I promise i’ll update more frequently than just “yearly”

Oh, Ybor.

Ybor City. The true melting pot of Tampa. This past year of moving back and settling myself in has really come with some amazing highlights. People that were once labeled as friends can now be called family. Some that were just acquaintances have been upgraded to friends. Hell, i even met all new folks! With these winds of change, can also come heart break. I saw friends die, business opportunities comes and go, and made some amazing decisions. One of those is forming a partnership with Skip Sampson in the 1603 Tattoo Collective Studio. While the team (Marcus, JC, Skip and Panda) is slaving away in a temporary location, work is underway for the new facility. I can’t reveal any details yet, but you better hold onto your butts! This is going to be huge.

This year also brought about finding myself and working to better my shitty habits and taming *some* of my vices. I’ve officially quit smoking, lessened my drinking, and am waging a battle against ‘dad bod’. This came with really trying to get involved in more physical activities. And with that, i began learning the basics of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu with my good friend Dee Mckinzie at Ybor City Jiu Jitsu Club. These guys are stellar! Dee has taken me under his wing to get me up to speed before i dive, head first, into the classes.

Things also changed in my personal love life. Go figure. I happened to find someone with an equal distaste in AC/DC and it just so happens she kinda pretty, too.

So far she’s put up with my drunken rants and wild hijinks. She’s winced when I mentioned doing hood rat things with my hood rat friends and worried about me when I bought a dual-purpose dirt bike.

how sweet is this thing?!

But, this is what she’s signed up for! We’ll see what kind of trouble I can get myself and her 3 year old son, Robbie, into.

so, there’s that. I’m sure this update will make both of my followers jump with glee to know that I’m still alive. I’ve just been busy living life.