Get to know Doc - The Doc tattoo

The famous "Doc" tattoo on my right forearm. Whats the story behind that you ask? Was it some seedy tattoo parlor in Jacksonville NC when you were a Marine?
Maybe he got it at a tattoo parlor in some exotic far off land? It really looks like a jail house tattoo...

Nope, none of that. The year 1981, I had just signed up for the Marines and was waiting to ship out. I had been spending lots of time with my friends, one of them Ken. We go back probably to 1979. Guess whats on his right forearm? A tattoo that says "Ken" that a friend of his gave him before he left Massachusetts (Yes I had to use spell check) for Virginia. I thought, what better way to remember my best friend? I asked him if he could give me a like tattoo on my arm. No problem.

We went to a arts and supply store and bought some India ink, somehow, I don't know I had a bottle of Southern Comfort (I know, horrible nasty stuff).

I thought it was necessary to get pretty tanked up for this hard core tattoo.

Ken proceeded to outline the tattoo with a pen, wrapped some thread around a sewing needle, dipped the needle in the India ink and the fun began.

I got sick from the Southern Comfort and of course wasn't necessary.

Here is a picture of me and Ken before I left for Uruguay.

Get to know "Doc" - Part 1

Just thought I would fill in the times and places for my new readers. Where do I begin?

Hometown: Virginia Beach, VA, although pretty much after 1982 I have called everywhere else BUT Virginia Beach home. That would because of my time in the Marines.

After the Marines I've been a contractor, mostly overseas work and lots of travelling. Here is a list of places I've lived:

Twentynine Palms, CA

Jacksonville, NC

Okinawa, Japan

Beaufort, SC

Culpeper, VA

Manassas, VA

Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

My suitcase

Baghdad, Iraq

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Montevideo, Uruguay

What place would I call my favorite? I liked Sarajevo, but Okinawa is also a nice place. But small towns are great, and you can't beat the southern hospitality and small town feel of Beaufort!

Here is a picture of me in Baghdad in front of the crossed sword, great photo opp place!

Caved in

Although not officially my first attempt at blogging, this is to announce that I have finally caved in. I realized that I do have lots of thoughts that I wanted to email on my Doc Reports but they slipped by the wayside.

Anyways, be looking here!