over and over. I had already broken up the ice in my bushwacker and played two separate fight scenes in my mind, much like the new Sherlock Holmes movies (reference: 1:37). One involved a jump kick to the Xiphoid Process followed by both my knees on her biceps while I sat on that $3000 rack and repeatedly pummel her already haggered face with my fists the way my father taught me how to throw a punch. I calculated that I might get 6-7 good punches. The other scene involved me letting her get close, pulling her by her ponytail with my right hand, using my open left palm in a 45 degree upward motion at the bridge of her nose, then taking that arm and wrapping her left arm at the pit as I simultaneously push my right knee in to back of her left knee and force her to kiss the ground repeatedly. I only calculated 3 times before I get pulled off of her and I’m on my way to jail.

But… like a coward she starts screaming,”Really?! What degree do you have? What degree do you have? What degree do you have?” as I’m thinking, like I’m really going to have this conversation with the likes of you and repeat for her to shut up like a broken record and that is when she did it. She pushed KC’s drink that was sitting so conveniently in front of him towards me. My drink stirring for the past 17 minutes had finally paid off! In slow motion, I grab my drink in my right hand and calculate the most effective area of her body for maximum damage. Not the face. The drink would go everywhere and get on innocent bystanders. Not the stomach. The execution would leave too much unscathed. Not the head. It would only drip down and possibly be a complete waste.

Ah… the breasts she really paid way too much money for.

My hand projects from my elbow and quickly halts about 6 inches from her chest. The bushwacker then catapults while keeping it’s cup form and upon contact disperses in all directions covering the chest, stomach, crotch, thighs knees and most importantly, in a glorious reverse waterfall, splashes to cover that wretched physiognomy that sits on top of it all. Execution: 10. Style: 10. Form: 10. Overall: Perfect 10.

The look on her face was priceless and I will forever enjoy that moment. Unfortunately, she did have some drink left and that went on yours truly. I waited for her to jump on me, but as I wiped my shirt and begged in my mind for her to throw down, the staff of the Florabama came over, broke it up and ended up kicking that whole party out.

She threatened once more that she was outside waiting for me as I waved her away,”Yeah… Yeah… Whatever.” She was nowhere to be found as we journeyed back to the party bus. The rest of the night was full of fun and laughter over the whole thing and soon forgotten. But I will never forget how I almost got in a fight at the Florabama.

(Reginold Taylor, USN, ca. 1958, approx. 20 yrs of age)

Things just haven’t been quite what I expected… then again, life is like that.

My father went into the hospital at the end of October and it has been a roller coaster ride ever since. Basically, he has been on dialysis for 8 years and it has taken a toll on his body. He was on a ventilator for quite some time and during this process of trying to find out what happened and why his blood sugar and pressure wouldn’t stabilize, he suffered a heart attack (or something like it) and on top of it also had bronchial pneumonia.

(taken near the ending of ventilation period)

Then, he got better miraculously (through prayer) and went into a rehab hospital. NOTE: I don’t care what anyone says, my father really should have died then. I can’t explain it, but he really had some divine appointment to be able to wake back up. The doctors were not hopeful. We were all the hope and faith he needed.

(pictured with Aida V. Taylor, wife)

Then, the day after his 74th birthday, he moved to a ‘specialty’ rehab hospital. Honestly… this place sucked. By that statement, I mean it even sucked the life out of me. Unfortunately, these people have to deal with this kind of place all the time. I cried. My heart broke for these poor souls that were stuck in such a wretched and lifeless place! It reminded me of a asylum/nursing home.

He had been having headaches for 2 days prior to moving in there. He was literally in there for one day and his health went south again. He was moved back to the hospital into the ER because he had become incoherent. The test results concluded that he had contracted bacterial meningitis. During treatment for it they decided that they would amputate his left leg below the knee because of lost blood profusion to his toes. I had made a comment about the toes back at the rehab hospital, but no one suspected anything was wrong.

(taken after amputation, with KC Mitchell, daughter's husband)

(BTW… I am trying really hard not to be angry about that… I am no doctor… but I know what my father’s toe is supposed to look like)

He is now recovering in a normal room after about 2 nights in the CCU when his blood pressure went south AGAIN.

My family and I are trying to stay strong, but it’s difficult. We thank all the people praying and keeping us in their thoughts. It’s really great and amazing and helps us tough it through. He has good days, but mostly tired days.

Honestly… I just miss the hell outta my dad. Good Ol’ Reggie.

(taken by daughter at residence several months before hospitalization)

Otherwise, things are really good! My family visited for the holidays and I couldn’t have been happier!!! It was great seeing them all. We had a great time. And KC and I got some great gifts! Can’t wait to frame them and can’t wait to use our Chatterbox Speaker Systems on the bikes!

The shop is going great! Things are picking up and I am working on some sweet tatties!

Also, PAINTING AGAIN!!! What a relief. I can’t believe it has been over a year since I have painted. I have literally been keeping it all in. There are people gone from the shop now that killed it for me for a little bit. But that chapter is closed and that person is gone and the cloud over the shop is gone with him. Unfortunately… I am afraid that person will never learn the value in people and having an attitude that creates light instead of dwelling in darkness… but I am so glad that I am now able to be inspired by the wonderful artists around me! Thanks guys!!!

It’s been a while and I couldn’t feel higher about the photo shoot and video shoot I did with KC Mitchell. You can view the whole album on my Facebook. The only thing I have to complain about is that it is so dang hot in Florida!

I haven’t done a location shoot in so long that I really got annoyed at myself for forgetting a couple things or keeping in mind what to do in emergencies. They are emergencies only in my head, but still… they make me freak out inside. I still have to work on that. I don’t let it affect my outward appearance or ability to keep the work moving, but it still bothers me on the inside. I wonder if I will ever get over it. I guess you just shoot, shoot, shoot.

Anyway, it felt good and I hope to do more of these sooner than later.

Just finished my second ever portrait. Kinda crazy that it was her first tattoo.

Other than that, all kinds of wonderful things are happening. I got a book on Filipino Tattoos and it’s super awesome. It’s no wonder why I do tattoos… it all makes sense now. Not that it really didn’t before, but things are really starting to come together for me as far as why I do what I do and why I am where I am. It’s really relieving to be not necessarily comfortable, but content with who you are and where you are. I just need to kickstart some projects that I have been meaning to do. I need a sturdy wooden easel and a jig saw. A proper table jig saw. Hope I can find one or have access to one soon.

KC is doing great with his videography. He’s really taking off. He’ll have that small business in what seems like no time and I couldn’t be happier and more proud of him. Because of it, I am inspired to do more photography again. I miss that very much.

I have so much to do and so little time, but I am glad that I get to do awesome and fun things and live life with people. It wouldn’t be much of one without the people I love, admire and adore. They inspire me.

OK. Off to bed. I need to really buckle down and get up and get some stuff done!

But I couldn’t shake it. It just kept… growing.

At first, I thought maybe it was that I hadn’t been listening to God very well. But I really had. He’s been fine tuning my focus all year. And although I hadn’t gotten a complete handle, or tight grip, on focusing my time and energy instead of being so scattered and “in everything”, I knew that I have at least had progress. I knew that I was indeed moving forward.

‘But why can’t I shake this uneasiness?! Like something is still wrong with what I’m doing.’ I just had this desire, this longing, for relationship.

Not that I’m prideful or even boast in the fact of having many friends, but you see, I have very many friends. And all of them I do love dearly. But I also love people. I love, as in enjoy, meeting new friends. I just love talking to people and I love the story of life. I think it extremely fascinating to listen to other human beings talk. And I love to tell them about my own life story and to compare and even relate thoughts and more importantly, dreams and visions.

I could do this for a job, but I’m afraid that wouldn’t be the same, because then… it’s a job.

So, back to this uneasiness.
But first, let’s talk about Showbread.

This band… wait, let me rephrase that… this group of souls are special. They aren’t alone in specialness because I know there are many more people like them out there, but the heart tells all about an individual and a group and these guys have that. They are concerned with the Gospel and the Good News. They are what Jesus wants. They know what the Holy Sprit desires. They have a wonderful message of love. It is completely humble, honest, clear (as in clarity) and transparent (as in unwaveringly apparent). I can barely even speak in a few sentences what Josh said during a show in what I can only describe as a profession of the heart. These guys want nothing more than to love on people and to show others what that love means to them only because it is from God’s own heart at its very core. It has been a long time since a “group” has left an impact on me like that. And it’s refreshing, energizing and lovely.

Meeting these guys was a blast! I only got to spend a little time with them, but believe me, a few hours is enough for eternity for me. Some of you will get that and some of you won’t. My hope is that you will soon get that, if you don’t.

After they left, I felt like a part of me left. This is where I started feeling strange. To be honest, I didn’t like that. I felt like something went missing and I couldn’t explain it. I marinated in that all day. It really started eating me up. I felt it boiling in me. And I grew frustrated and somewhat angry. I got even got upset at God for a little bit. And then I felt crazy. Like, I was losing sight of myself. I could hardly stand it. So, I went to bed.

Yeah… not a recommendation. Don’t go to sleep mad: (a)At your spouse (if you have one). And (b)… especially God.

I woke up even worse. I felt like I had been in the ring for 13 rounds of being pummeled and with no energy to block any blow. I felt exhausted of feeling this awkward emptiness. I couldn’t stop thinking of people. All kinds of people. Everyone I knew raced through my mind. Moments with friends and loved ones kept playing like a slideshow and although it was delightful going through this hall of nostalgia, it was killing me.

I started talking to KC. I needed to ramble.

It hit me. I wasn’t really angry at God. I was jealous of God. I understood that these people that I know, whether it’s one hour, one year or even more than a decade… I know these people and love these people because they possess the same spirit as I do. The connection isn’t merely common interest, or even a common goal… it’s a relative understanding for the overwhelming awesomeness (and I do mean awe) of the love of God and who Jesus is. That it doesn’t matter if I get to have 10 minutes with this kind of person. It’s enough. The feeling I get in their absence is because of that presence. That I can keep people like that in my heart because they are very much a part of it only in the fact that God’s own heart is my own. I am made and refined in his image and Spirit.

My body is what kills me. The fact that it is limited is what makes me boil. I am jealous that God is omnipotent. I can’t even be that. I can’t spend time with these people at once. I am and never will be capable in my physical form. This is what breaks my heart. That I want so much to be a part of these people’s lives day in and day out… equal and the same. But I never will have that option. I envy that God has that ability.

But my heart breaks also, for another reason. Because that means that just as I am incapable of being with these people like that… everyday. So is He. He desires so badly to be with each and every one of us on this planet… day in and day out. But we have free will and He, as a gentleman, would never force Himself upon us in any way. That is why we are called to love. We are supposed to share that with everyone because sometimes you just really need to know that God can be tangible. You need to know that people are capable of perfect communion with the Holy Spirit, even if it’s for a moment. That moment needs to be the right moment. It is a great need on this earth. And we are all in need. There is not one soul who is immune to sin, so therefore, no one should assume that anyone has it figured out.

I broke. I wept before I could end the converstation with KC. I literally screamed because I pretty much couldn’t handle it within myself… within my body. I finally understood my overwhelming longing. For the kingdom.

The heart is strong and equally vulnerable. Hope is the food for which it hungers. Love is the answer to all its questions. And everyone needs that ALL of their days. The only measure we have is eternity.

“Asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He replied to them by saying, The kingdom of God does not come with signs to be observed or with visible display, Nor will people say, Look! Here [it is]! or, See, [it is] there! For behold, the kingdom of God is within you [in your hearts] and among you [surrounding you].”   -Luke 17:20-21 (AMP)

i want to post more on here. more of what i do. and i intend to do that. here is a business card i designed for KC. he says he likes it. so, that’s good. i haven’t designed anything for anyone in a while. so, this was my first attempt. i have many more business cards  and logs to design, so it’s really a good start. he just wanted something simple and to the point.

then, there is a tattoo that i did recently that i really like. i want to do more of this kind of stuff. but hopefully not as cover up work. don’t get me wrong, i LOVE the way this cover up turned out only because she was willing to go BIG, but it would be cool to do more stuff like this with more free reign.

and then, there is this tattoo. i love pinups and this is way more risqué than anything i have ever done. honestly, i don’t do stuff like this often at all. i like pinups to have more clothing like the old school style. but anyway, i was pretty pleased with the way it turned out.

and there you have it folks. that’s pretty much my first update in a while and my first update with actual photos of tattoos and work i have done recently. i hope to do that more in the future since i will be doing a lot more. i really hope i don’t get too busy. but then again… we always grow busier along with growing older.

I don’t know why I don’t write as much as I used to. I don’t read as much as I would like either. I am not a lazy person. I think I just do too much. And I mean, I have too many hats. This year I was going to try to take some of them and hang them up. I hung up 2 hats… but it seems I have 7 more. *sigh*

I have always been this way, but I don’t really want to be too busy. I need some down time and it’s quite hard to find it to be honest. In fact, my time to be still is very short these days. I’m still when I sleep. It’s why I got the “candle burning at both ends” on me… and through my neck. It’s prolly my single-most bittersweet tattoo I have. I am concerned that I will never change.

But is it bad to be this way?

Maybe is I lose my sense of priority, like I have in the past. I have learned so much from the past year, as in 2010. I have learned that we are all capable of being things we don’t want to be in order to try to get a handle on life. Is it wrong? I am not quite sure sometimes. I am saying we make mistakes, but aren’t they only mistakes if we don’t learn from them??? I never want to go down the wrong path, but I am learning how to discern much more quickly when I tend to be just even one degree off. I guess that is also part of life and learning from mistakes.

I love my life, no matter how hard it may be or present itself at times… even if it is only my perception. I will never regret what happens in it. I will never be afraid nor regret sharing the truth of how I feel about it to people because I am in love with the truth…. even if it stings.

I will always share my life with others and hope to gain more understanding of it through my own and through theirs as well. If I had a memoir I think it would be shocking to a lot of people. Unless of course you knew everything there was to know about me. I think that people are so interesting because of their story. I wish I had more time to know more stories…

And I am not saying all that just because the new year just started according to the Gregorian Calendar. I am saying that some things are beginning and some things are just coincidentally coming to a close, like our house remodel. Which is a great burden lifted. Well, the major things are out of the way for the most part. We can now live in peace and get some things done!

I am excited to be much more creatively free again! Doing some art in the form of a 365 project. Although my Kickstarter Project didn’t really take off, I am not discouraged. It would have been great to have the financial support to bring people together for the sake of art in the form of a book, but it’s not the end of the project. I am still doing it. I just would have like to have a face and name to give all that art to. Also, I am going to do more photography and start to instill more of that into my tattooing. I am so incredibly excited for what God is going show me more of this year. He has really been stretching me to dream more and to live in my imagination and He has already blown my mind! He has given me things I have been desiring for quite some time. I also want to stretch myself in music, which has been always in my heart. Really going to learn more about what I can do with my cello and how I can incorporate that more into my life and my art.

KC is doing much more creatively with the videography. He got a job doing pediatric home health as an LPN, and I am really proud of him because that alone was able to happen so quickly by an act of God. And he has so much favor on him right now. God really is catapulting him in his gift for film and video and I can’t wait to see what we can do together with that. The job will help with getting some bills paid and some gear for him. It’s going to really be a blessing, too, for the people he will be working for. He really is such a whole-hearted servant.

We are so actively doing things with the Youth at GEN-F. Notice: “with”. It’s amazing seeing those kids just have faith and without fear. So inspiring. They really know that the heart of the Lord is in all of us just waiting to be unleashed! I love it. My year serving with GEN-F has been much more for me than for the youth. I love those guys so much because they are so precious. I can’t wait to see what Word the Lord provides for yet another year! Wonderful.

I can barely stand it!!! I am totally stoked.

Watch out 2011. In God’s name and with His mighty help… I’m happening to you.

I basically want to do 6 drawings or photos a week based on a word people give my for inspiration, which will inspire one painting a week. I wanted to originally do 52 paintings next year to challenge myself. I think it will be an even great challenge to do something inspired by others. It’s the community that I like about this project. I like knowing that it can be big and worldwide. I am a little nervous… but more excited than scared really.

I want to make a book of my year in art. I want to be challenged. I want to stretch myself artistically, just a little more than I have ever thought I could handle. Because in the end I want the accomplishment to be the great reward. That I am capable of knocking something out of the park, yknow?

I definitely can’t wait to get started on this. I hope that people will see my passion and will back me and support me and just tell me that I can do it!

For more information, click —> Three-Sixty-Five with The Lovely Lo

i had this dream that i woke up in a house full of people. and even though no one was recognizable, i had been living with these people for quite some time.

they KNEW me. and i KNEW them.

i went to the bathroom to get ready and i opened the medicine cabinet to find my foundation all over the place. i hadn’t noticed until i saw the almost empty canister, but it was all over the tub, behind the toilet and a mess. i went out the the living area and asked,“who did this?!” one person started saying,“well… what happened was….”

i was completely shocked. i wondered if anyone even cared about what i valued.
and then i woke up.

now… thinking about this and actually wondering why i got upset about a silly little thing like foundation i found myself realizing it isn’t about the make-up at all. that was just the illustration that God needed to get to me.

the people are symbolic of people i think i know, and i think know me, but they really don’t. they don’t really care about what i value. they just think about what they think i should be doing or what i should be about. the foundation is symbolic of my very own make-up, as in what i was created for and purposed for.
the very thing that makes me… well… ME!
that someone would just trash what i live and stand for is appalling and disgusting to me. and just plain heart breaking. especially knowing i have invested in these people and in the end, they really don’t care.

it was a very eye opening dream.

i realize that God REALLY is my foundation. that will never change. and the people who don’t get it, just won’t. there is a time to move on and continue on the path God has for me. people might not understand, but it’s not for them to. and that my purpose doesn’t fit a mold or a structure that is understandable in the first place. if i don’t listen to Him and what He wants i will continue to struggle between what my heart desires and my mind wants. although, i know at the end of the day that my heart is the Lord’s and my spirit is the Holy Spirit and that my mind isn’t capable of fully comprehending what God has purposed for me… but it’s been there since the beginning of time and i have nothing else to do but to own that.

THANK YOU, JESUS!!!